by Paige Tyler
“Shit,” Kaige swore.
His first instinct was to get back to the main house as fast as possible. If there were rogue vampires here, then they were probably there, too. Savanna could be in their clutches even now. But common sense told him it’d be worthless to try to rescue her without a weapon. He needed the security team and the firepower they’d brought with them.
He looked at Jensen. “We need to get in there before those bastards kill them. Is there a back way into the cottage?”
Jensen nodded. “Follow me.”
They made their way to the back of the building, careful to keep to the shadows. All Kaige could think about was what was happening to Savanna up in the main house. She had to be okay. He couldn’t lose her, not when he’d finally found happiness after all these years. He promised himself that the moment she was safe, he was telling her exactly how he felt about her.
Kaige took the lead, quietly slipping into the cottage, then waiting for Jensen to follow. He could hear voices coming from the front room. It sounded like the rogues were arguing. He slowly made his way through the kitchen and cautiously looked around the doorjamb, only to quickly jerk his head back. There was a rogue vampire in the hallway with his back to Kaige. From the way he was standing in front of one of the doors, it looked like he was on guard duty. The security team must be in that room.
Up to that point, Kaige hadn’t been too interested in what the rogue vampires were arguing about, but suddenly what they were saying registered. Most of them wanted to kill the security operatives immediately. Only one of the vampires disagreed.
“The Master told us to wait until they take the main house,” he said. “We wait until we get the signal. It should be coming any minute.”
Kaige exchanged a look with Jensen. His friend nodded. They both knew they didn’t have time to waste coming up with a complicated plan. If the rogue vampires got the signal from the house, Zane and the rest of his team would be dead.
Praying the vampire standing guard would be so distracted by the argument that he wouldn’t hear him coming, Kaige crept down the hallway. The vampire didn’t hear him until Kaige was a few feet away. As the rogue vampire turned to investigate, Kaige punched him solidly across the jaw. When the vampire slumped, Kaige caught him and dragged him back toward the kitchen. Once there, he relieved the other vampire of his assault rifle and pistol, handing the latter to Jensen. They went back out into the hallway and carefully made their way to the door the vampire had been guarding. Kaige stood guard in the hallway while Jensen went in to free the security team.
Zane Bradford came out of the room first. He exchanged a quick look with Kaige, then gestured for his team to head to the kitchen. Kaige and Jensen followed. They would have been out the back door with the rest of the security team if one of the rogue vampires hadn’t picked that moment to check on the guard that’d been stationed in the hallway.
He came barreling into the kitchen, shouting over his shoulder that the prisoners were escaping. Zane stepped forward and quickly took the rogue down, disarming him. He’d barely gotten the weapon away from him before the rest of the rogue vampires came charging into the room.
Kaige immediately took cover and started firing. Jensen and Zane did the same. They were outmanned, but the rogue vampires were so wild and out of control that they ended up shooting some of their own in the back as they all tried to exit the cramped confines of the hallway.
As fast as it had started, the fight was over, with the last four rogues throwing down their weapons and surrendering as soon as it appeared things were no longer in their favor. Zane’s team swept in and while half of them tied up the rogues, the others collected up weapons. Leaving two of Zane’s team behind to guard the prisoners, the rest of them ran for the main house.
One look in the living room window confirmed Kaige’s worst fear and he tightened his grip on his weapon. The vampire who had attacked Savanna at his condo was holding her captive while an ancient-looking male ran a gnarled finger down her beautiful cheek.
Neither Lila nor anyone else was in sight. Beside Kaige, Jensen went white.
“Go find Lila and the Counsel members,” Kaige said. “I’ll deal with these two.”
Zane looked at Kaige. “Do you need me to leave one of my team with you to take care of them?”
Kaige ground his jaw. “They’re mine.”
Zane gave him an appraising look. “I thought you might say that. Good luck.”
With a nod, Jensen, Zane and his team headed for the back of the house. Kaige quickly made his way to the front door and entered the house. To his relief, the entryway was unguarded and he hurried to the living room. What he saw made his blood go cold. The old vampire had Savanna’s head pulled savagely to the side and was about to bite her. There was no way in hell Kaige was going to let that happen.
* * * * *
“Take your fucking hands off her or I’ll shoot you right now, you bastard.”
Kaige.
Relief swept through Savanna at the sound of his deep voice. Thank God.
Darac shifted so quickly that Savanna didn’t even see him move. One second, he was in front of her preparing to bite her neck, and the next he was standing beside her with his nasty, clawed fingers wrapped around her throat.
“Put down the gun or I’ll tear out her throat,” he said to Kaige.
Kaige ignored him, lifting the rifle he held and aiming it directly at the old vampire. But when he sent a quick glance her way, Savanna saw hesitation in his dark eyes.
He ground his jaw and turned his attention back to Darac. “I’m not letting you walk out of here with her.”
Darac regarded him in silence for a moment. “Then we are at an impasse. But I like your courage. It isn’t found in many of these bag-fed creatures that dare to call themselves vampires. You would have done well in the old days. Because of that, I’m willing to make you an offer. Throw down your modern weapon and fight me for her. Hand to hand, vampire against vampire, as it was done in centuries past.”
Kaige hesitated. Savanna’s blood went cold at the look in her lover’s eyes. He couldn’t actually be considering Darac’s suggestion, could he? But Kaige tossed the gun on the floor.
Darac chuckled and released her. “Hold this one,” he said to Overcoat Vamp. “I’ll finish her lover quickly.”
“Kaige, no!” Savanna shouted, but Darac had already launched himself at Kaige. Darac might be old, but he was fast. And strong. Savanna had to bite her lip to keep from screaming as he threw Kaige across the room. Kaige landed with a crash that splintered the coffee table, but was back on his feet and rushing Darac before she could blink.
Darac used his nails and fangs as weapons, while Kaige threw punch after punch. Many of the blows found their mark, but had little effect on the older vampire. Savanna’s breath hitched. Kaige was a skilled fighter, but Darac seemed invulnerable.
Darac raked his nails down Kaige’s shirt, shredding the material and leaving four long gouges in his chest. Blood began to flow freely from the wounds, and Savanna felt her stomach clench. Behind her, Overcoat Vamp let out a laugh that infuriated her. She only wished she could smash in his smug, arrogant face.
Gunfire echoed in the house, making Savanna jump.
Darac smiled. “That will be my vampires finishing off the Counsel scum.”
Kaige smirked. “Actually, that would be the Counsel’s security team taking your thugs down like the common criminals they are. You didn’t really think I’d come into this house by myself, did you?”
Darac lunged for Kaige with a hiss. Kaige sidestepped the old vampire at the same time he swung his fist. Since the older vampire was already in mid-leap, he couldn’t avoid the blow, and Kaige’s fist struck him squarely in the nose. It crunched with a sickening sound. Darac hit the floor with a thud and didn’t get up.
Savanna sagged with relief. It was over.
But then Darac pushed himself into a sitting position and w
iped the blood away with the back of his hand. Glaring at Kaige, he got to his feet and charged.
Even though the ancient vamp still tried to slash at Kaige with his nails, he wasn’t moving nearly as fast as he had been. Kaige rammed his fist into Darac again and again, sometimes connecting with his jaw, other times aiming for other parts of the body.
It was almost over—for good this time. Kaige was going to win.
Overcoat Vamp must have realized it, too, because he tightened his grip around her waist began dragging her from the room.
Savanna struggled to free herself, but his arms were like steel bands around her. She tried to dig her heels in next, but Overcoat Vamp only picked her up and carried her.
She jabbed her elbow into his stomach. “Let go of me, damn you!”
“I don’t think so,” he snarled. “I still owe you for what you did to my face, bitch, and I’m going to make sure you pay.”
He made a sharp turn, pulling her through the formal dining room and into the kitchen. She craned her neck to look over her shoulder. Crap. He was heading for the back door. She couldn’t let him get her outside.
Savanna looked around for something she could use as a weapon. The only thing within reach was a hanging pot-rack positioned over the island. She usually hated the things—probably because they were always in some horror movie or other—but now she was thinking that the kitchen accessory might just save her life.
As her would-be kidnapper pulled her past the island, she reached up and grabbed the first thing she could reach—a cast-iron skillet. Using every bit of strength she had, she twisted around and brought the heavy pan down as hard as she could on the vampire’s head.
He released her with a curse, his hands going to his injured head even as he stumbled backward.
Savanna hoped the blow would knock him out, but no such luck. As a vampire, he had the strength of ten men, not to mention a damn hard head. Ignoring the blood pouring down the side of his face, he bared his fangs and lunged at her.
“You’ll pay for that, you—”
Savanna swung the skillet at him again. This time, it connected with his fist. He howled and pulled back his damaged hand, cradling it with his good one.
“I’ll kill you for that!”
Savanna lifted the cast-iron skillet again, all set to take another swing at him, but Kaige slammed into the other vampire, knocking him to the floor. Kaige delivered two hard punches that left the other vampire unconscious. Muttering something under his breath, Kaige shoved him away and got to his feet. Even as bruised and bloody as he was from the fight, Savanna thought he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen.
With a sob, she dropped the skillet she was holding and ran over to him. He met her halfway, his arms going around her as she threw herself into them.
“I was so afraid for you,” she said, the words muffled against his shirt as she pressed her face into his chest.
He smoothed her hair with his hand. “I know, baby. But it’s over now.” He put his hands on her shoulders and took a step back so he could look at her. “Are you okay? That bastard didn’t hurt you, did he?”
Savanna shook her head. “No, I’m fine.” She reached out to gently run her fingers over the deep scratches on his chest. “But you’re hurt.”
He reached up and tenderly brushed her hair back from her face. “It’s nothing. Just some scratches.”
She wasn’t sure she’d agree, but at least it looked like Darac hadn’t done any worse damage. “The old vampire. Is he…?”
“Dead?” Kaige supplied when her voice trailed off. “Yes. I didn’t want it to end that way, but he didn’t give me any choice. He and his clan won’t be hurting anyone else.”
Savanna nodded. “What about everyone else? Was that really Zane and his team doing the shooting before? Are Lila and the others okay?”
Kaige opened his mouth to reply, but then grinned at something over her shoulder. Savanna turned to see Jensen and Lila coming into the room along with the members of the Counsel, as well as Zane and another operative from the security team. None of them look like they’d been harmed, thank God.
As Zane’s security team began to clean up the mess a little while later, he eyed Savanna and Kaige appraisingly. “You know, you two handled yourselves really well. We could always use operatives like you on our team. Have you ever thought of working for the Counsel?”
Savanna glanced at Kaige, who slipped an arm around her waist to pull her close. “No thanks.” She gave Zane a grin. “I don’t think I could do this on a regular basis.”
“Besides,” Kaige added. “We have more important things to take care of. Like planning a wedding.”
She looked at him in surprise. “Wedding? You mean…?”
He grinned. “Of course. If you think I’m going to let you get away after all of this, you’re crazy.” He tilted her chin up and kissed her gently on the mouth. “I love you more than I thought I could ever love anyone, Savanna. If you’ll have me, I’d like to spend the rest of my life proving to you just how much.”
Savanna’s heart did a backflip. She didn’t know if she wanted to laugh or cry. She ended up doing both. “Of course, I’ll have you.” She reached up to brush his hair back. “You’re the most perfect man in the world for me. You’re the gorgeous, sensitive, mysterious, damsel-in-distress-saving, I-only-like-to-come-out-after-dark kind of guy that I’ve always wanted. So, you set the date, and I’ll be there.”
Before he could reply, she tugged him back down for a kiss, only to blush and pull back with an embarrassed laugh when everyone around them applauded.
Epilogue
Savanna let out a little moan of pleasure each time she came down on Kaige’s hard cock. She slid her hands up his washboard abs to his well-muscled chest, leaning forward slightly as she slowly continued to undulate. Kaige tightened his hold on her hips, guiding her up and down.
“Oh yeah,” he said in a husky voice. “Ride me just like that, baby. Don’t stop.”
Savanna couldn’t help but smile. She and Kaige had made love practically nonstop since they’d left San Francisco and boarded the Counsel’s private jet to London the night before. They’d gotten in late and hadn’t left their hotel room since. Not that she was complaining. Making love to her new husband was way more fun than sightseeing.
Savanna leaned forward and pressed her lips to the side of his neck. She could feel his blood pumping beneath the skin. The intoxicating scent of it was almost enough to make her dizzy, and she sighed as she felt her fangs slide out. Holding on tightly to his shoulders, she gently sank her teeth into his neck.
Kaige’s hoarse groan of pleasure ignited a fire within her and she let out a little moan of her own. His hands tightened on her hips, urging her to ride him faster and faster as he thrust even harder into her. It was impossible to tell which one of them came first because their orgasms were so completely intertwined.
Savanna wasn’t even sure if what she was feeling was her pleasure or his. All she could do was cry out against his neck from the ecstasy of it.
“So, Mrs. Travers,” Kaige said a little while later. “What would you like to do today?”
Savanna was snuggled up beside him with her head pillowed on his shoulder. She smiled at the sound of her married name. “Besides more of what we just did?”
Her husband chuckled. “Besides that.”
She laughed as she ran her finger up and down his bare chest. “How about a walk along the Thames then lunch at a traditional English pub?”
“Sounds good to me,” Kaige agreed, tilting her chin up to kiss her on the mouth.
Now that she and Kaige had decided to finally leave the room and explore the city, Savanna was suddenly impatient to go sightseeing. As they were pulling on their clothes, however, Kaige’s cell phone rang.
Her husband glanced at the display. “It’s Jensen. I won’t be long.”
While Kaige talked to the other vampire, Savann
a went out on the balcony to take in the view. It had been gorgeous the night before, but in the light of day, it was absolutely breathtaking. From where she stood, she could see Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament, and just beyond that, the Thames.
When Kaige had suggested going to London for their honeymoon, she’d eagerly agreed. Of course, she’d been so thrilled with the idea of becoming his wife that she probably would have agreed to go anywhere. But the city really was the perfect place for a honeymoon. Though she knew it would obviously look different now, she was eager to see where he had grown up.
Savanna’s lips curved into a smile as she looked down at the diamond rings on her left hand. Their wedding had been absolutely beautiful. They had gotten married in her parents’ church then driven up to a country club in Napa for the reception. To her and Kaige’s surprise, the Counsel had insisted on paying for everything from the honeymoon to the designer gown her mother had mentioned seeing on the front of that bridal magazine. Gabriella had told Savanna and Kaige that it was the Counsel’s way of repaying them for what they’d done.
Though they’d gotten married only a month after the episode at the winery, her mother had approved of the rather quick wedding. “You have to grab him before someone else does,” she told Savanna again. Of course that hadn’t kept her mother from pulling her to the side to make sure Kaige wasn’t marrying her just because she was pregnant. She’d hastily assured her mother that wasn’t the case.
Her father, on the other hand, had been more put out that someone else was paying for the wedding than he was with how fast it was happening. But when he got a look at the size of the guest list, he’d capitulated without another word. Besides her family, the list had included all of her friends, Kaige’s colleagues, the Counsel members, Zane’s security team, and even the various administrative staff that had registered her on her first official day as a vampire. Altogether, there had ended up being more than four hundred people. Thinking about how perfect the wedding had been brought tears of happiness to Savanna’s eyes even now.
