Blood Thief Box Set (Alpha Billionaire Vampire Romance)

by Flynn, Mac

  Simon chuckled. "I will be certain to treat him with a careful hand."

  "And don't get him killed, permanently or otherwise," she insisted.

  "I will try my best." Simon hung up the phone and glanced at our new comrade. "It appears you have two choices."

  Swift frowned. "What are they?"

  "You can either help us in our endeavor, or-" Simon swept his hand towards the door, "-you may leave."

  Swift arched an eyebrow. "You'd just let me go? Just like that?"

  Simon bowed his head. "Just like that."

  Swift stood and glanced around us. "Well, it was nice knowing you guys. Well, some of you guys, but I really need to get going." He walked backwards towards the door. "Me and the Shadow need to go make some trouble and shit like that."

  "Did I forget to mention the car remains with me?" Simon spoke up.

  Swift stopped dead in his tracks and narrowed his eyes. "What the hell is this? You said I could go."

  Simon chuckled. "And you may, but the vehicle remains in my possession. Think of it as payment for saving your life."

  "I'm not leaving without my car," Swift insisted.

  "Then you must remain here, and in order to remain here you must accept the position I offer you," Simon told him.

  Swift frowned. "So that's how this works, is it?"

  "Yes."

  Swift crossed his arms and glared at Simon. "You're a real fucker, you know that?"

  A sly smile graced Simon's lips. "I have been told that several times."

  "Well, it still sticks," Swift told him.

  "Then you will accept my invitation?"

  Swift dropped his arms and pursed his lips. "Like I have a choice."

  Simon bowed his head. "Excellent. Then we need only gather our other resources and prepare for the coming evening."

  I glanced at Simon. "Other resources?"

  "We have one more companion with whom to speak, and if he agrees we rest for the heist."

  My shoulders sank and I sighed. "Perfect. So what strange and rare creature are we getting now? Nessy? A leprechaun? An honest politician?"

  Simon chuckled. "No. He is rather a plain sort of creature, and one who will be familiar to you."

  CHAPTER 8

  We left Swift in the care of Certus and drove Simon's smaller black car to the house Simon owned at the edge of town. I stepped out and glanced over the roof at Simon.

  "So we're getting Specter?" I guessed.

  Simon looked in the direction of the graveyard. His lips were pursed, and he nodded. "Yes."

  I followed his gaze and arched an eyebrow. "Why's he always here?"

  Simon shut his door and strode towards the path that led to the house. "He is buried here."

  I hurried to catch up and settled into his stride at his side. "In that old graveyard? He doesn't dress like he was buried under one of those headstones."

  The corners of Simon's lips twitched. "His burial was rather an informal affair. If you wish to know more of the matter you might ask him the details."

  I frowned and turned away from him. "Typical. . ."

  We reached the cemetery and walked past the headstone where we found Maeve and Specter the other night. In front of us between the trees the river glistened in the bright moonlight. The silhouettes of the gravestones stood out like round white rocks against the dark waters. One of the graves had a transparent form seated atop the headstone. Specter sat atop the stone with his hands nestled on the top and his legs crossed. He gazed out across the river at the bright lights of the city.

  Simon stopped us five feet from our spectral friend and bowed. "Good evening."

  Specter didn't turn around when he spoke. "You want me to help you with something." It was a statement rather than a question.

  Simon straightened and nodded his head. "Yes."

  Specter glanced over his shoulder. "So what's in it for me?"

  "A change in scenery," Simon offered.

  Specter shrugged and returned to viewing the river. "The river's not so bad. Sometimes it's fun just sitting here counting the dead cows that come floating by. The guys like to dump them at night, so there's a lot to count."

  "What if I were to offer you a monetary reward that would be transferred into Maeve's bank account?" Simon offered.

  Specter stiffened. His voice was tense. "Would she know it was from you, or me?"

  "Would our previous arrangement be preferable?" Simon asked him.

  Specter tilted back his head and looked up at the stars. I glanced between Simon and our spectral friend. "What arrangement?" I whispered.

  Specter lowered his head and shrugged. "Why not? I've got nothing to lose." He spun around atop the gravestone and faced us with a smile. "So how are you trying to get your girlfriend killed now?"

  I glared at him. "He's not my-"

  "A simple armored truck heist," Simon told him.

  Specter arched an eyebrow. "That sounds pretty mundane for you. What's the catch?"

  "The catch is we need your assistance in dealing with the driver," Simon explained.

  Specter crossed his arms and floated a few inches above the tombstone. "You know I can't fly that fast, so is this truck going to be moving or sitting somewhere?"

  "Moving, but we have transportation for you," Simon assured him.

  Specter frowned. "That's not all the problem. I can't get a good grip on anything solid that's moving, so I'm going to need help getting onto that truck. That means a body."

  Simon looked down at me and smiled. "We have our body among us."

  I started back and glanced from one man to the other. "Wait, what? What am I supposed to do?"

  "You will board the armored vehicle with Specter inside your body and assist him in taking control of the vehicle," Simon explained.

  I felt the color drain from my face. "You're joking, right? You seriously want me to be vehicle hopping?"

  Specter furrowed his brow. "She might be right. She's not a full vampire yet, and if something happened we'd both be in trouble."

  "It is precisely because she is not a full vampire that she will make the perfect candidate," Simon insisted. "She has many of the benefits and yet can still be a host for you."

  Specter turned to me and jerked his head towards Simon. "You want to go through with what he's asking?"

  "I-I don't even know if I can," I replied. "I'm not exactly good at hopping on anything."

  Simon smiled and gestured to the gravestones and Specter. "Then I leave you to Specter's capable teaching hands, and will return for you in three hours." He stepped past me and strode back to the car.

  Specter dropped his arms. "Wait a sec. I'm not going to be babysitting anybody!"

  I spun around and glared at Simon's back. "You're the vampire! You teach me!"

  Simon waved his hand above his head, but didn't turn around. "Perhaps another time."

  He disappeared into the trees that surrounded the graveyard. I turned to Specter and pursed my lips. "I really hate that guy."

  A smile played across Specter's lips as he floated to the ground. "He's pretty hard to get along with, but I guess he's right."

  I frowned. "So now you're going along with this?"

  He shrugged. "Why not? That old man's got a lot of things wrong with him, but it isn't his judgment. He probably knows what he's doing if he left you with me."

  My shoulders drooped and I hung my head. "Perfect. Just perfect."

  "So where do you want to start?"

  I lifted my head and an eyebrow. "Come again?"

  Specter gestured to the gravestones. "Simon said you needed practice hopping. This place is as good as any to do that."

  I held up my palm. "First, I'd like some answers."

  He smiled. "Shoot."

  I held up one finger. "First, what did you mean when you said we'd both be in trouble if I didn't make the jump?"

  Specter folded his arms. "If you die and I'm inside you, I get do die again, too."

  I blinked at
him. "A ghost can die?"

  He nodded. "Yeah, and I'm not sure what would happen to either of us. We could both be shoved into heaven, we'd both be shoved into hell, or nothing would happen and we'd both be stuck here on earth."

  I cringed. "I don't really like any of those options."

  "Neither do I, that's why after these questions you're going to practice," he told me.

  I sighed and held up a second finger. "Second, if this is so dangerous then why can't Simon do this himself?"

  Specter smiled. "It's because Simon's a vampire. A ghost can't possess somebody who's already dead, or even undead."

  My shoulders drooped. "So I'm stick with this job?"

  He nodded. "Seems like it. So you want to start practicing, or do I get a spot in the dirt ready next to me?"

  I swept my eyes over the graveyard with its ancient tombs. "Where exactly are you buried?"

  Specter's smile slid off his lips. He waved at a far corner of the graveyard close to the river. "Over there, but that's not important. What's important is keeping you out of the dirt for a couple hundred more years." He stepped aside and nodded at the gravestone he'd occupied only moments before. "Climb up on this one and we'll check out you're hopping skills."

  I pursed my lips, but marched forward and crawled onto the top. I stood on the precariously thin curved ridge and jerked from side-to-side as I tried to keep balance with my arms.

  Specter stepped back and studied my stance. "We are in deep shit."

  I glared at him. "I don't have much balance, okay?"

  He shook his head. "No, it's not okay, but I guess we'll fix that." He nodded at a headstone some six feet from the one on which I stood. "Hop to that one."

  I followed his gaze and my mouth dropped open. "Are you kidding? I can't do that!"

  He sighed. "You're a vampire, remember? That's an easy jump for you."

  I pursed my lips and braced myself. "All right, but don't laugh." I took a deep breath and jumped.

  Or rather, hopped. My hop got me half the distance and I dropped to the ground. My only consolation was I landed on my feet.

  Specter floated in front of me and folded his arms. "I've seen roadkill jump farther."

  I whipped my head up and glared at him. "That's easy for you to say. You're a ghost."

  He paused and rubbed his chin. "Now why didn't I think of that sooner?"

  I straightened and arched an eyebrow. "Think of-hey!" Specter dove into my body.

  I felt him shove aside my mind and take control of my body. He tested out my hands and shook my feet, and all the while I was screaming inside my mind.

  Get out!

  My lips moved, but it wasn't me doing the talking. "I'm going to prove to you you can do this."

  Specter turned me around and forced my body to climb back on top of the tombstone. He stood atop the tombstone without using my arms for balance and faced the opposing grave. I wanted to shut my eyes, but he kept them open.

  "Don't worry. You can do this," he assured me.

  But do I have to watch? I snapped back.

  He smiled. Or I smiled. My body smiled. "Watch and learn."

  Specter leapt my body into the air. We sailed across the six foot expanse and landed neatly on the top of the other grave. He even showed off by landing on the toes of one foot. I would have glared at him if I had been a spectator and not a participant.

  Can I have my body back now? I demanded as he settled me on two feet.

  "I'll leave when I'm sure you're not going to send both of us to hell," he told me.

  He retreated into my mind and I felt myself regain control. My eyes widened as I lost my balance. I swung my arms and kept myself from falling the three feet to the hard ground.

  Now it's your turn he whispered in my mind.

  I turned my head slightly and tried to glare at the back of my head. "Don't push me. I'm still new at this." He nudged my mind and my foot scooted forward. "Knock that off!"

  Come on. We might both have all eternity, but I don't want to wait that long for you to learn he teased me.

  I ground my teeth together, but slowly turned myself around so I faced the original tombstone from which we'd jumped. I held my arms out and scooted to the back of the tombstone. My heart thumped in my chest as images of my broken body draped over the grave came to my mind.

  That's pretty gruesome Specter scolded me.

  "You'd better not be digging too deep in there," I warned him.

  He chuckled. Not yet, but if I get bored I can't make any promises.

  I took a deep breath and raced the one and a half feet across the tombstone. I jumped at the last second and sailed over the ground. Farther. Farther. And then I sailed right over the tombstone.

  "Ack!" I yelped.

  I flailed my arms and landed one foot on another grave marker. My other foot couldn't get a grip, so I pushed off that slab of rock and flew into the air. I danced across the top of several tombs before I ran out of rock and tumbled to the ground. My heart beat against my rib cage as I rolled to a stop near the tree line. I sat up and gasped for air as I looked back at how far I'd gone. Twenty yards without touching the ground.

  Not bad.

  I goofily grinned. "Yeah, it was, wasn't it?"

  A clapping noise behind me startled me. I spun around on my rear and watched Simon emerge from the trees. "What the hell are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to leave?" I asked him as I climbed to my feet.

  He stopped in front of me and smiled. "I lied."

  I glared at him. "If you stuck around then why didn't you teach me?"

  "Did you need another teacher?" he returned.

  I crossed my arms and pressed my lips together. "Misery loves company."

  Simon chuckled. "Then I am glad I excused myself. Are you confident in your abilities, or is more time needed?"

  Specter floated out of my body and grinned. "Nah, I think she's read, or as ready as she's ever going to be."

  I felt my heart drop into my stomach. "That doesn't really make me feel any better."

  He shrugged. "Then don't take my word for it." He nodded at the path of graves I'd bounced across. "Just take a mental photo of that and keep that in your mind when you need to bounce off of one car and to another."

  I cringed and turned to Simon. "Yeah, about that. Moving vehicles are a little bit trickier."

  He stepped aside and swept his hand in the direction of the car. "Some skills must be learned on the job."

  "Then I'll see you tomorrow after dark," Specter spoke up as he floated backwards over the tombstones and away from us. "Oh, and Faith? Don't think too many sexy thoughts about Simon." And with that he disappeared.

  My mouth dropped open and I gaped at the spot where Specter vanished. Simon chuckled behind me.

  "I must learn more about this," he teased.

  I spun around and tried to hide my blush. "H-he's lying!"

  Simon turned away from me, but I glimpsed the sly smile on his lips. "Indeed. Now come. We should rest."

  CHAPTER 9

  We returned to the penthouse to find Swift asleep on the couch. Certus stood behind the couch and looked to us as we entered.

  Simon joined his servant and looked down at his 'guest.' "Were there any problems?"

  Certus shook his head. "No, though he did ask many questions about the windows and fire escape."

  Simon smiled. "And when he found there was none?"

  "He was quite disappointed."

  "I see." Simon turned to me. "Does the hunger still bother you?"

  I looked at the sleeping human on the couch and shook my head. "I don't feel anything."

  Simon returned his attention to his servant. "We will sleep until tomorrow."

  Certus bowed his head and left the penthouse. I watched him leave and turned to Simon. "Does that guy ever sleep?"

  Simon gave me a sly, crooked grin. "Very little. He has the unique ability to fight the effects of fatigue that the day forces on vampires."

  I folde
d my arms and arched an eyebrow. "Where did you pick him up? Or when?"

  "A few centuries ago in one of the Italian states, if memory recalls." He gestured to the bedroom door. "But shall we."

  I followed his hand and frowned. "I doubt we'd be getting much sleep in there."

  He chuckled. "Perhaps not as much as we could, but more than is necessary."

  I stepped back. "Maybe I'll just sleep in the guest-" Simon was in front of me and his arms wrapped around me.

  His red eyes looked down at me with a passion I couldn't deny. I also couldn't look away. "I asked you once this night if you trusted me." He brushed the back of his hand against my blushing cheek. His cold skin warmed against mine. "Do you still trust me?"

  I swallowed the lump in my throat as the familiar lust arose inside me. "Y-yes."

  He smiled and stepped away from me, but slid one of my hands into his. "Then do not fear me and all the pleasures I offer you."

  I let him lead me into the bedroom. My skin was warm to the touch as he shut the door and clasped my upper arms. He leaned down and caught my lips in a passionate kiss that took my breath away. His hands slid down my sides, exploring my clothed body as I leaned into his touch.

  My swollen breasts pushed against my shirt. I pressed my mounds against his chest and groaned into our kiss. A hot, sensual pleasure filled me to my wet, pulsing core.

  His hands reached my waist and he unbuttoned my pants. They slid over my hips and onto the floor. His long fingers caressed my quivering flesh. I groaned and rubbed against him. My body was afire with a desire that hungered for more of his gentle touch.

  He broke our kiss and pressed more of them down my neck. I shuddered when his lips ghosted over the small fang marks. A hot wave of desire rippled through me.

  My shirt and bra joined my pants on the floor, and I stood before him in little more than my underwear. He pulled off his shirt and wrapped his arms around me so our naked bodies pressed against one another. My pert nipples rubbed against his hard muscles and seized me with a flaming lust for more. More of him, and more of us.

  He lifted me into his arms and placed me on the bed. I reveled in his heated body as he covered my body with his own. Our sweat-soaked flesh slid together in a sensual dance as we kissed and caressed each other. His tight pants and my wet underwear were torn away, and I groaned as his thick, swollen manhood pressed into me. He filled me with such deep, delicious longing. It was a hunger only his body could satiate, and oh god did I look forward to it.