Crimson Heat: 4 (Vampira)

by Springer, Jan

  No. No. No. I can’t become the Queen’s lover. I can’t. I can’t. I won’t!

  * * * * *

  Jaymes cursed beneath his breath as he and the other two males read Satin’s mind while she slept. After they took turns fucking her through the Crimson Moon, they’d fallen exhausted into the bed when dawn approached. They’d slept soundly with Satin curled against them. But as the next eve approached, they’d awoken to her gut-wrenching whimpers and desperate cries. He’d wanted to rouse her, to yank her out of her horrific nightmare, but as his hands touched her soft shoulder, he’d slipped into her mind so easily he hadn’t been able to stop it. Mind-reading was a phenomenon that Crimson full-bloods and some rogues like he and Luca experienced during the Crimson Moon.

  He’d discovered Satin’s mind filled with visions of the Queen dining on her. Of Satin’s weakness. Her fear had reached out and wrapped around him, sucking him right into the Queen’s bedroom and what the bitch had said to a close-to-death Satin about her becoming their ruler’s lover. Her horror of her not being able to be with the three of them slipped into his bloodstream. The ferocity of her sadness made him so angry he let out a fierce growl.

  Satin awoke on a gasp.

  “What…what are you doing?” she asked as she gazed at the three of them with eyes filled with terror and confusion.

  “Mind-reading,” Tristan said coldly from where he sat on the bed. “Why didn’t you tell us about the Queen wanting a sexual relationship with you?”

  Anger flared in Satin’s eyes. “You had no right!”

  “We have every right,” Luca broke in. He was trembling as he sat beside her on the edge of the bed. Jaymes could feel his friend’s anger ripping through the air and mingling with his and Tristan’s.

  “You are our mate,” Jaymes snapped. Not that she needed reminding, especially with her pale skin pierced with wounds they’d made while feeding from her. But the wounds were healing quickly and he forced himself to calm down and soften his voice.

  “Why didn’t you tell us that the Queen wanted you in that way?” Jaymes asked. “And you never mentioned she was literally draining the life out of you.”

  “She’s the Queen. If you defied her or questioned her, she would hurt you.”

  “You should have said something,” Luca growled. “I suspected something and I should have done something. But I thought we had time. I didn’t know that you would just disappear.”

  Tristan shook his head. “I can see the signs were there. Toward the end, before you disappeared, you wore scarves around your neck to hide the slow-healing punctures from her fangs. You said scarves were fashionable. It was because you needed time to heal from her gorging on you and you didn’t want us to know.”

  “I should have said something but I didn’t want it to be true,” Luca whispered as he rubbed a hand over his bristly chin.

  Vulnerability and helplessness etched his friend’s face. The useless emotions crowded in on Jaymes as well. He wanted to kill the Queen now more than ever and he understood why Satin kept everything a secret.

  To protect them.

  “Now it’s our turn to protect you. We will never go back to the Crimson Clan,” Jaymes whispered and he gathered her into his arms.

  He held her tightly as she wept.

  * * * * *

  Now that they knew everything, and her secrets were freed, Lisbeth had no reason to keep her self composure. It was as if a huge dam had bust inside her spewing out all the poison. Her emotions were raw as she cried but her mind became clear as to what she wanted and needed in her life from here on out.

  Vampira wasn’t included. She had never been free within Vampira. She realized that now. The clan worked for most of the females, but it really hadn’t worked for her in the end.

  She wanted her males and she wanted her freedom. She would be free with her males even if all of them were on the run.

  A peace she’d never known before flooded her. It all made sense now. She smiled into Jaymes’ broad, warm chest.

  Freedom came from within.

  Lifting her face from his muscular flesh, she wiped her tears with the backs of her hands. Excitement unlike any she’d ever experienced before bubbled through her.

  “It’s time to make plans, males.”

  “Plans?” Jaymes stared at her, dumbfound.

  “The four of us need to figure out how to disappear. Forever.”

  “That shouldn’t be too hard to do. You’ve amassed a fortune. Use the money and make a new identity,” Jaymes replied.

  “Preferably somewhere human-unfriendly,” Tristan said from beside her. He’d been stroking her hair as she cried and his caresses had been instrumental in calming her.

  “Human-unfriendly?” She laughed at the new term.

  “A country atmosphere. Somewhere secluded,” Jaymes said.

  “Country vampires,” Luca mumbled and shook his head. “I’m not much for country but I could play along.”

  “Play? More like work,” Jaymes replied with a smile. “We can buy a farm or a ranch under an assumed identity. We can live off the land with little interaction with humans.”

  She liked the idea of a farm or a ranch.

  “Fresh air for our offspring,” she thought out loud.

  Her males tensed at her comment. Smiles of appreciation whipped across their lips.

  “We will have many offspring,” Luca agreed.

  “Dozens.” Jaymes nodded.

  “Hundreds.” Tristan winked.

  Lisbeth laughed. Yes, she was going to be free and happy, Crimson bounty hunters be damned!

  A flurry of movement from a far corner of the bedroom had Lisbeth crying out a warning as a shadow suddenly materialized. Her males were way ahead of her as weapons appeared almost instantaneously in their hands. One of the males tossed her a gun as well and within a split second they were all aiming their weapons at the intruder.

  “Show yourself or die!” Lisbeth shouted at the shadow crouched in the corner. The figure stood and moved into the moonlight. Lisbeth gasped in surprise as she recognized the female.

  “Christina!”

  “You know her?” Tristan growled as he kept a bead on Christina.

  “Yes, do not harm her,” Lisbeth ordered as she quickly untangled herself from the males protecting her and yanked a sheet around herself.

  “Lisbeth?” Christina called out softly. To Lisbeth’s surprise, her young friend dropped to her knees. Concern made her rush to her friend’s side.

  “What’s happened? What’s wrong with you?”

  As Christina lifted her head, fear and terror mingled in the otherwise strong female’s eyes.

  “What’s happened?” Lisbeth reached out and gently stroked Christina’s long brown hair. She froze when she noticed a streak of blood on her friend’s neck.

  “Zeena. The Queen has taken her. She wants you to return to the Crimson Clan or they will kill my sister.”

  From behind her, the males cursed violently. The newfound peace Lisbeth had experienced for a few short moments dissolved.

  Lisbeth knew if she didn’t return immediately, the Queen would indeed go through with her threat. She had to leave and go back to the Queen.

  Now.

  * * * * *

  “You’re not returning,” Luca growled.

  “Over my dead body,” Tristan warned.

  “So, we’re agreed. She’s not to return. No matter what,” Jaymes stated.

  Lisbeth stared at her three males in utter disbelief. She’d just told them she had to return in order to save her friend and they in return were being pigheaded and putting Zeena’s life in even more danger than it already was.

  “The Queen will kill her. You know that,” Lisbeth stated, desperation rushing through her. She could never sacrifice anyone for her well-being. Not Zeena, not Christina. No one.

  “Take this damned collar off me. Now,” she demanded. “I’m going back.”

  “You aren’t thinking,” Tristan growled.
“The Queen will kill her right in front of you to teach you a lesson. You know I speak the truth.”

  “Oh vampire gods,” Christina moaned, her gaze round with terror. “They would hurt Zeena? She’s done nothing, Lisbeth. She’s an innocent.”

  Lisbeth threw the males a warning scoff to back off.

  “You three are not helping the situation.” But Tristan was right. Zeena didn’t have a chance in hell. The Queen was going to kill her either way.

  “There may be someone we can go to for help,” she whispered as an idea began to form in her mind.

  “Who?”

  “The vampire who helped me escape from the Crimson Clan.”

  * * * * *

  Tristan wasn’t sure if they could trust Satin, but having extracted a promise that she wouldn’t do something stupid like dematerialize back to the Crimson Clan, they removed the collar. He sighed in relief when she held strong and remained beside them.

  “So? Exactly who is this male who helped you escape?” Tristan asked as he helped a wobbly Christina to her feet. To say he wasn’t jealous that another male had been on the scene possibly fucking Satin — and the three of them had been clueless about it — was an understatement. He wanted to kill the male for causing them so much grief in wondering what had happened to her when she’d mysteriously disappeared.

  “Christina, are you all right?” Lisbeth asked her young friend as she ignored his question.

  “I’m fine. Please just help Zeena. I need to go back and tell my sire and mother.”

  Lisbeth nodded. “Explain to them not to do anything until they hear from me. They could ruin my plans.”

  “Which are?” Tristan prodded.

  Once again she ignored him by leading Christina over to a nearby writing desk, where she quickly made out a note with pen and paper.

  “I’ve told your parents to please let me handle this. I will get Zeena free even if it kills me.”

  The female nodded and seemed as if she was about to cry. She didn’t even bother to help them protest about putting Satin’s life in jeopardy. Rage made Tristan’s fangs unleash. This was not the time for him to lose it. This was not the time for Satin to ignore his questions either. He clenched his fists and held himself rigid.

  “Take this note to your sire and mother,” Lisbeth said as she pressed the paper into Christina’s hand. “Now, go.”

  “Be careful,” Christina whispered. She dematerialized.

  Jaymes and Luca stared at Tristan. He read the question in their gazes. How the hell did they deal with this female that they loved so much when so much danger lurked around her?

  “Follow me,” she whispered.

  Tristan cursed her as she dematerialized. But he was cursing empty air because Jaymes and Luca had already vanished too.

  * * * * *

  “Where the hell are we?” Jaymes growled from behind Lisbeth as he and Luca materialized right after her at the base of a snow-covered mountain that towered over them.

  “The Matterhorn. Switzerland,” she replied and shivered as the frigid mountain air whipped harshly against her.

  “Why, exactly are we here?” Tristan prodded as he appeared out of nowhere, not a foot away.

  “My question, exactly.” Luca cocked his head with curiosity as he stared at her.

  “Give him a minute,” Lisbeth whispered as she peered through the swirling snowflakes.

  “Who?” Tristan prodded.

  “The Queen’s twin brother, The Elder,” she answered and winced as the three males cursed up a storm bigger than the one snowing upon them. She’d expected this reaction.

  “I don’t wish the mind shield raised over me this time around, Tristan.”

  “I will protect you as I see fit,” Tristan retorted. “I will allow him access to areas I deem safe.”

  She frowned and said nothing. His answer had been more than she’d hoped for. The Queen’s brother was as good as the Queen was evil. But, she understood Tristan’s refusal as well as their anger. They feared that her brother would somehow be faithful to the Queen, even though she had exiled him many years ago. But they would understand once she explained everything.

  She ignored their fury and their questions and stared into the swirling snow. She couldn’t see two feet in front of her, but she knew he was here. He had said if ever she was in trouble…

  “There.” Tristan pointed at a white figure emerging in the snowflakes.

  The males were about to go for their weapons, but she held up her hand, signaling for them to stop. Thankfully, they did. Huh, maybe she could semi-tame these males after all?

  The Elder wore white-wolf-pelt clothing and carried a hand stick similar to the one the Queen carried. He walked slowly through the knee-deep snow, his boots barely making a sound. She waited impatiently as the Elder stomped through the snow and halted in front of them. His hair and beard were long and white, dangling past his chest. The length and color were an attest to his great age.

  From behind her, her males growled with irritation and disapproval at the one who had saved her that night the Queen had decreed Satin was to become her lover.

  “It’s been a long time.” the elder male smiled at Lisbeth and a welcome calm whispered over her despite her fear for Zeena’s fate. She knew the Elder was willing it into her and she welcomed the relief from the empath.

  Although he was a pure-blood vampire, he held out his hand to her in the traditional human greeting. She accepted and they shook. Then he frowned.

  “I sense a great alarm inside you, Satin. This friend of yours, Zeena. She is still alive. She is fearful, but thankfully the Queen has not physically harmed her.”

  “Thank you, Elder, for reassuring me.” She turned to Tristan, Jaymes and Luca, who all glowered at the Elder.

  “These three are my males. You may remember them?”

  His bushy white brows creased and eyes narrowed as he stared through the swirling snowflakes past her and at them. He nodded. Disapproval shot over his face.

  “They are hostile toward me. Their anger may very well be your downfall if they do not rein it in. They think too much with their emotions regarding you and not enough with their brains.”

  The three males cursed at the Elder and Satin shook her head, signaling for them to be silent. Thankfully, they quieted.

  “They will do my bidding. They can be trusted,” she reassured.

  The Elder grunted, but distrust shone clearly in his gaze.

  “You come to me to find a way to free your friend. She cannot be freed. The Queen will kill her no matter what you wish.”

  “See? Just as I said,” Tristan snapped. He grabbed Lisbeth by the elbow, holding her so tight she figured he hoped he could prevent her from dematerializing. But she could do it and she would too in order to save Zeena.

  He must have read her facial expression because he shook his head. “You cannot go back there.”

  The other two males circled around her protectively. Luca grabbed her other arm and Jaymes slipped an arm around her waist.

  Lisbeth shook her head as despair rocked her. “I am not leaving her there!”

  “You cannot go back to Crimson Clan, Satin,” the Elder said softly. “The Queen will likely drain you of your lifeblood within hours of your return. It is a well-kept secret of her insatiable appetite of blood during sex. She has drained many of her blood slaves. I have been able to steal in and save but a few. But as I told you that night I came to your rescue, it is dangerous for me every time I slip beneath her mind shield.”

  He shook his head. “The years in exile here have not been kind to me. I am not as strong as I was when I rescued you. I have been unable to pierce her shield since then. I am useless.”

  Lisbeth nodded. “I understand, but you all need to comprehend I will not sacrifice Zeena. We must find a way to get her out of there alive.”

  “There is but one way to free your friend,” the Elder murmured. She almost didn’t hear what he said beneath the howling of the wind.r />
  “But you just said the Queen would kill her anyway,” Luca broke in.

  “Not if the Queen is dead.”

  “I have tried to kill her,” Tristan snapped. “She has a powerful mind shield around her that is impenetrable. My father and his followers tried to kill her with a stake through her heart. He ended up dead and she only became more powerful. Many have tried to slay her and they all died.”

  The Elder gave an irritated grunt and Lisbeth waved at the three males to back off. She encircled the Elder’s elbow with her arm and led him away from the brooding males.

  “What is it, Elder? How can we kill her?” she asked.

  “That you have the ability to lay down your life for your young friend is commendable. That you do not easily give up is a good trait. And that you have a male who is shielding your innermost thoughts from me is quite a feat. He is strong protection. All three males are good choices. You are perfect Queen material.”

  Satin smiled at his comment but she shook her head in denial. “Sorry, but the Queen wouldn’t see it that way.”

  “She wouldn’t have to. Not if you killed her.”

  Frustration wound its way through her. Perhaps the Elder was not quite right in his mind? Had she made a mistake in coming to him for help? So far, he was telling her of ideas that would just get everyone killed.

  “What I am about to express to you I would not tell just anyone unless I was sure that you would be the perfect Queen to take over the Crimson Clan.”

  “You’re being so sweet, but Elder, we must deal with reality. I am but a rogue. Only full-breeds can rule.”

  “Whoever kills the Queen rules,” the Elder replied tenderly.

  Lisbeth shook her head. Perhaps he did have some screws loose.

  “It can’t be that simple. The Queen is indestructible.”

  “It is that simple and as I said killing her is not simple. There is but one way she can be killed.”

  “How?” Jaymes asked as he and the other two males crowded in around Lisbeth once again. It seemed she still had a bit more male training to do. She’d just warned them off moments earlier and yet here they were surrounding her again. But she would let their disobedience pass. This time.