Vampire Princess of New York (Arnhem Knights of New York)

by Susan Hanniford Crowley

  “Are you studying me, Noble?”

  She kissed him. “Oui, mon chéri. You are a new vampire, and already you are more capable than most.”

  Donovan smiled and she couldn’t help but tenderly trace those lips with her fingers. Each moment they connected whether physically by touch or gaze, heat poured through her.

  He kissed her, his body like a warm blanket engulfing hers. No matter how much every second made the desire more urgent, Noble forced herself to push him away. Gently.

  “Why?” he whispered, his breath hot on her neck.

  “You haven’t finished the game.”

  He rolled off her and just as quickly she jumped up and ran down the hall. Turning a corner, she entered a different room.

  Each time she found a new room, he found her. Grabbing her around the waist, he teleported them to the bedroom.

  On the eighth try, she paused. “You seem to teleport very well. Now we’re going to stretch your talent.”

  “How?”

  “I’m going to a room you haven’t seen, and you will connect with my mind, see through my eyes and teleport to me.”

  “That’s harder.”

  “When another knight is in trouble, you will have to use your connection to find them. You get to them and teleport the both of you to safety. The second part you have down.”

  “Let’s do it.”

  Noble got up a bit wobbly.

  He stood up and steadied her. “We should not continue if you are not feeling well.”

  “I’m fine. Vampires don’t tire.”

  “Maybe pregnant ones do.”

  She smiled and brushed her lips against his. “I’m fine. Now I’m going, and I want you to wait until I call.” Noble teleported to a room she’d been in before, then walked out into the hall and into another room.

  With eyes closed, she called Donovan in her mind.

  Sha, I cannot see through your eyes.

  I know. Sometimes a knight is injured. You will not be able to see where he or she is. How did you find me before?

  I honed in on your presence.

  If a knight is injured and their eyes are shut, you have to look for the last image seen before they closed their eyes.

  Noble didn’t have to open her eyes. She felt Donovan’s arms around her. Chuckling, she added, You are a fast learner.

  He kissed her. When she opened her eyes, they were in their bedroom again. He left her lying on the bed and went over to the small refrigerator, returning with a full goblet.

  She sat up and accepted the Shuma Moot, slowly drinking it down.

  He went back and got himself a bottle of blood. When Noble was finished, he poured half of his bottle into the goblet. “Drink up, Sha. You and the baby need it.”

  Noble took a sip and the sweet citrus taste lingered on her tongue. Her fangs had been out with the Shuma Moot, but they ached. She didn’t want to bring that to Donovan’s notice so she blocked and buried that bit of information. The blood eased the ache.

  He immediately got up and got more for her, pouring it into her goblet when she had finished the first.

  “It’s not necessary.”

  “It is when your fangs are aching. You didn’t block fast enough. And Sha, your health is important to me and Bébé.”

  Noble put the emptied goblet on the nightstand and lay back on the bed.

  Donovan did the same, only pulling her close. Nuzzling her neck, he whispered, “We should end the game now and continue another time.”

  “One last time. Just one.” Noble got up and retied the belt on her robe. “I’m going to find a room I haven’t been in. When I find it, I’ll ask you to teleport me to you.”

  Poofing, Noble appeared in an empty room they previously visited. Going out the door, she spotted a wall panel with an engraved symbol. Touching the symbol opened the wall revealing a passage with stairs going up. Quickly she floated up the stairway passing many hidden doors. At the top, one opened easily to her touch.

  The room was huge, the length and width of the house. Large windows on each side viewed the four cardinal points of the city. The sky held that pre-dawn array of muted grays and pinks. Her closer examination of the windows proved they were double paned and each pane in the right bottom corner bore the engraved insignia of Sydney Lucente. His scent lingered. Sydney must have personally directed the installation. Noble touched every window. They were all sealed. An almost unperceivable alarm was on each pane of each window. Bullet proof as well. Undoubtedly, Father’s idea.

  Donovan, please, teleport me to you.

  Nothing happened though she felt him in her mind and looking out through her eyes.

  Donovan?

  I’m trying, Sha.

  A few minutes passed and nothing happened.

  In a blink, Donovan was there with his arms around her. “We should leave. The sun will rise very soon.”

  “Look at the glass, Donovan.”

  Going over to the window, he traced the insignia etched into the glass at the bottom right corner. SL was elegantly scripted. “Sydney Lucente?”

  “Yes. That means the glass will protect us from the harmful rays of the sun. New vampires never get to see the sunrise until several hundred years later with protection and when their eyes are more resilient.”

  Noble reached into the ethers and teleported pillows and blankets from their bedroom to the floor of the giant room. Arranging them she lay on her side facing the view of the Statue of Liberty. A moment later, Donovan was behind her, kissing her neck.

  He chuckled behind her ear. “We’re are going to watch the sunrise together?”

  “Yes. Do not worry we are quite safe behind Sydney’s glass. There are also blackout drapes, if we find it too bright or just wish to sleep.”

  “Okay, Sha.”

  With the slightest twinkle in his eyes, their robes were off and neatly folded nearby.

  Noble raised her hand and the blackout drapes closed over all the walls but the one facing east.

  Donovan kissed her and sighed. “I did not win the game.”

  “You did. The odds of you doing the last test the first time around were astronomical. Fathers says there’s only one vampire on Earth that can do it.”

  “You.” His fingers pushing her hair from her face made her shiver all over with desire. He smiled and she knew he had picked up on his effect on her.

  She turned in his arms to kiss him. Each kiss led to another until he gently pushed her away and turned her so they were spooning.

  The sun ascended splattering the ocean with rose tones and gold light. Donovan pushed against her core and seconds later slid inside her. They were one, as the sun’s rays reached over the city.

  “Never has a sunrise meant so much to me.” Donovan kissed her neck and pushed deeper into her.

  The sun on the water burned gold. Then the room filled with light. Noble thought “close” and the last blackout drape fell into place, plunging them into their personal night.

  “More,” she whispered to Donovan and proceeded to dissolve into his every thrust, caress, and kiss. His hands kneading her breasts were magic. Grinding into him made his passion wild. Every second of pleasure more than filled her centuries of loneliness. “Slow down,” she said, “I’m loving it too much.”

  Chapter 24

  They both woke with one word on their lips. “Max.”

  They hurried showering separately so as not to distract which was hard, then dressed in a rush. Noble helped Donovan pick out coordinating clothes.

  Donovan fidgeted standing on Max’s doorstep beside Noble with Cassandra and Hatcher behind them.

  Is it really necessary to have them follow us everywhere? Donovan mindtalked to Noble.

  Yes.

>   The door opened. “Yay, Papa and Bless.” Evie greeted them with exuberant hugs and pulled them inside. Max stood there waiting for his wife’s effervescent greetings to conclude. Then Evie went to stand beside Max.

  “Evie, make a note that when Donovan says “a bit”, he means 17 hours later.”

  “Max, really.” Evie frowned.

  “Father!” Noble was aghast at him.

  Donovan took in the annoyance of his daughter and his wife and laughed then walked past Max out of the foyer into the living room. He wasn’t going to apologize. A man is entitled not to be interrupted on his honeymoon by his in-laws. Boundaries had to be set.

  Sinking into the sofa, Donovan stretched out his hand to Noble, who sat down and relaxed against him. The fire on the hearth provided a nice warm glow. Max sat on the loveseat with Evie on his lap.

  “How are you adjusting to life as a vampire, Donovan?”

  “Good, I guess. I’ve been practicing teleporting.”

  “You have?”

  “Most of the evening after the wedding, we teleported and explored the house.”

  “You practiced teleporting on your wedding night?” Max’s eyebrows rose.

  “Papa,” Evie whispered, “you will want to mindblock now.”

  “Oh.” Donovan hadn’t realized that he was expressing more in his mind than in words. Consciously he put the wall up, but he knew it was too late judging by Max’s laughter.

  Noble touched his knee, then turned to Max and Evie. “We want to thank you again for the house, the furniture, and the clothes. We found the attic room and watched the sunrise.”

  “Yes, isn’t that glass wonderful,” Evie bubbled over with glee. “We have the same glass in the house in Iceland, where we watched the Northern Lights, sunrises, sunsets, even white clouds in a blue sky. Sydney is a genius and will change the lives of vampires forever with his wonderful glass.”

  “Yes, he will,” Noble agreed.

  “How have you been feeling, Bless?” Max focused on his daughter.

  “Great.”

  “She wobbled yesterday.”

  “What?” Max and Evie sat straight up.

  “I’m fine. It was nothing. I was late drinking my Shuma Moot.”

  “Oh, you can’t do that,” Evie said.

  Immediately a maid entered the room with several goblets, two of which had pink napkins under them.

  “The pink signifies Shuma Moot,” Evie explained.

  Dutifully, Noble took one from the tray. She hadn’t had any when she woke and hurried to come over.

  “It’s important you take very good care of yourself, Bless,” Max said.

  Another maid brought in a basket filled with tea tins and biscuit boxes and set it on the coffee table in front of Noble.

  “Marie, Gustave’s wife, left this for you. They are her special blend of teas for morning sickness. The biscuits are great tasting and also settle the stomach.”

  “I’m feeling fine.”

  “Well, it’s for the morning sickness, when it comes.”

  “When it comes? Maybe I won’t get morning sickness.”

  “You were wobbly,” everyone said.

  Noble put her hands to her face and sunk into Donovan’s arms.

  “Sha, it’s okay. Don’t worry. We’ll take the basket just in case. Some women don’t have morning sickness.”

  Noble sat up looking grim. “I’m a warrior and an Arnhem Knight.”

  Donovan took her hand and kissed it. His love was in completely unknown territory, and it was up to him to help her through it.

  “Max, I know the agreement was to wait until the Arnhem Knights were all trained to teleport, and I had finished training as a knight, but in light of certain information, I want to take Noble to Paris in two weeks. I want her to be able to enjoy her honeymoon.”

  Max frowned, his concern evident in the lines on his eternally young face. “You intend on helping her search for information about her mother?”

  “Yes.”

  “I want you fully trained as a Knight before you go. You must be able to protect Bless.”

  Noble stood up. “I am an Arnhem Knight, Father. I can protect myself.”

  Max stood up. “May I have a word with you, Bless, in the kitchen?” It was more of a command than a question. Max walked into kitchen and Noble followed. As soon as they entered, the staff left quickly, leaving them alone.

  He hugged her. Bless, you are my daughter, and I am proud of you. You are a wise princess when it comes to ruling. You’ve ruled New York for such a long time already, and you’re the mastermind behind VMeer Industries’ success.

  I learned it all from you, Father.

  You are also the greatest of the Arnhem Knights, though I wouldn’t spread that around and demoralize everyone else.

  Noble smiled.

  I know you’ve started teaching Donovan, and I’ve chosen two additional instructors. He was a great warrior as a human. I expect he will aspire to equal prowess as an Arnhem Knight.

  She nodded.

  Let your husband be your hero!

  Noble stood there speechless.

  Before he was sure he was your lifemate, before he was on the edge of death, Donovan chose to be a vampire. He had only one reason. You. Words cannot express the enormity of what he has chosen for the sake of love. Do you understand?

  Yes, Father.

  A soft knock on the door interrupted them.

  “Come in, Donovan.”

  Noble chuckled. No matter how many times her father did things like knowing who was on the other side of the door, it amused her like a vampire parlor trick.

  Donovan came over to her. Are you all right? He spoke to her mind. I couldn’t hear you.

  “I was talking to father. I’m excited about going to Paris.”

  “Good.” Donovan smiled and looked relieved.

  “You two should go home,” Max said. “You only have a little while before the trainers will come for Donovan.”

  She nodded. “Okay.”

  “And, Donovan. When you’re done with that lifemate book, I’d like to read it.”

  “I haven’t forgotten, Max. See you soon.” Donovan took Noble with one arm and had his other hand on the basket. Poof.

  They appeared in their bedroom at their house. Donovan put the basket on the table near the small fridge. Noble folded her clothes onto the chair and climbed into bed.

  “Are you tired, Sha?”

  “No.” She winked at him and his clothes vanished, as he approached the bed.

  She reached out to him. Nothing was more luxurious than warm skin-to-skin contact. Donovan was her blanket, engulfing her with his big, strong body. He so gently avoided putting his full weight on her, leaning just slightly on his side. His face against hers tickled with the scratchy fuzz of his young beard. Noble loved all the ways Donovan felt to her.

  Gazing into her eyes, he smiled. “Okay, what did Max say? You’re different.”

  Noble bit her lower lip and looked into those eyes she couldn’t lie to. My father made me aware that I was not appreciating you enough. So she fudged it a little.

  Donovan kissed her. And that has made ma chérie so solemn?

  Thoughts clouded her eyes with tears.

  You became a vampire because of me.

  Yes. He kissed her again.

  You gave up your humanity for me.

  Yes. He kissed her lips, chin, neck, breasts and down her middle. Searing hot kisses that tore through her clear to her heart. He kissed her belly button. Then a few more tender spots until he stopped. For you and now for Bébé though I didn’t know it existed at the time.

  A blood tear rolled down her cheek.

  Why
are you crying, Noble?

  I was reading about Synchronicity in the book. It said sometimes the heartbeats of lifemates synchronize. When that happens and one of them dies, then the other one follows.

  Have our hearts synchronized?

  He put his hand over her heart and listened. Noble saw his eyes fill with worry then amazement. She thought to him, You must promise that if something happens to me, you will live to raise the baby. You must break the synchronicity to live. The baby comes first. Promise me you won’t let yourself die to be with me. Promise.

  Touching his lips to hers, he frowned. Noble, have you had a vision or bad dream I should know about? An omen?

  She laughed. How New Orleans of you!

  I’m serious.

  No, I haven’t. I just want to make sure we’re on the same page. Everything is the baby.

  Everything is the baby, he repeated and kissed her. I promise. Je t’aime, ma chérie.

  Noble. Don’t forget how much I love you. You must stop worrying. Vampires don’t worry.

  I seem to be doing a lot of things lately that vampires don’t do.

  He nibbled at her mouth to play. His hand was under her and lifted her bottom. His shaft rubbed against her core sending sparks through her entire body. The anticipation was killing her.

  Besides everything will be okay. You will not have to worry about the sexy synchronization between our hearts. We will be around for our children.

  Children?

  He pressed his cock harder against her and nuzzled her neck. His almost beard against her skin was too delicious for words, as she squirmed wanting more.

  “Damn,” he muttered under his breath and went still.

  What’s wrong?

  David and Laura are downstairs waiting for me.

  Tell them to come back in an hour.