Born to Darkness Box Set

by Evangeline Anderson

  “Corbin?” I asked, when I finally managed to push his wrist away. “What…what happened?”

  “You know exactly what happened,” he said thickly. “Just drink for now—we’ll talk about it later.”

  “Yes, but what—?” I started to say but he pushed his wrist against my mouth again, forcing me to take great, salty mouthfuls of his blood.

  But now that I realized what the salty stuff was, I started to gag. What the hell was he doing? Vampires took blood, they didn’t give it—ever. Unless…was he changing me into a vamp? Was I becoming what, until recently, I had always feared and hated the most? Things had changed for me—I could love a vampire—I did love Corbin, with everything that was in me. But that didn’t mean I wanted to be one.

  My eyes widened and I fought to push his wrist away.

  “No,” I gasped, shaking my head. “No, not that. Anything but that.”

  “Anything but that, eh? Fine. You should live now, anyway. ” His eyes were hard when he finally pulled his wrist away.

  “Corbin,” I started to say but he shook his head and looked into my eyes.

  “Sleep,” he commanded and I felt him slip the suggestion under my mental shields. In my weakened state, I couldn’t stop him from glamouring me.

  The last thing I saw was his angry face and then the world faded to blackness.

  * * * * *

  When I woke up I was lying in a small, dark space on a narrow, uncomfortable cot and it seemed like my whole body ached. Someone had dressed me in a silky kimono type robe that felt cool and soft against my skin. I blinked, looking around uncertainly.

  “Where am I?” I muttered aloud, not expecting an answer.

  “Here, in my room.” A dim light popped on and Taylor was suddenly hovering over me, an anxious look on her pale face. “Addison, are you all right? Are you finally awake?”

  “I guess so.” I tried to sit up and was too dizzy to manage at first. Taylor helped me considerately and then sat beside me on the cot.

  “I was so worried about you,” she said, taking my hand and squeezing hard.

  I winced, expecting to feel pain at her too-tight grip but for some reason I didn’t.

  “How long have I been out?” I asked, looking down at my new robe which was a nice shade of dark green. At least it wasn’t crimson—I’d had enough of that color for a while.

  “All day and most of tonight. You were so still…barely breathing. And I thought…I was so afraid I’d lost you.” She made a little sobbing sound and a single droplet of blood welled in her eye but refused to fall.

  It was my turn to be concerned about her. Was she really so dehydrated she couldn’t cry? Her blue eyes looked huge and her face was even thinner and paler than last time I had seen her. She was wasting away before my eyes.

  “Taylor,” I said, grasping her arm. “Honey, you look terrible.”

  “I look terrible?” She gave a little sobbing laugh. “Addison, you should look in a mirror.”

  “What? Why?” I felt my face with my hands, as though whatever was wrong would be immediately apparent to my touch.

  “It’s not your face so much—although your neck is kind of torn up,” she said. “It’s your body—you’re bruised almost from head to toe. You look…” Her voice dropped. “You look like somebody beat you. Addison, what happened between you and Corbin last night?”

  “Corbin…” Suddenly it all came rushing back to me—the way I had chained him down, foolishly thinking my puny restraints could hold him. The way he had turned into a mindless creature, bent only on sex and blood. The rough sex that had followed and the way he had made me come until I felt like I was wrung inside out, completely spent and exhausted…

  But the question was—had it worked?

  “Corbin,” I said again, grabbing Taylor’s hand. “Is he…alive?”

  “Yes, of course, he is. He’s back to his normal self—although he’s in a horrible mood. I’ve never seen him so angry.” She shivered. “Luckily I’ve been staying out of his way back here with you. He’s been checking on you every once in a while but even though he said you’d be fine I was still worried.”

  I was still worried myself. Had my actions really broken the power of that damn soul eating stake? Or had I only delayed the inevitable?

  “Addison,” Taylor began. “What—?”

  “She’s in here. The master said to put her where he didn’t have to see her.” The snotty voice outside Taylor’s door couldn’t be anyone but the annoying barmaid, Bambie.

  There was a cursory knock and then the door was flung open to reveal the barmaid and, standing beside her, Gwendolyn LaRoux.

  “What is this, a broom closet?” the witch asked, shouldering her way past Bambie and into Taylor’s room without so much as a by your leave. “I mean, why are you hiding in here?”

  “We’re not hiding,” Taylor said with dignity. “This is my home—for now, anyway. You ought to ask before you come barging in.”

  “Sorry,” Gwendolyn muttered. "I didn't know."

  “Why are you here?” I asked and my heart was suddenly in my throat. “Does it…does it have to do with the stake?”

  “You’re damn right, it’s the stake,” the witch snapped. She fumbled in the giant, oversized purse she was wearing and pulled out something that looked like an old, dried up tree branch.

  “What’s that?” I asked, staring at it blankly.

  “That’s the stake! The soul eater.” She thrust it at me and I pulled back instinctively.

  “What the hell—keep it out of my face!”

  “It can’t hurt you now—it can’t hurt anyone. Someone neutralized it—someone reversed my spell.” She glared at me as if I was personally responsible. Which actually, I probably was. “That was my best magic and I come from a long line of powerful witches. Even I couldn’t have reversed that spell. How the hell did you do it?”

  Taylor turned to me, her eyes wide. “You reversed a witch’s magic? But how, Addison? You’re not a witch—are you?”

  “No, of course not.” I tried to laugh. “I think you’d know by now if I was. You would have caught me out casting spells at midnight or dancing with the devil or something.”

  An uncomfortable look crossed Gwendolyn’s face.

  “That’s a fucking stereotype and I don’t appreciate it. Witches are neutral agents of power—they have nothing to do with demons or any other creatures of the Shadow Lands.” She glared at me. “So how did you reverse my magic?”

  “She paid the Crimson Debt.”

  The new voice came from the doorway. I looked up to see Corbin standing there with a scowl on his face. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt—a black one this time that clung to his broad, muscular chest and seemed to match his mood. His announcement brought a collective gasp from everyone in the room—as well as outside it. Bambie was still standing there just behind him, her eyes wide, no doubt soaking up the gossip.

  Taylor shook her head. “Addison…you didn’t.”

  “Of course, she didn’t,” Gwendolyn said flatly. “If she did, she wouldn’t still be here. The vamp she paid the Debt to would have killed her.”

  “He very nearly did,” Corbin growled, frowning at me.

  Okay, it was getting just a little too crowded in Taylor’s tiny room for my taste. And I didn’t like sitting meekly on her lumpy cot like a naughty child while Corbin glared down at me like an angry father.

  “This is not the place to be talking about this,” I said, getting up and only wobbling a little bit as I pushed past Taylor and Gwendolyn to get to Corbin. “I think,” I said, looking up at him, “We could use a little privacy.”

  “Oh, is it privacy you want?” He suddenly swept me into his arms and carried me down the hallway. He was moving so fast I barely had time to see the shocked look on Bambie’s face before he turned the corner and entered his office.

  Once we were alone, he shut the door and put me down. Then he walked across the room, leaned back against his desk, fol
ded his arms over his chest and just…glared at me.

  “Corbin—” I started but he shook his head.

  “So now we have some privacy,” he said, his voice heavy with sarcasm. “Only I seem to recall that the last time you asked for privacy you lured me downstairs and chained me to the bed.”

  I lifted my chin. “Yeah, well, I didn’t see you protesting at the time.”

  “That is because I had no idea what you were about to do. Gods!” He ran a hand through his hair in a very human gesture of frustration. “How could I have not seen it? How could I have not understood what you were about to risk?”

  “Because you were almost dead at the time,” I shot back. “And you were about to be all dead if I didn’t do something fast—so I did it.”

  “You nearly died, Addison!” he roared.

  I couldn’t help it—I flinched. I had never seen him angrier.

  “Corbin—” I started.

  “I could have killed you—could have ripped you to shreds!” His eyes were blazing and every muscle in his big body was tight. But I was through flinching.

  “You think I don’t know that?” I shouted back. “I knew what I was getting into—I see it at work all the time. Hell, I saw it last night, right before I came to you.”

  Corbin shook his head. “You are insane. If I had killed you…”

  “But you didn’t,” I said more softly. “You didn’t, Corbin—I’m all right. We both are. Yes, I took a risk but it paid off.”

  “No, we are not all right,” he ground out, his eyes narrowed. “Even though I didn’t kill you I still hurt you—and badly.”

  “Look,” I said, putting out a hand. “I know I’m a little banged up but—”

  “A little banged up?” he repeated. “Addison, come here.”

  I came to him reluctantly and stopped about two feet from him.

  “What?”

  “Look.” He tugged at the belt of the silky dark green kimono I was wearing and it fell open with a whisper of cloth.

  I looked down at myself…and bit back a gasp.

  I was covered in bruises. My arms, my thighs, my hips and torso, all were covered in long, finger shaped marks that had to be from Corbin’s hands.

  “I did that,” he said softly and there was a depth of sorrow and regret in his voice that made me ache to hear it. “I hurt you, Addison. And…forced myself on you, as well.”

  “Oh, come on,” I objected. “If anyone forced anyone it was me forcing you. I chained you down, remember?”

  “Yes, and now I know why.” He shook his head. “You should have known that silver wouldn’t hold one of my age and strength.”

  “Well, I didn’t. And it seemed like a good idea at the time. Corbin…” I stepped closer and put my hand on his arm. “You didn’t force me, okay?” I said gently. “It was consensual, all the way.”

  He frowned. “Maybe it started out that way, but I know how it ended. Darling… I saw blood on your thighs. I know what I did. How I hurt you.”

  The pain in his eyes was awful to see. It felt like someone had reached into my chest and was squeezing my heart.

  “I know what it must have looked like but it wasn’t like that,” I told him. “I mean, it could have been. I’m sure it would have been if I hadn’t…hadn’t figured out a way to make it work.”

  He laughed bitterly. “You found a way to make being raped work? How very clever of you.”

  “It wasn’t rape,” I said angrily. “It was submission.”

  “What?” He frowned at me, clearly surprised.

  I ducked my head, unable to look at him.

  “Submission,” I repeated. “You were…more animal than human while…while it was going on. You had needs that had to be met. I just…gave you what you needed.”

  Corbin looked at me with a new light in his eyes.

  “So you willingly submitted to me? That doesn’t sound like you, Addison.”

  I pulled my robe closed and crossed my arms protectively over my breasts.

  “Yeah, well…maybe I’ve changed.”

  “Well, I have not,” he said grimly. “I am a vampire and my true nature was revealed to you last night.”

  “Will you please get over the ‘oh, I’m a guilty monster’ crap already?” I snapped, losing my patience. “Yes, you were out of your mind and you got a little rough. Hell, Corbin—I expected that. You want to know the truth? I excepted to be torn to pieces.”

  He had been looking a bit calmer but now his eyes went hard again.

  “Then why did you do it?” he demanded in a low, angry voice. “Damn it, Addison—I was prepared to die. I never asked you to give your life to bring me back. To risk a horrible and painful death out of some twisted sense of obligation and duty.”

  “Is that what you think?” I demanded. “Listen to me, you big asshole—” I reached up and poked him angrily in the center of his broad chest. “I didn’t do it out of duty or because I owed you anything for saving Taylor or protecting me from Roderick or anything else like that. I did it because I love you! And you’re an even bigger idiot than I thought if you can’t see that.”

  Corbin’s eyes widened and then narrowed.

  “You are lying.”

  “What?” I glared at him and shook my head. “I tell you I love you and you say I’m lying? Why the hell would you say a thing like that?”

  “When I was giving you my blood in an effort to heal you from my savage attack, you pushed me away,” he accused. “You said, ‘Not that! Anything but that!’”

  I felt suddenly cold as I remembered his blood filling my mouth.

  “I was talking about you turning me into a vampire. You…you didn’t, did you? Because I love you, Corbin, but I don’t want to be like you. Living on blood, never going out in the sunlight…it wouldn’t be right for me. You can understand that, can’t you?”

  “I can.” He nodded and his eyes suddenly softened. “Forgive me. I thought you were protesting the blood because you didn’t want me to bond you to me.”

  “What?” This was something entirely new to consider. “You bonded me to you? As in for life? For all eternity?”

  “For as long as I live, anyway,” Corbin said. “It was the only way to save your life. I had taken too much of your blood—you were dying, Addison.” His tone took on a pleading tone. “Please tell me you would not rather be dead than bound to me.”

  “I could ask you to say the same thing,” I pointed out. “You were checking out on me without even telling me first.”

  “I didn’t think you cared.” His deep voice was soft, almost wistful.

  “Well, I do. I love you, damn it,” I said, poking him in the chest again.

  Corbin caught my finger in his big hand and then pulled me closer until I was pressed up against his tall frame.

  “Addison,” he murmured, cupping my face in both hands. “I have loved you from the moment I first saw you. Say you will stay with me now, promise never to leave.”

  “I promise,” I said and he kissed me, gently at first and then with more passion.

  We were just getting into it when someone started pounding on his office door.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  The pounding continued until Corbin pulled back from our kiss, a look of irritation on his face.

  “Now who can that be?”

  “Probably Bambie,” I said with a smirk. “She hates to be left out of the gossip.”

  With a muttered curse about nosey barmaids, Corbin went to fling the door open. He was all set to give the hapless Bambie a piece of his mind but it was Taylor standing there instead. Her thin face was set in lines of determination as she stared up at Corbin.

  “Master Corbin,” she said, lifting her chin. “I know you’re my master now and I’m supposed to bow to your every whim but I will not sit back and let you abuse Addison. She is my best friend and she deserves more than—”

  “Take it easy, roomie,” I said, going to take her hand. “Corbin’s not abusing me—i
f anything I’ve been abusing him.” I gave him a smirk and one corner of his sensual mouth quirked up in return.

  “He’s not? But…I heard, we all heard shouting.” Taylor still looked upset. “And no one else would come see what was going on but I didn’t want you to get hurt, Addison. I mean, any more than you already are…” Her eyes flickered over me and I pulled the green kimono closer around me self-consciously. No doubt she had seen the bruises and come to the same conclusion Corbin had.

  “I’m fine,” I assured her. “You on the other hand…” I took a step back and looked at her, noticing again how tired and thin she looked. There were bruised looking smudges under her lovely blue eyes and her bones were poking through her skin. She looked like she was anorexic or in the last stages of some awful disease.

  Abruptly, I was angry at Corbin all over again. I turned to him, scowling.

  “Look at her, Corbin. Look at her. She’s starving and where is Victor? You promised you’d call him.”

  “I’m sorry, darling—I forgot. I was a bit preoccupied making sure I hadn’t killed you,” Corbin said dryly. “If it will make you feel better, I will call him immediately.”

  “Do that,” I said and turned back to Taylor. “You should have said something,” I told her. “You can’t just let yourself starve.”

  She looked suddenly even paler—if that was possible.

  “I didn’t want to. Because I knew it would mean I’d have to leave and go away with…with him.” She shivered and wrapped her arms around her waist. “I don’t even know him, Addison! And now I’m supposed to go live in his house and drink from him?”

  “It’s only for three months,” I said, trying to console her. “Okay, I know it sounds like a long time but I swear I’ll come visit you as much as you want.”

  “But what if he wants to…to have sex?” Her eyes were wide and frightened. “I mean we're married, Addison. What if he thinks it’s his right as my husband? But I can’t do that. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to be with someone again, let alone a complete stranger.”

  “You don’t have to,” I soothed, taking her hand and pressing it in both of mine. “Corbin made him swear not to abuse you in any way—remember?”