Hot Decadent Rising (Breath of Darkness)

by Candice Stauffer

  He knew Haden was deeply merged with Caylee and watching the situation through her eyes. He could feel the other demon’s gaze upon him as Caylee stared back at him. “How’s your precious little princess doing? I’ve been deeply concerned about her health. Has she suffered any problems due to your indiscretion with that vampire?”

  “She isn’t your concern,” Caylee said. “You should leave.”

  She was right. He was about to get his ass kicked, but he needed to get help to Zack before Mary found him again. Zack would be outnumbered and he simply couldn’t afford to allow Zack or Emily to die just yet. He needed them though they didn’t know it. “I like what you’ve done with this place, Mia. It’s amazing what one can do with unlimited resources, is it not?”

  Joseph entered through the front door. He looked calm and collected, but Demetri felt the frustration and anger simmering within him. “People will talk, Joseph. They will believe she’s using you for your money. A sugar daddy thing.”

  Demetri wasn’t surprised when Joseph walked passed him and took his place at Mia’s side. She was just as much a warrior as Joseph though she lacked the experience Joseph had gained over hundreds of years.

  Nikolas walked in through the front door while Haden walked through the back entrance. Haden took his place in front of Caylee. “I was just asking Caylee how your baby fared considering her encounter with that vampire. I won’t lie. I’m quite disappointed in you, for allowing it to get close enough to her, that it was able to force its blood into her system.”

  “I’m sure you aren’t here to talk about a baby,” Nikolas said.

  Demetri had tried to avoid looking at Brianna, but he couldn’t stop staring at her when she stepped to Nikolas’ side. She looked so much like her sister, Sara. “You would enjoy your life a hell of a lot more if Nikolas would just learn to trust himself.” The words slipped out before he could stop himself.

  “I feel her. Sara is with you,” Brianna said.

  Brianna’s declaration shocked Demetri. Why hadn’t he thought of it before? She had a blood bond with Sara. She could do it. She could lead him to Sara.

  As if sensing Demetri’s sudden interest in Brianna, Nikolas pulled her behind him. She struggled but Nikolas easily held her back. “Stay still.”

  “Let go. She’s with him. I feel her.”

  “She’s not here, little one. It’s a trick.”

  Joseph and Mia moved closer to Nikolas and Brianna. Haden stayed put to protect Caylee and his baby.

  He needed to get away to sort things out. He would never be able to snatch Brianna away from Nikolas at that moment. He would have to find a way to get her alone. “It’s impossible. Your sister isn’t with me. I killed her. You remember the fire, right?”

  “If she is dead she haunts you. I know she’s with you.”

  As he allowed his body to dissolve into a vapor, Brianna’s final words echoed over and over again in his mind. He’d failed to manipulate them into helping Zack, but it didn’t matter to him anymore. All that mattered was coming up with a way to get Brianna alone, to take her from Nikolas and use her to find Sara. Finding her would end his struggles. It would allow him to live as he was meant to live. Free.

  ***

  The sensation of being followed stopped Kara in her tracks. She spun around. Waiting, she studied her surroundings for anything out of the ordinary. Something was nearby watching her. It was nearly impossible to get her eyes to focus. The effort seemed to be causing her to feel nauseous. Her head was spinning. She blinked several times to adjust her vision, but it only made it worse. Her knees buckled and she stumbled. “Oh, shit.” Her stomach was rolling, she hunched over.

  She lost her balance. Before she fell flat onto her face, she plopped down onto her butt. Drawing her knees to her chest and resting her head on her knees, she waited for the sickness to pass. It only worsened with each second that went by. She was hot and sweaty. The air around her felt thick and sticky. It was stifling. She felt as if she was being suffocated. And her mouth was so dry. She needed water. A nice big glass of ice water. She fantasized, envisioning herself drinking water. It was so cold. So wet. Completely satisfying her thirst.

  She heard the sound of a gentle wind rustling the leaves in the trees overhead. She was tired and so sleepy. Unable to keep them open any longer, she closed her eyes. She began to experience the strangest feeling of floating as if she were drifting in the breeze. She was as aware of the fact that she was falling asleep as she was that it was a bad idea. She needed to get up. She needed to keep moving.

  The sound of bellowing or howling brought her head up from her knees. She forced her eyes to open and slowly, stumbling all the way, got to her feet. The howling was similar to what she’d heard at the hotel.

  “Eli.” It had to be him and his pack. He’d found her. Or at least he was close to finding her. By the sound of it, there were several wolves with him.

  She started to walk. She couldn’t see much of anything in great detail. Her surroundings were mostly a blur of green and brown from the forest’s earth and foliage. It wasn’t long before she started to hear water moving, lots of it, crashing into something. It sounded like a waterfall. Eli had told her that he was on top of the falls. Since no better idea came to her she headed toward the sound of the water just in case she was close to the falls. She knew that area very well. If the heroin her dad had drugged her with wore off she would have a better chance of surviving.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  Recognizing Jeremy’s voice, fear slammed into her with enough force to cause her heart to skip a beat and her mind to be momentarily freed from the heroin concoction she’d been drugged with. Slowly, she turned to face him. She took a few steps back. Looking at him now she couldn’t believe she’d kissed him to manipulate him. He was nasty. She didn’t remember him looking so ill earlier. And he stunk. His odor was so foul she gagged. The vibes he gave off were similar to what she would expect a vicious, rabid animal to give off. She had to get away from him. She decided as futile as it was, she would run.

  Mocking her, he laughed out loud. “You can’t outrun me.”

  It was true, but she was definitely going to try. She turned around to run, but froze rather than take a single step. A huge blurry black mass of fur headed straight for her. At first she thought it was a large bear, but quickly realized it wasn’t. It was a wolf, an enormous black wolf, and when it passed by her it was so close she actually felt its fur brush against her. It was Eli. She was sure of it. She would never forget what he looked like in his wolf form. After he’d jumped through the window at the abandoned building she’d watched him turn from wolf to man.

  She spun around and watched as Eli took his human form. He glanced over his shoulder at her. All fear and anxiety vanished the moment his golden brown eyes met hers. She felt his strength. His confidence. His devotion to her. Everything was going to be okay. She just knew it. When he returned his focus on Jeremy, she started to feel the dizzying effects of the drug again. It hit her hard and fast. As her vision blurred, she dropped to her knees and then teetered back onto her butt.

  Jeremy made a freakish growling and snarling noise and then launched himself at Eli. They fought. She could clearly hear the sounds of a violent struggle, but her vision was too distorted to keep up with their movements. Still, she wasn’t afraid. Eli wouldn’t lose. He wouldn’t let her down. A few seconds later all was silent. She started to get up.

  “I cannot tell you how relieved I am to see you, Kara.” He took her arms and pulled her to her feet, and then wrapped his arms around her and just held her close. Keeping hold of her arms he pushed her away and looked down at her. “Where are you injured?”

  “I’m not.”

  “I can smell your blood.” She thought he was going to kiss her, but he knelt down and began to examine her legs.

  “Ouch.” She looked down at her thigh and saw a jagged tear in her pants. And blood. Lots of it.

  “How did it ha
ppen?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t even feel it until now.”

  “It’s not bleeding anymore, but it’s deep. You might need stitches to close it up.” He stood up. “We have company. We need to get out of here.” He gestured for her to step off the path. When she didn’t move he pushed her into the brush. He continued to push her along for several feet, and the pulled her down in a crouching position next to him.

  “Who is it?”

  Shaking his head he and put his finger to his mouth to motion for her to be quiet. She nodded.

  Shortly after her mother had been killed she told a friend at school that a werewolf had killed her mother. The friend told the teacher. One thing led to another and eventually her father had admitted her into a psychiatric hospital. Though she was young, she knew that by having her declared insane, her father had thrown her under the bus to save himself from being charged with having her mother murdered.

  How many times had she tried to convince her psychiatrist that werewolves were real? About a million. And what did it get it her? A cocktail of anti-psychotic drugs, and later on an alcohol addiction that nearly destroyed her life. It was a miracle she’d conquered the addiction. It was a miracle she’d gotten pregnant. Nothing else would’ve given her the strength to defeat the withdrawal symptoms.

  She stared at Eli. She would love to take a video of Eli going from his wolf to human form and shove it in her former psychiatrist's face. “Or shoving it somewhere else.” Picturing the creepy old bastard who’d tortured her with brutal psychiatric treatments bent over his desk, she laughed out loud.

  Practically glaring at her, Eli lowered his brow. “Quiet.”

  Why was he mad? She wondered if it was possible to capture a video or picture of him. She’d heard somewhere that vampires didn’t have a reflection. Did werewolves? “Probably not.” If they did they wouldn’t have remained hidden so well from society.

  Eli grabbed her shoulders and stared down at her. “What’s wrong with you? Are you trying to get yourself…?” His face suddenly became two faces. She blinked to bring him into focus, but the action added a third face. “Damn it. You’ve been drugged.”

  “That’s right.” She patted her arm. “Dad got me when I wasn’t looking.” Eli was hot as hell. He was incredibly, deliciously sexy. “You have a hot body. Real hot.” He was a looker that was for sure. “And you use it real well. I wouldn’t mind ripping your clothes off right now.”

  He opened his mouth as if to respond but then, shaking his head, he just smiled at her. His smile was sexy. She remembered the taste and feel of his lips. “Oh, Eli. Just looking at you makes me feel warm all over. I want to do it again. Right now. Right here. I want you.” Images of their bodies entwined together in sexual positions played in her mind.

  “I would too, but now is not a good time for us to get distracted. You know that. You know that we’re in trouble here. You don’t really want me right now. You’re just confused. It’s the drugs.”

  “I don’t think so. I’m not confused. I’m frustrated. Very frustrated. And I’m hot. Hot all over.” Shaking her head, she looked away from him. Though he was hot it seemed wrong to think of him in a sexual way. He wasn’t human. He was a fury wolf. She remembered when he tossed her over onto her hands and knees and slammed his big hard cock into her. She’d bet anything he liked it doggy style the best. She laughed again. She sure liked it a lot. Human or not, she wanted him again and again.

  He made a strange sound like an agonizing groan. “You need an ‘enter at your own demise’ warning label on your thoughts. What the hell did he give you?” he asked.

  “Huh?” She just realized her hand was in his and they were walking. She stopped and glanced around. Nothing looked familiar. Where was he taking her?

  “What were you drugged with?” His voice was low and angry. Forcing her to follow, he jerked her arm as he started to walk.

  “Honestly?” She should know, but she had no idea what it was.

  “Preferably.” Again, he sounded angry.

  What the hell was he mad about? She was the one who had a needle jabbed in her arm. “I don’t know. He mixed heroin with something. It burns.”

  Without giving her any warning at all, he tossed her up onto his shoulder and started to climb a steep rocky incline. “Close your eyes.”

  Watching the ground get further and further away she started to feel dizzy and nauseous. “Put me down. I’m going to puke.” He was taking them way too far off the ground. And he was moving too fast.

  When he lowered her onto her feet she leaned forward to look over the edge of the ledge. She felt the sensation of falling. “No.” He pulled her away from the side. “Don’t look down.” He took her face and forced her to look into his eyes. “I need you to focus. You’re in serious danger right now. I need you to stay here and be quiet.”

  “It was heroin, but it has something added to it. It’s hot. It burns.”

  ***

  Eli couldn’t be sure what was mixed with the heroin, but it didn’t matter. Whatever it was he needed to dilute it. It was killing her. “I know it’s difficult for you to make sense of what happening right now, but I need you to focus. You’re being hunted by a vampire.”

  “Jeremy. I know.”

  “We are surrounded by ghouls. My pack is a few miles away yet. Until they get closer I need to leave you alone up here, but first…”

  She shook her head. “No. You can’t leave me here.”

  Her eyes widened as he blocked the full influence of the drug from her mind and reality slammed into it. She shook her head. “This is not a…this is so not cool, Eli.”

  “Agreed.” He was relieved to see clarity in her eyes. She was at least attempting to comprehend what he was saying. He placed his palm over her heart. “Your heart is racing. You’re dying from an overdose. You need to take my blood to survive.”

  “I can’t do it. The idea of it is…I’m sorry, Eli. It’s gross to me.”

  “You will die without it. I can help you, just accept it.”

  “How?” she asked. “Never mind. Just do it.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you. You have strong barriers protecting your mind. Open up to me fully so that I don’t have to cause you any discomfort to get through them. It will go easier for you. Trust me.”

  Reaching up she placed her hand on the side of his face as stared into his for a few seconds. “I can do that.” She hunched over and clutched her chest. “Oh no. I…”

  When her knees gave in he slowly lowered her into a sitting position, and then he positioned her flat onto her back. “No. Don’t close your eyes.”

  She opened her eyes. “That’s it. Keep looking into my eyes.” He was so afraid it was too late, but he wouldn’t let her know it. “You’ll be fine. Stay with me. Stay calm. Open up to me.”

  The moment he felt her mind’s natural barriers drop he entered her mind and led her out and then into his mind. The sense of losing all control caused her to panic. She resisted and tried to draw away from him. He couldn’t allow it. He held firm. “Give yourself to me.”

  “Will I change…will I become like you?”

  Keeping his bloodline pure no longer mattered to him. All that mattered was keeping her with him, keeping her alive. “It could. Usually it takes more than once.” Fearing she might fight against him, he didn’t tell her that it was more likely than not, for she was his true mate. As a rule, it was the factor that caused an instant transformation.

  “But…”

  “We will be together fully forever.”

  “I am with you fully.”

  “Not yet. Right now we are separated by mortality. I don’t have the ability to become human, but I have the ability to turn you into my species…a Lycan.”

  “I’ve heard your thoughts concerning it. I know you feel doing so would be harmful to your pure bloodline.”

  “I was wrong.” Keeping his gaze locked onto hers to make sure she experienced his pleasure rather t
han her natural human aversion for the act, he bit down on his wrist. He brought his wrist to her mouth and using a compulsion, he willed her to take his blood. In a small corner of her mind he felt her attempt to push away him, but in the end she completely yielded to him.

  Watching her take his blood, knowing that it was bringing them closer together, he wished he had more time to cherish the moment. He couldn’t afford to get lost in the moment. Once she’d taken enough blood he pulled his wrist away from her and released her from the compulsion. She looked confused. Maybe even a little afraid. He wanted to gather her up in his arms and hold her, but he couldn’t. “I need to leave you here, but I won’t be far away. I can’t wait for Jeremy and his ghouls to attack when I’m with you. There’s a chance they won’t notice you’re up here. Stay absolutely still and no matter what happens, don’t make a sound.”

  Completely mesmerized, he watched her take a breath and hold it as his blood rooted out and destroyed the drugs in her system. He actually did the same as they stared into each other’s eyes.

  “I know it sounds crazy. We hardly know each other, but I think I’m falling in love with you, Eli.”

  “It doesn’t sound crazy at all.” He pressed his forehead against hers. “It makes perfect sense to me. I’ve been falling in love with you from the first moment we met at the gas station.”

  “But we don’t really know each other.”

  Rather than immediately respond, he took a few seconds to search for the right words. They were from completely different worlds. She was human. She would naturally struggle with what being a mate meant. She wouldn’t be able to comprehend the depths of his feelings for her. If she knew that he would do anything, including die, to make her feel his love she would likely come to the conclusion that he was a nutty obsessed stalker. “I’ll agree that we have a lot of getting to know each other left to do, but I also know we are a perfect match. There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that we belong together. I was made for you. You were made for me.”