He’d asked her something, but she couldn’t quite grasp what, so instead of answering him, she reached out and laid her hands over his hard cock. It pulsed under her touch, pining for release.
She cupped him, slowly rubbing her thumb up and down his length.
“You play a dangerous game, woman.” His smile was wicked as he covered her hand with his own and pressed it harder to him. With his other hand he managed to undo his offending trousers, freeing himself to spring into her hand directly.
Jenna smiled as she wrapped her fingers around him. Her fingers were long and slim, the only truly slim part of her body, but they wouldn’t quite meet around his amazing girth. His cock head wept, and her thumb slid through the wetness there.
“Damn, woman, you drive me crazy,” he growled as he raised himself up and over her, bringing his cock to her plump lips. Jenna’s tongue was hot and greedy as she licked the mushroomed head, swirling circles around the sensitive ridge until Nico began to shift his body in time with her strokes.
“Take me Jenna, take me deep within your sweet mouth,” he ordered. Jenna stretched her lips wide around him and Nico began to slide in, inch by inch, so very slowly, allowing her time to adjust to his widening girth.
He pulled back and dove in deeper with each pass. His face was drawn in lines of almost painful pleasure. God, she loved seeing what her touch could do to him. It inspired her to do more, to give him as much pleasure as he gave her. She sucked hard as he pulled out, savoring his salty taste as the wet sounds of his cock sliding in and out of her mouth broke the silence.
Nico groaned and pulled completely out.
*
Her blood called to him, her scent sinking inside of him, becoming part of who he was. Finding her should have been the happiest moment of his long life. Instead he would be forever branded with the image of her beaten and bloody, her attacker preparing to rape her.
He pulled the sides of her tattered shirt up, trying to hide her naked flesh. She was so bruised. Dark purple and blue marks were scattered over her creamy skin like an obscene splatter painting.
“Nic, man, what the hell is wrong with you?”
He hissed over his shoulder as Aidan once again tried to approach him.
“She’s human, Nic,” the Were-Dragon’s voice was agitated, a common occurrence.
“We need to call the cops. It’s the Law.”
“Fuck the Law.” He heard his voice go guttural. “We call no one.” Nic shifted his body, keeping Jenna from Aidan’s line of sight.
“She needs to be seen by a human doctor.” The Dragon visibly reined in his hot temper, and was obviously trying to be calm and rational. “She’s hurt really bad, mate.” Nic felt no such obligation to be calm and rational.
“She goes nowhere.” He spun, still blocking Aidan’s view of Jenna’s bare body.
“Now back the fuck off, Dragon,” he spat.
Aidan began to glow blue.
*
“Whoa!” Bas reached out just in time to pull Aidan away from Nic. He knew the look in Nic’s eyes. Aidan, a Were, wouldn’t understand the other Vampire’s body language.
The Were-Dragon’s skin still glowed an eerie blue.
“Aidan, leave him be.” Privately Sebastian rolled his eyes. He guessed now it was his turn to be the calm, rational one. Fuck it all.
Nic had been obviously troubled for a long time. Now, watching his extreme reaction to the bloodied woman he crouched over, Bas was beginning to understand why.
Aidan turned reptilian eyes in his direction. “You better explain what the fuck is going on with him, Bas.” The blue glowing skin began to harden to the texture of leathery armor.
Fuck it all. This was just what he needed, Nic ready to shred anyone that came near his woman and Aidan ready to go all scaly on him.
“Aidan, man, calm down.” Bas kept one eye on Nic, who now had his woman rolled to her side, inspecting the boot mark on her lower back.
“Talk fast, Sebastian. Talk fast before I kick Nic’s blood-sucking arse.” Bas gripped the Dragon a little tighter and moved him further away from Nic.
“I believe that Nic has found his One,” Bas stated calmly, trying to keep Aidan from changing. It was incredible to witness the legend reveal itself to be true.
“His what?” The Dragon was still glowing, but at least he was distracted.
“His One, his soul mate. Sort of like when one of you lizards find your other half.
Vampires don’t often find their other halves, but she is his. He won’t let you near her while she’s hurt. He can’t.”
Bas didn’t tell him that the notion of a Vampire’s One was thought to be no more than a myth, because he was certain that this woman was Nic’s. Vampires were not territorial over strangers. This woman was definitely a stranger. Nic’s complete overreaction to Aidan being near her was all the proof the ancient Vampire needed.
“Oh fuck, tell me this is some kind of joke.” Aidan shook free of Bas’ hold and slid his hand down his long auburn braid, a habit of his when he was frustrated beyond words.
“I didn’t think you assholes had souls, much less mates for them.” The Dragon-glow faded and Aidan was back to his usual pissy self, Bas realized in relief.
He snorted. “Listen Puff, there’s a lot you reptiles don’t know about us.” He grinned and ducked the Dragon’s half-hearted swing at his head, before turning serious again.
“This isn’t a joke, Aidan. We need to give him some room. Imagine how you’d feel if it was your mate.”
Bas smiled when Aidan cocked his eyebrow; he knew Aidan couldn’t ever imagine himself with a mate. Bas wasn’t even sure the Dragon wanted one.
“A Dragon’s mate is an entirely different thing,” Aidan grumbled. “It’s a biological imperative. Find the one who’s a genetic match with you and make little Dragons.
There’s no soul involved in the deal. It’s totally fucking biological, so since there are no female Dragons about I’m in the clear.”
The two men turned, watching as Nic tenderly ran his hands down his One’s arms, wincing as he discovered the broken bones in her wrist.
Aidan looked just the tiniest bit shaken. “No,” he repeated, “it’s an entirely different thing.”
Aidan appeared to shake off his distraction and turned back to Bas. “You’re not kidding me, are you?” Bas shook his head.
“Well, this is just bloody beautiful.” The Dragon shook his head, sending his long braid whipping through the air. “Two dead humans, and from the looks of it she’s soon to follow. It’s the Law, dammit. We have to call in the human police for this.”
“We couldn’t do that even if that wasn’t Nic’s One,” Bas said. He toed the head of the shorter dead man, turning him to face Aidan. “This is Sal Mendez, head of security for William Stone. And that,” he nodded toward the woman cradled in Nic’s arms, “Is Jenna Stone, his eldest daughter.”
“Holy…well fuck me.” Aidan spat as he spun around to pace the alleyway. “You know this could start the war Stone has been asking for.” Bas understood the concern etched into Aidan’s face. Stone’s organization had been looking for ways to contain Vamps and Weres for more than half a century now.
He shrugged. “Then so be it. Nic will never let her go.” Aidan busted out his cell phone. Bas left him to his conversation. He could hear Aidan calling in a clean-up crew.
From behind him Aidan called out, “She better damn well be worth it.”
“To Nic she is everything,” Bas murmured to himself.
*
Nic’s head snapped up as he heard Bas’ careful approach.
“Nic, we have to move her.” The other Vampire kept his voice soft, unthreatening.
“She cannot be here.”
He let his eyes pierce those of his Blood Brother. Nic knew his face was drawn into harsh lines, his eyes blue flame.
“We need to get your One to the penthouse.” At Bas’ soft words, Nic forced himself to focus. He’d do Jen
na no good in the grip of Blood Rage. “We’ll call Elena,” Bas continued, clearly ignoring Nic’s internal struggle. “She’ll know what to do for your woman.”
Nic nodded slowly, allowing Bas to help him gather Jenna into his arms. Bas put his arm around his shoulder, steadying him.
“Let’s go, man, and get your woman healed.”
God help everyone if Elena was unable to save Jenna, Nic thought. He’d been growing more restless with every night that passed, his temper more and more uncontrollable. Finding his One would give him the much-needed peace he required to control his beast. The fury Nic would be powerless to contain if she should die was unimaginable. The best the world could hope for was that Nic would destroy himself before he scorched the city around him.
No, Nic thought. Jenna had to live.
Chapter Three
Nic kept Jenna clasped tight to his heart as he ran down the dark alley. He didn’t look around; his focus was utterly on the woman in his arms. He knew Bas had his back if anyone else was chasing Jenna and had enough of a death wish to attack them.
He’d finally recognized who Jenna was. He'd caught glimpses of her on the television at her psycho-father’s press conferences. Bile rose in his throat. How Stone could do this to his own flesh and blood was beyond Nic. It was bad enough that Stone wanted the Night Creatures to be segregated from the rest of the world’s population…if not conveniently dead. The humans may doubt it, but Nic had always known Stone’s real goal was genocide. And now he’d proved himself every bit the monster he claimed to hate: he’d sanctioned the beating and rape of his own daughter.
William Stone had needed killing for a very long time. Now, Nic vowed, he was going to be the one to do the world that favor.
Nic’s eyes began to glow again at the mental image of the short bald man straddling Jenna’s body. The stink of him hovered on her bruised skin and swam through Nic’s nose, sending him into a killing lust, something he hadn’t experienced in over two hundred years.
Jenna whimpered in his arms and Nic loosened his hold on her, realizing that he had squeezed her closer to his body. She was so cold, and had lost so much fucking blood to those animals.
He pressed his lips to her temple and inhaled. Under the blood and grime was her sweet scent, a scent that was now permanently imprinted on his DNA. When he’d sealed the jagged cut on her cheek, sampling her blood, he’d made her a part of himself. He would be able to find her anywhere, no matter what the distance. It was just one more tool he would use to protect her from her father and his army.
His stomach lurched as he felt her heart rate slow down even further. God, maybe he’d been too late. Her breathing was thready, at best. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. His thoughts raced with each pounding step he took. Elena had to save her. No other outcome could be permitted.
As Nic and Bas arrived at Nic’s building one of the guards held open the door for them. The man didn’t blink twice at the sight of the two racing Vampires, one with a bruised and bloody human female clutched in his arms. There was a reason Nic lived here. He rushed to the elevators, felt Bas slip in behind him. Neither man spoke. Nic knew Bas was well aware of how fucked up he was right now. The other Vampire didn’t need to hear the proof out loud. Moisture gathered in the corners of Nic’s eyes and he blinked several times to clear it.
He felt Bas’ familiar touch on his shoulder and closed his eyes for a moment, accepting the small comfort from his friend.
The doors opened into Nic’s penthouse apartment, and he strode quickly into the guestroom. As gently as possible he laid Jenna on the soft bed. Without a word, Bas walked into the bathroom where he gathered hot water and towels. Bringing them into the room, he placed them on the table next Nic, who knelt by the bed stroking Jenna’s hair and the areas of her face that weren’t horribly bruised.
“Bas,” the words felt ripped out. “Call and find out where the hell Elena is. Aidan has to have contacted her by now.”
* * * *
Dipping the cloth in the soapy water, Nic wrung it out and stroked it along Jenna’s swollen jawline, gently washing the blood away. She moaned when the cloth made contact with her skin, and Nic flinched. He hated seeing her in pain. Dammit, Jenna should be in his bed, not this impersonal guest bed. He should be loving her, driving between her full thighs. But, fuck no. Instead he was stroking the blood from her skin, watching the movements of her chest become shallower with every breath she exhaled. His hands shook with fear and rage, his body kicking out more adrenaline than he knew how to deal with. So he just kept cleansing his woman.
There was a faint sound at the bedroom door and Bas waved Elena across the threshold. She nodded to Bas as she passed him and came to a stop next to the bed.
“Nicolas,” the woman said gently, “you must move so that I may attend her.” Reluctantly Nic dropped the cloth back in the bowl and moved to the other side of the bed. Elena set her small leather bag down. Opening it, she retrieved two candles, one black and one white. Several small wooden statues, fetishes, as well as coarse salt in a glass jar immediately followed.
With quick, graceful movements Elena placed the fetishes around the bed, creating a triangle of protection, with Jenna at its center. That done, she lit the candles and passed them, one at a time down and then back up the length of Jenna’s body. First the black candle made the circuit, and Nic watched, fascinated, when the flame flared ebony for just an instant as it passed over Jenna’s heart. She repeated the motion with the white candle, and this time as the candle passed over Jenna’s heart, a gust of black smoke seemed to fly from her still form, taking on a vague, malevolent shape before disappearing into the air.
Nic and Bas both stepped forward at the apparition, but Elena gestured them back, nodding as if she’d expected it.
After placing the candles on the small stands at either side of the bed, the healer lifted the jar of sea salt, and poured a slow circle around Jenna’s body. She sang as she cast the circle, offering salutations to the four corners, to the Lord Sun and the Lady Moon. As the circle closed there was a brief pulse of light. It illuminated the old woman’s face, and Nic realized that at one time Elena must have been an incredible beauty.
He watched in awe as the healer began gliding her hands slowly down the length of Jenna’s body. They floated a bare inch above his woman’s skin, and as Elena chanted in her musical voice they began to faintly glow. She guided the light back up the length of Jenna’s form, finally stopping with her right hand hovering over Jenna’s forehead, her left over her heart.
Suddenly the chanting stopped, and Elena placed her hands directly onto Jenna’s ravaged flesh. Lightning raced up and down the length of Jenna’s body, the length of the healer’s arms. Jenna arched, her entire body curving off the bed, and a high keening cry burst from her bruised lips. The healer looked equally transfixed.
Nic was on the bed, almost breaking the circle in his headlong rush to save his woman, when Elena’s quiet voice stopped him cold.
“If you wish her to live you will stay where you are, Vampire.” Nic froze. Elena was the most renowned healer in their community. No one knew where she came from or even how old she really was. She was a mystery among the Night Creatures. All anyone knew for certain was that she was, indeed, ancient and very powerful. She was the vessel for a magic that otherwise would have died out centuries ago. Hundreds of centuries.
Now she pierced Nic with her black eyes.
“This woman, she is your One?”
Nic nodded.
“Those who hurt her did more than batter her body,” the healer explained. Her voice was brisk, but not without compassion. “They were evil, the men who abused her. She’s been bound by powerful black magic. That is what you saw hovering above the bed, and that is what caused her to react to the healing with pain.” The elderly healer stroked her right hand tenderly over Jenna’s forehead. “I’ve cleansed her of vile magic, but she needs your blood to fully heal her injuries. They are beyond even my power, and that power is n
ot insignificant. For now, though, she cannot drink from you. So we must use a little modern technology to speed the process along.”
Going back in her satchel, she pulled out a large syringe. As she addressed him, Nic felt his eyes go wide.
“Come to me Nico, and kneel before me. I am too old to try and reach you.” Elena slashed a line through the sea salt, creating a narrow opening in her circle of power.
Nic followed her command, going to his knees in front of her. She took in his apprehensive expression and gave a light chuckle that reminded him of wind-chimes.
“Four hundred and fifty years, and how much violence? And you still fear the doctor’s needle.” She shook her head in rueful amusement as she closed the circle again. “Remove your shirt child.” She was still smiling gently as Nic stripped off his shirt. As soon as he was bare, Elena began chanting again. Her voice was clear and powerful.
When she looked back at him, Nic froze in awe. Elena’s dreamy eyes were no longer black, they had gone completely white, and they were glowing. When she opened her mouth it was not her voice that came out, but another, many others, the countless generations of healers who’d left her their power.
“Nico Alero, do you freely give your blood, your essence, to your One, even knowing that she may not live through this night?”
“Yes,” Nic said without hesitation, but he knew that she would live. She had to.
Elena placed her hand upon his neck, murmuring in her strange language. His blood began to burn in his body, the worst where her hands lay over his jugular. The louder her voice, the deeper the burn. Sweat poured form his head and shoulders. He gripped his thighs as his blood ignited in a torch of agony and his body trembled.
Elena plunged the long needle into Nic’s neck without warning, and she wasn’t gentle about it as she extracted his blood. It felt like his very life force was being sucked out. His teeth elongated instinctively and he hissed at the old woman, forgetting for a moment everything but the fire she poured through him.
Saving Jenna Page 3
