VampireMine

by Aline Hunter

  Images from his dreams were like a sucker punch to the face.

  Now he knew they weren’t dreams but memories. Everything that had happened—her fangs at his throat, the tiny pulls at his skin as she fed—had been real. He’d given her what she needed most only to rip it from her hands. Why hadn’t she come to him? Had her pride gotten in her way? Had facing starvation been preferable to coming face-to-face with him again?

  He winced. It must have been.

  He was aware he hadn’t been easy on her. He’d practically taken the gift she’d given him and thrown in back in her face. Vampires were dangerous to shifters, able to turn them into familiars with no free will. Despite that, he still wanted her.

  Hell, how could he not?

  The night he’d finally gotten hold of her, trapping her lithe body between his and the ground, he’d known they’d be perfect together. She’d been so hot, her pussy weeping for his touch. One kiss had set them on fire, turning the world upside down. He wanted to hammer into the softness of her cunt and hear her cries of pleasure. She’d been right there with him too, as caught up in the moment as he was.

  Then he’d opened his mouth and fucked it all up.

  After tonight, you’ll never see me again. You have my word.

  He was so deep in thought he barreled right into Cade. The human grunted and shoved Trey to the side. “What the fuck? I thought you were leaving.”

  Trey hurried to make an excuse—any excuse. Even if Caden wasn’t a shifter he had spot-on instincts. The man had been an investigator once upon a time. Years had honed his intuition, allowing him to detect skeletons in anyone’s closet.

  “I forgot my wallet.”

  “Uh-huh,” Cade responded and leaned against the closest wall. “Since when do you explain yourself to me?”

  Fuck. “Since you’re playing secretary, it’s the least I can do.”

  Cade brought a hand to his chin and stroked the scar marring his skin. His steely eyes saw far more than Trey liked. “Why do I smell bullshit?”

  “Maybe you’ve been kissing too much ass?” The Alpha in him wouldn’t allow Trey to sever eye contact but he did move away from Cade, putting as much distance between them as possible. “Members of the pack could start arriving at any time. I suggest you get things ready.”

  “What the fuck are you up to?”

  That was typical Cade—brash, ballsy and arrogant as hell. Trey found the man’s bluntness refreshing, even if he’d never admit it to anyone in the pack. As an Alpha, it was rare that anyone would go tit for tat with him. However, Cade tended to overestimate his worth in the pack. While he was worth having around and had managed to get in the good graces of Diskant Black—the Omega and head of all the shifters of New York—he wasn’t above the rules.

  This time Trey didn’t ask, he ordered, “Get ready to greet the pack.”

  Even if Cade liked to push buttons, he’d been around long enough to know he’d have to answer to Diskant if he stepped out of line. And it wasn’t good to bother Diskant right now. His mate, Ava, was in the early stages of pregnancy but had finally started to show. Anything that tore the Omega’s focus from his female wasn’t welcomed.

  “Whatever you say,” Cade drawled, each word laced with sarcasm. Despite his apparent annoyance he was smart enough to lower his gaze as he moved away from the wall and started walking toward the garage. “I live to serve.”

  Trey waited for Cade to exit the residence, listening as the back door opened and slammed closed before he rushed from the hallway. Nathan couldn’t leave the property with Leigh on his arm. The guards would ask him too many questions. He wondered where he might find his Beta and unexpected guest as he ran to the small door that led to the back of the property. To his relief he spotted them as soon as he stepped outside. Nathan had taken Leigh to the side of the building, keeping her hidden among the bushes. The man had boxed her in the cage of his arms, standing protectively over her.

  “Would you stop?” Leigh’s soft reprimand drifted to Trey’s ears. “I told you I’m fine.”

  “Don’t lie,” Nathan growled. “Not to me.”

  “Children,” Trey interrupted the two before their argument escalated and drew unwanted attention, keeping his voice low, “stop fighting.”

  The instant Nathan lowered his guard, Leigh took advantage. She ducked under his arm, gaining her freedom. “It’s about time you joined us,” she hissed, tossing strands of her long, dark hair over her shoulder. “I was starting to think you’d changed your mind.”

  He had to force the wolf back, struggling to whisper instead of howl. “No way in hell.” Looking past her, he started working out an exit strategy. His motorcycle only allowed room for two. They needed a vehicle. Unfortunately he wasn’t in a position to retrieve his keys and get to his car. “How did you get here?”

  “I drove,” Leigh snapped, her blue eyes shooting daggers in his direction. “The car’s parked one street over.”

  His gaze drifted to Nathan. “I’m going to distract the guards while you two slip out.”

  Nathan nodded and wrapped his hand around Leigh’s wrist. “Hurry.”

  Trey didn’t have to be told twice.

  They were lucky to have gone undetected for as long as they had.

  He strode purposefully toward the line of trees along the back of the property. Members of the pack rotated keeping guard, taking shifts that lasted anywhere from eight to twelve hours. Trey approved the schedule but didn’t go so far as to make it. As long as he had eyes on the place he didn’t care how the pecking order was decided. Movement caught his eye, a subtle shift of color that would go unrecognized by the human eye.

  Bingo.

  “It’s me,” he called out. “Reveal yourselves.”

  One by one, they did.

  He held his head high, approaching the wolves with total confidence.

  Any display of weakness could create total chaos.

  He stopped several feet away and called on his wolf. The beast responded, revealing as much of its power as Trey would allow it to. As he anticipated, the members of his pack immediately backed down. They lowered their gazes, taking on subservient stances.

  This was it.

  Showtime.

  Chapter Three

  Sadie fought the welcoming arms of sleep and struggled through the heavy fog keeping her from complete awareness. Her head slowly cleared, thoughts no longer splintered. Opening her heavy lids, she blinked rapidly and willed her eyes to focus. Shapes and colors bled together, making her head spin. She ignored the dry tickle at the back of her throat, drawing a steadying breath as she fixed her gaze on tiny crack in the ceiling.

  How long had she been under?

  Days? Weeks?

  Months?

  She resented the fear that slammed into her. After all, she was responsible for her current predicament. She hadn’t been captured. No sir. She’d walked willingly into the devil’s arms, moronically believing she’d finally meet her end and find some semblance of peace in the afterlife.

  Stop. Pull yourself together, damn it.

  Despite her weakened state, she managed to shift her arms and legs. A white-hot stab shot up her back. Her cold and tired muscles protested the movement, stinging as they stretched and flexed. She relied on years of training to push through, willing her body to ignore the pain. She didn’t know what Aldon wanted with her but it couldn’t be good. If she’d learned anything over the last few months it was that the man had a plan—even if she didn’t know what that plan might be—for everything. Her captivity wasn’t random. She served some sort of purpose.

  And you handed yourself over to the bastard like a dessert on a dainty platter.

  Moron.

  Aldon was far more powerful than she’d thought, staving her hunger and using her weakened state to keep her incapacitated by sleep. Each time she’d woken he’d appeared and handed her back to the Sandman. There hadn’t been time to question his motives. One minute she’d been aware of her surrou
ndings—groggy but aware—the next her eyes had slammed closed and she’d gone nighty-night.

  Which is why you should stop wasting time. Get your shit in check.

  Pay attention. Right now.

  She held her breath and gritted her teeth, trying to block out the fire that slithered up her torso as she rolled onto her belly. Decimated muscles groaned in protest, burning with the effort. Each panted breath tore through her chest, her lungs feeling as though they might burst as she attempted to remain quiet. At first she thought the pounding in her ears was due to adrenaline and the slow thudding of her heart. Then she realized it was actual sound resonating from beneath her. She closed her eyes, relying on her astute sense of hearing to listen.

  A lock unlatched—the snick loud and crisp in her ears—and a door protested as it creaked open. Judging by the distinct sound and the clarity of her hearing, she realized she was only a floor or so away from the entrance to Aldon’s lair.

  Good news if she could get to her feet and find an alternative exit.

  “Isn’t this a pleasant surprise?” Aldon’s deep voice drifted to her ears as he welcomed his visitor.

  “Pleasant surprise, my ass.”

  Her heart skipped a beat and then lodged in her throat when she heard the corresponding acknowledgement. She screwed her eyes shut, fighting back tears. She knew that voice, had thought about it so often she wondered if perhaps she hadn’t woken at all but remained snared in the land of dreams.

  It couldn’t be. How could it?

  Trey.

  A stupid, inflated belief in romance tried to influence her thoughts, tempting her to believe he’d come to rescue her. He’d barge in, order Aldon to hand her over and she’d find safety in his arms. He’d lift her to his chest, kiss her, promise to protect her, take her to his family and home and never let her go.

  As-fucking-if.

  Painful memories from the past suffocated hope.

  Trey wasn’t her lover. Hell, he wasn’t even her friend. He might be willing to fuck her silly but that was it. No strings attached. No permanency. Her body attracted him but her nature disgusted him. At best he might text her for booty calls on the down-low. If she played her cards right he might even be willing to offer her the one thing she desperately needed to survive—his blood—in exchange for a bit of pussy.

  Her self-loathing didn’t last long, not when she heard Trey snarl, “You just fucked with the wrong bull.” She jerked as the sound of a fist connecting with bone resonated from below, followed by an enormous thump as someone landed on the floor.

  A cold chill shot down her spine when Aldon laughed. “Is that the best you’ve got?”

  “Not even close,” Trey growled, his voice shaky, indicating he was already in motion and prepared to dish out some serious damage. “That’s my version of a bitch-slap.”

  What the hell was going on? Why was Trey here? And why was he fighting Aldon?

  Last time she checked the two were on speaking terms.

  They shared common interests…or so she thought.

  She knew the moment they engaged in combat. Even though she couldn’t see what was taking place, she knew how the fight would go. Vampires were fast but werewolves were strong. Aldon would try to wear Trey down while Trey tried to rip out his opponent’s throat as quickly as possible. Assuming Trey wanted to kill Aldon. If not he’d be lucky if he could put a dent in the vampire. Aldon was too powerful. She’d only glimpsed a portion of his strength but she knew he wasn’t a normal black mage vamp.

  He had a secret, one that made him lethal.

  A sharp creak ripped her attention from the ruckus downstairs. She turned her head, ashamed that something so simple took effort. She watched, shocked, as Leigh opened the door to the room. The poor girl looked like death warmed over. Her skin, while always pale, was now ghastly white. Dark shadows decorated the area beneath her eyes. She’d pulled her hair from her face, securing it at her nape with an elastic band. Sadie opened her mouth to speak but remained silent when Leigh’s eyes bulged and she shook her head.

  “Quiet,” Leigh instructed telepathically. “You can ask questions later.” Advancing forward, she questioned, “What did he do to you? How bad are you hurt?”

  “He didn’t do anything.” Sadie’s pride rankled at the confession. “He knew I had been tracking him. When he confronted me I lost consciousness from hunger. He brought me here.” Speaking of which. “Where is here, by the way? How did you find me?”

  Why is Trey with you?

  The last thought wasn’t meant for Leigh but the young vampire heard it anyway. Sympathy smoothed her tired features as she reached Sadie’s side and placed a comforting hand on her arm. Leigh felt so cold, her body in desperate need of blood. Sadie cringed. Leigh shouldn’t have come here. The girl was newly changed and unable to defend herself. She needed to learn to harness her magic in order to face the world.

  “Don’t worry about that right now. We’re going to get you out,” Leigh thought. Lifting her head she whispered, “I’m going to need some help. She can’t move.”

  A large form stepped through the door. Even though Leigh blocked most of him from view Sadie recognized his voice when he murmured, “I’m here.”

  Nathan. Trey’s Beta.

  Sadie didn’t know much about the male, although their paths had crossed in the not-so-distant past—after she’d killed off a few Shepherds and saved Diskant’s mate, Ava Brisbane. Nathan had been there too, injured himself but trying to defend the mortal woman. They’d formed an unlikely truce, agreeing to work together to save Ava’s life.

  The prism of confusion shined brighter, becoming dizzying.

  First Trey appeared. Now Nathan was with him.

  What were they doing? Didn’t they know better?

  Nathan slid his arms beneath Sadie’s stomach and rolled her over as he lifted her to his chest. Her head fell back, one arm tucked against the man holding her, the other hanging like a broken branch at her side. She must have looked like a tattered china doll, hanging together by fraying pieces of thread. The last time she’d seen Nathan he’d been bleeding at her feet.

  Humiliation tore through her, the most unwanted and damning of sentiments.

  Somehow things always came full circle. It was almost poetic in a sickening and perverse kind of way. She was supposed to be the strong one, defending the weak. Never had she imagined herself like this. Cradled in a werewolf’s arms, unable to stand or walk. The roles had been reversed. Now Nathan was the one watching over her, keeping her from harm.

  Leigh led the way to the door. Once she’d peeked outside, she exited the room.

  Nathan followed, staying close, allowing Sadie to get a glimpse of her surroundings.

  She was definitely in a home, not a condemned building or bunker as vampires were known to use when they wanted to capture and cage prey. Framed pictures adorned neatly painted and papered walls with expensive crown-molded ceilings. They were on the top floor of the residence, a place that was old but well restored. Pristine wooden slats sped by as Nathan quickened his pace.

  The delicious aroma of blood assailed her nose, thick and hot, coming fresh from the source. She knew that smell, could identify it anywhere. She should have been worried about Trey’s wounds—he was quick to heal but had been injured severely enough to bleed freely—but she felt her fangs drop. The need to feed became her sudden and primary focus. Even in her current state she felt her muscles tense in preparation for attack. Her nature was ready to give it all one last hurrah in order to survive.

  “Fuck!” Trey bellowed, so close she could not only smell his blood but also hear the steady beating of his heart. “Nathan, heads-up! He’s on the move!”

  “Leigh,” Nathan snarled. “Behind me. Now.”

  Leigh did as she was told, darting past Nathan and vanishing from Sadie’s line of sight. Aldon appeared, standing only a few feet away from them with an arrogant smirk on his blood-splattered face. His nose had been busted but he’d already sta
rted healing. The world spun and Sadie’s stomach plummeted when Nathan dropped her and charged the vampire. She hit the ground, her head cracking against the hard floor. Through pained eyes, she watched Nathan sprint toward his enemy.

  Aldon disappeared and Nathan rushed through empty air. The male staggered, trying to stop. Trey appeared at the top of the stairs and Nathan barreled directly into him. Watching the enormous men crash to the ground would have been comical if the situation wasn’t so dire. She felt nauseous, wanting to vomit.

  The men couldn’t see what was right in front of them.

  Aldon wasn’t trying to kill Trey or Nathan.

  He’d been luring them.

  Clarity didn’t always come easy. Sometimes a person discovered things they should have seen long before—things that could change or alter someone’s life—often when it was too late. She didn’t like having her moment then and there, lying on the floor, useless and forgotten.

  “Stubborn creature.” Aldon’s observant words were no longer cynical but disturbing as they echoed through her head. “So certain of yourself. So arrogant. So predictable. You wear your pride like a shield. I suppose I should thank you for simplifying things.”

  Damn her to hell. She deserved to burn.

  She hadn’t been smart when she’d tracked Aldon. She’d been stupid.

  If the coven had been spying on him, likely he’d been spying on them as well. It wouldn’t have taken much. Their defenses were solid but he wasn’t like any vampire she’d ever seen. He could have spied on the house from a safe distance, collecting all the information he needed. He’d known she’d been following him. That much was clear. The conceited prick had probably encouraged it. She’d walked right into his trap, caught in his web, giving him an advantage.

  She remembered the way he’d bitten her—the way he’d sighed in contentment—drinking what little blood she had to offer. Yet he hadn’t taken more. It hadn’t been enough to sustain or nourish him because he hadn’t meant it to be. He’d taken her blood to access her memories, confirming whatever suspicions he must have had.