by Aline Hunter
Her teeth sank deep, the white-hot ecstasy of her bite shooting through his body. He growled, his hips jerking in an uneven motion as he climaxed. His cock pulsed with each stream of semen, his seed flooding her womb. Even as it caused the punctures in his neck to protest, he turned his face toward her.
Mark her.
Now.
Aiming for her shoulder, he brought his lips back. His teeth broke through her flesh, gliding past her soft and giving skin. Her whimper was one of pain and pleasure. She didn’t stop drinking, taking his blood to build her strength. He pumped his hips, stunned to find his cock remained stiff despite his climax. He wondered if a mating bond would be established as it did when shifters mated humans. She didn’t cry out in pain and he didn’t feel a shift in his wolf. He didn’t experience the separation he’d been told about. It was like a different connection was established between them, bringing them closer together.
“Again.” Sadie’s thought echoed through his mind. “More.”
He kept his teeth embedded in her skin, hammering his cock into her pussy with enough force to shake the mattress. His skin itched, his wolf so close at hand he balled his fists to keep from shifting.
Fucking hell. It had never been so difficult to remain in charge.
Over the years his beast had learned its place. As an Alpha he had to maintain the balance. Sometimes shifters were known to mate in their fur—when they were both in animal form—but he’d never been turned-on by the idea. Sadie likely wouldn’t be either.
Back off, he snarled at the damn thing.
His strength ebbed, the muscles in his arms and legs growing weak. He tried to keep going, thrusting for all he was worth. His dick might be hard but he couldn’t complete the act without stamina. He’d done this long enough to know he could go a double round if so inclined, without any serious issues. The tugs against his throat were a stern reminder of Sadie’s demands. Taking so much had left him drained. He couldn’t keep going if she continued. With his luck he’d end their first encounter with a whimper not a bang.
Like a fucking pussy.
“Not quite,” Sadie’s voice appeared in his head again. “Not even close.”
A burst of magic seared through him, beginning at his neck and winding down his body. His lethargy vanished, a newfound energy suffusing his muscles. Pressure built in his sac and another climax crashed over him. He released her shoulder, stars flashing before his eyes. A sharp, electric current crackled up his back, shooting through his arms and legs. It felt as amazing as it felt awkward. He’d never come that many times so close in a row.
Son of a fucking bitch.
Her pussy flexed around his cock as she came, her moan throaty and deep. Her fangs slid from his neck, the swipes of her tongue tender over the wounds. She kept him close, her thighs tight around his waist as she pumped her hips. He kept up the pace, wanting to extend her release. She kept shaking, enjoying the pleasure he gave her. He wished it could last forever.
Eventually she went soft beneath him, her quiet exhalation one of satiation and bliss. His gaze drifted to her shoulder as he backed away from her.
As she’d warned, his mark had vanished. There wasn’t as much as a scratch or bruise marring her porcelain skin. The wolf, who had found satisfaction in their pairing, didn’t approve. A growl crept up his chest, a prickle of fury washing over him. His scent would serve as a threat to any shifter who crossed her path but he wanted his dominance openly displayed.
She was his.
No other would ever have her.
“It doesn’t matter,” he warned, staring his mate in the eye. She licked the corner of her mouth, collecting the last traces of his blood. “With or without the mark, you know who you belong to.”
He expected a lot of things—for her to tell him to fuck off or inform him he didn’t have a say in the matter—but he hadn’t counted on her letting him go and stretching her arms over her head. She sighed, happy as a lark. Whereas he was livid, she was totally at ease. A smile tugged at her lips, her blue eyes darkening a shade.
“If you say so,” she purred, arching her back like a contented cat. “Barbarian.”
Before he could respond someone knocked on the door. He wanted to curse his shitty fortune. True, they’d had time for nothing more than a quickie. He’d done what he needed to do, marking Sadie with his scent, acknowledging what she meant to him. But he wanted more. It wasn’t supposed to be like this—wild, crazy and rushed. He’d waited centuries for this woman. A romantic he wasn’t but he’d imagined things differently. Didn’t women like sweet words whispered in their ear?
Maybe you’ve found a woman who won’t put up with your shit.
“Trey,” Emory called through the door, “you might want to hurry it up.”
He started to tell Emory to kiss his ass when Sadie paused. Her eyes went cloudy, as though she were listening to something Trey couldn’t hear. In a split second her eyes became cognizant. She scrambled away from him, scurrying back from his body. It was like she couldn’t get away from him fast enough. He frowned, confused at her behavior. She didn’t waste time, jumping from the bed to collect her clothes.
“That girl—that vampire—you left out here is freaking the fuck out,” Emory informed him, yelling loud enough for the entire house to hear. “Mary and Ava can’t calm her down. You need to get your mate,” he emphasized the word sarcastically, “out here right now.”
“Shit,” Sadie spat, tugging on her underwear. “I shouldn’t have left her.”
Rising from the bed, he yelled, “We’re coming.”
“Right now?” Emory quipped. “I’d hoped you’d gotten that far already.”
Smartass.
“Emory?” he yelled, wanting to strangle his sibling.
“Yeah?”
“Fuck off!”
“Don’t thank me. You’re welcome, shithead,” Emory snarled. “Don’t blame the messenger.”
The floor creaked as Emory walked away from the door. Trey didn’t bother with his socks or shoes, sliding into his jeans. Sadie had gotten dressed in record time, working on her boots by the time he’d shrugged into his shirt. She started to rush for the door and he stopped her, grasping her elbow. At least he knew it wasn’t personal. She was rushed but it had nothing to do with their mating. Her mind was evidently with her friend.
“You need to calm down.”
“Easy for you to say,” she hissed, narrowing her eyes. “That’s my vampire out there, not yours.”
Damn Emory. The bastard had to shoot off at the mouth and get Sadie riled. He smoothed her hair with his other hand, straightening the blonde strands tangled around her shoulder.
“If you don’t act like you’re in control, everyone’ll think you’re weak. You don’t want that.” He waited until the anger drained from her eyes to add, “Diskant doesn’t trust the weak. He never has. You have to prove you can keep Leigh in check. Otherwise Nathan won’t be able to do squat to keep her safe. Diskant will want her gone.” He let the words sink in, giving Sadie a few seconds. “Do you understand?”
She broke eye contact, turning her head. “I understand.”
The situation was all kinds of fucked up. His mate didn’t have many choices. The weight and responsibility had to be killing her. If she didn’t walk the line carefully, Leigh’s fate wouldn’t be up to her. Diskant would take any measure necessary to protect Ava and the pack, even if it meant taking the life of an innocent woman. If it wasn’t for Nathan the Omega probably would have already eliminated the threat.
He cupped Sadie’s face, trying to reassure her, skimming his thumbs across her cheeks. She turned her head and pressed a kiss to his palm. Such an innocent and sweet gesture that was sad in a way. He wanted to tell her everything was going to be okay but he wasn’t going to lie. They’d finally found common ground. Telling her things to make her feel better—even if he had her best interests at heart—would destroy the tentative truce between them.
“I’ll be with yo
u,” he said, struggling for the words. Proving himself worthy had never been so difficult. “If you need me…if you want me…”
Silence followed. Then—so softly he had to strain to hear—she replied, “Thank you.”
It wasn’t what he wanted but it was a start. He led her to the door and opened it. He waited until she’d stepped outside to follow. The die had been cast. From this moment forward, nothing was certain.
Yet, strangely enough, he experienced something he hadn’t felt in a long time.
Hope.
Chapter Eight
Finally.
Magical defenses were in place, invisible shields where they needed to be.
Aldon couldn’t find Sadie despite the blood he’d taken from her, even if he tried to use a spell. But the blood Trey had given her had been just enough to get the job done. It had taken every ounce of her magic to finish the deed. She couldn’t keep going. Not like this. And she couldn’t take more from Trey to regain what she’d lost. Not yet. Taking more was too dangerous.
That meant she wouldn’t be able to provide for herself and Leigh.
She watched her friend, wondering how she should break the bad news.
“I’m beat,” Leigh said, peeping through the blinds covering the window.
Sadie wanted to tell the young vampire she had no idea.
Instead of basking in the afterglow of her encounter with Trey, it had taken her nearly an hour to calm the fledgling down. Leigh had lodged herself in a corner in a bedroom, crouching between a dresser and the wall. Nathan had tried to calm her down but his presence only upset the girl. Sadie’d come to the rescue, asking everyone to leave in order to take charge of the situation. Trey and Nathan hadn’t liked it but they’d relented. During their absence she’d managed to convince Leigh to put aside her fear, warning her Aldon would find them if she didn’t. Sadie had given Leigh as much blood as the vampire would take, explained what they needed to do and shortly thereafter they’d gotten to work.
To Nathan and Trey’s credit, the shifters had gone about their business. Although Sadie had seen them check in on them here and there as they moved through the house. The women—Ava and Mary—had made themselves scarce. Sadie wasn’t sure if they were busy or didn’t trust the crazed vampires in their home. Either way, she understood. Things weren’t simple. Leigh had to understand that now more than ever.
I have to tell her. Sadie drew a deep breath. Bring on the crazy.
“We need to talk.” She plopped down on the bed, glad to get off her feet.
Yet again her pride and confidence had gotten in her way. She’d thought she could do this. After all, she’d defended the coven for years. But the people in Diskant’s home weren’t her coven and Aldon wasn’t an idle threat. In light of what she’d learned, she’d accepted she couldn’t defend everyone on her own. Leigh had all a vampire could need—blood from a sister, power beyond a human’s belief—but it wasn’t enough. Not even close. With his abilities Aldon could crush through the girl’s defenses and take them down one by one.
Leigh had to accept things had changed.
“About?” Leigh asked, continuing to look outside.
“What’s at stake,” she exhaled in a rush, frightened for the first time since she’d entered Disktant’s domain. Trey’s earlier warning returned to torment her. Diskant would kill Leigh if he had to. Sadie had to make sure that didn’t happen. “You have to be prepared.”
Leigh pivoted, a wave of dark hair spilling over her shoulder. “I don’t understand. You said we only needed to cast the spell. We’ve done it,” she stated, relief on her pale face. “We’re safe.”
Safe? If only.
Leigh’s abilities surpassed Sadie’s by leaps and bounds. As painful as it was to admit, the newborn vampire’s magic was much more potent. It shouldn’t have come as a shock when Leigh had memorized the spell Sadie had taught her, worked to create it and sealed off the place without breaking sweat. Even now—standing in front of Sadie with her face aglow—Leigh looked like she’d done little more than climb a hill. Meanwhile, even if Leigh wasn’t aware of it, the magic had put Sadie on her ass. If it weren’t for Sadie’s determination to defend the compound—to defend Trey—she might have given up. Fortunately Leigh had taken over with ease, invoking the spell like a seasoned pro.
That was the bitch of it.
Leigh thought everything was gravy.
The naïve creature had no idea how strong she really was.
Be honest. Tell her the truth.
“Your magic is stronger then you realize. That comes with a cost.”
A shadow of agony crossed the woman’s face. “You think I don’t know that?” Leigh snapped with a hint of bitterness. “I don’t cast spells or use my abilities unless I have to. I wouldn’t have now if it weren’t so important. You know how I feel. I’ve told you why.”
Leigh hated the magic, feeling it made her less human.
The poor thing—even though she knew better—held out hope that one day she’d return to her normal life. She denied herself blood, preferring to eat human food that did nothing for her body. It left the vampire thin, ghostly pale and constantly weak.
Sadie wanted to curse the world that had treated Leigh so cruelly.
One minute Leigh had been a human girl with hopes and dreams. The next she’d been changed by a vampire who’d left her to rot. No one knew why. Some rogues thought it was funny to create fledglings who didn’t understand what they’d become. Leigh’s case was strange though. Most creators—even dickhead rogues—usually returned to their progeny and established some sort of connection. Whoever had made Leigh would always be able to find her. A link formed between a vampire and its child, one that could only be broken in death. Why he hadn’t shown himself—why he hadn’t returned—was anyone’s guess.
“You’re going to have to get over the past.” Sadie lifted her head to stare at her friend. “This spell—our spell—is nothing. Call it a blimp on the shit-o-dar. We’re about to deal with some medieval stuff. You’re going to have to come to terms with your part in this.”
A surge of exhaustion rushed through her.
“Some choices are never easy.” She kept going, hoping Leigh would listen. “You take what you’re given or you die. You’re going to have to accept more than you’re willing to, even if you hate me for it.”
Leigh’s bitterness swiftly changed to suspicion. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t feed you,” she blurted, shaking her head to clear away cobwebs clouding her thoughts. She bowed her head, unable to bear the horror in Leigh’s face. “I thought I could but I can’t. I’m sorry.”
“I can go a long time without blood. It shouldn’t be an issue.” There was resolve in Leigh’s statement, as though she harbored a small bit of hope.
Hope for what?
A world gone to shit? A world in which everyone would burn?
“Diskant will kill you.” She hated the gravity the words carried. It wasn’t her job to threaten members of her coven—it never had been until this moment. “He’ll tear you apart if he thinks you’re a threat. If you want to live, you’re going to have to accept I can’t provide for you. Starving yourself isn’t an option. This isn’t the coven. You can’t hide out and pretend you’re not a vampire anymore.” Telling her sister-in-magic something so brutally honest hurt Sadie more than Leigh would ever understand. She tried to keep a level head, attempting to convey her concerns. “You’re going to have to take what you’re given, even if that means accepting what you’re not ready for. I wish it were different. I wish I could give you choices. I’m sorry you have to…”
Take Nathan’s blood. Be Nathan’s mate.
Sadie’s chest ached at the thought. Forcing Leigh to accept Nathan—a man the woman didn’t love—wasn’t what she wanted for her friend.
Damn it.
Life wasn’t simple. If Leigh wanted to survive, she had to think about the future.
Maybe it was Sadie’s old age
. She accepted that some things were decided by fate. Leigh had been born a mortal, putting her faith in a higher power. The truth was no one knew what happened for certain when a person died. And Nathan wouldn’t let anything happen to Leigh. If Diskant threatened to harm her the Beta would take Leigh somewhere else—to another pack perhaps. Sadie would insist on traveling with them but she needed to know if something happened Leigh would have a protector.
“You can’t make me drink. It’s my choice.”
“It used to be,” Sadie conceded, speaking quietly. “That’s no longer the case.”
“No longer the case?”
“You need to able to defend yourself. You can’t do that if you don’t feed.” Bracing herself for the earful she was about to receive, Sadie continued, “What if something happens to me? What would you do then? Your options are limited. The coven isn’t secure. They have weaknesses. And Geneva’s been hiding something. I’m not sure what it is but it’s no good. You won’t be happy there. You need someone to watch out for you, someone who would give his life to keep you safe.”
The silence that followed was almost deafening.
“You think you can force me to take blood from Nathan?” Leigh finally asked, voice shaking. “That’ll never happen.”
The scheming bitch! Sadie caught Leigh’s thought and followed it, delving into her friend’s thoughts. I can’t believe I followed her here. I can’t believe I trusted her! She’s been lying to me the entire time. And why not? She’s finally gotten what she wanted. She’s mated to her werewolf. She’ll turn on the coven and go on her merry little way. Oh God, she’ll try to make me do the same thing. She’ll force me to become just like her.
Sadie accepted the vehemence directed at her but even as she did she knew she’d missed the mark big-time. A face flittered through Leigh’s mind in her panic—of a young man, smiling and laughing. Sadie knew it had to be the man Leigh’d lost after she’d been changed. She’d never imagined Leigh was so affected by the love she’d left behind. Yet Sadie felt Leigh’s hurt, the heartache lancing through her chest like a rusty knife. The terrified young woman would never give up her hope for her past life.
