But what about when he saw Lauren again? His Bloodmate. Would he immediately feel better, or would he see her and scent her blood and attack? Could he trust himself to be around her?
It was an impossible position to be in. To need to be close to her in order to get better, but being afraid that getting too close would cause her harm.
Either way, they needed to get her away from Sergei first. If that son of a bitch had caused her any harm, he’d tear the other vampire’s skin from his body.
They reached the tower that was being renovated and came to a halt. A heavy wooden door with iron casings blocked the way. The windows were narrow slits high from the ground, a guarantee that anyone who squeezed from them would fall to their death. How many people had been kept prisoner here over the years? Royalty who were then executed out on the Tower Green. The names of the prisoners would be carved into its stone walls after endless years of incarcerations before they met their death. He wouldn’t allow Lauren’s name to join them.
“This Sergei can fly, so he’ll have taken her to the highest point,” Delia said.
They all looked up at the ancient structure, reaching high into the London night sky. Nikolai didn’t like the idea that the older vampire might be watching them from above, already aware and plotting for their arrival. If he grabbed Lauren and took to the skies, Nikolai might lose her forever.
Henry put out his hand and closed his eyes. “Aperi portam!”
Something cracked, and the door creaked open. Nikolai stepped forward to push it open further. Even with his vampire’s strength, he could feel how heavy the door was, and its hinges creaked with the movement. Behind the door, a curved stone staircase was revealed, rising up into the tower.
He could scent her, that scent he had caught that first night. But now there was something different as well, something dark and earthy, something wrong...
“She’s up there,” he growled, heading for the staircase.
“Slow down, Nikolai,” Delia warned. “We don’t want to give him cause to take flight with her.”
But, despite the warning, Nikolai’s pulse raced in anticipation. He only wanted to be with her.
I’m coming, baby, he thought. Just hang in there. I’m coming.
Chapter 19
I’m coming, baby...
Lauren sat up from where she’d been lying on the cold, stone floor, her heart lifting in hope. Was that really him, or had she dreamed it? He’d sounded so close. Her neck throbbed from where she’d been bitten, and the blood-taking had left her weak. She could hear him, though, and the sound of his beautiful voice made her heart sing.
Nikolai! I’m here.
Immediately, she sensed him pick up on her voice.
Where’s Sergei? Is he with you?
She looked around the dark space. No, I don’t think so. I don’t know where he’s gone. He was... She couldn’t bring herself to say the word—feeding—feeling such shame wash over her. And I passed out.
She knew she hadn’t needed to say it. From the emotions alone that she picked up from Nikolai, she knew he’d understood what she hadn’t been able to say.
We’re coming for you. Are you tied up?
No, I can move, but he keeps the door locked.
Don’t worry. I have backup. We’re getting you out of there.
Hurry, Nikolai. He might come back at any moment.
She wished she knew where the vampire had gone.
I’m coming, baby. You’re safe now.
Except she wasn’t, not really.
Shakily, she got to her feet. She wrapped her arms around her body as though to protect herself, and glanced around nervously. Lauren wasn’t normally a nervous person, but the thought of those fangs sinking into her flesh, the sucking feeling as he’d pulled the blood from her veins, the feel of his cold, hard tongue against her skin, filled her with revulsion.
Somewhere below her, she heard the sound of footsteps running.
Lauren hurried to the door. It was a thick, heavy structure with an old-fashioned lock and key, and she assumed bolts on the outside. They’d be able to undo the bolts, but they wouldn’t have the key.
Her heart pounded, and she glanced back over her shoulder towards the windows. Would he appear once more, a tall, menacing shadow crouching in the gap, silhouetted against the night sky? He was like every nightmare she’d had as a child all rolled into one horrifying entity.
“Stand back from the door, Lauren,” called a female voice she didn’t know. “We’re coming in.”
She took several steps back, her heart thrumming in her chest.
A crash, the sound of ancient wood, stone, and metal shattering.
The door opened to reveal Nikolai, and Ivan, several people she didn’t know, and, behind them, a giant wolf which appeared to be crammed into the small space.
“Oh, thank God.”
She took a step forward, but didn’t get any further as a gust of movement swooped in behind her, and in the next moment she was yanked off her feet and hauled backwards, a steely hand around her throat.
Lauren barely had the chance to scream. She knew who had hold of her.
Nikolai took a step towards them, his hand out held. “Put her down, Sergei.”
“Never. She’s mine now.”
“She’s a person. She can’t be owned.”
Delia stepped forward to join Nikolai’s side. “My name is Delia Costanzo, and I am part of The Directive. What you are doing is against all of our laws, and I order you to let that young woman go. Failing to do so will result in your death.”
The arm around Lauren’s neck tightened, and she sucked in a whistling breath. She took hold of the vampire’s forearm with both hands and tried to pull him away, but it was like trying to budge ice cold steel.
Frustratingly, the vampire laughed. “Come one step closer, and I’ll crush her throat like a piece of paper.”
“And then what?” Delia said, standing straighter. The female vampire showed no sign of intimidation. “You think we’re just going to let you get away?”
A shorter blond man standing behind her had his eyes closed and was muttering something Lauren couldn’t understand. But she could feel the energy coming off him, and strangely, she felt her own skin tingle in a similar way to what she’d experienced with Nikolai.
Sergei spat. “Try to stop me.” He looked to Nikolai’s maker. “I have to say, you’re such a disappointment to me, Ivan. I never imagined a creation of mine would turn out to be such a bleeding heart. I have to thank you for leading me to Deacon Thorn, however. I didn’t know a werewolf would prove to have such valuable connections.”
Delia lifted her chin. “So, you admit Deacon Thorn was the one who sold you Lauren?”
The vampire gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I could have just taken her for myself of course, but when they said they’d located a human with a touch of fairy blood, I figured this would be the more civilised route.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Civilised? I’m not sure you know the meaning of the word. You’re a disgrace to the vampire species!”
Through her fear and pain, Lauren focused on Nikolai. Something was very wrong with him. She sensed that the energy around him had changed, but it wasn’t only that. He looked different, too—his jaw rigid, his eyes burning with something that wasn’t just anger at the situation. She tried to lock him in her gaze, to connect with him, but something was different. Mentally, she threw her thoughts out to him, too, but his voice in her head had vanished.
Chapter 20
Nikolai could feel himself changing.
Blood, blood, blood, blood.
It was as though the word itself was taking over his mind. It was all he wanted, and the epitome of what he desired was right in front of him. Lauren. Together with his desire for blood, his cock grew hard, the blood pulsing with every thump of the woman’s heartbeat. He wanted to jump her, to push her to the ground, and tear off her clothes, and sink his dick deep inside her while he tore out her thro
at.
No, no. What the hell was he thinking? That wasn’t what he wanted at all. This was Lauren. His Bloodmate, who he loved and cherished. He’d never do anything to hurt her. And yet deep down that was what he wanted, and, with every passing second, the urge grew stronger.
It was normal, the other part of him reasoned. This was all normal. She was his Bloodmate, of course he wanted to feed from her, and have sex with her. That was the natural progression of things.
And yet, in his mind, he fantasised about her screaming as he bit her, thinking of how she’d struggle and fight him as he shoved her thighs apart, and pushed his cock deep inside her pussy, and pounded her hard. He thought about how he’d have to hold her down, and how good it would feel to have her wriggling and squirming beneath him, even as her blood ran down his throat as he fed from her.
“No!” Nikolai clutched both hands to his head, trying to dispel the image. That wasn’t him at all. He’d never want to hurt Lauren, and yet his body reacted to the images The Thirst gave him, his cock growing even harder, his throat almost closing over with his desire for blood. She was there, right in front of him. And he wanted her ...
From behind them, in the stairwell, came the growl of wolves. Thankfully, the sound distracted him from the dark nature of his thoughts, at least for the moment. The big russet wolf who was part of The Directive turned and snarled back in return.
Ivan looked over his shoulder. “Deacon!”
It was the wolves from the club. Were they here to make sure the vampire got what he’d paid for?
“What are they doing here?” Delia demanded of Sergei.
“I promised them protection if they worked for me.”
Delia scoffed. “You can’t think you’re strong enough to protect them against The Directive? They will get what’s coming to them, just as you will.”
Henry’s eyes suddenly snapped open. “It’s done,” the witch said.
Sergei glowered at him. “What’s done?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
The Thirst grew stronger, building higher and higher. He knew he wasn’t going to hold on for much longer, but he couldn’t attack Lauren, even though all of his focus was in that direction. She was like a beacon, drawing him in. All he could see was her, but he knew the vampire who was threatening her was directly behind her.
But Sergei wasn’t the only vampire who was a danger to Lauren now.
He was, too.
And with that thought, Nikolai lost control.
A roar of something that wasn’t remotely human tore from his throat as he darted forward. Though he was a younger vampire, The Thirst had given him speed and strength he never had before.
She was right in front of him, filling his vision. The thump of her pulse, a trippy beat—thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump. The scent of her filled his nostrils, making him crazy with desire.
Nikolai, no!
Her voice sounded in his head, and at the last second he diverted course.
The vampire Sergei had been taken by surprise. He hadn’t been expecting the vampire who’d come to save her to also be the one who was now apparently attacking. That surprise caused him to loosen his grip around Lauren’s throat, and Nikolai planted both hands against the other vampire’s shoulders and pushed.
The tall, narrow window was directly behind him.
But Sergei didn’t care. Of course he didn’t; he could fly.
Nikolai watched the look of triumph on Sergei’s face morph to horror as he realised what Henry’s spell had been about, and he plummeted downward.
There was a thump and a sickening wet squelch. Nikolai peered out of the window to see Sergei had landed on railings below. His heart had been pierced by one of the railings and was now sticking out the front of his chest. It wasn’t enough, however. Though impaled, Sergei continue to wriggle, and Nikolai knew he’d set himself free. With a second roar of anger, he pushed at the large stone squares that made up part of the bottom of the window. One of the stones dislodged, and Nikolai pushed harder. With his inhuman strength, it finally gave way and plunged several hundred feet, directly onto the head of the impaled vampire below. Even Nikolai winced at the distant sound of a skull being completely crushed.
The ancient vampire turned grey and then crumbled into ash.
Behind them, Mac had a smaller grey wolf by the scruff of his neck, where he’d hauled him up the rest of the stairs and into the room that had been Lauren’s prison as well as the prison of so many people before her.
Deacon.
There was no doubting now that Deacon was guilty. He would face whatever justice The Directive decided was suitable for him.
After people-trafficking, Nikolai thought that would be death.
But what of him? Still The Thirst burned through his veins. He was a danger to everyone around him, but most of all to the one person he cared about the most in the world. The same woman who was looking at him beseechingly now.
His Bloodmate.
He focused on her, that same feeling of need and desire threatening to take over.
But then powerful arms locked around his from behind.
Delia Costanzo.
“As part of The Directive, I won’t let you harm that woman,” she said. “I’m sorry, Nikolai, but your time has come.”
Chapter 21
Nikolai had saved her from the vampire who’d taken her, and all she wanted was to be in his arms. She didn’t understand what the female vampire was doing, why she was holding him back, when he’d just saved her.
Lauren took a couple of steps forward, but instead of opening his arms to her, he shook his head.
“No, Lauren! Stay away from me.”
“What?” She didn’t understand what was happening.
“Get away from me,” he snarled.
The other people in the stone room exchanged glances, and she looked to Ivan for an explanation. “Ivan, what’s happening?”
“It’s The Thirst,” he told her.
The blond man who she now assumed was a witch of some kind said, “Where’s the hourglass?”
Ivan looked to him. “Are we too late? Has he gone too far? Is it irreversible now, even though Lauren is here?”
The male witch nodded his chin towards Nikolai. “The hourglass will tell us.”
Ivan moved towards Nikolai and, with a shaking hand, reached into his pocket and pulled out the hourglass. The bulb at the top was empty.
“No!” Ivan growled, crushing the object in his fist, and the glass shattered. It must have pierced his skin, but he barely seemed to notice.
She looked around at everyone, not understanding what was happening.
“It’s too late,” Ivan explained. “The Thirst has taken hold for good. The Nikolai we know has gone.”
She looked at her Bloodmate. He already seemed so different, his face changed on a perceptible level. His eyes were almost white now, the silvery blue paled so he looked albino. His face, too, had changed, every jut of his bone more defined, so his jaw looked rigid, his nose carved from ice, his brow jutting out over his eyes in a shelf.
“No,” she cried. “No, I won’t let him go!”
Nikolai struggled in the female vampire’s arms. Drooling and snapping like a rabid dog. Lauren assumed the other vampire was far older, and that was the only reason she’d been able to hold him back. He looked at Lauren as though he wanted to kill her, and that was exactly what she thought he would do.
Her heart broke at the thought. No, she wouldn’t allow this to happen. Her love for him was too great.
“I’m not afraid.” She pushed back her shoulders and lifted her chin. “You’re not going to hurt me, Nikolai. I know you.”
The female vampire behind Nikolai glowered at her. “Stay back. I can’t promise I can hold him if you get much closer.”
A familiar tingling started in her fingers and travelled up her arms. She glanced down to see the blue light glowing from her skin. Blue flames lit and danced from finger to f
inger, and she held them up. This was her connection to Nikolai, the thing they’d created together. Maybe she always had it inside her, but it was Nikolai who’d brought it to life. It was what bound them. Inside, she no longer felt fear, but only peace.
“It’s okay,” she said. “You can let him go.”
Ivan’s voice came from somewhere to her right. “Lauren, don’t!”
But she ignored him and kept walking.
“Let him go,” she told Delia. “I don’t care if he kills me. I won’t be able to live my life without him anyway, but please trust me when I say I know he won’t.”
Something in her tone must have reached her, as the other vampire loosened her grip.
With a snarl, Nikolai bounded towards her.
Lauren let out a cry and lifted both hands. She didn’t know how she managed it, but before his teeth had reached her throat, she placed both palms against his chest, and gave a mental thrust, pouring the blue light into Nikolai’s heart.
The effect was as though she’d just electrocuted him.
He flew back, hitting the floor, his body jerking and trembling under the power of the energy she’d passed on. The light condensed at his chest, but then spread out, encasing him entirely.
For a horrifying moment, she thought she’d done the wrong thing and had managed to kill him herself, but the blue light gradually faded from around him. His face returned to normal, and his eyes blinked open. They were back to being blue again, and, when she caught his eye, he looked like himself again.
Nikolai pushed himself to sitting. “What happened?”
Lauren let out a sob of relief and threw herself to the floor, into his lap. He caught her up in his arms and held her tight, his hand stroking her hair.
“Shush, everything’s all right. Everyone’s safe.”
And they were.
They stayed that way for awhile, allowing everything that had happened to sink in, and to finally comprehend that they were back together, and no one was going to hurt them again.
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