But even through all this pain, for a moment, her mind seized, and her life began to roll before her, of the tragic deaths of her parents, the frequent and at times constant illness her sister endured, Abigail working nights and weekends while she finished her senior year in high school, later majoring in realm studies at Northern Arizona University but never completing her degree, of opening a bakery, of her sister’s health improving, then Megan’s wedding and the birth of her children.
But it was first seeing Gerrod that her mind grabbed, the sheer breadth of his shoulders, the fine angle of his back to a narrow waist, the fierce power of his thighs, the frequent look on his face when he would turn and stare at her, his expression so angry, as though she’d intruded on his life in order to torment him. Yet, how well she knew him now, that all that anger was a mask of deep concern for his people, the weight he bore in his soul, even his attraction to her, all that pulled his brow low and gave him a constant scowling appearance.
As the visions stopped, she realized her pain was gone and in its place was a thumping heartbeat, stronger than she’d ever known. She glanced at the wraith and something nagged at her, something that she had heard two weeks ago about wraith blood.
Enlightenment dawned as she remembered what Vojalie had said about a blood rose being impervious to wraith blood. She stared at Gerrod. He must have remembered this as well, which was why he knew neither could become the heinous symbiotic pair that enjoyed killing.
She focused within her body and felt it, her blood overcoming the wraith infection.
She sat up.
She stared at the wraith whose silver eyes glowed with a mad light. “You are now Invictus.”
Like hell I am, she thought. But all she did was dip her chin then turn to stare at Gerrod.
Her vision seemed changed, as though he had an aura around him. That aura drew her.
She rose to her feet in a fluid motion, her body completely healed. She felt better than she had ever felt in her life, except for the weight of the excess blood she had made for Gerrod. Yep, she was ready for her vampire again.
But now it all made sense, what at least one of her purposes in Gerrod’s life would be, now and forever. She crossed to him and dropped to stretch down beside him. She laid a hand on his chest.
He was breathing much better now, but the redness of his skin had faded and he was now once again very pale. She knew the cause: chronic blood starvation. Even the power latent in their combined bloods could not suddenly restore this amount of deprivation. Although as a blood rose, she’d had the opposite experience.
She touched his face. Drink from me, she said, mind-to-mind.
He blinked slowly, as though he wasn’t fully able to comprehend his surroundings.
Take from me all that you need and grow powerful once more.
He blinked again and his vision cleared. He dragged in a breath and his nostrils flared.
He fell on her, attacking her neck, sinking his fangs. He started to drink.
In the distance, she heard the wraith’s approval.
She slid her hands up into his long, thick hair and savored the feel of him taking her blood that he might live. Her body grew alive beneath his, straining against him as her hands slid over his bare muscled back.
As her heart evened out, she sighed. She understood now that the more she had been around Gerrod, the more blood she had produced, as though her body had understood on a hormonal level, even from the beginning, what she was long before Vojalie had spoken the words: blood rose.
*** *** ***
Gerrod felt born anew. Abigail’s blood had returned his life to him. At the same time, he could feel a waning battle in his blood stream: the taint of wraith blood against the antidote of a blood rose. A few seconds more, and a stream of peace flowed through him. His blood was now pure. Abigail had prevailed.
His body pounded with life and he was fully aroused against her, but his mind was alive with the other truth, that he had a ruse to continue until he could get his woman to safety.
He shifted his mind to focus on anything but the warm soft body beneath all his hardness of muscle and desire.
He thought of Abigail’s bakery and the unimportant cupcakes that had brought the most important thing into his life.
He had Gus to thank for Abigail’s presence in his life, Gus of the pink and purple embroidered socks, who never feared to call him on the carpet for his bad behavior, Gus, who’s sweet tooth had taken him into Flagstaff one fateful day, and to a bakery called Just too Sweet!, which led to a second bakery, Just Two Sweet!
Which led him here.
And safe to rise from her.
He stood up and extended his hand down. Her eyes glowed, just as they would were they both Invictus now. How strange to think the same coupling that created the perversion known as Invictus, also created the bond between a blood rose and a mastyr vampire.
She took his hand and he lifted her easily to her feet.
The show must continue, so he pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard, forcefully, pushing her head back until she slumped against him.
“So the bond is complete,” the wraith said.
Gerrod looked at the wraith who was now cast in a luminous glow. It took a moment for Gerrod to realize that he was seeing the wraith through new eyes, the bonded powerful eyes of a vampire and his rose.
“Tell me who is your leader? To whom do I owe the privilege of service now?”
The wraith actually smiled. “Neither the Great Mastyr nor his mistress are here and for now, you do not need to know more. But my mastyr did wish me to welcome you both to the fold.”
There was a woman.
The netting that trapped him was soaked in a magic oil that blocked his powers.
The Great Mastyr was bonded with a powerful fae.
Understanding flowed, why there had been so many more attacks and how he had been trapped in a net. The Invictus now had a powerful leader and perhaps even an equally powerful faery driving this renewed attack of the Invictus.
He would ponder all this later, share his information with the other mastyr vampires, and of course with Vojalie who was the acknowledged leader of the powerful fae of North America.
For now, he had a compound to escape with Abigail by his side.
Gerrod glanced down and saw that his clothes were ruined. There was nothing to be done, but continue the ruse wearing only his leathers and his boots.
He squared his shoulders as he held Abigail’s hand and walked from the cell. He felt within himself a power he had never before experienced, that which the bond to Abigail had given him. He felt his war frequency and knew the power lay therein.
He didn’t open it because he felt certain that doing so would take the building down. Innocent slaves lived here, not just wraiths. Abigail, prepare yourself.
I have pathed your war frequency. I know what is coming.
He glanced at her and smiled. Why am I not surprised?
Yes, her eyes were still glowing. They were one, as the Invictus were one. He could understand now how the pairs were able to function in perfect unison.
I am keeping my thoughts quiet, she pathed. Just move forward and I’ll read or sense what you intend to do next. I’m with you.
She was with him.
Extraordinary.
He was not alone.
Never again so long as she lived.
So what came to him was the absolute necessity that she live, that whatever decisions he made from this point forward, Abigail must survive.
He squeezed her hand.
He walked with her up the long hall and into the dark of night. He pathed to Derek, How close are you? Abigail and I are leaving the compound doors. Can you see us?
Yes. Wraiths are circling overhead. Several vampires and other realm-folk bonded to the wraiths have emerged and are now levitating as well.
Those in the air are all Invictus, but I see many slaves about.
What do you want us to do?
Retreat a distance of two hundred yards. What must happen next, I’ll accomplish alone.
One of the wraiths shrieked. “Look. The enemy is departing, fleeing.” A long stream of laughter followed.
He felt for his personal telepathy. Even though he knew Abigail tracked his thoughts, he pathed, Ready?
Yes.
He closed his eyes and as he extended his left arm, summoning his war power, she slung an arm around his neck and planted her foot on the top of his heavy boot.
He looked up into the sky and saw that a dozen wraiths circled in an excited state.
Slaves huddled near the walls of the building.
His power began to build.
He heard violent shrieking all above him, where wraiths and the wraith-bonded realm-folk circled. The enemy finally understood, but it was too late.
He released his power and it was like a red wall of fire that rolled upward in the direction of the levitating Invictus. Within a split second, the monsters were on fire and raced in every direction through the air trying to stop the burning, but the flames only grew brighter and higher.
He smelled charred flesh and heard the sounds of death groans. He set his body in flight, just a foot off the ground and sped his way north faster than ever before. Within seconds he reached Derek, who hovered above the trees.
“You will escort us back to the castle at which time we will make plans. Follow me. I’m taking Abigail home.”
Derek gave a brisk nod and called out the orders.
Gerrod adjusted his arm around Abigail, savoring her warm soft body pressed against his. He held her tight.
He turned and once more set his tremendous speed on a path to the castle.
As Derek, Jason and the rest of the Guard, as well as their attending forces, gathered in levitated flight behind him, flying in a solid V formation, Gerrod smiled.
Mastyr Vampire Gerrod, Mastyr of Merhaine, smiled.
He felt fingers on his lips.
You’re smiling, Abigail pathed.
Yes. I am.
*** *** ***
Abigail was changed.
She stood in Gerrod’s library, at the top of the table, her fingertips touching the dark polished oak. Her gaze was fixed to him as he spoke with Derek and Jason. He was sending them on the much needed rescue mission.
She could feel her frequencies developing within her so fast that it amazed her. Vojalie had said she would become vampire, and so that change was underway as well, while Gerrod spoke to his men and orchestrated the next step in the battle against the enemy.
“The acreage near the compound has become verdant farmland. I saw many workers. Slaves, no doubt.”
“Our realm-folk?”
“Undoubtedly. I know that as I released the war frequency, at least a dozen Invictus couples were destroyed. There might, however, be more in the compound. I’m not sure. Take the Guardsmen and finish what I began.”
Jason smiled. “With pleasure.”
The men left the library, walked quickly through the great entrance hall, and began calling their troops together.
She followed Gerrod to the front lawn and watched the score of powerful men launch, flying fast in that strange foot-above-the-ground levitation that many realm-folk could master in time.
He took hold of her hand and for a long time she stood with him in the open night air, taking a moment, a breath, to just be.
She had come home to Merhaine, no longer just human, but more. Vampire.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
She nodded, squeezing his hand. “Changing,” she said.
He turned her toward her. “How are your gums?”
“Sore. How do I release the fangs?”
He smiled softly and kissed her lips. “It will just feel right then you’ll release them.”
She sighed. “This is all so strange. My body feels like a cauldron of weighted sensations, of change, of frequencies forming.”
Did he just growl?
“What was that?” she asked laughing.
“You’ll have your own frequency now, your own personal waves of energy.”
“Oh,” she murmured, her brows rising high on her forehead. This had possibilities. “You mean, like the frequency you have? The one that pounds on me?”
He nodded.
She lowered her gaze from his then focused internally, on the various frequencies crowding her body. She searched through them, as though picking each up by the hand then releasing them.
Finding the frequency that called her mate, was like touching something electric. She looked up at him, and as though understanding all at once, she opened the waves of energy and let them flow.
Gerrod took a step back and put a fist to his chest. “By the Goddess’s pink nipples...”
He recovered swiftly and with his chin lowered, he took her in his arms and kissed her. Because her frequency was open, and he suddenly pounded her with his frequency, she shrieked and backed up. Her eyes rolled in her head as all this sensation flowed over her body in lightening waves. She was instantly close to an orgasm.
He caught her and kept her from falling, and gathered her in his arms once more.
That was when her fangs slipped through her gums and were suddenly just there.
She stared at his neck. She wanted to bite him.
But because her connection to him was so profound, she also felt that Jason was contacting him telepathically. He stared down at her his eyes wide, dilated, his body trembling. “I need to take you to bed.”
“Or throw me across this table.”
His eyes fluttered.
Jason’s path rang louder this time.
“Hold that thought,” he said.
He opened the pathway and she heard Jason’s voice as clearly in her mind as it was no doubt speeding through his. The Invictus are toast, to the last symbiotic pair. We’re burning what’s left of them now. Derek has our realm-folk in hand. All alive. Much weeping and giving of thanks to the Goddess. At least a hundred had been enslaved to serve this, I don’t know what, tribe maybe?
Gerrod’s voice rang through her mind as he pathed, See that everyone is returned home tonight.
My thoughts as well. When we’re done, do you want us back at the castle?
Only those Guardsmen on scheduled duty need return here. But tomorrow night, please have the entire Guard come to the training compound. We’ll talk then. Let everyone rest.
Derek and his team will be patrolling the wastelands until dawn.
Thank you, Jason
See you tomorrow, mastyr.
*** *** ***
Gerrod shut his telepathic pathway down, hopefully for the rest of the night.
He had other critical business to attend to and held all that business in his arms, his gaze fixed on the sharp points of Abigail’s fangs. The human was now vampire, his woman, his blood rose, his savior.
He leaned down and ran his tongue over her lips, over the upper portions of her fangs, felt her mouth open for him, and he thrust deep, avoiding the razor points. He pulled her tight against him, wanting her to feel all that he was as a man, all that he wanted her to have, all that he needed to give her.
And he wanted to travel down her frequency, taste of her waves over and over. “I need you in my bed.”
She smiled.
He slid his arm behind her knees and picked her up, carrying her back into the castle.
Gus waited at the threshold, dancing from foot to foot. “Mastyr?” he inquired. “What is the news?”
Gerrod smiled. “Jason and the Guard have rescued all the missing realm-folk. The Invictus, at our wastelands, are dead.”
“Thank the merciful Goddess.” His gaze shifted to Abigail. “And will the Mistress be staying with us?”
Gerrod turned to Abigail then leaned down and kissed her. “I have it on excellent authority she never plans on leaving Merhaine again, except to visit her family, of course.”
Abigail smiled.
&nbs
p; “Oh, blessed night, most blessed night.” Augustus continued in this theme, but Gerrod moved past him and carried his prize deep into the castle, down the long hall to his private suite. He slammed the door shut with his foot, turned, and locked the damn thing. Ethan would have been proud of him.
He wasn’t exactly sure when he would emerge, or when he would next let the castle staff see Abigail, but the rest of the night was his.
He carried her through the bedroom and into the bathroom. He didn’t set her down until he had her near the shower. He turned the water on, glancing at her over his shoulder. She was staring up at the ceiling touching her new fangs, then wincing when she punctured her thumb. “Wow, they’re sharp.”
A growl left his throat unbidden.
She blinked at him and smiled.
“You look so pretty with those fangs.”
She turned and moved to the sink to look at herself in the mirror. “How do I get rid of them?”
“Don’t. Not yet. You’ll need them and I want them.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “I just want to practice.”
He unbuckled his boots and removed them.
“So what do I do?” she asked, still prodding her gums.
“It is sometimes helpful to merely focus carefully on what it is you want to do.” She turned toward him ready to ask another question, but at that moment he slid his leathers down his thighs so that now he was fully exposed and aroused.
She blinked several times, her gaze low. Her tongue made an appearance. “You are so wicked. But I want to get the hang of this.”
He finished removing his pants and smiled. “Then by all means, you should practice.”
He hopped in the shower and soaped up. He scrubbed hard, wanting to get clean of his captivity. He had just finished washing his hair, when he felt her near. Then her hands were on him and she was stroking his pecs, running her fingers the breadth of his chest.
For just this moment, a vibration passed through him that had nothing to do with either of their frequencies. He felt as though the universe had just shifted position, making an adjustment long needed, and suddenly the world was right, entirely right, wholly right.
When she put her arms around him and laid her head against his chest, and his arms found and held her, he knew the adjustment had been made, finalized, perfected. He was home.
Dark and Dangerous: Six-in-One Hot Paranormal Romances Page 45
