by Katie Reus
Those pale eyes of hers turned icy. She snorted and took a step back. “I don’t know what kind of games you’re playing but I’m not staying in your room.”
“It will be daylight soon and unless you can—”
“I’m a day walker,” she said quietly, as if it were no big deal. As if her kind weren’t the rarest of vampires. Practically extinct.
The admission surprised him. Most day walkers kept their existence quiet, often even among their own kind. Being able to walk in the sun caused hatred and jealousy in those who couldn’t. So he had no reason to keep her. Not truly. He sure as hell wasn’t going to hurt her. No matter what her kind thought of him, the day he learned that Angela had been turned into one, his views of vampires had changed as well. Like a switch flipping, his entire world had shifted. Suddenly he hadn’t thought of vampires as soulless monsters anymore. Not when the woman he loved had become one.
Unfortunately she’d run from him before he could tell her that their differences didn’t matter. That he didn’t care what she’d become. He didn’t know for certain that’s why she’d left, but it was better than the idea she’d run off with a vamp over him. A little over fifty years ago he’d hunted her to Alaska but then he’d lost the trail. Some days he’d wondered if she was even still alive. The last thing he’d expected was for her to show up on his doorstep. Now that she was here, he wasn’t letting her go. “Day walker?”
She nodded tightly. “My maker was one so…” Her shoulders lifted in what he was sure she meant to be a casual shrug, but it came off jerky and unsteady.
He had so many questions for her, but he kept them to himself. By law, he could keep her as long as he wanted. She’d trespassed and gone against both their species’ laws.
“You will stay in my room—”
“No way, you freaking animal!”
Knowing she was baiting him, he took a deep breath. “Unless you wish me to lock you in our dungeon with the feral wolves waiting to be judged, you’ll stay in my room.”
She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. Because of his tone or the threat, he wasn’t sure. And he didn’t care. “Fine, but don’t think that means anything.”
He advanced on her, partially because he needed to assert his dominance but mainly because he wanted to touch her. To run his fingers all over her. He kept going until she bumped against the edge of the bed and before she could react, he had her pinned on the mattress. She yelped as he settled on top of her, pinning her back against the soft covers. She was leaner than he remembered. Stronger. But she was soft in all the right places. Her breasts pressed against him, making it hard to breathe. “You trespassed on my land, hurt members of my pack—”
“I used tranquilizers,” she hissed as she struggled against him.
“—and damaged my property. You will stay as long as I say.”
“That doesn’t mean I’ll sleep with you.” Her voice was cold, determined.
“Why not? We’ve done it before,” he murmured.
“So what? You’re going to force me?” Her voice slightly trembled.
Anger surged through him that she could actually ask that question. “I wouldn’t have to force you.”
Growling, she shoved at his chest. The strength behind her push shocked him to his core. Whoever had turned her must have been a powerful vampire. Considering she was a day walker, he had no doubt. Instead of moving off her, he tightened his thighs around her then leaned closer so that their noses touched. “I can smell how much you want me, Angel.” And he could. It was so potent, like fresh spring rain and it nearly bowled him over. She was doing her best to hide it from him but failing miserably.
“That means nothing,” she muttered.
Instead of pushing up from her, he shifted against her, letting her feel his erection. The heat and sudden burst of lust she emanated threw him off-kilter.
Taking him by surprise, she half smiled and rolled her hips against him. “Some things haven’t changed, I see.”
The way her soft pink lips curved up made his brain short-circuit. The abrupt change in her made him falter. Maybe she was remembering how good they’d been together. How was it that he’d been thinking about this moment for years but couldn’t think of one intelligent thing to say now? He’d always been better with actions anyway. As he leaned down, her pale eyes flared with heated desire. When he cupped her face, she reached out and splayed her fingers across his chest. Yeah, talking could definitely wait.
As their lips touched, he felt a sharp jolt through his groin as she kneed him. Before he could react, she twisted and elbowed him across the face. Using her momentum, she lunged up and flipped him over until they tumbled to the ground. The thud when they landed made his teeth rattle.
“I’m not some whore and if you think you can play with me, you’re wrong. I don’t care if you’re the Alpha of this pack or not, I’ll tear you to shreds if you try to touch me.” Angela’s words were laced with a deadly promise.
And that turned him on more than it should have. He could easily flip her off him but he liked the feel of her body on top of his. He couldn’t remember the name of the last woman he’d slept with. But he remembered everything about Angela. The way she’d willingly opened her body to him. What her tight sheath had felt like as he sank into her. How she moaned when she climaxed. “I didn’t realize I’d insinuated you were a whore, Angel. I’m simply offering you hospitality even when you don’t deserve it.”
His inner beast roared at him to assert dominance. He was almost always in control of his inner wolf but right now his human side agreed with his animal side. Snaking his arm around her waist, he jumped up and brought her with him. Her eyes widened but he didn’t give her a chance to fight before he threw her over his shoulder and jerked the door open.
Two young male pack members stood there, obviously eavesdropping. One cleared his throat as Angela pounded against his back with her fists.
“Uh, we weren’t sure if you’d need backup or anything,” the older of the two muttered as he averted his gaze to the floor.
Knox shook his head and easily subdued Angela’s attempts to get free. “As you can see, I’m fine. Tell Alaric to meet me in my study.” Without waiting for a response, he headed down the long hallway. His bedroom was on the opposite side of the house and he didn’t want to put Angela on display for longer than necessary.
“Let me go, you bastard!”
He ignored her and tightened his hold. When he felt her teeth sink into his back, he flinched and shook his head. “Hellcat,” he muttered, mildly annoyed.
“I changed my mind…put me in your stupid dungeon. Anything’s better than being stuck with you in your room!” She wriggled against him and bit him again. Harder this time.
Gritting his teeth, he swatted her butt. That only earned him another bite. Thank God vampire bites weren’t deadly to his kind.
He ignored the curious and blatantly surprised stares of the pack members milling around the house. Once he was finally inside his room he dropped her onto the big bed in an unceremonious heap.
When she scrambled to her knees and started shouting profanities at him, he headed right back for the door. A pillow hit him in the back of the head. When he turned back toward her, he had to duck a vase sailing through the air. It smashed against the wall by the door. “Make yourself comfortable, you’ll be here for a while. And don’t think about trying to escape. I’m putting two guards at the door and three more outside my windows. They’re under strict orders to shoot you if you try to escape. With silver bullets.” The last part wasn’t true but he didn’t want to deal with hunting her down. It would only waste time and prolong the inevitable.
As he shut and locked the door behind him, he scrubbed a hand over his face and had to bite back a smile. He’d missed her more than he’d realized. What the hell was he going to do with her now?
Chapter 3
Angela glanced at the antique wall pendulum clock in Knox’s room and silently seethed as she
saw the time. He’d left her alone almost twelve hours ago. She’d snooped through all his stuff—not that she’d found anything interesting—and dozed for a few hours. At least when she’d been looking through his stuff she’d been able to distract herself from Natalia’s betrayal. Everything Angela had done tonight had been a complete waste of time. Now she was stuck under Knox’s roof awaiting whatever punishment he planned to dole out and she had one less friend. It stung more than she’d admit that her friend hadn’t trusted her enough to confide in her. Had Natalia really believed she’d just let her disappearance go? Angela didn’t have many friends and she’d always thought herself lucky to count Natalia as one. In immortal terms ten years wasn’t a particularly long time span but keeping a relationship that long had been a big deal to Angela. Obviously Natalia hadn’t viewed things the same. Steeling herself against those thoughts, Angela shoved all her reflections aside and locked them up tight. Right now she needed to focus on escaping, not worry about anything else.
Once the sun had fallen she’d opened the heavy chocolate colored drapes and was now bathed in moonlight. The daylight didn’t harm her but like most of her kind she preferred the night.
Unable to sit still, she stalked around the room. Each step she took, her boots sank into the thick throw rug that covered almost half the floor. With no way to contact anyone and nothing to do, she was bored and annoyed and really hungry. Her fangs ached as she simply thought about feeding. She hadn’t fed in almost a week but she hadn’t planned to be trapped here, either. If she’d fed before her normally scheduled time, her tribe leader would have wondered why, so she’d held off. Besides, she thought she’d just get in here, get out then have plenty of time to make it back home. She’d learned to control her bloodlust long ago but instinct was still instinct. She needed food.
Sighing, she eyed the giant California king-size bed in the middle of the room and tried to take her mind off her hunger. An antique chest probably older than her sat at the foot of the bed and the rest of his furniture was just as old, though it was all in pristine shape. The dark wood on the dresser, armoire and nightstands were all polished and shiny.
At least the room only smelled like him. Woodsy, earthy, all Knox and no one else. With her heightened senses she’d know if another female shared the room with him. Not that she should care. He could be sleeping with half his pack and it wouldn’t be any of her business. Though the mere thought of him with another woman punched a giant hole in her chest.
As she sat down on the chest and tried to pick the lock again, the door handle wriggled then it flew open. Knox stood in the entryway with a scowl on his handsome face. “Miss me?” He looked stressed and tired and that only infuriated her. He had no right to look that way when she’d been cooped up like a prisoner.
She looked around for something to throw at him but came up empty so she stood and faced him warily. “Is this part of my torture? Leaving me here to die of boredom?”
Something akin to guilt flashed in his eyes. “I didn’t plan to be gone so long. I thought about sending someone to check on you but wasn’t sure if you’d attack them.”
“Smart man,” she murmured.
He stared at her for a long moment with those near black penetrating eyes. It was almost as if he could see right through her. She hated the urge she had to duck her head just to avoid the power of that gaze. Knox was obviously Alpha for a reason.
Finally he took a few more steps into the room and the air popped with something…sexual. Why was he looking at her as if he’d like to ravish her? They were natural born enemies. “Are you hungry?” His voice lowered as he spoke.
Starving. Instead of telling him, she shrugged. “I’m fine.”
His gaze sharpened and he covered the distance between them lightning fast. Before she realized what he meant to do, he pulled the collar of his shirt away and bared his neck to her. “If you need to feed, take from me.”
The action was so against his nature, so…submissive. She shuddered as she stared at his pulsing vein. Knowing she should keep her distance did nothing to sate her most primal side. Feeding from another supernatural was the only way to keep up her strength. But for someone like Knox to offer his blood… “What’s the catch?”
He shook his head. “No catch. You’re going to be here awhile and I won’t allow you to feed from anyone but me. Take advantage, Angel.” His voice dropped another notch, taking on an incredible sensual quality. The way he said “but me” sounded so damn possessive and she liked it a little too much.
She hated the nickname and she hated her weakness even more, but if she wanted to escape she’d need all the advantage she could get, especially if he kept her for a while. Biting her bottom lip, she stared at his neck. If he’d wanted to kill her he could have done so by now. Either by himself or by sending any of his pack in to finish her off. “You’re sure?” Damn, why did her voice have to waver?
He simply nodded as he devoured her with his eyes.
Swallowing under his intense scrutiny, she slowly leaned forward. He could have offered his wrist but instead he’d given her his neck. Everything about this was so intimate. She’d never been turned on from feeding before but warmth flooded her entire body, straight to the ache between her legs. As her own heat built, something spicy and hot rolled off Knox. He wanted this as much as she did. The realization made her swallow hard.
Unable to stop herself, her fangs extended and she sank them through his flesh into his vein. Even though she tried to keep some sort of distance between them, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her tight against his muscled body. When he did, she reached up and cupped the other side of his neck for support. There was no way to keep herself detached from him now. Not after this.
As Angel pulled and drank from him, Knox’s canines extended. The feel of her digging into his flesh didn’t hurt. The opposite in fact. He felt connected to her in a way he hadn’t when she’d been human. His canines throbbed with the need to mark her in the same way. The reaction was instinctual and the need to claim her was overwhelming. He’d known when they’d first met she was meant for him but now he had no doubt.
Vampire or not, she was his mate.
And he would claim her. Bite and mark her.
Offering himself to her like this was the only way he knew to put her at ease. He hadn’t expected to be so turned on by the feel of her drinking from him. Though maybe he should have. The longer and harder she pulled, the closer she drew to his body, wrapping herself around him like warm silk. He’d learned to mask his scent for almost a thousand years but now he had no control over the desire rolling off him. She had to scent it. Hell, half the house probably scented it.
His need to mount her and mate with her was short-circuiting his brain and the longer she drank, the harder it was to think straight. His inner beast wanted control in the worst way.
Abruptly she stopped drinking and his entire body missed the feel of her tugging on him. When she pulled her mouth away from his neck, the only sound filling the room was their harsh breathing.
Instead of stepping back like he expected, she turned her head away and wiped her mouth. “Thank you.” She wouldn’t look at him even though she stayed inches from him.
No way, Angel. He wasn’t letting her get away from him that easy.
He gripped her neck and jaw and forced her to face him. Her pale eyes were wide with confusion and lust and her fangs still hadn’t fully retracted. Under his touch he could feel her rapid pulse beating out of control.
“I’m going to kiss you.” It wasn’t a question.
Mentally he prepared himself for another kick to the groin but when her bright eyes widened and her lips parted, he reacted fast. He didn’t want the alluring vampire to think or overanalyze this. He simply wanted her to feel. To see how right they were together. As far as he was concerned, the past was just that. All that mattered was what happened now.
For a split second, she started to jerk back but he wasn’t going to
give her space. As he covered her mouth with his, he cupped her head in a dominating grip and threaded his fingers through her silky short hair. He ate hungrily at her mouth. The slightly sweet taste on her tongue lingered but mixed with something else. Something that was all her.
When her fingers dug into his shoulders and she moaned into his mouth, his hips surged forward as if they had a mind of their own. His skin felt too tight for his body and the raging need to mark her made him ache with an intensity he’d never imagined.
Her tongue rasped against his in erotic little strokes as she wrapped her other hand around his neck. Almost simultaneously, she lifted up and wrapped her legs around him, digging her booted feet into his ass. Just like it had been with them before. Things had always been so urgent, needy with them. They hadn’t been able to keep their hands off one another. After their first time together, she’d been just as frantic as he was every time they were together..
Now his canines throbbed with such excruciating pain, he had to let them extend. She slightly tensed at the change but didn’t tear her mouth completely away from his. Instead she writhed against him, letting her breasts rub against his chest.
Without wasting time, he moved them to the bed and had her pinned underneath him once again. This time she didn’t push against him. Didn’t fight him.
But before they could go any further there was something he needed to know. Right now all he wanted to do was rip her clothes from her body, but knew once he got her naked it would be over for him. Alpha or not, he was still male. Somehow he pulled his head back. “Why did you leave when you were turned?”
She blinked a few times and shook her head. “Wh…what?”
