Lure of the Blood

by Doris O'Connor

  “I am well aware Channing calls you little one. You don’t seem to mind.” His smile deepened at the instant blush she couldn’t hide. “I’ve had an interesting chat with the young pup already. You know of course that this whole situation is untenable and has caused nothing but trouble.”

  “All I know is that it’s none of your business!” His eyes widened at her vehement denial. “Ion has done nothing wrong. Whatever may have happened between him and me is private and besides, it’s over. Lovel said he was in trouble, but why? He’s done nothing but protect his pack and try to get me out of a sticky situation that was entirely due to my stupidity. And who the hell are you to sit in judgement of him anyhow?”

  Another infuriatingly lazy smile was his response. “Ah, as to that, you will find out soon enough. You seem awfully quick to defend the young pup. Why is that, I wonder?”

  “Like I said, none of your business! I’m not answering another question until you tell me who the fuck you are and where the hell you’re taking me.”

  The smile slipped off his face and the low warning growl made Marnie jump as his body tensed. Oh, heck, now she’d pissed him off. Probably not the best move.

  “If you want him to live, then you better start talking right now, young lady. Ion and Lucas are facing execution for dallying with a human and risking exposure of the paranormal community through their actions. The council has been watching them for some time. You, my dear, were the last straw, so if you care for Channing at all, I would suggest you start talking.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Ion paced the confines of the luxurious prison he’d been assigned at the council’s mansion with barely restrained fury. In his wolf form his paws padded silently across the polished oak flooring. He needed to run, to hunt; to tear his unsuspecting victim to shreds and maybe then he would find some measure of peace. He needed to howl at the moon and to run until he collapsed with exhaustion. Maybe then he could forget the look in Marnie’s eyes when she had looked back at him on the steps of that damned police station. Or the way she’d pushed her shoulders back and her hands opening that door had trembled.

  Damn it all to hell and back. He’d failed her miserably. Instead of protecting her, he’d not only taken her willing body, but he‘d destroyed her innocence and exposed her to forces far greater then she would ever be able to cope with.

  His wolf whined pitifully low in his throat and his claws sliced through the floorboards as earlier events unfolded again in front of his eyes.

  He had driven around aimlessly, desperately trying to get his wayward emotions back under control and eventually found himself in the parking lot of his club. Apart from a few human cleaners the place had been empty and they had given him a wide berth after one look at his expression.

  Slamming the door to his office shut, he’d been immediately assaulted by the scent of vampire and sure enough Lucas emerged from the shadows. His old friend looked as though he hadn’t slept or fed in days, his skin stretched tight over his cheeks, eyes hollow, clothes dirty and he took the generous measure of brandy Ion passed him wordlessly, gulping the golden liquid down in one.

  The glass flew across the room with a muttered curse and Ion took a small amount of comfort at the vamp’s muttered curse.

  “Foutu bordel, Ion. You couldn’t convince her to drop this foolish plan?”

  “Would I be here, if I had?”

  His wolf’s furious growl vibrated though the stillness of the darkened room and Ion downed another glass of the fiery liquid, the raw burn down his throat echoing the fire in his heart and veins.

  “I still maintain she is the one, Ion.”

  His wolf had whined at that whilst the man shook his head.

  “Give it a rest, Lucas. Isn’t it bad enough my mother died believing this nonsense! It fucking killed her, looking for the elusive female. She doesn’t exist! Marnie is many things, but she’s not got ancient blood in her. We would sense it.”

  “Who’s to say I didn’t, Ion? You forget I had her blood.”

  It had taken all of his willpower to stop himself from shifting and tearing the vamp’s throat out at that unwelcome reminder, but the scent in the air had stopped him.

  Shifter, ancient shifter at that and before he could even swivel round to face the door it flew open.

  Ion’s claws sliced through another layer of flooring, remembering Lucas’ quiet apology in his ear, before they had been overpowered and marched to the council headquarters like criminals.

  “I’m sorry, Ion, this is the only way. I promised your mother I wouldn’t stop looking.”

  What the fuck did the vamp mean? He made a promise to his mother? When? When she lay dying, having been skinned alive by the hunters, who had lured her into a trap? The bait being the human who would ensure her son would find his mate. He had torn them all to shreds with his claws and teeth and even now he could taste the sweet scent of revenge in his nostrils, grief and despair following close behind, like it always did. Lucas had gotten to her before him, he remembered now. His mother whispering in his ear, before she had smiled at Ion and breathed her last in his arms. His wolf howled his frustration, grief and anger long and hard, and he could just about hear the echoing yips of his pack over the blood pounding in his own ears. They had arrived then, ready to give witness in the trial that loomed over him for his leadership.

  Lucas had alerted the council in a last ditch effort to keep Marnie safe and Ion had to endure hours of questioning over the nature of his relationship with a human, until he had been locked up in this room to await his fate. He would gladly give his life to ensure she was safe, but the quiet steel in the council leader’s voice and barely controlled fury whenever Marnie’s name was mentioned, had left a bitter after taste in Ion’s mouth. All his senses screamed at him that all was not well. If he got his paws in that vamp he would finish him off once and for all.

  A new scent in the air had him shifting in the blink of an eye. Marnie was here and she was terrified. If they harmed a hair on her head he would rip the whole lot of them apart, bloodlines, pack order and council rules be damned.

  ****

  Marnie heard the mournful howl of Ion’s wolf, the minute she stepped out of the limo in front of the huge Edwardian mansion, the gravel drive crunching under her feet. Her heart constricted painfully and she failed miserably at hiding her body’s immediate response, as her head lifted and she sniffed the air instinctively, searching for Ion’s scent. The faint reminder of him on the breeze wrapped itself around her like a comforting blanket and she shut her eyes for a second to regain her equilibrium.

  When she opened them again, she just about caught the elderly man’s knowing smile as he watched her reaction, one hand on her elbow steering her up the stairs and into the wide hallway of the impressive building. Once again she was struck by the signs of wealth all round her, from the marble flooring to the curved staircase and the crystal chandelier demanding her eyes upwards to the high, frescoed ceiling.

  “Where on earth are we? And what have you done to Ion?”

  Instead of an answer, her captor just smiled and handed her over to the small army of servants who appeared out of nowhere, headed by a man who could only be a butler. She swallowed the hysteric bubble of laughter threatening to escape. This day was getting more bizarre by the minute. If she wasn’t so terrified for Ion that her heart felt as though it was going to burst out of her chest, she may have appreciated the luxury surrounding her. As it was, she just wanted to scream and shout and demand answers, but it was useless.

  She had answered every one of the man’s questions in the ride over here, his expression thoughtful, at times pensive, his smile when she had finished her halting tale almost tender. She must have imagined that though. Why would he care about what she had to say anyway?

  But the longer she talked, the more relaxed he had appeared until he asked about her childhood. He visibly tensed and cursed under his breath a few times, the eyes of his wolf glowing in the dim interi
or of the limo, yet the hand on her arm had been comforting when she almost broke down recalling how she had caused her mother’s death.

  “It wasn’t your fault, Marnie. Your mother made her own choices long ago. You rebelled like any teen would who lacked guidance and the support of two loving parents.”

  “Don’t you dare blame this on my mother! She didn’t have an easy life and she tried very hard, after my no good for nothing father left us when I was still a babe in arms. You want to blame it on anyone, blame him.”

  His eyes widened at her forceful defence of the only family she had ever known.

  “What do you know about your father, Marnie?”

  “All I needed to know. He was the bastard who broke my mother’s heart and left her to fend on her own with a small baby. And apparently I was too much like him for mummy to ever truly show that she loved me.” She had cried then, hot, fat tears, the old pain too much to bear at that moment on top of everything else and she had been grateful for the quiet strength next to her, one hand on her shoulder in a soothing grip as he waited for her to pull herself back together. “But she did love me; otherwise she wouldn’t have pushed me out of the way of that car, would she?”

  His wise blue eyes had connected with hers and his low voice had been soothing.

  “I’m sure she did, Marnie, as did your father.”

  When she tried to protest, that gaze turned frosty again, his voice ice cold and controlled.

  “Has it occurred to you, that your father may not have had a choice but to leave you? To keep you safe, both of you?”

  Before she could ask him to clarify that, they’d pulled up outside this place and the moment was lost.

  “Show our guest to her quarters, George.” Marnie jumped at the deep voice behind her and before she could say anything, he had turned around and disappeared through one of the many oak doors leading off the entrance hall.

  “If you follow me, please.”

  Marnie had little choice but to follow Butler George up the winding staircase to the third floor, where she was left in a bedroom twice the size of her bedsit and with two maids, ready at her beck and call. She sunk gratefully into the fragrant bubbles of the huge bath, the maid prepared for her and whilst her churning stomach didn’t manage to tolerate more than a few bites of the succulent broth they brought up, she had appreciated the gesture.

  Opening the cupboard doors had brought another surprise. Her entire wardrobe seemed to have been transplanted from her bedsit to here, plus several new, very expensive looking designer additions.

  Who on earth were these people?

  The knock on the door announcing that it was time, had her scrambling into a trusted pair of jeans and simple top, her hair still damp from her bath left to tumble freely down her back and her heart once again resembling a jack hammer she followed George down into the basement.

  The room they entered was cool and lit entirely by candle light, set in elaborate old-fashioned candelabras around the walls. A semicircle of high backed chairs at one end of the room sat on a slightly raised platform, occupied by a collection of shifters and vampires and was that a fairy? Never having seen one in the flesh, Marnie nonetheless knew instinctively that the ethereal looking young man had to be one. They were other supernatural beings, that she didn’t even dare to hazard a guess at and in the middle was a stunningly regal and beautiful vamp. Her hair was a golden halo around her white face, her eyes a stunning ice-blue, her hair a shimmering white blonde mass falling straight down her back, the blood red ceremonial robe she wore, a direct contrast to the luminous, flawless skin.

  Her captor sat on the other side of her, his gaze roaming over her, much warmer and a faint smile quirked his lips upwards when he took in her simple clothing. He too was dressed in ceremonial robes and Marnie had to swallow against the lump in her throat. Whoever they were, these people meant business. The atmosphere in the room was electric, expectant, menacing and an ice cold shiver of fear curled itself around her spine and made her straighten her shoulders. She could do this. She had to.

  “So, this is she? I fail to see what all the fuss is about.”

  Marnie held her breath, as the woman stepped so close that the coolness of her skin seemed to seep into Marnie’s bones, her eyes boring into hers.

  “Cat got your tongue, human?”

  Marnie shook her head and willed her dry mouth to work.

  “I have a name and I would appreciate knowing yours and what the hell I’m doing here!”

  A collective rumble rose from the semi-circle in front of her and Jenkins’ coughed, “Go, Miss Marnie,” had her swing her head round in surprise. Jenkins and a small selection of Ion’s pack, were filing quietly through the double doors behind them and Marnie’s heart felt a bit lighter seeing them again.

  The woman’s quiet laugh brought her eyes back up front.

  “You were right, Landulph. This one is interesting. Whether her blood is yet strong enough remains to be seen.”

  So that was her captor’s name, but what in all that’s holy did she mean by her blood. An image of her mum’s dying words rose in front of Marnie. She too had warbled on about her blood.

  “I swear if you people do not stop talking in riddles I will scream!”

  Another cold laugh was the answer from the tall woman in front of her, before she clapped her hands and Marnie’s heart jumped in her throat.

  The stench of burning flesh preceded Lucas. The usually so well groomed vampire was dragged along between two shifters, silver chains binding his arms and legs and throat, wisps of smoke curling from his flesh indicating his agony as clearly as the pain filled eyes that sought hers.

  “Ca va, mon chere. We meet again.”

  Marnie made herself smile back at him, her hands curling into fists, and it was only the sight of Ion following close behind that stopped her from launching herself at the female vamp, watching her every move. Bloody monsters, what had they done to them and why?

  Ion too was clad in chains, held up by two vamps this time, but his eyes just held pure fury, rather than pain. His muscles strained against the chains and his wolf’s low growls caused an answering fury in Marnie’s veins. How dare they?

  Her eyes sought his and the look of relief and longing, before they clouded over again with sheer fury, had her swinging around, ready to commit murder herself.

  “I wouldn’t try it, if I were you little human. I have you gutted in seconds.”

  “Not before I do you an injury, you blood sucking monster!” and she threw all her weight behind the punch that connected with thin air. Marnie hit the ground face first, all the air whooshing out of her lungs at the force of the impact. Her teeth clanged together and she could taste her own blood as she bit her tongue in the process. Pushing herself back up to sitting, her muscles coiled to launch herself again at the coldly smiling vamp, who had dodged the punch at lightning speed, it was Landulph’s hand on her shoulder that stopped her.

  “Take it easy, little one; this is not helping.”

  Marnie’s growl matched Ion’s. “Do.not.call.me.that!”

  Landulph ignored her outburst with a small smile towards Ion, who was almost foaming at the mouth and whose guards were struggling to contain him.

  “Lay one finger on my woman and you will not live to see another sunrise, Carmen. None of you will.”

  The tall vamp just smiled, showing her fangs.

  “You would defy the council, Ion? Again? For this little itty-bitty human! Pleaaaassseeee. You and whose army?”

  Jenkins menacing growl joined the rest of the assembled pack and Ion’s cruel smile matched that of the vamps.

  “Just say the word boss. No one is going to harm Miss Marnie and get away with it.” Jenkins advanced to stand just behind her and the pack immediately fell into a semi-circle surrounding them all. Landulph drew her a bit closer into his side, his own wolf showing in his growled words.

  “Get your pack to stand down, pup. Carmen will not harm your mate whils
t I am here, will you, my dear?”

  “I’m not his mate, damn you. And I can defend myself.” Marnie shook the warm hand off her and to her surprise Landulph let her go with another smile. “Ion, listen to him. You can’t involve the pack in this.”

  “The hell I can’t little one. I’ve done a poor job of protecting you so far, but it ends tonight. Let her go. She hasn’t done anything wrong or suffer the consequences.” His eyes softened, briefly scanning her face before they turned into his wolf and with one almighty shudder he threw off his guards and shifted, putting himself between Marnie and the council. Every other shifter in the room, barring Landulph, transformed at the same time and it was up to Marnie to lift the silver chains of Lucas, his guards having transformed into a pair of breathtaking leopards.

  “Merci, chere.”

  His barely heard whisper had Marnie offer him her wrist and she winced when he sank his fangs into her soft flesh. It was mere seconds before he released her, licking the tiny wounds with infinite care and drew her behind him.

  “Are you sure you’ve had enough?”

  Silence descended upon the room at Marnie’s whispered question and when she looked up all eyes were on them. Vamps at one side of the room, shifters at the other, with the few other super naturals left on the podium, watching the proceedings through narrowed eyes.

  Ion shifted back to his human form and taking her other hand, drew her away from Lucas and in front of him, his gaze darkening as it fell on the puncture marks.

  “I’m sorry, Ion, I couldn’t let him suffer.”

  His low growl vibrated through her, and she shut her eyes as his warmth enveloped her.

  “I know, little one, I know. It’s one of the many reasons why I love you.”

  She snuggled a bit closer into his warmth, wishing with all her might that this was all just a bad dream, but Carmen’s chilling voice confirmed the gravity of the situation.