“We’re going to my place upstate. A recent purchase, one they can’t trace to me yet.”
“They’re capable of that?”
“Yes. Can’t underestimate them.”
Exhaustion weighed against her, her eyelids drooping. Soon enough, she could no longer fight the burden of it all bearing down. The exposure of vampires, that the life she’d once known was now over…she could only succumb to sleep.
Chapter Five
Liam pulled up before his house in the Catskills overlooking a view of the forest. A damn good view that usually helped take his mind off his troubles, but not today. He looked at Madison. She’d slept through the journey and he let her. The temptation to touch her was almost overwhelming. Even the thought of shaking her awake, an amicable touch on the shoulder, made him rock hard.
Hell, it wasn’t going the way he’d planned.
He never expected an ex to intrude, and he took Trevor as someone to turn, to dismiss any doubts about his relationship with Madison. The hunters would’ve killed him out of suspicion or spite. They knew he was human but would end his life anyway. Sometimes people were as soulless as his kind. There was nothing he could’ve done.
Telling that to Madison would threaten her state of mind. She wasn’t ready to deal with the harsh reality of life as a vampire. Thinking of that drew his gaze to her neck and he fought back the need to taste her. Their attraction was too intense not to be part of the prophecy.
Fuck, this is torture.
Had he made a mistake? For once, he’d acted on his desires, his feelings, took one step closer to feeling more human than a monstrosity. He couldn’t turn Madison despite his desires to be with her. He’d keep her safe until the scrutiny and attention died down and her life was no longer at risk. That was what mattered. Out here, lost within the wilderness, they were safe. And he was alone with the one woman he craved.
He opened the door and the sound awoke her. She wet her lips and looked at him, and then to the house. “I take it money isn’t an issue when you’re a vampire.”
He smiled. “Never had to complain.”
Leaving the car, he opened the door for her. She looked up at him, darkness accentuating the shadows under her eyes, a glimmering blue. If his heart worked, it would be racing wildly and she smelled good, for a human. She didn’t wear layers of perfume that became painful to breathe with heightened senses. Her skin smelled like soap, and her brown hair had a tropical scent, coconut and oranges.
He followed the wraparound wooden deck to the front door and preceded her into the house. Massive windows lined the house with a view out to the trees. Heavy red curtains concealed the interior, shutting out light in preparation for daytime.
Motion sensor lights flicked on from above, revealing the expansive rooms. White carpet lined the floors, the walls untainted cherry brown wood. The kitchen and living area were combined and decorated with brown leather couches, a large television and dark granite counters.
He directed her to the bathroom and once she returned, Liam gestured to the pantry. “I’d offer something to eat, but there’s no food around.”
“You don’t bring anyone here?”
“Humans, no.”
“Is it…forbidden?”
He hesitated, not wanting to reveal too much. He couldn’t endanger the intricacies of the Council. “It’s forbidden to interact long term with a human unless for feeding or turning.”
Her eyes widened, a flicker of pain sparking in them. She assumed he’d conversed with her for the wrong reasons.
“Hell, didn’t mean it that way. My feelings for you are both complicated and simple. You felt it when our eyes first met.”
“Do you say this to all women?” She cocked a brow.
He shook his head. “Only you. That’s why I’m risking my life to keep you safe. The Council won’t be pleased to know you haven’t been turned. I’ve deviated from the rules.”
“What will they do?”
“Procedure is for you to be killed.”
She stepped back. “No! You lied. You said you’d release me.”
“I want you with me,” he insisted, stepping close, needing to touch her. “I promise to look after you. I won’t let you out of my sight and everything I’ve done has been for your safety. If you’d only understand how much I want you.”
He let his words sink in. And when she finally met his gaze, he knew she wouldn’t oppose. This was the moment he’d craved.
Madison looked into his turbulent green eyes. Liam was no longer a stranger. The intense attraction to him implied a deeper connotation and he’d shown how far he was willing to go to keep her safe. It was admirable. No one cared for her this sincerely.
All her life, she’d strived for achievement, to be the best. She even sacrificed her social life, apart from that brief stage where she nearly threw all her hard work away while partying. She aimed for a career in law that would earn a decent salary, but not one that made her happy. Following in her mom’s line of work felt like an objective, not a dream. She thought she knew what she wanted before she met Liam and was fighting to hold onto something that wasn’t gratifying.
Everything about Liam drew her, the darkness to her light. He fulfilled what she longed for. She bit her lip. “I do want you.”
Such a connection couldn’t break and she didn’t want to let him go, to disappear back to her old life and try to move on. She needed this moment. To feel.
Liam stepped close. “Let me taste you.”
He pressed a kiss against her lips, a light tease. He slid his hand across her skin and entwined his fingers in her hair. She smiled, lost in how good this was. She was entranced, alive to every movement, every caress.
“Do you trust me?”
She looked into his eyes, nerves dancing in her stomach. “Yes. Even though it feels like we’re moving too fast.”
“Not fast enough for me. I’m impatient when I know what I want. I’m going to be honest, when we met, I was disillusioned with people. I watched a hunter stab a homeless man, thinking he was a vampire because I bought him a meal, and he’d been tracking me. I contemplated what the point of this was, why we were considered inhuman in comparison. And when I met you, I reached out, needing a reminder humanity wasn’t doomed. With your kindness, your strength, you reignited my faith in people.”
She gasped at his words, overwhelmed. Liam cradled the back of her head, his other hand pressed against her lower back as he pushed his lips against her neck. He sucked gently and she winced against the sensation of his teeth on her skin, the unmistakable points of his fangs. His tongue traced gentle trails down her neck and she whimpered.
“Tell me why you want me,” he breathed, so quiet she barely heard him.
An answer came to mind: because I can’t resist. But unbridled lust could never be enough. Something tore her from her desire—the realization that she’d be having sex with a vampire, surrendering easily to a man who’d kept her in chains for days.
She leaned away, meeting his eyes. “I can’t. If I lose myself in you, I don’t know how to turn back. I’m not ready yet, I need time.”
Shaken, she left him and headed for the door. Liam called out, but she ignored him and headed outside. She needed space from him, the intensity of his stare, the need to kiss him. All of it clouded her judgment. The forest view provided an opportunity to immerse herself and come to terms with vampires and all this darkness. It was a lot to take in and she needed to accept it before blindly diving into an all-consuming relationship with Liam.
Normal wasn’t a word she’d associate with any longer.
Movement in the trees made her freeze. She looked up to see a man leveling a gun at her.
Shit! She spun away and headed for the house. The gunshot rang out in the silence and something heavy slammed into her shoulder, propelling her forward. Before she could recover, Liam had her in his arms.
Madison fell against him, feeling a trickling warmth flowing down her side. “I…I’m
shot. Oh, god!”
Liam carried her inside and rested her on the couch. She stared up at him, shaking, not wanting to feel the pain that would come. “I’m so sorry, I was stupid to leave like that.”
“Don’t blame yourself, I assumed we were safe. Didn’t know we were being followed.”
Terror seared through every inch of her. She clasped the wound as blood seeped through her clothes, her life ebbing away between her fingers. “I don’t want to die, not here.”
“Stay still. I need to take care of that bastard.”
Liam went outside. She heard the gun fire several more times and then silence. She waited, knowing that he had to be okay, but still, she feared for him. He returned with no visible wounds, casually, as if he hadn’t just killed someone.
“Only one hunter. He obviously wanted you dead, they’re getting reckless.” He peeled her shirt back to study her wound. “You’ve been hit in a main artery. You’ll bleed out before anyone can come.”
Madison blinked, feeling lightheaded. Everything had changed abruptly. “I’m going to die.”
“No. Damn it, I’m not letting you go.”
His hands tightened around her waist and he pulled her onto him. The solid thickness of his cock dug into her stomach. Her eyes widened. So hard. And big. The thought of him sliding into her was a tempting distraction.
Liam buried his mouth against her neck, tasting her skin. She felt him pucker her flesh, sucking with a hunger that made her gasp with need. She relaxed into his chest and let her eyes close.
“Focus on the pleasure,” he murmured. “Let it take you away from the pain.”
His lips met hers. They were moving, spinning, but all she focused on was the raw hunger in his kiss. The heat was palpable, his kiss cool, and she wanted to breathe life into it. To match his desire with her own.
He growled against her, the sound vibrating down her body to her very core. Need tightened between her legs, but he made no move to ease her desire.
Madison tilted her head, observing the hard muscles visible through his shirt. She lowered a hand to the first button of his shirt, needing to feel his solid chest around her. His fingers entwined around hers, and he guided her away. He grasped her blouse, muscles bulging in his arms, and tore it free. The sound of it ripping echoed, mingling with their heavy breaths.
Her left shoulder was exposed, along with part of her purple bra and the mound of a breast. Liam brushed her hair back, fueled by a primal need that sent shivers down her spine. He met her eyes briefly, his look a dark gleam of pure sex and hunger. She swallowed heavily, knowing what would come.
“You’re going to turn me.”
Neither of them wanted it. She saw the conflict warring in his eyes. “I’m keeping you alive. If I don’t act now, you’ll be gone. And I’m not losing you when we’re just finding each other.”
Part of her mind was screaming, resisting the concept of death. Being turned would kill her, not that she had a chance to survive. She couldn’t let trepidation consume her. Shivering, she gave a small nod. He lowered his lips to her neck. Her body was burning, heat rushing through her skin, blood pumping with an aching need. She arched into him, his cock pressed deeply where she needed him, and parted her legs.
His lips were a gentle whisper on skin. Then she felt him sink deep, piercing through. The pain felt comparable to a paper cut, a brief hiss of burning, and then a wave of pleasure exceeded it.
His arms tightened around her, her breasts crushed against him. She wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling him drink from her, taking her life and humanity; and even as she cried out on the precipice of losing it, she didn’t want him to stop.
Liam sucked, his tongue dabbing her skin, hunger tensing his body. It felt as intimate as if he had his head between her legs, the pleasure definitely surpassing it, and the exhilaration in knowing what would come made her breath catch in her throat. She tilted her head back, weakness overcoming her as if she’d experienced a strong orgasm. Her body tingled, her pussy throbbing. Wetness dampened her neck, her shoulder. Liam grunted, pulling her close, holding onto her as if his life depended on it.
Her life depended on this moment.
Madison blinked, feeling the pleasure alleviate, drifting into a dreamlike state. Everything felt soft, distant. Liam pulled away, licking his lips but not before she caught the sight of her own blood.
She knew she was feeling, and watching, her own death. And then she’d awaken as another creature entirely. Liam’s arms were still tight around her, holding her in place, but she felt desperate for something. A need to taste…a hunger she couldn’t understand.
Liam leaned against her ear. “My bite has sealed your fate. Taste me. Drink deep, and let part of me within you. This is what you must do to be turned, or you’ll die.”
She blinked, hearing something rip, and then Liam held his arm before her, the sleeve of his shirt torn away. A gash had opened across his wrist, bright red blood on tanned skin.
The sight made her flinch, but a new feeling overcame her - an overwhelming hunger. She accepted this new craving, aware that she needed him now. She pulled his arm close, her fingers digging in as her lips met his skin.
Liquid flowed into her mouth. After her first swallow, she drank more, needing it as if it quenched her mouth like water. When her hunger was satisfied, she broke free, looking up at him.
“Was that it? I don’t pass out and wake up dead?”
“Changes happen slowly at first. Heightened senses, parts of your body slowing down and dying. And then a powerful strength will overcome you, your body reaching unlimited potential.”
Madison instinctively clasped a hand to her heart and felt it beating slowly. Far too slow. I’m feeling myself die. But as she met his gaze, she knew it was another chance to live. Liam had saved her, even though it was his actions that led to this. There was a nuance of resentment but she couldn’t dwell on it. Not yet.
“There’s much you need to know about living as one of us, the Council’s regulations and my own position.”
She swallowed. “Tell me.”
“The Council’s what you’d consider a government over all vampires, a fundamental part of our society. They keep us in control and repress the chance of humans learning of our existence. Of course, some rebel for the sake of defiance, an attempt at independence, but they’re insignificant.”
She held a hand to her heart again, waiting. The heavy thump beat against her palm, and slowed until it stopped completely. She jerked her hand away. A rush of emotions flooded her. Anger, desire, confusion.
“Why do I feel…?”
“You still possess emotions, as well as your thoughts, your memories.”
“So I’m not completely soulless.”
“Just dead.”
He closed the distance between them, and she was drawn to the cut on his arm. The blood had dried, leaving a tempting line that she wanted to lick off.
“I feel like I need blood.”
“Feeding from a human may kill them, just want you to be aware.”
“What if I do nothing?”
“You can’t repress the instinct to feed, much like the continued reflex of breathing. The longer you do, the harder it’ll become. It’ll lead to a primal withdrawal, and that hunger won’t be contained and emerge in a frenzy. A state where you lose your mind and descend into the true hidden nature of our animalistic side.”
Madison swallowed, disturbed by the sound of it. She expected to hear her pulse pounding through her ears yet her body remained still, calm. Endless silence. And now it would be this way forever.
Liam had turned her, saved her from a death that would’ve inevitably come. She owed him and there was nothing else she could do.
“I didn’t want it to be this way,” he admitted. “Fuck. But you’re here. That’s what matters. It can be a struggle to balance the primal part of you with the part that makes you human, and not a corpse. I promise to help but it won’t be easy.”
She looked at him. Now that she was a vampire, life would never be the same and the only one she could relate to was Liam. Her friends and family would never understand. She wanted to lash out at him for causing this fate. The alternative option had been death yet there was an undercurrent of hatred for what had taken place - this was her life now.
But what good would her pain do? It’d change nothing. She was helplessly part of the dark life she’d been tempted by. Her inquisitiveness had truly killed her, a lesson learned far too late.
Her throat felt tight. “I’m ready, I guess.”
He pressed his lips together and released her. He walked into the living room and she followed, staring at the curtains concealing the light. That sunrise in the basement was the last. She averted her gaze, not allowing the pain to come forth. There was little of it, buried beneath the numbness of subtle denial. There was no time for regrets. She had to endure.
“We’ll stay here for a few days,” Liam said. “The Council will be aware of what occurred. I’ve broken procedure.”
“What do you mean?”
“I took you where they can’t monitor us and drew the attention of hunters. Safe to say they won’t be pleased I was careless.” He ran a hand through his tousled hair.
As he stood, she looked at him, feeling a swirl of desire deep within, a latent yearning that needed his touch to spring to life. She swallowed, remembering how it felt to have his body against her, his bite making her his.
“There’s so much I want to know about the Council, this life.” She paused. “And you.”
“You’ll need to feed soon. Anyone you want to kill?”
She rolled her eyes. “I have no enemies. Apart from the hunters.”
“I can’t risk you succumbing to a frenzy. Killing is, unfortunately, an inevitable consequence of feeding.”
Madison grimaced at the thought of it. Feeling the blood drying on her skin, she lowered her gaze to where the wound had been on her shoulder. The skin was smooth, unblemished. She heard Liam move and he stood before her, holding one of his shirts out.
Awakened by the Vampire Page 4
