by Ariel Marie
The Shadows always kept emergency coolers filled with bags of blood for an emergency in their vehicles for situations such as this. She just needed to hurry and get him there.
“We’ve made it outside,” Phaelyn said to any of the Shadows who may be listening to their communicators.
“The damn necros have called in their fucking versi,” Viktor’s angry voice came across the line. “They’ve got the fucking truck surrounded.”
“Can Idris walk?” Teague’s voice came through loud and clear. The sounds of fighting filled her communicator.
“Barely,” she answered, pausing to readjust Idris’s arm around her shoulder. She noticed his chest was rising and falling quick. He wasn’t going to last much longer before passing out. She looked around, finding them alone in the woods.
“I’ll be fine,” he mumbled, his dull, pain-filled eyes met hers.
“There’s a cabin not too far away from here. Head two miles southwest of here. Get him there and we’ll come for you two,” Teague instructed.
“We might not make it. He’s in bad shape,” she responded.
“I’ll make it,” Idris stressed, his voice growing stronger. “Where ever it is, I’ll make it. Even if I have to fucking crawl.”
“We’ll head that way,” she informed the group as they switched directions.
“Where’s Gadiel?” she asked. Once the necromancers discovered that the Shadows had breached their facility, they split up, with Gadiel instructing her to go for Idris while he distracted the necros.
“I’m here,” Gadiel’s scratchy voice broke through all of the noise. “Follow the plan. We’ll come for you.”
* * *
After what seemed forever, the cabin came into view. Finally. She was practically dragging Idris through the woods. The other Shadows created a big enough distraction to allow her and Idris to get away. The building had yet to explode, because Gadiel was trapped inside of it. The sounds of battle crackled through her earpiece. The guys were trying to get to him. In the back of her mind she knew that she should be there fighting with them, but Idris was top priority. They never leave a vampire behind.
Ever.
“The cabin is not too far away,” she gasped, as Idris stumbled. “You’ve got to hold on just a little while longer.”
“I’ll make it,” he muttered with his eyes closed. “I told you if I have to crawl, I will.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” she said, leading the way. The sound of thunder rumbled off in the distance. She glanced up at the midnight sky watching storm clouds rolling in. She cursed under her breath at the same time she sent up a prayer that the rain would hold off until they reached the cabin.
Ten minutes later, they finally made it to the cabin, just as the first fat raindrops fell. She helped him slowly up the three stairs on the porch and leaned him against the sturdy looking rail. She tried the handle to the door finding it locked. She bent down to examine the lock and found it to be cheap.
Good.
She straightened and took a step back and swung her leg in a perfect roundhouse kick, knocking the door wide open. A musty scent reached her nose as the dust settled, hinting that the building had been untouched for years.
“Come on,” she said gently, grasping the large vampire’s arm and helped him over the threshold of the cabin, while kicking the door shut behind them.
The dust-filled cabin looked as if it had once been a hunting lodge, with it’s open concept, the kitchen was accessible from the living and dining area. Over the massive fireplace was a mounted eight point buck head. She grimaced at the sight. In her country, hunting was to feed your family not for sport.
“Let’s get you onto the couch,” she murmured.
A grunt was the only response from the royal guard.
She stumbled with Idris over to the couch where he executed a perfect landing face first onto the sheet-covered couch. A dust cloud exploded into the air, sending Phaelyn into a fit of coughing as she walked away.
She quickly walked through the cabin to assess it and found that they had no electricity, heat or running water. The owners must have abandoned the structure. She sighed as she walked back into the main living area, finding Idris in the exact same spot as she left him. She stood in the doorway and just stared at him.
What the hell was she supposed to do with him now? Her heart began to race as the realization hit her. She finally had him alone to herself. The one vampire that had haunted her dreams and thoughts was lying on the couch, not twenty feet from her.
And he was unconscious.
Chapter Seven
~Idris~
“You can’t save her vampire,” Zoreal sneered, pressing a dagger into Phaelyn’s neck.
“It’s going to be alright, love,” Idris tried to assure Phaelyn as her eyes locked on his. Her eyes burned bright crimson, letting him know that she was pissed at being in this helpless situation.
“Don’t be too sure of that,” Zoreal snapped. “You were useless before. You probably don’t know anything. But now, I have a Shadow and we’ll get her to sing.”
“You’ll die tonight—” Phaelyn's words were cut off by Zoreal drawing blood with his dagger digging deeper into her neck.
“Shhh…don’t speak, vampire,” Zoreal murmured near her ear. His golden eyes locked on Idris while a devilish grin spread across his face. Phaelyn’s lips thinned out in a grimace, as pain filled her face. She let loose a grunt which pierced his heart, seeing her in pain.
“Stop!” Idris yelled, dropping his knife to the ground. “Take me. Whatever you want, I’ll tell you,” he begged.
He would give his life for Phaelyn. She held his heart in the palm of her hands. He would die before he would let anything happen to her.
She was his.
His mate.
“The Shadows will pay. King Sodan wants Nicu’s head on a platter!” Zoreal screamed, yanking Phaelyn back to him.
“Take it easy,” Idris held his hands out in front of him in surrender. “Take me,” he repeated.
He looked around the room, finding them in an unfamiliar apartment. They were standing in a modern day living room that held all the comforts of home. His eyes made it back to Phaelyn as she struggled to remain still. His eyes zeroed in on the trail of blood that disappeared beneath the terry cloth robe she was clothed in.
“Give Nicu a message. An eye for an eye,” Zoreal said, whipping his arm and slicing Phaelyn deep across her throat. Bright red blood appeared immediately as she let loose a silent scream. Zoreal tossed her body away from him before disappearing in a flash of blinding light.
A scream echoed through the room. He barely recognized it as his own as he raced to Phaelyn’s crumpled body.
“No!” he yelled again.
Blood pooled around her head, marring her golden locks. Her crimson eyes were locked on him as he gathered her into his arms. He pressed his hands against the wound trying to slow down the bleeding but they came away saturated in her blood.
“Here, bite me,” he offered, biting his own wrist and offering it to her. His arm trembled in fear as he tried to force his wrist to her mouth. He had to get blood into her quick. She would heal enough to get her to the Olaru mansion where the physicians could heal her.
She turned her face away from him, refusing to take his wrist.
“Love, please. You need blood,” he begged her, trying to force his blood into her mouth.
“Not this time,” she mouthed. Her eyes filled with sorrow. “It’s time that I die. This was meant to be,” she coughed, blood spilling from her lips.
“No,” he shook his head. “You are mine. We are supposed to have eternity together.”
Her blood tinged lips formed into a small smile.
“Lasă-mă!,” she whispered, before the light slowly faded from her eyes.
“No!”
* * *
“Idris, wake up!” a voice shouted in his ear.
He grimaced, turning to face the
direction that the voice came from. He felt groggy and the pressure in his brain felt as if a two-ton elephant was using his head as a seating post.
“Open your eyes,” the melodic voice commanded.
He cracked open his eyes, finding the pale green eyes of the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on, staring at him. He was rendered speechless as he gazed into her eyes.
Phaelyn.
He tried to think of something to say but he drew a blank. His mouth was as dry as the Sahara dessert and even if he tried to talk, his tongue was currently glued to the roof of his mouth.
“You were screaming in your sleep,” she said, a look of concern graced her delicate features. “Do you want to talk about it?”
He shook his head no. No, he didn’t want to tell her that he had just witnessed her death in his dream. He came to the realization that she was whom he had been waiting a lifetime for. It took this one dream to open his eyes for him to see what fate had been trying to tell him all along. Out of all of the years that he had known her, this was the first day that they had ever really spoken, much less been alone together.
His interpretation of the dream—don’t waste time. Life was never promised for a vampire in the middle of a war. She, a Dark Shadow warrior, put her life on the line every single day and him, a royal guard, sworn to give his life for whomever he was assigned to protect.
“What does lasă-mă mean?” he asked stumbling over the pronunciation. He needed to know what she had said before dying in his dream.
“Umm… it means, let me go,” she said, confusion lining her voice. His head popped up so he could stare at her. “Why?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head. It was a dream, he thought, trying to shake the uneasy feeling away.
“You need blood,” she whispered as she knelt on the floor in front of him.
“I can wait,” he choked out, shaking his head. His cock thickened with just the thought of taking her thick coppery nourishment.
“I don’t know how long it will take the guys to get to us,” she said pushing up the sleeve to her shirt. “The storm will make it hard for them to get here and they ran into a slight problem.” As if on cue, thunder rumbled off in the distance while lightning lit up the room for a brief second.
He looked around the room for the first time, noting the stale air and the sheet covered furniture. His eyes paused on the massive deer head that was mounted over the fireplace before continuing. She must have found a few candles in the cabin because there was a couple lit in the room, giving them a little light.
His eyes made it back to her and he found her in dark clothing that was molded to her body not hiding one curve. Her blonde curls were still restrained in the bun on top of her head. His fingers itched to unleash the blonde strands from its restraints. Her weapons lined the coffee table in front of them.
“How long have I been out?” he asked as he attempted to sit up on the couch. He cursed, realizing he was too weak to even sit up by himself. Another curse slipped out as Phaelyn helped him shift positions on the couch.
“You need blood,” she stressed again. “Please, let me help you,” she said, her voice softening. The change in tone, tugged at his heartstrings and he knew she was truly trying to help him. His eyes met hers and he was a goner.
Pride be damned.
He would have to let her help him. He couldn’t help defend either of them if he was as weak as a newborn calf. He nodded his head this time just as his incisors broke through his gums. The starving pains were piercing his abdomen and he knew that he needed blood fast.
She sat alongside him on the couch, presenting her delicate wrist to him. He grasped it and brought it to his lips. He closed his eyes just as his fangs pierced her skin. The second her coppery nourishment hit his tongue— his heart froze.
She was the one.
His mate.
Chapter Eight
~Phaelyn~
Idris sank his fangs into her wrist causing her breath to catch in her throat. She could feel each swallow of blood that he pulled from her. The site of his lips against her skin captivated her as he took the blood that was allowing him to heal. His bruises disappeared right before her eyes. It was her blood that was helping his body restore itself.
Her gums burned as her fangs descended to their own accord. She couldn’t take her eyes off him as he licked her wrist, sealing the wounds from his bite. Her eyes followed the trail of his tongue along her wrist as he ensured that she was no longer bleeding. She slid closer to him, her eyes mesmerized by his mouth. She pulled her wrist away. His tongue drew a moist trail along his lips, wiping the last traces of her blood away. Slowly she tore her gaze away from his mouth and stared into his crimson eyes as it hit her.
She wanted him.
Now.
She gripped his shirt and pulled him to her crushing her mouth to his. The taste of copper filled her mouth, as she tasted her own blood. A moan escaped her as he took over the kiss, demanding entrance to her mouth. He gripped the back of her neck angling his mouth over hers as he dominated her.
Her core pulsated with the need to have him. She had spent a lifetime waiting for that special person to fill that open void and make her feel whole. She now realized that it was Idris that completed her. He was what had been missing from her life.
She gasped as he broke the kiss. They both were breathing heavy as they stared at each other. His eyes were dark crimson and she was sure that hers was the same. The eyes of a vampire changed with emotions. Right now, the heat that burned in his eyes left little to the imagination.
He wanted her too.
He grasped the bottom of her shirt, pulling it over her head and paused as he took in his fill. She knew her full breasts were pleasing to him by the way his nostrils flared. She sent up a silent thank you to the Gods for blessing her with such ample breasts. She had cursed them before when they would get in the way during her training but now, she was currently removing her own bra to put them on display just for Idris.
She felt the tug at her heart and she knew instantly that they had formed a bond between them. She knew from her discussions with Nadira, who was recently mated, that this thing between them would be forever.
He was hers and she was his.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked, his intense gaze unwavering as she stood and she kicked off her shoes.
“Da,” she whispered in her native tongue.
Yes.
She slowly unbuttoned her pants and slid her pants down to her ankles before kicking them free. She reached up and pulled her hair free from the restrictive bun that she used to keep her hair out of her face in battle.
“Come here,” he breathed with wide eyes, as she walked slowly toward him.
It empowered her that she had this massive vampire basically eating out of the palm of her hands. He pulled his ripped shirt over his head, tossing it to the side. She made her way back to him and slowly tossed one leg over him to straddle him, bringing her eye level with her newly discovered mate.
His massive hand palmed her right breast as if testing its weight. He squeezed her hardened nipple before rolling it in between his thumb and forefinger. His eyes connected with hers as he brought her soft mound to his mouth. She gasped as his hot mouth encompassed her sensitive flesh. She could feel the wetness seep out of her folds as he continued to lavish her one breast.
Her hips rotated on their own, grinding down on his hardened length. Her thin panties were the only thing between her and his rough jeans. Her sensitive nub was aching and swollen waiting for attention as she shifted herself against him. She moaned, rotating her hips again, loving the sensation, but needing his hardened cock sliding deep in her core.
She reached down, during his assault on her breasts, to unbutton his pants. Her fingers trembled as she undid the top button and unzipped his them. He lifted up slightly so that they could remove his pants.
“I got you,” he said gripping her tight with one arm to keep her from falling.
He removed his pants and underwear in one swoop, freeing his thick cock. He placed her back on his lap, his cock nestled against the cheeks of her ass.
“You’ve been on my mind for years,” he muttered in between leaving a trail of kisses along her neck. He reached down and ripped her panties off her.
“Then why did you never say anything?” she asked with wide eyes. She could literally feel the moisture run down the side of her legs, as his lips stopped on her chin.
“You were always surrounded by one of the Shadows. I figured a woman as beautiful as you would already be taken,” he said grasping her chin and staring deep into her eyes. “But I’m not waiting anymore. You’re mine.”
“And you’re mine,” she said softly shifting her hips again. This time she shifted her hips bringing her soaked pussy lips flush against his hard cock. With each move, her swollen clit rubbed against him sending a shiver down her spine. She moaned her pleasure, as his cock seemed to swell even larger against her swollen folds.
“Take your pleasure, love,” he said as she lifted herself up and slowly impaled herself on his shaft. Her pussy walls stretched to accommodate his size. Inch by inch, he filled her as she slid down on his shaft taking all of him.
“Yes,” she hissed as her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she settled fully onto him. She felt so full—complete. They were a perfect fit.
The sounds of thunder filled the air. Flashes of lightning highlighted the dark room making it the perfect backdrop for the two lovers as the storm provided a haven. Nothing would disturb the couple as their souls merged into one. This was destiny.
“Take what you need,” he growled as he lifted her up and slammed her down on him. His large hands gripped her ass as he guided her along his shaft.
“I need you,” she gasped, wrapping her arms around his neck, bringing them closer together. She wanted to feel his skin against her skin.
