Venom & Vampires: A Limited Edition Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Collection

by Casey Lane

  She grinned. “I already have.”

  I raised my eyes in surprise. “How did you know I would agree to feed your powers?”

  “Because your reputation precedes you.”

  I smiled back at her; I liked this fae. “Come,” I held my hand out to guide her. “I will introduce you to Lily.”

  I couldn’t stop the grin that stretched out my face, making my lips tight and unfamiliar. I felt an absolute control over my blood lust. Willing to test it, for it was better to be prepared than to wait for an inopportune moment, I stalked down the hallway towards her room. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I recognized Treveti’s voice rumbling from inside her room. My sense of smell became sharper: I could smell Adelade’s fear and Treveti’s sense of anticipation of her blood. My ears could hear even the ants as they crawled down the wall beside me. I focused my hearing on their words as I slipped into her room, invisible.

  “It only takes an understanding of knowing how to please each woman to keep them happy.” Treveti was pacing Adelade’s room, pretending that he was relaxed, but the truth was that his eyes took in every shift of her body; she moved with him, unwilling to let him face her back. Treveti loved the hunt, and he loved to play with his food before he killed it, so he baited her, sneering.

  Her eyes were wide open, her body tense and her hand clutched a wooden stake. She stood on top of her mattress ready to defend her life.

  Rage flooded my veins. He dared come in here and threaten a living under my charge? To threaten Adelade was certain death. A growl almost escaped my mouth but I held it in.

  Treveti would die tonight. I would provide for Tasha, if she was found innocent of any involvement.

  Adelade gripped the stake tighter. “Rowan will never let you have her.”

  Her was Lula. Treveti wanted Lula and would kill Adelade to have her.

  “That is where you are mistaken. I know things about Rowan, the secrets he hides from his master. He will allow me to have her.”

  This made me pause. I probed him softly enough not to alert him to my presence, but his desires were focused solely on how Adelade’s blood would taste. His moves became predatory and he stalked closer to her bed. I moved behind him, pausing only to discover anything else about Rowan.

  His fangs extended, and I knew that he would pounce at any moment. “The only question is, what will Detrand do if he discovers that I’ve drained your body of its life-giving gift.”

  I grinned as the thrill of my kill washed over my body, and then revealed myself. “Yes, tell me. What would Detrand do if he discovered that you had killed the girl?”

  Absolute fear washed over Treveti and its intensity seeped into my senses. The fear was soon replaced by a fierce desire for survival and he struck out at me, trying to kill me before I killed him. I barely felt the swipe of his claws, except for the sting from the cut, then I grabbed his face. I grinned, wishing him a silent farewell as I twisted his head and pulled it from the rest of his body. It made a satisfying pop, and a shiver went down my body as my pleasure rolled through it.

  Adelade flew through the air, her hair flowing behind her as she landed on top of him. I heard the dull thud as her stake sliced through his heart and this time, the shiver that ran up my body was filled with alarm. I stared at her intently; how had she learned to kill a strigoi?

  She looked up at me, a look of triumph on her face which quickly disappeared and was replaced to one of concern. “You’re hurt.”

  And then Tasha was in the room, screaming and clutching at the remains of her beloved Treveti.

  Chapter Six

  My first thought when I awoke was Adelade’s face, and her look of horror when I snapped Treveti’s neck. And then her determination as she flew through the air to stake him. I grinned. I had no idea she had the ability to kill a strigoi. And yet, she could have turned her stake on me, for such was my stupor when she managed to actually deliver the final death on Treveti that she could’ve easily managed to harm me.

  Then I grinned at my own naïveté. Of course the daughter of Colleen would kill a strigoi with one swift blow of her stake and look up in concern to another. She had been taught that, just like the living, we were as different as the sands of the sea.

  And then I thought of the look on her face when she took notice that I was hurt.

  Scowling, I sat up. She shouldn’t have looked at me that way, like she actually cared. She shouldn’t consider my feelings. I was no good for her, and she should fear me appropriately. It only took one moment to give in to my blood lust, and she would be a carcass for the ravens. If it hadn’t been for the fae’s enhancement, I would’ve drunk her to my dead heart’s content after the death of Treveti.

  “Lula!” I stood up and threw off my shift.

  After a second, she burst in my room and yelped. “Sir!” She covered her eyes with her hands.

  I went to my closet and she peeked through her slim fingers. “I hope you’ve rested sufficiently, because we have work to do.”

  “I have, sir.”

  “Good.” I came out fully dressed and pulled my chair up to my bed, and pat the mattress. “Sit.”

  She moved slowly and, noting that I wasn’t angry, she jumped onto the bed. It moved under her, and she jumped again, grinning, as she bounced.

  I sighed. “Woman, quit playing, we have work to do.”

  She forced her mouth into a straight line and looked up at me, a look of seriousness on her face.

  I tried not to smile as I sat in the chair facing her. “I must ask you, what are your feelings for Rowan?”

  Any amusement she still held slipped from her face. “He is acceptable.”

  I ran my fingers through my hair and tried to remind myself that the living, by their very instinct, held back their true emotions if they felt at all threatened. So I slouched in my chair and crossed my legs, in order to tell her instincts to back off.

  I took her hand in mine and tried to look her in the eyes, but she only stared at my chin. “I have given him permission to take you tonight.”

  She gasped, but said nothing. I saw the slight tick at her neck and wondered what that meant, so I softly released my senses, probing her.

  “Lula.” The command in my voice made her look into my eyes.

  “Are you willing to go to him?”

  She nodded slowly, and I used my senses to pull her true thoughts from her. He made her feel pleasure, but she was scared that he would lose control of himself. A valid concern.

  “If I promise you that he will not harm you, would you desire this, for yourself?”

  Her face was unreadable as she searched her desires, but I felt a lightness to her feelings. Finally she spoke, and she released her breath as she said it. “Yes.”

  I nodded. “Good. Now,” I pulled my hand away and she tucked it under her thigh, “tell me about last night. How did the shifter react?”

  She shuddered, and I imagined she was thinking of something she’d seen last night.

  “He held himself aloof during the whole thing, but managed to stay near Salina and even stood in between her and the fight.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “And how did she react?”

  Lula laughed. “She shooed him away.”

  “And what about when they changed? Did he change with him?”

  She stared off for a moment, trying to remember. “I think so.”

  “Lula.” My voice was deep, a reprimand.

  “I was worried for you, and I was trying to help—”

  “Your concern was to watch for the shifter, not to take care of me.” She looked at the floor now. “And then what?”

  “He disappeared. After the fight was over, I looked for him, but he was gone.”

  I sighed and tapped my foot. “He will be second in command now.”

  Her eyes were wide and they stared at me intently. “Did they kill the shifter you fought?”

  “Jessiah?” I frowned. “No, but he will no longer be a part of the pack,
which will be very difficult for him. A shifter longs to be part of the pack, especially if they have no family of their own, occasionally a lone shifter may starve themselves to death.”

  Her face fell. “So you baited him into a challenge so that you could see how the other wolf would react?”

  “I needled him, yes. But I had to prove myself to the pack, or they would challenge Salina. I don’t have time to clean up after a shifter war, or find another leader if Salina lost.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I would rather one wolf suffer than half the pack.” My eyes darkened. “And if Derek killed Agosto, then he will suffer a thousand deaths, as well as Salina, for not controlling her pack.”

  She nodded in agreement and I stood up. “I have business to attend to. Is Rowan awake?” I knew that he wouldn’t be up, but I didn’t tell her that.

  She shook her head and jumped off the bed. “He won’t be up for some time.”

  “Would you like to travel with me? I need to discover the whereabouts of the shifter.” She hesitated, and I held her arm. “If you have other plans then I won’t be offended.”

  “Adelade and I have a previous engagement, if that is okay with you.”

  At the mention of her name, I frowned. “Lula, you must discourage her from making contact with me.”

  The side of her lip lifted. “Are you not the king of this castle? Can you not wish her away yourself?”

  I turned away and growled. “Just leave for your engagement.” Then I turned back to her and gripped her hand as she turned away. “Lula, I promise you that Rowan will not harm you.”

  She swallowed hard and nodded, even as her cheeks tinged pink. “Thank you, sir.”

  I moved towards the city to find the shifter who could tell me Derek’s most hidden places and I found her brushing down a horse that was waiting at the docks. Her face was sweaty, even in the evening air, but her clothes were cleaner and she smelled of cheap soap.

  “Myla.”

  She dropped the brush and swiveled towards me, her hands held high, then she smiled. “Hello, Detrand.”

  I frowned. I was becoming too soft, that even those below me felt they need not fear me. I stepped into her personal space and she backed into her horse, even as I released my strigoi senses to allow me to influence her.

  “I need to know where Derek is.”

  “I don’t know where he is.” She put her hand on my chest to create some space between us, but her attempts were weak as I stroked her softly with my senses. I stepped even closer, so close that she could see my fangs.

  “I need you to find him for me.” Her desire to help me began to leek into my senses, and my strigoi purred, content at the deception my powers gave me.

  “What are his hiding spots? Where does he go when he plots and schemes? He’s second in command now. Where will he go to plan his ultimate demise, though he does not know it?” My breath was on her neck now and goose flesh ran down her arm. I gripped her shoulder and extended my fangs.

  Her fear blew into my senses, making me pause, but I lowered my teeth into her neck and she began to moan as she clutched herself to me. I pulled on her neck, feeding on her as my hands held her tight. She went for my pants but I gripped her hand and pulled it behind her, so that her chest was pressed into me, her hand held tight behind her.

  I drank her blood, not bothering to be gentle and even though my poison made her shudder against me, her instincts warned her to bolt. Torn between her desire and her instincts, she gripped my arm tight. Her body was alight with passion, and she rubbed against me, even as her nails clawed at my skin.

  When I had drunk enough to make her faint, I pulled my fangs out and put my lips against her ear. “I am not your friend, Myla. I can fulfill your most savage desires, or empty your body of its life source so quickly, that you won’t feel the soft knock of death at your door until it is too late.”

  She clasped my neck, unable to stand, but I pulled away and she fell to the ground. “Find him. Or I will kill you, and bring your sister to my home to serve my kind.”

  Anger sparking her shifter powers, she growled, even as she knelt at my feet. “Your sort will never touch my sister.”

  I turned my back to her and walked away. “You’d better find him quickly then.”

  I stalked the streets invisible, looking for Derek myself. Block after block of nothing made my strigoi restless. I searched the taverns, the fine dining establishments, and even the whorehouses, but he was not to be seen. My instincts told me he was not at the mansion in the forest but as my choices became more limited, I headed towards the warehouses near the docks before I went to the forest on the hill.

  As I moved towards Stefano’s warehouse, the voices of Adelade and Lula drifted through the air, along with another male. I growled, feeling an utter sense of protectiveness and possessiveness. I slipped in quietly and noticed that it was Stefano’s man, the one with the glorious muscles and the twinkle in his eye. I watched them closely, looking for any sign that Adelade was attracted to him and then decided to slash my eyes out because all I ever wanted from that woman was a taste of her blood and nothing else.

  His arm reached around her, showing her how to position her thumb on the stake and I felt a low growl in my throat. I slipped away and, making myself visible, reentered the warehouse.

  As soon as my presence was felt, the three of them fell silent and stared at me, their mouths open, and Lula even dropped her stake. She opened her mouth to speak to me, but no sound came out. Eventually she found herself and moved to approach me. “Sir, we were practicing, in case it was necessary. For our life only.”

  I looked at Adelade, who was eyeing me and nothing else. The handsome man was slowly backing away and I looked back to Lula.

  “Of course, you must learn to protect yourself. Even though you are under my protection, and I would kill anyone who dared try to harm you,” I looked at Adelade as I said this, “there are others who cannot contain their blood lust, or other beings, human or otherwise, who could attack you.”

  I reached into my inner pocket and pulled out an ornately carved stake with a sharpened end that glimmered with silver. “That sliver of wood you have would just break into two.” I handed the carved stake to Lula. “Use this.”

  She grasped it, noting the way it fit her grip perfectly and the fineness of the carving. “Did you make this?”

  I glimpsed at Adelade who was studying her own. Looking back at Lula, I nodded.

  She clasped it to her chest and a tear sprung to her eyes. “Thank you!”

  I waved her away. “Stop it, woman.” And I couldn’t help the smile that slipped up my face, but I moved to approach Adelade, who began to nervously fidget with her stake. “I could make one for you, if you like.” Damnit, I felt like a lover on a first dance, and reprimanded myself. “If I can find the time.”

  She looked at me with a strange look on her face, and I wished to know what she was thinking. I nudged her gently, so softly that she wouldn’t notice the way my senses invaded her mind. She didn’t want to offend, but this gift was the last thing her father had given her. I growled, upset that she would consider giving up the last gift from her father. Her eyes widened and I realized that she had no clue what I was thinking about, and probably thought I was upset she hadn’t accepted my gift immediately. I snatched the stake from her, my movements as fast as a viper snake, and she cried out, surprised. Her hand reached out to take it back, a natural instinct, and then she snatched her hand back and tucked it under her arm.

  I weighed it in my hand. It was heavy and solid, and still held traces of Treveti’s blood. I remembered the way it cracked through his ribs, the memory of the sound causing a shiver up my spine. I should pray that she would never turn this on me. I gave it back to her. “This one is better. Keep it.”

  She snatched it from me and then her face tinged pink as she realized how she appeared. I turned away from her, if only to give her a moment to recover, and looked at Lula.

  “Where is the man wh
o was training you?”

  She pointed to the corner, and I turned towards him. He stood, feet a length apart, his hand gripped tightly to a knife. He held it towards the floor, noting that I didn’t attack Adelade or Lula, but it was ready, in case I turned on him.

  I wanted to laugh at him, I could be on him in a second and he wouldn’t even have a chance to stab me. And unless that knife was dipped in the ashes of an oak, it wouldn’t kill me. Furrowing my brow, I breathed in deeply. It was dipped in the ashes of an oak and I determined to speak with Stefano. He was obviously seriously infatuated with this man, and was giving away the secrets of the strigoi.

  I turned my back on him. “Here,” I indicated to Adelade. “This man can continue to help Lula, and you can practice on me.” I grinned at her, showing her my teeth.

  Her eyebrows shot up. “I could never.”

  Moving cautiously at first, the man gave me a wide berth as he approached Lula. She took his hand gently, assuring him that I wouldn’t harm them. Taking in a deep breath, he moved behind Lula. She stood still as he took her hand in his, and moved her whole arm, showing her how to move it so that it wouldn’t break if she hit something hard.

  Lula seemed slow to pick up on how to make the movements, and the man was patient with her. Although the way her heart picked up as his chest pressed against hers made me believe there was another reason why she was so slow to understand. I bit my lip and licked my blood. Rowan would kill this human if he knew what they were doing at the docks, and, unwilling to have a war between Stefano and Rowan, I determined to put any flirtation to a stop immediately, for the man’s sake.

  “His name is Landon.”

  “Hmm?” I looked at Adelade and felt the blood rush to my head as I realized that she was wearing something new, and she was beautiful even though her attire was completely unconventional.

  “You called him ‘the man’. His name is Landon.” Her emotions simmered under the surface, still unnerved from our exchange at her house.

  I grunted and turned all my attention to her. “When I instructed Sophie to buy you new clothes, I didn’t intend for you to wear men’s clothing.”