He pulled out of me and stripped off the condom. “I was not going to last, Sar. All those nights of sleeping next to you, wanting you.”
Danial kissed me eagerly, his fangs pressing gently. He moved lower and took one of my breasts in his mouth. He suckled me, and I arched my back, writhing. He broke away to put on another condom and then he was inside me again, stroking me, sliding over that particular spot I liked. I hissed, and he bit me gently, his tongue running over my skin. I rolled him over then, riding him. He thrust up into me repeatedly, holding my hips against him.
“Come for me, Sar,” he said, his voice thick with love and lust. “I want to hear you.”
I was close, so close I could taste it. Then he drove into me fast, holding my body tightly, and it was enough to send me over. I cried out wordlessly, screaming, my head thrown back, my eyes shut as the orgasm washed over me. He sank his fangs into me as I came, opening me, shuddering as he came again. He held onto me as his orgasm ebbed, drinking, making those pleasure sounds I loved to hear. I clasped him to me, trying not to move despite the sting, his muscles contracting under my fingers as he swallowed. The pain slowly lessened as he healed me.
Danial pulled out of me, cleaned himself off, and threw away the condom. Soon, he was holding me again. “I love you,” he said softly.
“I love you, too, Danial,” I said, kissing him.
There was a knock at the door then. “What is it?” Danial said.
“Phone call,” Terian said, his voice sleepy but clear.
“Tell whomever it is I’ll call them back,” Danial said with annoyance.
“It’s not for you Danial, it’s for Sar.”
Danial and I looked at each other quizzically. “Who is it?” I asked.
“She said her name was Kat,” Terian said.
Chapter Seven
I got up immediately. Kat wouldn’t be calling me here at this time of night unless it was an emergency. “Tell her to hold on.”
I put on a robe and went to the door, opening it to take the proffered phone from Terian’s hand.
“Kat?” I said.
“It’s me, Sar,” she said.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. “You sound awful.”
“Brett and I, we had a fight. He told me to get out. He said it was over between us.” She sobbed, the connection becoming staticy.
“Kat, I’m sure he didn’t mean it,” I soothed her. “He loves you. You’re his wife. Everyone argues.”
“He was so angry though. Can I sack out on your couch?” she said quickly. “Just for the night?”
I covered the receiver with my hand. “She needs a place to stay for the night,” I said to Danial, unsure of his answer. “Do you mind if she uses the guest room?”
“It would be simpler if she stayed in a nearby hotel,” Danial said after a moment. “I don’t want her to know my address. You may trust her, but I don’t know her. I’d be glad to arrange a room. Terian can pick her up. Where is she?”
“I’m going to need to go, too,” I said reluctantly. “She’s really upset. She probably needs someone to talk to more than a warm bed.”
“Then I’ll be here waiting for you when you get back,” he said, kissing me. “Be careful.”
“Where are you?” I said into the receiver.
“A place called the Whitfield Hotel.”
“That’s just south of here,” Danial said. “It will take about two hours to get her and bring her back to the local hotel in Alan’s Creek. Take the Expedition with the GPS.” He turned to me. “I believe there’s a lounge inside the hotel. Tell her to wait there, if it’s open.”
“Kat, wait for me in the lounge. I’ll be there soon.”
“Okay. Thanks, Sar.”
I hung up. “She sounds so odd. She must have been crying a lot. We need to leave now.”
“I’ll wait for you in the SUV,” Terian said with a nod.
“Okay.” I threw on some clothes, kissed Danial, and then went out to the SUV, where Terian waited.
As soon as I’d put on my seat belt, he stepped on the gas, sliding slightly on the icy drive before the tires caught. The truck lurched ahead.
“Always have to be a showoff.” I grinned back at him.
He grinned back and then turned back to the dark drive ahead. Soon, we were on the main road. I settled back in the seat and looked out into the sporadically lit blackness. We would need to take some back roads until we got to the highway. The Whitfield Hotel should be easy enough to find. Terian was silent as the miles passed, the GPS assuring us at intervals we were headed in the right direction.
“Terian, are you awake enough to do this?”
“I’ll be fine,” Terian said, giving me a reassuring look. “I didn’t know you had a friend, outside of your family and the people who live with Danial,” he added, gently curious.
“Kat and I haven’t spent a lot of time together lately,” I said guiltily.
First, it had been because I’d been grieving Theo, then because of raising Elle, and then moving in with Danial. I hadn’t talked to Kat in months, but it was her fault as well as mine. She obviously knew my number.
“So you’re not close anymore?”
“That doesn’t matter,” I added. “She needs me and she’s my friend.”
“In case you’re wondering,” Terian said suddenly. “Asher’s doing fine.”
“Good,” I said in relief. “I hoped she’d be happier with you. Elle’s too much for her. Ash spends most of her time in the basement, afraid to come out from beneath the bed. She may not have had a great life at my old house, but she deserves to feel calm and secure.”
“She’s great. She sleeps with me, curled under my chin most nights.”
I was instantly jealous; Ash had never done that with me, ever. “Good. Thank you again for letting her stay with you.”
He was quiet for a while, then he spoke again on a completely different subject. “Sarelle, did you and Danial make up?”
“You know we did. You heard it all.”
Terian flushed. “I didn’t hear anything, but yes, I know you’re being intimate again. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“It’s okay. You can’t help if your hearing is extraordinary.”
“What did you fight about?”
Despite it being none of his business, I was too tired to care. “He wanted to have sex before we knew for sure the potion’s made him fertile. I insisted on protection. He finally agreed tonight.”
“Sar, you were most likely right in, um...sticking to your guns.”
“You think the cause last time—”
“It’s logical, yes, though there’s nothing in any book to prove you right, but both times now I’ve made the potion exactly as it’s described. There’s no variation on the potion. It’s always the same, no matter the source. An unwritten waiting period is the only variable I can think of.”
“Where is the potion from?”
“It’s listed in various spell books,” Terian said vaguely. “Always the same.”
Something was off here. I turned to him, searching his face. “If it’s the same, he must have paid you a fortune again for it.”
“He asked me to make it, and I said I would.”
“That tells me nothing, Terian.”
“Sar, this is between me and Danial—”
“And me, Terian. The baby will be growing in my body. Tell me whatever you’re hiding.”
Terian sighed. “Remember when I told you the potion used supernatural blood? That it was the most expensive ingredient?”
“Yes.”
“That’s the crux of it, the transforming agent, if you will; what makes it work. The rest is just details.” He paused. “The potion is made from my blood.”
“Your blood?” I said, trying not to grimace. “Demon blood?”
“Yes. Last time I made this, I thought he wanted it just to have sex with you, like some kind of supernatural Viagra. Because of my anger at him, I charged him what I
wanted. I knew he’d have no choice but to pay it. Those alchemists couldn’t make it for him. He needed me to do it. There was no one other than me willing to part with so much supernatural demon blood for any price.”
“How much does it call for?” I asked uneasily.
“Enough to make me weak,” he said meaningfully. “Enough to put me close to death, though not to kill me.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “I didn’t know.”
“How could you?” he said in a tired voice. “I didn’t want to tell you. I thought it might put you off trying.”
“Why?” I demanded. “Danial drinks blood. If you give him your blood willingly, why should it matter to me? It’s like my blood I give him.”
“No, Sar,” Terian said, serious. “It’s not.” His eyes bored into mine. “It is my blood that is changing him, quickening his body, and making him able to get you with child.” He paused. “There will be something of demon in the child, I think, something of me.”
I went still hearing that. “Does Danial know this?” I said.
“He didn’t last time, because I didn’t tell him. This time he does,” Terian said softly.
“Why didn’t he tell me?” I demanded. “Why didn’t you?”
“I asked him not to. I thought you might change your mind, if you knew. I want this child as much as Danial does. I’ll never have a child of my own. This is as close as it will come for me.”
I wasn’t sure whether to feel: angry because I’d not known the whole ramifications of the potion or dumb, because I should have guessed most of them for myself without anyone having to tell me. We made the rest of the trip in silence.
Despite some highway construction, the sites were still empty at this time of morning, and we slipped though without delays. We got to the Whitfield Hotel about three a.m. Terian and I got out, and I went to the office to find Kat. I didn’t see her car in the parking lot. The lounge off the office was closed, its innards dark and still.
Terian followed me to the front desk. I rang the bell.
A man appeared. He smiled at me and then looked behind me to Terian, who was glowering at him. “Room for two?” he said with innuendo.
“No, thanks,” I said cheerfully. “A friend called me from here. Her name is Katrina. Can you see if she’s registered?”
“Hold on a minute, I’ll check,” he said. He looked through the list of names. It seemed to take forever. I resisted the urge to tap my foot.
“I don't see her here,” he said finally, looking back at me.
“Do you remember a blond woman, about my age?” I said. “She has eyes like mine, though she looks more, um…like a supermodel than I do.”
He gave me a blank look.
I sighed. “Is there anywhere nearby where she might be? A bar nearby that stays open later than normal? I thought she’d wait in the lounge here, but it’s closed.”
“No,” he said with a shrug. “I’m sorry.”
I turned to go, and then blackness seeped into me, curling around my body.
“You’re lying,” Terian said softly.
The man suddenly smiled at him, then quickly brought up a pistol and fired. Terian pushed me down, and the bullet meant for me hit him instead. He staggered, but didn’t stop. He fired, shooting the man in the neck. Blood sprayed like rain, leaving a red spatter across Terian’s shirt, droplets scattering over my face.
Terian dropped beside me, then went motionless, listening.
“What do we do?” I whispered.
“There are at least four more of them. I hear three heartbeats outside, moving close to us. The other one is further away, somewhere in back of the guy I shot.”
“Could that be Kat?”
Terian didn’t reply.
Shit. This was no friend-in-need scenario. This was an ambush. They’d kidnapped my friend to get us here, whoever they were. I hoped Terian had memorized those books of Danial’s. We were going to need expertise to make it out of here.
“Tell me what to do.”
“Get behind the counter and grab the guy’s gun. Stay here until I come for you.”
His voice rang with authority the way Theo’s had. I hurried behind the counter as he went outside through the office door. I gathered up the gun, crouching as I studied it. The gun was a semiautomatic, but not a familiar one. I didn’t see a red dot, but logic said the safety had to be off. It was also still loaded with at least one bullet because the slide wasn’t back.
Shots rang out, at least three. Then one, then another three. I stayed where I was, waiting and thinking. What if Terian had been shot? What would I do? I thought about looking over the counter, but knew I’d give myself away. I was supposed to be hiding.
I looked at the dead man beside me. Who was he? Who did he work for? He’d been aiming at me. I was the target here. Why? I expected attempts on Danial’s life and attempts on my life when I was with him, but who knew of Kat? I hadn’t called her in a long time, not since I was with Theo. I thought back, trying to remember the last time I’d seen her.
Theo, Brett, Kat, and I had gone out to dinner. We’d had a good time, though they were curious about Theo, and he didn’t know how to answer their questions. They had wanted to know what he did and who he worked for like my parents had. That had been easy. Then Brett had asked him jokingly if he’d ever killed anyone.
Theo’s eyes had gone cold then. “Why would you want to know something like that?”
Brett had backed off right away, but Kat had been wary of Theo after that, looking at him differently. We’d parted ways for the night, and I hadn’t called her since, except when I’d told her Theo was missing, presumed dead. She hadn’t called me either. If we both got through this, maybe our friendship was over. She wouldn’t be grateful to me for involving her in this mess.
My legs were cramping, and I tried to flex them without making noise. I waited a few more minutes. Where was Terian? Theo would have killed everyone by now, had both Kat and I safe in the car, and been on the way back to Danial’s.
I sighed. Terian was here now, not Theo. He didn’t enjoy killing unless there was no other way. Not the most decisive man to have as your protector. In addition, to my knowledge, anyway, this was Terian’s first time in a real situation against humans. He was likely doing the best he could. I probably should cut him some slack. However, if he got me hurt, I was not going to be happy.
I adjusted my legs again. I waited a few more minutes and then peeked over the counter. I saw nothing. Where was everyone? Why wasn’t there more shooting? I checked my watch and decided to wait another ten minutes. When they were up, I was going to move, at least farther into the back room.
Ten minutes ticked by slowly. I stepped backwards, still crouching, until I was in the back room and then shut the door. I stood up and moved quickly into the motel hallway. Which room to try? Did I dare call her name? What if the bad guys heard me instead of her? What if some guest startled me, and I shot him by mistake?
I walked down the hallway, listening closely. There was no sound. I walked back down the hallway and put my back to the wall near the door. I waited there for another twenty minutes. Just as I was about to open the door to go find Terian, a shotgun blast splintered the door, spraying wood pieces everywhere. Covering my eyes with my arm, I waited in silence. A man kicked the door fragments, clearing an opening. He walked through it right into my bullet.
I looked down at the twitching corpse. He’d been trying to kill me with that blast. He’d known I was in here. I began to shake and bit my lip, telling myself to pull it together.
I waited a minute, but no one else stepped through the door. I opened it and stepped through, quickly looking in all corners at all views. No one was there.
I walked out to the parking lot, but didn’t see anyone. Where had Terian gone? I got back in the SUV we’d came in and settled into the seat with relief. I had my gun. I’d be safe…
I heard a click, the sound of a safety being drawn back right next
to my ear. SHIT.
“Sarelle,” a man’s voice said. “Put down the gun and get out of the vehicle.”
I did what he’d said, kicking myself. I’d been stupid not to check the back seat.
“I didn’t expect you to be hot,” the man said, eyeing me appreciatively.
“Fuck off,” I said politely, my eyes averted.
“No, but I might fuck you,” he said, leering.
“Whatever,” I said dismissively.
He fired a shot at my feet, and I jumped, my eyes wide.
“I can hurt you before I kill you,” he said. “If you want it that way, keep acting like you are. Look at me when I talk to you.”
I looked at him and stayed silent.
“That’s better. Now get moving,” he said, nudging me with the barrel of his gun.
“Where?” I said, unmoving.
“Back into the hotel. Room twelve,” he said snidely.
I did as he asked. We got to the room and entered it. There was no one there.
“Where is Kat?” I said, glaring at him.
“Wherever she lives,” he said. “You might be hot, but you’re still a dumb blonde.”
“What?” I said angrily.
“We hired a woman to call you, to say she was Kat. I can’t believe you fell for it, Sarelle.” He laughed at me.
Neither could I. I’d assumed Kat had been distraught and drove around for a while after her fight with her husband. Now the odd sounding voice and her being out here in the sticks made a hell of a lot more sense. At least I wouldn’t be losing her friendship over this, assuming I still had it in the first place.
“Get undressed and get on the bed,” the man said.
Stall for time. “No,” I said. “If you want ransom, Danial will be glad to pay—”
He shoved me down on the bed and held me there. I struggled and tried to get the gun from him, but he managed to grip both it and me. He began licking my neck.
“With those scars, you must go in for pain, ,” he said roughly. “Good.” He bit me gently. He wasn’t even a vampire.
Yuck. “Get off me!”
The hotel door burst open. Terian fired at him, hitting him in the side. The man fell onto his back, and I rolled away, to give Terian a better shot. Terian didn’t shoot him.
Taken in the Night Page 18
