The Dark Ones

by Rachel Van Dyken

"What?" Alex shrugged, and then his blue eyes brightened. "I think I see my conquest for the night."

  A wave of heat washed over me; I didn't feel lust this time or anything close to it, just heat. He winked, and then he was moving through the crowd to a tall, dark-haired lady with a black dress slinked around her body.

  "Another siren?" I asked.

  "Human." Mason nodded. "One of Alex's favorites."

  "What?" I stopped him from walking. "Aren't all humans mated?"

  "Er…" Mason scratched his head and looked around. "…Ethan really should explain that to you."

  "Screw Ethan!" I stomped my foot. "He isn't here. You are."

  The air around me crackled with warmth. Ethan.

  "Hmm…" Ethan's smooth voice danced across the back of my neck. "Miss me that much, Genesis?"

  Slowly, I turned and came face to face with sheer beauty. I couldn't look away even if I tried. His green eyes glowed against his smooth skin; long dark eyelashes fanned across his chiseled cheekbones. He was wearing all black — it should have looked ridiculous — a vampire in all black?

  It didn't.

  Look ridiculous, that was.

  He looked edible.

  I stepped away from Mason, not because I wanted to, but because my body couldn't help itself.

  "Not every human mates… of course that's been the goal… but we do, at times, make exceptions for some. They want so desperately to be a part of our world that they're willing to do anything to be in it — even if it means they don't mate with an immortal. Getting screwed by one is enough."

  "Harsh." Mason coughed.

  "You've done your duty, Mason." Ethan looked over my shoulder. "Leave us."

  Mason rolled his eyes and walked off.

  "His duty?" I repeated.

  "Take my arm," Ethan commanded.

  "You've ignored me for an entire day, and you want me to take your arm?"

  "You're my mate." He said it so simply, so matter-of-factly, that I wanted to punch him across his perfect mouth. "Take my arm, Genesis. You know you want to."

  Every cell in my body screamed for me to take his arm and just be done with it, but I didn't want to give in, didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

  "How was Cassius?" I asked, ignoring his outstretched arm and glancing away from him so I could gather myself.

  "Cranky," Ethan hissed. "Like I'm about to be if you don't follow orders."

  "Maybe if you said please," I whispered under my breath, "I'd be more likely to do your bidding."

  "I could just kiss you into submission… bend you backward over the buffet table and have my way with you."

  Lust surged through me. "I think that's the last thing you want to do."

  His lips were suddenly grazing my ear. "Then you clearly don't know me very well."

  "Whose fault is that?" My fingers clenched the champagne glass harder as I fought for control over my own body.

  "Let's blame Alex." Ethan wrapped his muscled arm around my shoulders. "Now I'm sure in your studies you were told to respect immortals, that you were… nothing compared to us."

  "Yes," I croaked.

  "Good. So your first lesson is this… humans don't disrespect their mates, regardless of the circumstances. If I asked you to bend over and tie my shoe, I'd expect you to do it with a damn smile on your face."

  "You're a jackass," I hissed, trying to pull away from him.

  "I'm not actually asking you to tie my shoe, Genesis. I'm just telling you how it is. At a Gathering, there is a certain expectation. We talk, we show off our shiny treasures, and at the end of the night, we part ways, each of us comparing ourselves to one another. Every type of immortal is in attendance tonight. It would be good of you to stay by me, lest one of them trap you in a corner and try to take advantage."

  "They'd do that? To you? Someone so old?"

  His mouth pressed into a firm line. "I'm not that old."

  "You are."

  His arm tightened around my shoulder. "Great, then that makes you a child?"

  "No, but—"

  "They'd challenge me still, yes. And if Cassius approaches, try not to touch him, any part of him."

  "What about breathing?" I tilted my head mockingly. "Am I allowed to do that?"

  "Ethan!" Gushed a high pitched female voice from my right.

  I turned and had the sudden urge to hide behind a potted plant, or maybe just Mason, wherever he'd gone. The woman was at least six feet tall, had long ebony hair, crystal green eyes, and a smile that seemed completely unreal.

  "Where have you been?" She pushed me slightly out of the way, as if I didn't exist, and kissed him on both cheeks then pulled back.

  "Busy," Ethan answered, tugging me yet again close to himself.

  The woman's eyes squinted in my direction. "Oh…" She smirked. "Sorry. I didn't see you there."

  Right.

  Because I was ugly.

  Nonexistent.

  Worthless.

  I tried to appear meek, but it seemed the longer I was in the immortal world the more anger issues I was developing. A week ago, I would have blushed and shrugged it off.

  Now? I wanted to find a fork and stab her with it.

  I clenched my fists together and offered a pathetic smile.

  "She's the one then?" The woman kept talking. "I don't see it. I really don't. I heard Cassius is on a rampage."

  "Cassius is always on a rampage." Ethan shrugged. "Delora, this is my mate, Genesis."

  "Already?" Delora gasped. "Ethan, I thought—"

  "It was great seeing you." Ethan dismissed her as if she were nothing but a tiny bug beneath his shoe. "I promised my love a dance though. Excuse us."

  I fought the urge to snort. His love? Right.

  Without asking me, Ethan set the champagne glass down on a nearby table and pulled me onto a small dance floor.

  "She was lovely," I said once the music started.

  A smile teased the corners of Ethan's mouth. "She's horrible, but at least you didn't throw your champagne in her face."

  "I was tempted."

  "Me too." His voice caressed my body. I tried to keep my distance from him, but he wasn't having it. Instead, he pulled me as close as physically possible so we were chest to chest. "I like your dress."

  "It's red." Lame. Someone, put me out of my misery.

  His warm chuckle had my knees shaking together. "Like blood."

  "Yeah."

  "About as damn tempting too."

  I was desperate to hear him say it wasn't just the dress that was tempting, but me, even though I knew it was stupid, and I was just setting myself up to get hurt all over again.

  "You look… nice."

  Nice. He said I looked nice. Not pretty, not even cute, or beautiful, just nice. Like a dog.

  Or a plant.

  "Thanks." I swallowed the lump in my throat.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Ethan

  EVERY DAMN WOMAN IN THAT ROOM paled in comparison, and that was the truth. It was like fighting a war with myself — not telling her how I really felt, like dragging her away from the watchful eyes of people who'd do her harm and kissing her senseless then promising her forever.

  It was instinctual.

  Nothing more.

  If I pushed her away, I wouldn't attach myself more emotionally — at least, that was what I told myself — then she'd gone and gotten cranky, which, frankly, was adorable.

  She crossed her arms.

  I half-expected her to stomp her foot or at least claw my eyes out. Damn, I would have been gone if she'd done any of those things.

  She still had control.

  I wondered if she noticed how her personality was slightly changing. Vampires weren't known for being calm and collected. Perhaps on the outside… but on the inside? Blood boiled; it always boiled. And I knew it was just a matter of time before she snapped.

  Because my blood flowed through her veins, and if that didn't make me want to shout at the top of my lungs.
/>   Her scent was covered up with perfume.

  I didn't like it.

  I sniffed her neck harder.

  She flinched.

  I licked.

  And she froze in my arms.

  I hadn't meant to actually lick her, or maybe I had, and I just hadn't fully thought through the ramifications of my actions.

  "Sorry…" Since when did I apologize? "I was… curious."

  "So you licked me?" Her body trembled in my arms.

  I held her tighter. "Yeah." That's all I had.

  The song was ending.

  "What do I taste like?"

  "Heaven," I said before I could lie. Being honest with her about her own taste was the least I could do, right?

  But just admitting it out loud made me want more.

  "What's heaven taste like?"

  "Genesis." My mouth curved into a small smile at her swift intake of breath. Her heart picked up speed, like a horse getting ready to race. Her palms began to sweat against mine.

  "Care to know how I taste?" I asked, dipping her low in my arms.

  She blinked up at me. "Yes."

  I almost dropped her on her ass. I'd been taunting her, teasing. I wasn't serious.

  Slowly, I brought her back up to standing position. "Then take a bite."

  "What?" she gasped.

  "Just a small one…" I teased. "It's perfectly natural."

  "But I'm a human."

  Her cheeks were completely flushed; her heart beat faster and faster. It was like a drug, listening to the physical effect I had on her body.

  I raised her hand and twirled her twice, fast, and bit into my wrist on the third twirl. Three drops of blood met her lower lip.

  She licked. Her eyes flashed green — my green.

  And I lost complete control.

  My mouth met hers in a frenzy; the perfect mixture of my blood and her taste was devastating to my senses.

  What was worse?

  Her hands had moved to my shoulders and were now fisting in my hair, tugging me closer, her body arching, trying to gain better access.

  Her lips suddenly turned cold.

  I pulled back and met Cassius's gaze across the room. He was smirking, the bastard.

  Genesis shivered, her eyes confused. "What just happened?"

  "I kissed you."

  "Yeah, got that part." Her cheeks were still flushed. "But then it was cold… like before."

  "A trick…" I turned her slowly.

  Cassius nodded from his spot across the room.

  Genesis leaned back against me, her knees buckling. "I want to go home now."

  "You can't."

  "What?" She turned in my arms, grabbing my jacket with her hands. "You mean we have to stay here all night?"

  "Wait, what?" I shook my head. "Home as in… back to your mother?"

  Her cheeks went bright red. "No, I mean… back to the house. Your house."

  Home. She'd called my house her home. Male pride roared in my chest. Barely keeping it together, I nodded my head and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

  "Yes, but first you must acknowledge Cassius."

  "Why?" She dug her heels into the floor.

  "Because he's as close to a king as we get, and every immortal, regardless of their feelings toward him, has to pay his respects."

  Genesis reached for my hand, squeezing the life out of it. "But he won't hurt me, right?"

  Pieces of her golden hair clung to her ruby red lipstick. I tugged them away and cupped her face. "He can't touch you — not with me here. I swear."

  Nodding, she kept her tight grip on my hand as I led her through the crowd. The closer we got to Cassius the quieter it became. By now, it was no secret that I'd stolen Genesis from him — marked her, claimed her, and then had had the nerve to show up with her at the Gathering.

  People knew our history.

  But that didn't make what I'd done acceptable.

  In fact, had I not been an Elder, I was pretty sure he would have ripped my heart from my chest and crushed it in his hand.

  Cassius leaned against one of the tables, his arms crossed. He wore a smile that would make anyone — mortal or immortal — sell his soul for just one more.

  I hated him in that moment, all over again, because I'd known an immortal once who'd been willing to do anything for one of Cassius's smiles or touches.

  Feeling sick, I held Genesis tighter. Not her. Please not her. Cassius had taken everything from me. Would he take her too? Was she weak like Ara had been?

  A lie.

  It had all been a lie.

  Just like my bond with Genesis was a lie.

  I bit into my lip, drawing blood as Cassius's grin grew with each step we took toward him.

  He was wearing a white button-up shirt, revealing half his chest. I rolled my eyes. Dark Ones were vain, nice to look at, but they knew it.

  At least vampires tried to appear humble.

  Cassius knew he commanded the world and lived for that power.

  "Genesis." Her name on his lips had me hissing aloud.

  He grinned wider.

  I imagined myself strangling him then removing his head from his body.

  "Cassius," Genesis whispered.

  The room was completely silent.

  Cassius held out his hand.

  Genesis looked at me, refusing to take his hand.

  "Ah, he's taught you well." Cassius drew his hand back. "Apparently, your mate doubts your ability to stay true. If you really loved him… if the bond has truly worked… you'd be able to touch me and feel nothing. Did he tell you that?"

  "Yes," she lied.

  I could kiss her. I hadn't told her the truth — was afraid to — because of my own insecurities.

  "I just don't want to disrespect Ethan."

  Cassius's eyes narrowed in on Genesis. "Interesting."

  Stephanie appeared by Cassius's side; he pulled her close to his body, his eyes going from blue to white then back again after releasing her. I didn't understand their special type of friendship, and a part of me didn't want to.

  Sirens could become just as addicted to Dark Ones, and I hated to think that Stephanie had fallen into his trap like so many others before her.

  Though her eyes stayed blue, and she didn't give off the normal chill a woman claimed would.

  "Tell me, is the party to your liking, Genesis?" Cassius asked.

  "It's beautiful." She wrapped her arm around my body, placing her head on my chest. "But Ethan promised me we'd spend some time alone tonight, so we're actually leaving."

  Brave girl.

  Cassius's eyebrows shot up.

  "And does Ethan speak for himself these days, or do you do that for him?"

  "Cassius," I warned. "Perhaps I like hearing her voice. I've been alive so long I've tired of hearing my own."

  People around us laughed.

  Genesis looked up at me adoringly.

  So I did what any male would do in my position. I kissed her — hard. Our mouths fused together, our tongues tangled, and I forgot completely that I was in front of Cassius — or anyone. I lifted her against my body, my hands digging into her hair as she let out a little moan.

  "Enough!" Cassius grunted out. "This isn't a brothel."

  I released her, though it was hard, considering all I could focus on was the pulse of her heart through her swollen lips. I wanted to bite — again.

  "Control yourself, Ethan," Cassius sneered. "Her blood will still be there when you get home. Then again, you're probably not going to be taking her blood, will you?"

  Genesis hung her head.

  "You know…" Cassius shrugged. "I wonder if it would be considered fair or loyal to your old mate? Taking a new one and destroying her as well?"

  I released Genesis and pushed against Cassius's chest. "Take it back!"

  He grinned and held up his hands. "My mistake."

  Shaking my head, I stepped back and grabbed Genesis's hand. It killed me, absolutely killed me to bow my head to Ca
ssius, to give him the respect he was due, when all I wanted to do was end his life. But I managed it, a slight bow.

  He returned the sentiment.

  And in a flash I was outside with Genesis.

  When the demon threw me my keys, I almost threw them back at his head, needing some sort of violent act to soothe me.

  "Sorry." Genesis voice was weak, afraid. "I hope I didn't make things worse, I was just—"

  "You," I turned and cupped her face, "did beautifully."

  I kissed her again.

  Because I could.

  Because she calmed me.

  Because I knew I couldn't claim her again in public, and I knew that once we got to the house, I'd have to leave her, lest I lose complete and utter control of myself.

  When her arms snaked around my neck, I let out a pitiful growl and took a taste… just a few drops… directly from her tongue.

  She gasped into my mouth, driving me into a frenzy to have her body closer.

  Without thinking of her being as fragile as she was, I pushed her against the waiting car.

  She let out a little grunt.

  "Shit." I stepped back and pinched the bridge of my nose. "I'm sorry. I forget how fragile you are."

  "Do I look broken?" Her eyes were shadowed, hazy, lustful. Damn, it was a beautiful look on her.

  "No." I smirked. "You don't."

  She reached for me.

  I stepped back again, my breath coming out in gasps. "We should go."

  The look on her face nearly brought me to my knees. I couldn't keep it up, kissing her and pushing her away, wanting her yet lying to myself about it.

  "Okay." Again I was struck by how small her voice sounded.

  I opened the door and ushered her in…

  Then contemplated lying down in front of the car and asking the demon to hit the accelerator.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Genesis

  HE KISSED ME LIKE A MAN dying of thirst — and maybe he was, maybe it was my blood. Was it wrong to hope it was my smile? Maybe even my dress?

  I played with the beautiful silk fabric, waiting for Ethan to acknowledge the kissing — or at least part of what Cassius had alluded to.

  When the silence stretched the entire ride home, disappointment stabbed me in the chest.

  We reached the house.

  He pulled the car up to the massive gate; it opened.

  Still nothing.