Silver Blood

by Tamara White

  Before she lets go, I ask, "Do you want to get lunch later? It might be a good time for us to talk about my lessons?" Seeing the hopeful light in my mother’s eyes makes it all worth it.

  "I would love that, darling!" The massive grin on her face makes her appear years younger than I know she is. I smile back at her as she and my father get up to leave. As she walks, she has a spring in her step. My father turns back to look at me, mouthing ‘thank you.’

  Macy leaves right after, giving us a small goodbye as she goes. She hurries to catch up to my mother, and they laugh as they stroll down the hall together. They are obviously good friends, and I’m glad my mother has someone she can talk to.

  Britt comes over to me while her husbands are busy offering the guys words of support about the impending pack meeting.

  She hugs me fiercely, and I return the embrace just as eagerly. I’ve missed her so much and every time she leaves, I wonder how long it will be until the next time I get to see her.

  "I'll talk to you soon.” She pulls away with a grin. “My men and I are going to eat some human food. You vamps and your schedules always throw me off. It makes me hungry,” she says with a groan, and I roll my eyes.

  “Britt, you’re always hungry.”

  She shrugs shamelessly. “Meh. I need food. And who knows, maybe I can convince my husbands to feed me dessert.” She winks at me.

  I can't help the bark of laughter that escapes. "I’m sure you could convince them to do anything."

  She turns when Torie summons her from where he’s standing by the door. I shoo her away, shaking my head as she struts towards him. I can see Torie’s eyes filling with lust as he watches her.

  After the room has emptied, I shut the door and turn to see Talon leaning back in his chair, looking completely exhausted.

  I walk over to him and press my hand to his forehead, noticing that his skin feels clammy. "When was the last time you fed?" I ask, concerned by the defeated look he gives me.

  Nik joins me, looking down at Talon. "You should have fed already, man. Come on, I gotta check the security tapes. I’ll drop you at the feeding room on the way," he says, pulling Talon to his feet.

  Talon wobbles a bit, pushing away from Nik, clearly preferring to remain on his own two feet. I imagine he needs to maintain his tough image among the coven, especially as they’re considered the guards of royalty. It wouldn’t be good for them to be seen as weak when they protect such important people.

  "What about Em? She still needs to be fed too," Talon points out.

  Dev wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me close to smell my neck. “Don't worry, I can feed her. Can you bring me back some bags, though? I’m gonna need to replenish," he says, his voice filled with desire.

  I roll my eyes, shaking my head at them. "Okay, while you three discuss what’s happening, I’m going to have a shower. Whoever stays behind is welcome to join me.”

  I mimic Britt and strut into the bedroom. Once inside, I frantically try to calm my racing heart. What was I thinking challenging them like that?

  Two – Need

  Emerald

  The water runs over me, and I relax under the hot spray. I hear the bathroom door open and smirk a moment later when I feel hands move to my hips, and a body pressing behind me. I lean my head back and meet Dev’s hazel eyes.

  He smiles before pressing his lips to mine, and I sink into his touch. He reaches for a sponge on the shelf, dousing it in the shower gel closest to him.

  "May I?" he asks, his voice filled with desire.

  I nod, unable to speak. He lathers the gel into foamy bubbles and begins to slowly move the sponge over my neck and collarbone. His moves are deliberate and painfully slow, inching along at a tortuous pace. He shifts to my breasts, avoiding my nipples as he focuses on the task at hand.

  Meanwhile, I feel pressure building inside me, the need to be touched rising. As he moves over each delicate bit of my skin, the energy builds within me. I let him do what he wants, while reaching down to cup him in my hands, but he pulls away with a smirk. "No, Em, this is for you."

  I groan and let him continue working his way down my body, setting my nerves alight as he goes. As he gets to my waist, he pauses to watch me before he moves lower. His thumb brushes against my clit, and I fight the urge to jerk in response.

  He drops to his knees, moving my legs apart in order to thoroughly clean me, and I moan as he touches my most intimate parts. The care he exhibits has me panting with desire. I need him to touch me. Something, anything to relieve that pressure building inside me.

  He moves on and I whimper, feeling the sudden loss of his touch where I need it most. He continues cleaning down my legs and reaches my toes before making me turn around. He works his way from my ankles back up again; the slowness with which he moves is driving me crazy. When he finishes washing my back, he presses his body against me. I bet he can hear the racing of my heart, but I’m powerless to stop my reaction to him.

  "What’s wrong, Em? Do you need something?" he purrs, moving his hands over my hips, reaching around to my front and slowly sliding over my clit. His touch is light, his thumb moving in circular motions before dipping down to tease my entrance. But all too soon, he’s coming back up again and I’m left wanting.

  “Please,” I beg, as he deliberately avoids my entrance yet again. I feel him smirk against my shoulder as he places a delicate kiss in the crook of my neck.

  "Tell me what you want," he murmurs, his voice easily heard over the sound of the water.

  "I want you to touch me," I pant, my arousal building with each second we’re apart. "I want your fingers inside me, bringing me to the edge of oblivion. I want you to turn me around, lift one of my legs up around you, and fuck me until I forget my own name. I want you, Dev."

  I turn in his arms and see his eyes are filled with lust. "What’s wrong, Dev? Not what you wanted to hear?"

  He growls, pressing into my lips greedily. He continues to kiss me for a long moment, before moving gently to my collarbone. He pulls away with a groan. "I have to feed you."

  I feel the bloodlust rising within me, and know my eyes have turned red at the mention of blood. He smirks, cocking his head to the side to give me the access I need.

  I lick along his skin, relishing in the shudder that runs through him. He moves a hand between us to stroke my clit. As I bite into his skin and begin drinking my fill, he slips two fingers inside me. It takes all my willpower to keep from throwing my head back in ecstasy. Instead, I growl through my lips as I drink the blood he’s freely giving me.

  He keeps thrusting into me with his fingers, my orgasm quickly building between his touch and the taste of him, until it’s like fireworks behind my eyes.

  Once I’m satiated, I pull away from him, licking away the blood that trails down his neck. I smile and place a gentle kiss on his lips before washing off the fluids that are on me. I guess pleasing me must have been just as exciting for Dev, because he came when I did.

  We get out of the shower and I try to grab the towel, but Dev takes it, holding it out of reach.

  "Let me take care of you!" Dev says, sounding irritated.

  I throw my hands up, my naked body on full display. "Dev, I can dry myself. Just give me the towel."

  He gives me a pointed look and keeps it out of reach. I sigh, giving in. "Fine! But for the record, I let you dry me. You didn't win this."

  He cocks his head with a smirk and begins to dry me, using the same amount of care as when he washed me in the shower.

  After drying off, we move into the bedroom. I dig through the clothes I brought with me, finding a matching red lacy bra and underwear set, which I put on. I bend down to look through my bags for clothes to wear for the day when I hear a sharp gasp from behind me.

  I spin around to see Talon in the doorway, taking in every exposed inch of my body with a hungry look. I cock my hip to the side. "See something you like?" I challenge.

  He hands Dev the blood bags and stalks towards
me.

  Unconsciously, I take a step back as he gets closer, the feral gleam in his eyes making me nervous. He stops abruptly a few feet from me and inhales deeply.

  "Damn. You just had to do it, didn't you?" he asks Dev, his voice laced with humor.

  Dev just shrugs innocently. "Not my fault if feeding and sex emit the same pheromones. Besides, if you had taken care of yourself rather than acting like a whiny girl locking yourself in your room, then you could have been the one here to take care of Em’s needs."

  I look back and forth between them, not quite sure if I understand what they’re going on about. It almost sounds as if Talon knows what happened in the shower.

  A flashback of Dev’s hands on me has me feeling flushed and Talon groans, moving away just as Nik walks into our room and freezes. He sniffs the air and groans just as Talon did, his lust-filled eyes zeroing in on me. I realize they can smell it on me and give an exasperated sigh. And here I thought living with wolves was bad.

  Nik strides straight towards me, not stopping until his lips slam down on mine. I moan in anticipation of what’s to come, only to realize we have an audience. I push away, panting. Each of them is watching me with the same intense hunger in their eyes.

  "Okay, I’m going to take a cold shower. Alone!" I declare to the room. Without waiting for a response, I stomp back into the bathroom, remembering to take my clothes with me. I don’t want another repeat of what just happened.

  I turn the shower to cold and search for the strongest smelling body wash I can find, lathering it over myself. Hopefully, it will help mask the scent. I really don’t want my mother or father to smell the arousal on me.

  That’s something no one wants.

  ***

  Jeremy

  The sun sets over the mountains as I wait for my students to meet me.

  I gave them one job. To rid us of the abomination that had been hiding under our noses the whole time.

  Brent tried to appeal to the council, and while most of them remained neutral, I know the threat she poses. If interspecies breeding is possible, it’s only a matter of time before they start allowing mixed-species relationships. And that’s something I can’t allow to happen.

  When Xander told me of her bright red eyes, I thought he must have been mistaken, but that pup was terrified of what he’d seen so I decided to look into the matter myself. I thought I could deal with the problem before it ever reached the council, but our traitorous Alpha had been too soft on her, letting her run back to her parents.

  He thought we would go easy on her because she’s the rightful Alpha’s daughter, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t still the child of a vampire.

  He knew what she was the entire time. The only reason he’s still Alpha is because his abomination didn’t once hurt the pack. The council thinks that if he could control her all her life, then he can control her if she ever decides to come back. They think she could be the perfect weapon if a war between our species breaks out, but I know the truth. She will be the reason war unfolds on us in the first place. She will be our downfall not our savior.

  I at least knew the truth and decided to act. I sent my two best fighters to dispatch the threat.

  As if my thoughts summon them, I see the two of them loping up the hillside to my cabin, each of them appearing rejuvenated. Xander was well aware of my plan and while Brendan was more hesitant when I spoke of the mission, he still volunteered which cemented his loyalty to me.

  They shift back to human, taking the clothes I offer them. Xander grins at me, his eyes filled with joy. That’s one of the reasons I picked him for the mission He hates the abomination just as much as I do, so I knew he would not fail me.

  “Well?” I wait for a debriefing, but Xander seems to defer to Brendan, waiting for him to speak.

  Brendan’s eyes show reluctance, and I fear he will tell me he failed, but why would Xander appear so overjoyed if that were the case? Maybe Brendan is just suffering from a little guilty conscience. After all, he still believes the abomination is his sister.

  “I hope you have good news for me?”

  Brendan remains silent, his gaze fixed to the ground.

  I turn my attention to Xander, who’s still grinning ear from ear. "The bitch is dead. Brendan staked her when her back was turned. I got us out of there before they could retaliate. Her stupid guard was too distracted with her dying to do anything. It was sickening to watch.”

  The pure exuberance in his voice as he speaks make me proud to have chosen him. He’s bloodthirsty, but knows what must be done.

  A slow smile spreads across my lips, and I find myself unable to hide my relief. She is no longer a threat to our way of life.

  "Very good," I praise, clapping him on the shoulder. Brendan refuses to meet my eyes, and I begin to wonder if I chose the wrong person to fulfil this mission. I need strong men at my side, but he seems to have a guilty conscience over what he’s done. I need him to be willing to do what’s needed in the days to come.

  My phone rings in my pocket, and I nod to the boys. “Go back to the pack. Enjoy your success.”

  I answer the phone, and the voice comes out clear as if the person on the other end was standing right in front of me. "You failed."

  My heart stops for a moment before I smirk.

  "My boys told me the girl is dead. How is that a failure?" I ask, using the same neutral tone I did the first time we met.

  "The girl lives. She has three soul-ties bound to her. Your pups failed."

  The phone goes quiet letting me know my spy has hung up, and I grip it tighter, hearing the screen crack. She was staked. How the hell is she still alive?

  I’ve heard rumors of some of our species having multiple mates, and I curse the fact I underestimated her.

  I turn and punch a nearby tree, letting my wolf rip from my body. The need to hunt and kill grips me as I run through the woods, seeking out my prey. I pounce, ripping into the doe's throat, wishing it was the abomination being torn apart with my teeth.

  Soon I’ll make her pay. She shouldn’t exist. I will right the mistake our Alpha made before war breaks out among us all. He should have killed her while she was a child. Because he was too soft to do what needed to be done, now I must find an ally, someone who can help me destroy an immortal.

  Three – Mother

  Emerald

  I can’t help fidgeting in the clothes I’m wearing. I’m having a meeting with the Queen of the vampire coven, who is also my mother. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to dress casual or fancy. I don’t think it would have mattered either way, but I still fretted over it.

  I dressed in my nicest jeans and was lucky enough to find a pale green button-up top. It was the fanciest thing I had hiding in my bags. I didn’t even have time to find an iron after my second shower, so I keep smoothing down the top with my hands when the nerves rise, which is fairly often.

  I knock on the door to her suite, and just hope I look good enough.

  The door opens and my father steps out into the hall with a grin. “Go on in, Emerald. She's waiting for you.” He winks before walking down the hall the way I came.

  I step inside and can't help the smile that crosses my face. My mother is rushing around, trying to tidy her quarters up. She's got a pitcher of lemonade sitting on the table and keeps fluffing up cushions, only to come back and fluff them again. I hover in the doorway, watching her go around the room doing various things such as straightening pictures, moving the plants, and rearranging the cushions five times before I make my presence known.

  Seeing her nervous goes a long way to easing my own anxiety.

  “Sierra?" I call out, stopping her in her tracks as she goes to move the picture frame again. As much as I want to call her ‘Mom,’ it feels too soon for that. Even calling her ‘Sierra’ felt off, but I can’t think of a good alternative.

  She spins around to face me, a grin plastered on her face. “Emerald, darling. Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away," she says nervo
usly. She wrings her hands together, anxiously wiping her sweaty hands on her pants, and I hold back my urge to smile. Nice to know even vampire Queens can become nervous.

  I take a step forward, feeling just as nervous as she looks. "If this is too soon for you, we can always reschedule?"

  Her face softens and she steps closer. “Emerald, I would never dream of making you leave. I’ve waited your whole life to meet you. Any longer would be too long. I just want to spend time with you. I will admit, I’m nervous, but that's not your fault. That's all me. I fear that I won’t live up to your expectations.” She takes a deep breath before meeting my eyes with a look of fierce determination. “Come, sit. We’ll order you some food."

  We both sit down, and she pours me a glass of lemonade, pushing it across the table towards me. I take it gratefully as she goes to pour herself a glass as well. I watch, fascinated as she drinks it.

  She puts the glass down with a grin. "I take it you didn't know we could drink liquids?"

  I look down, letting my hair fall down over my face to hide my flush. "Sorry, I didn't mean to stare."

  I guess not being a part of their coven, and with my pack hating vampires as much as they do, I never learned most of the things they could do. I just assumed they were like the vampires you read about in books. You know, the ‘burn to flames in the sunlight, can’t eat or drink, and no heartbeat’ kind of vampires.

  "It’s natural for you to be curious about my kind. Our kind. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them,” she offers with a soft smile.

  I nod eagerly. "Yeah, that would be awesome. I know some things from the time I’ve spent with the guys, but it’s hard to separate the myths from the facts. It would be nice to know exactly what is and isn’t dangerous at the very least."

  She leans over to the side table by her seat and grabs the cordless phone. "How about I order you some food first? What are you feeling? Pizza? There's an amazing restaurant down the street that delivers. They have this insanely good garlic bread from what I hear."