by Tina Folsom
Even the voice of the mirage sounded like her. And the scent drifting into his nostrils was all Nina. She was real, and she stood in his apartment, looking like she’d just taken a shower. She didn’t look like a woman on the run. And if she was trying to avoid him, this had to be the worst hiding place he could possible think of.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“You’re here.” His parched throat hurt as he spoke, but his heart leapt with joy.
“And you’re stating the obvious.” Nina took a few steps toward him as he watched with caution. She didn’t look like she was angry at him. Could it be that she already knew what he wanted to tell her? And how had she gotten into his apartment in the first place?
“I broke in. Fire escape,” she answered his unspoken question and tilted her head to the window.
He raised an eyebrow. “I would have given you a key.”
Nina shrugged her shoulders. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“Or you could have just waited at Samson’s for me instead of making me chase all over town for you.”
“Even less fun in that,” she countered.
“You knew I was looking for you?”
She gave a nonchalant shrug. “You wouldn't be the Amaury I know if you weren't.”
Nina wanted to spar with him? He took a few steps toward her. “And I wouldn't be the Amaury you know if I didn't paddle your sweet ass for that.”
She stemmed her fists at her hips, but mischief glinted in her eyes. “You'd have to catch me first.” In a flash she took off toward the window. He cut her off before she even got halfway. Thank God for vampire speed.
With one swift move, Amaury hauled her body against his and locked his arms around her. She gave him a coquettish look. Damn, did it feel good to have her soft form pressed into his.
“So now that you've caught me, were you going to come out with that apology anytime soon, or were you planning on kissing me into submission?”
Damn again! Nina knew him better after knowing him for a week than his friends did after two hundred years. And within seconds, she’d turned him from a man who'd been prepared to grovel into a predator ready to claim his prize without considering the consequences—again.
Amaury let out a deep breath. “You tell me, chérie, given that you're holding all the strings.”
Nina gave him a long look until her expression changed to serious. “Why didn't you save yourself when I asked you to?”
He gave a slow shake of his head. “Save myself for what, to live a life without you?”
“Next time you'll—”
He framed her face with his hand and put a finger on her lips. “Next time, I would do exactly the same. And you can fight me all you want on that.”
“Stubborn vampires are a pain,” she claimed.
“That's right, chérie, but you know what's even worse?” He paused briefly. “A vampire in love. Because when he gets something into his head, there's no stopping him.”
“In love?”
“Yes, chérie,” he whispered, “I love you.”
Amaury took in the hitched breath she released and brushed his lips against hers. “Now, are you ready for that apology I owe you?”
“Kiss first, talk later.”
“If I start kissing you, I’ll never get to talking. And besides, shouldn't you still be mad at me?” He gave her a curious look. Would he ever figure out what was truly going on inside her pretty little head?
“It's kind of hard to be mad at the man who just saved your life without any regard for his own. And it’s even harder to stay pissed off with you, knowing the kind of power you gave me over you.”
She could only have found out from one person. “Delilah told you that?”
“Yes, she and I had time to talk. So tell me, why would he do such a stupid thing?”
“What stupid thing?”
“Bonding me without my permission, without knowing whether I would stay with you.”
Amaury swallowed away the lump in his throat. Yes, he’d given her power over him, made himself vulnerable, yet he didn’t feel weak. “That night, I realized I needed you. For the first time since I became a vampire, I felt something. I wasn't prepared to give up this feeling of finally being complete. And tonight, when you stood up on that platform a minute away from dying, I knew a life without you wouldn't be worth living. Nina, I love you.” He closed his eyes for a second, knowing he had to offer her a way out. “But if you don't feel the same for me, I will let you go.”
***
Amaury loved her. Her crazy, stubborn, big vampire loved her. Yet was prepared to give her her freedom. Loved her? But, he couldn’t, could he?
“But you said you weren’t capable of love.”
He smiled. “That’s just it, I wasn’t. And then you came along. I was told by a witch that there was one way to reverse the curse. At first I didn’t believe her, but then she proved me wrong. You proved all of us wrong.”
“What did she say?”
“She told me that the object of my affections had to be a forgiving heart. That could only be you—you forgave not only me for what I’d done in my past, but also Luther.”
Nina smiled. “Without forgiveness life stops in its tracks. It was time for you to move on.”
Amaury gave her a soft kiss on her lips. “I know that now. You’ve helped me see that. But it wasn’t the only thing that the witch said. My control over you had to be ineffective. Remember? Mind control didn’t work on you.”
“You mean when you tried to get me to untie you?”
“That’s right – and let’s not try this again, at least not with silver. Other materials, I’m open to ...” The hungry look he raked over her made her shiver with pleasure. “And I still don’t know how you were able to do that.”
“You mean push you out of my mind?” She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m stronger than you.”
He grinned. “I can live with that.”
“So can I.”
“But the last thing she said was that your love had to be unknown. I didn’t understand what that meant, but I think I do now. I could never read your emotions, which meant I didn’t know whether you loved me.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think that’s what she meant. A love unknown? It was me: I didn’t know I loved you until I almost lost you. My love was unknown to myself.” Not anymore.
“And now?”
Nina brushed a strand of hair out of his face. “I love you. Is the entire curse reversed now?”
“Ever since we bonded, my head has been clear. I haven’t sensed a single emotion from anybody, except—”
“Except?”
“I’m starting to sense you. I could sense you right after the bonding, but then it vanished. I should have been able to feel you continuously, but I didn’t.”
“It might have something to do with the fact I was resisting it. When Delilah told me about the bonding, I was a tad angry with you for not asking me and tried to block out everything about you.”
“A tad angry? I don’t think I want to be around when you get really pissed.” Amaury stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “I’m sorry, Nina. Believe me. I wanted you so much, my heart just took over. I thought I saw in you that you wanted me too, but I know it was wrong. I should have given you a choice.”
Nina put a finger on his lips. “Shh. I wanted you too, I just didn’t realize how much until tonight. Come.”
Amaury let himself be pulled to the couch and sat down. With a quick move she settled over him, straddling him. Nina gazed into his blue eyes. What a big softy he was, her dangerous vampire. Hidden behind all that brawn was a heart he didn’t like to show. A bigger heart than she thought anybody could have.
When he’d saved Eddie during the fight, she’d seen no hesitation in him, as if he’d done it just because she’d asked him. The one time he hadn’t listened to her pleas was when she’d asked him to save himself. Of course he hadn’t. Amau
ry never listened to her when it came to his own safety. She’d have to have a word with him about that—later.
And now he’d offered her freedom, to release her from their bond. But there was no release from the bond until one of them died. She sensed that he was prepared to take that step just so she’d be free.
Amaury’s final act of selflessness had confirmed what she’d felt spreading inside her: the knowledge that she was his, not because he’d bonded her, but because she wanted to be his.
“Why don’t you ask me now?” she teased.
There was a moment where he hesitated, but then the words spilled from his mouth. “Will you bond with me, Nina? Will you be mine forever, and let me be yours?” The blue in his eyes became more brilliant as he waited for her reply.
She should let him wait, but the thrill she felt, knowing she’d brought this man to his knees—well, almost—was exhilarating, empowering.
“Under one condition.”
Shock registered in his face. “What condition?”
She pulled the lapels of her bathrobe open to expose her breasts to him. Nina noticed his gaze drop lower as she cupped one of her breasts and presented it to him. “Feed from me, Amaury.”
Underneath her she felt his erection grow, evidence of his desire in what she offered. Somehow she knew it was what he’d wanted since the night he’d taken her blood. And she’d give him anything in her power.
“Oh, Nina, chérie, you have no idea how happy you make me.”
His hand went to her breast, and he stroked it lightly. “I don’t deserve you. But I’m glad I got you anyway. You’re not going to resist me again, are you?”
“Resist you? You know I always will, because that’s what you need.”
“I might have to spank you if you do.” His wicked smile made her heart skip a beat.
“For that you’ll need your strength. And without food, I’m not sure how you can keep up your strength.” She dropped her gaze to her breasts and noticed him do the same.
“I like the way you argue your point,” Amaury agreed in a husky tone.
His hand brushed over her erect nipple. Without haste, his mouth descended onto her flesh, his lips connecting with her skin, setting her on fire. A lick with his tongue followed, making her entire body tingle. Oh, God, how she loved this man, this vampire.
“Amaury, take me, please.”
“I’m yours,” he whispered before Nina felt his fangs pierce her skin. His mouth closing over her breast, he sucked and took the life-giving sustenance she would provide him with for the rest of her life.
Their hearts beat as one, their souls connected by invisible tendrils so strong, no forces in this world could separate them. They were one—one body, one mind, one soul.
My mate. My hellion.
Mine.
THE END
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Excerpt of Gabriel’s Mate (Scanguards Vampires #3)
The click-clack of her heels echoed against the buildings. Maya could barely see the pavement through the fog, which hung like a thick mist in the night air, amplifying every sound.
A rustle coming from somewhere behind her made her accelerate her already hasty steps. A chill so severe it felt as if an icy hand had touched her skin went through her. She hated the dark, and it was on nights like these that she cursed her on-call duty. Darkness had always scared her and lately it did even more so.
She opened her purse as she approached the three-story apartment building she’d been living in for the last two years. With shaking fingers, she fished for her house keys. The moment she felt the cold metal in her damp palm, she felt better. In a few seconds, she would be back in bed and get a few hours of sleep before her next shift started. But more importantly, shortly she would be back in the safety of her own four walls.
As she turned to the stairs leading up to the heavy entrance door, she noticed the darkness in the foyer. She glanced up. The light bulb over the door must have burned out. A couple of hours ago it had been burning brightly. She put it on her mental list of things to tell her landlord.
Maya felt for the railing and gripped it, counting the steps as she walked up.
She never reached the door.
“Maya.”
Her breath caught as she spun on her heels. Engulfed in the dark and the fog, she couldn’t make out his face. She didn’t need to – she knew his voice. She knew who he was. It almost paralyzed her. Her heart beat into her throat in a frantic tattoo as fear inside her gut spiraled.
“No!” she screamed and scrambled back toward the door, hoping against all odds she could escape.
He’d come back like he’d vowed.
His hand dug into her shoulder and pulled her back to face him. But instead of his face, all she could focus on was the white of his pointed teeth.
“You will be mine.”
The threat was the last thing she heard before she felt his sharp fangs break through her skin and sink into her neck. As the blood drained from her, so did the memories of the last few weeks.
***
“And you’ve tried surgery already?” Dr. Drake inquired without looking up from his notepad.
Gabriel released a frustrated huff and brushed an imaginary dust particle off his jeans. “Didn’t work.”
“I see.” He cleared his throat. “Mr. Giles, have you had this …” – the doctor winced and made a nondescript hand movement – “uh … all your life? Even when you were human?”
Gabriel squeezed his eyes shut for a second. After puberty, there wasn’t a day in his living memory that he’d not had this problem. Everything had been normal when he’d been a little boy, but the moment his hormones had started raging, his life had changed. Even as a human, he’d been an outcast.
He felt the scar on his face throb, remembering the moment he’d received it and jerked himself away from the memory. The physical pain had long eased, but the emotional pain was as vivid as ever. “I had it long before I became a vampire. Back then, nobody thought of surgery. Hell, an infection would have probably killed me.” If he’d known how his life would turn out he would have taken a knife to himself, but hindsight was always twenty-twenty. “Anyway, as you probably know better than I do, my body regenerates while I sleep and heals what it perceives to be a wound. So, no, surgery hasn’t worked.”
“I assume this has caused problems with your sex life?”
Gabriel pressed himself deeper back into the chair opposite Dr. Drake’s, having ignored the coffin-couch with an internal shiver upon entering the practice. His friend Amaury had warned him about the doctor’s choice of furniture. Nevertheless, the coffin that had been fashioned into a chaise lounge by removing a side panel gave him the creeps. No self-respecting vampire would want to be caught dead in it. Pun intended.
“What sex life?” he mumbled under his breath. But of course, the doctor’s superior vampire hearing assured the words weren’t lost to him.
Drake’s shocked stare confirmed it. “You mean …?”
Gabriel knew exactly what the man was asking. “Other than with an occasional desperate prostitute who I have to pay outrageous sums of money to service me, I have no sex life.”
He dropped his gaze to the floor, not wanting to see the pity in the doctor’s eyes. He was here to get help, not to be pitied. Still, he needed to impress on the man how important this was for him. “I haven’t met a woman yet who hasn’t recoiled from my naked body. They call me a monster, a freak at best – and those are the kind ones.” He paused, shuddering as the memories of all the names he’d been called came rushing back. “Doc, I’ve never had a woman in my arms who wanted to be with me.” Yes, he’d fucked women – whores – but he’d never made love to a woman. Never felt a woman’s love or tenderness, or the intimacy of waking in her arms.
“How do you expect me to help you? As you said yourself, surgery hasn’t helped, and I’m only a psychiatrist. I work with people’s minds, not their bodies.” Drake’s voice was infused with r
ejection, every single syllable of it. “Why don’t you use mind control on human women? They won’t know any better.”
He should have expected as much. Gabriel leveled a glare at him. “I’m not a complete jerk, Doctor. I will not use women like that.” He paused before he went on, bringing his anger at the dishonorable suggestion under control. “You helped my friends.”
“Both Mr. Woodford’s and Mr. LeSang’s problems were different, not …” – he searched for the right word – “physical like yours.”
Gabriel’s chest tightened. Yes, physical. And a vampire couldn’t alter his physical form. It was set in stone. It was the exact reason why his face was marred by a scar reaching from his chin to the top of his right ear. He’d received the wound when he was human. Had he been injured as a vampire, there would have never been a scar, and his face would be untouched.
Two strikes against him – already the hideous scar scared plenty of women away, and once he dropped his pants –. He shuddered and looked back at the doctor who patiently sat in his chair.
“They both claimed you used unorthodox methods,” Gabriel baited him.
Dr. Drake gave a non-committal shrug with his shoulders. “What one might call unorthodox, another might deem natural.”
That was a non-answer if there ever was one. Subtle hints wouldn’t get Gabriel the information he sought. He cleared his throat and nudged forward on his chair.
“Amaury mentioned you had certain connections.” He emphasized the word connections in such a way the doctor couldn’t mistake what Gabriel was referring to.
The almost unperceivable straightening of the doctor’s body would have escaped most others, but not Gabriel. Drake had understood only too well what he was after.
The doctor’s lips tightened. “Maybe I can refer you to another physician amongst my connections who might be able to help you more than I can. Nobody here in San Francisco, of course, since I’m still the only medically trained vampire here,” he waffled.
Gabriel wasn’t surprised at the revelation: since vampires weren’t susceptible to human illnesses, very few became doctors. Given that San Francisco had a vampire population of under a thousand, it was lucky to have even one medical professional within its city limits.
