Lena scoffed. “House Bowman is paranoid, more like!”
“Losing your mate can do that to you.” Thorn’s tone dropped, his disapproval washed over her.
She winced. Lena never thought she’d feel sorry for Larissa Bowman, but she did in that moment. Only true mated pairs could produce offspring and Larissa and Blaine had two sons. When Blaine died, Larissa lost the other half of her soul.
Lena sighed. Thorn was right. Again.
She looked at Thorn as he scrutinised the horizon from the front door. For the first time in her life she wanted to be a better person. Not a better Guardian. Not a better Warrior. A better person. And it was all Thorn’s fault.
She chewed her bottom lip as she considered her epiphany. She didn’t know what to think, much less what to do about it. She’d never changed for anybody. She’d never needed to. She’d certainly never wanted to.
“I’m betting they don’t use that room all the time,” Thorn said, bringing her out of her daydream.
Dawn was breaking. Their ability to dematerialise during the day diminished considerably. They couldn’t travel the distances they could at night and materialising to the wrong place in broad daylight could be excruciating. The Order was some distance away. If they left it any longer, they’d be stuck here. “We haven’t got time, Thorn.”
Once again, unable to meet Thorn’s eyes, she pushed past him and out onto the gravel driveway. Lena was perfectly capable of dematerialising by herself, but there was no way she was leaving first. She stared back at him, watching him closely.
His golden eyes narrowed as if he was considering his options. Before he even said anything, Lena sighed, knowing full well that they weren’t going anywhere.
“Funny they should use it now though.”
“So, they’re in a magic room. We can come back tomorrow,” Lena said.
“I think not.”
Damn him. The cadence of his voice vibrated right through her. The order made her body hum with excitement and anger at the same time. The anger she expected; orders didn’t sit well with her. Excitement? At an order? Yep, she was in real trouble.
Chapter 12
Kaden made his way to the day room. His steps were slow but they were a lot steadier than they had been. Once he got there, he flopped down on the tatty sofa. Now he’d made the epic forty foot journey, he had no idea what to do with himself.
Well, that wasn’t strictly true. He wanted to talk to Soraya. He needed to talk to Soraya, but that wasn’t happening. He closed his eyes, the memory of her precious gift still very fresh in his mind. And body. The agony he felt just twenty-four hours ago had faded to a dull ache, her blood soothing and repairing as it coursed through his veins.
He hadn’t seen her since it happened. After she admitted what she’d done, she ran. Kaden was in too much of a state of shock to go after her, even if he had felt like he was King of the world.
The race considered their blood sacred, female Vampire blood even more so. The blood of a Princess? There were no words to describe how precious it was. A Princess never shared her blood, except with her mate; it was expressly forbidden. Giving him her blood was an extraordinary act. Kaden sighed as he opened his eyes; Thorn was going to kill him!
A small smile crept across his face despite the thought of Thorn’s wrath. She may have run, but she hadn’t left. She was still here. He could feel her. She was in her office, no doubt curled up in that silly pink chair of hers, nose deep in one of her books. His smile broadened as he leant back in his seat, content to daydream about the wondrous Soraya. Soppy fool that he was.
A crash sounded from the direction of the office and Kaden surged to his feet. He moved as fast as his damaged body would allow. The scream that came with the commotion made the very blood in his veins run cold with fear.
“Thorn!” Soraya’s scream may have terrified him, but his knees buckled at the frost that gripped his heart.
His breath came in short, ragged pants as he tried to make sense of what was happening. Horrid realisation dawned as he searched within himself. When it did, his breathing stopped entirely.
It was Thorn. Or, rather, it wasn’t Thorn. He just wasn’t there. Kaden had no sense of Thorn at all.
Soraya came careening around the corner and fell to her knees in front of him. “Oh God, Kaden! It’s Thorn!”
“I know,” was all he could say.
“What do we do, Kaden? Oh God! What do we do?”
Bright red tears trickled down her face and Kaden reached out to wipe them away. His hand stopped mid-motion as more icy fingers curled around his heart.
“Kaden?” Soraya gripped his shoulders as he struggled to breathe. “Kaden!” she screamed again.
“Lena,” Kaden finally rasped.
Soraya’s beautiful golden eyes widened as she covered her gasp with a delicate hand.
Kaden had no words. How could he explain that Thorn and Lena had just disappeared? They weren’t injured. They weren’t dead. If either of those things happened, Kaden probably wouldn’t survive in his current state. The pain and loss would be indescribable.
Heavy boots clattered down the hallway as the rest of the Order rushed in, Mercury the last to arrive. His one good eye blazed bronze and his face was drawn tight, making the scar that marred his face all the more prominent. Kaden looked from Mercury’s stricken face to the rest of the guys and back again. Each face was painted grey with worry and each set of eyes stared at him, waiting for him to explain away their fear.
Kaden was probably in more shock than anyone else. Fallen chemicals had ravaged his body. His ability to Keep anyone safe had diminished and his bonds ran deeper than anyone else’s. The depth of feeling was overwhelming. Had he been at full strength, he’d be in the Command Centre coordinating some sort of rescue effort. As it was, he was on the floor of the medical centre, a crumpled heap of a warrior, struggling to breathe with no idea what was going on. Fuck this was bad.
Skylar and Phoenix pulled Kaden to his feet and walked him back to the day room. It wasn’t the Command Centre, but it would have to do. They all looked to him to take charge. C’mon Kaden, get it together.
Kaden searched the pit of pain that surrounded his heart to find Thorn and Lena. His ability was so diluted with that Fallen poison that his mind protested at the effort. Rather than just seeing the pair on his internal map, he felt like he was tuning into a vintage television set. The pictures were distorted and the channels unrecognisable.
Frustrated, he screwed his eyes shut and forced himself to ignore the pain and concentrate, something he never had to do. Before that arrow pumped him full of toxins, he could picture every one of his brethren, wherever they were, as clearly as if they were standing next to him. Now that he couldn’t even get close, he was almost glad that no one — except Lena and Thorn — knew how powerful his ability used to be. Another spear of pain jabbed at his heart; ironic it was those two who needed him now.
“Did anyone hear from them after they left House Bowman?” Kaden asked his audience.
Everyone shook their head. Everyone except Ryver.
“Ryver?” Kaden asked.
The young warrior puffed out a breath. “Lena texted me. They got some good intel from Crane of House Bowman, but something came up and they were going back to the pub.”
“Did she say what this intel was?
“No.”
Kaden pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to alleviate the mother of all headaches. “What time was this?”
“About an hour ago,” Ryver replied, looking at his feet.
Damn straight you better look at your feet! “And you didn’t think to tell anyone?”
Red swirls of anger emanated from Ryver as he snapped his head up. “Who was I gonna tell? You’re off duty and no one else gives a toss!”
Sky and Mercury both growled, trying to refute the accusation, but Ryver wasn’t having any of it. He jabbed his finger at the two Guardians. “Don’t give me that! You pair of pricks were
both hoping Thorn had given her enough rope to hang herself!”
The red swirls of anger Kaden saw just minutes ago, changed shape and an acrid bitter stench bloomed in his nostrils as the young Vampire reeled at his brethren. Ryver was frightened. Kaden couldn’t blame him; they were all afraid for Lena and Thorn. Ryver just wasn’t very good at hiding it.
“We’re lucky she updated anyone. She never normally does,” Ryver said.
She didn’t need to; I always knew where she was. Kaden pushed the thought aside, mourning the loss of his ability wasn’t going to help anyone. “We all agree they’re still in Norton?”
Everyone nodded their head.
“Right. We’ve got about ten hours till sundown.”
“We’re not waiting that long!” Ryver jumped in.
“I don’t intend to,” Kaden retorted, his gaze landing on Mercury as he finished.
Mercury smirked, his mouth lifting on one side. “We’ll be needing Xena then.”
“Xena?” Soraya asked.
“Mercury’s pride and joy. Think armoured tank meets Land Rover.”
“She’s far more beautiful than any armoured tank, fuck you very much!” He turned to Kaden. “I’ll get the suits ready too."
Kaden nodded. He hated those damned suits but they were a necessary evil. The specially designed UPF suits protected them against ninety-nine percent of UV rays. The remaining one percent was uncomfortable as hell and the protection only diminished the longer they were exposed. They had no choice though.
“Right. Mercury, you’re with me, Sky and Xena. Ryver I need you to try and contact House Bowman. Phoenix, you get prepped with Soraya, just in case."
Soraya reached out to grab Kaden’s forearm, the simple touch sending flashes of heat through him. “You can’t go, Kaden.”
“I need to do this, Soraya.”
She shook her head in response.
“Maybe she’s right, Boss,” Mercury said, whilst the others found interesting things to look at on the lino.
“I will not argue on this, Soraya. I’m going.”
Kaden steeled himself for her reply, but it did not come. Instead, Soraya narrowed her eyes as she searched his face. Kaden set his jaw as he looked back at her, confused that although he was determined to go, he somehow needed her approval.
“There is only one way I will allow you to go.” Kaden felt his eyes widen as Soraya brushed the side of her neck when she spoke, making sure Kaden was in no doubt as to her meaning.
He gave a slow blink to try and ground himself and will his aching fangs to stay where they were. He could already feel the stares of his brethren burning through the back of his head. He did not need to get all fangy and raise further questions.
“The choice is yours, Kaden.” Soraya’s golden eyes gleamed with something Kaden couldn’t name, but he was certain of one thing. She wasn’t joking.
“Boss?”
Kaden barely contained his growl as he answered Mercury’s question. “What?”
“You coming?”
Kaden didn’t turn to meet Mercury, instead he continued to scrutinise Soraya’s face. He searched for an answer that would let him leave without taking her up on her proposition. His body was screaming for what she offered but his mind knew it would be a mistake. He was already irrevocably tied to her, taking more of her precious blood would only make things worse in the end. In his heart of hearts he knew this could not end well…for either of them. Her face remained serene, as it always was, but determination added an extra glow to her complexion. The answer he wanted wasn’t there.
His head dropped in resignation before telling Mercury to get prepped. He’d meet them in the garage. Kaden felt rather than saw Mercury frowning, but it was soon eclipsed by Soraya’s radiant smile as she led Kaden from the room.
Kaden followed Soraya to her office feeling like an inexperienced youngling. Here was the most beautiful creature he had ever set eyes on offering him something so precious there were no words to describe it. His body cried out for her gift and he knew it was the only thing that would give him the strength to go after Lena and Thorn, but still he hesitated.
He found he wanted to seduce her. Nourishment had become such a clinical process, but at its basest level, it was far from it. Feeding was visceral, carnal, lustful. Kaden wanted to obliterate the fool who invented any sort of drinking vessel so that there would be no option but to take sustenance directly from the source.
“Kaden,” her voice was huskier than usual and Kaden’s already aching fangs punched down hard at the sound of it.
“You don’t have to do this, Soraya.” His own voice sounded pathetic in comparison.
“Yes. I do,” she whispered as she offered him her wrist.
All of a sudden he wished the guy who invented cups was on hand with a never ending supply. It wasn’t her neck but the wrist could be just as intimate, more so, even. It meant you could watch your donor’s face as you took what you needed. You could look into each other’s eyes. Christ.
“Kaden, we don’t have much time.”
She was right. Damn it. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
“I know,” she sighed.
Had he said that out loud? The confusion must have shown on his face as she continued, “This isn’t what I would choose, so I don’t imagine you would either.”
Kaden couldn’t speak so he just nodded his response.
Soraya offered her wrist again and Kaden could wait no longer. A growl left his curled lips as he took her hand in his.
He stroked the inside of her delicate wrist with his thumb and Soraya shuddered in response. Kaden snapped his head up to meet her gaze. Her eyes were wide and shone like white gold as she watched him. He couldn’t look away and stared back at her as he brought her slender arm up to his lips.
He brushed his lips over her china-white skin at the point where her radial artery was closest to the surface and Soraya sucked in a hard breath. Maintaining eye contact he slowly swept his tongue over the vein. As the taste of peaches washed over his taste buds, he watched mesmerised as two tantalising fangs scraped her bottom lip.
In that moment he knew this woman would be his undoing, yet he was powerless to stop it. Mirroring her actions, he drew his own fangs across her wrist and relished the exquisite hiss she gave in reply.
“Kaden!” she pleaded.
He wanted to drag this out. He wanted to tease her. He wanted her to enjoy this. Cursing his selfishness he took one last taste of her skin as his swept his tongue along the radial. The action served to bring her precious blood closer to the skin and Kaden had to close his eyes to hold himself back. He would not hurt her. He would not take more than he needed.
Her skin was so soft it was like biting into a ripe peach. Kaden’s razor-sharp fangs found home in one lightning strike and the glorious claret that filled his mouth was an exquisite reward. He watched Soraya’s head fall back as she let out an enraptured sigh. A myriad of flavours flooded Kaden’s senses, all of them fresh and pure and sweet. Vanilla, orange blossom, and of course, peach, and underneath it all the slightest hint of nutmeg. It was wonderful.
The power entering his body through her precious blood was incredible. It reached every part of him immediately, surging forward, healing, invigorating, arousing. A guttural groan formed at the back of Kaden’s throat as he felt the damage near his heart re-knitting.
A split second later he was moaning for a completely different reason. All his nerve endings were alive and he hoped to whatever God was out there that Soraya didn’t notice the hard length pressing against his fly.
Soraya’s breathing intensified as Kaden slowed his efforts. He lapped at the wound he’d created sending increased levels of dopamine through her system and hitting her with unparalleled pleasure. All the time he watched her.
Her soft red lips were slightly parted giving him glimpses of her beautiful fangs. Her head was still thrown back and her eyes were closed. When he finally sealed the twin punctures w
ith a last unhurried swipe of his tongue, Soraya met his eyes again and Kaden stopped mid motion.
Her stunning eyes burnt with a new intensity so that they glittered like diamonds. And those eyes looked right at him. Right into him. No one had ever looked at him as Soraya did now.
Chapter 13
Kaden jogged over to the sleek, matte-black Land Rover and ignored Mercury’s arched eyebrow as he jumped up into the passenger seat. With Soraya’s blood racing around his system he felt invincible and not even the cynical Mercury could ruin it for him. Well, that and the fact he had no idea how he could explain what had just happened in Soraya’s office.
Kaden had been around a long time and had fed from countless women, Vampire or otherwise, yet something else had happened in that office. The way she had looked at him still sent shivers through him.
“Feelin' better are we?” Mercury asked with a smirk.
“Fine. Let’s get going.”
Kaden caught Mercury shooting a look at Sky in the rear-view mirror, but was relieved the other Vampire chose not to push the point any further. Instead, Mercury slid into first gear and the purring V-8 engine roared to life. Norton was a good half hour away but the way Mercury drove, they’d be there in fifteen.
Looking through the specially tinted, UV resistant glass, Kaden cursed the sun. If it had been after sunset, they could have been in Norton immediately.
Kaden tried to picture Thorn and Lena in his mind. Thanks to Soraya’s gift, his body finally felt fully restored. Unfortunately his other ability hadn’t got the message yet. Frustrated that he couldn’t see Thorn or Lena, he closed his eyes and concentrated.
Sending his senses out as far as he could manage he tried to focus on where the pair were, more importantly, how they were. Nothing. Not even the slightest hint. All blood bonded Vampires could sense each other, Kaden’s own ability to see, notwithstanding. He pushed harder but only got a searing headache for his trouble.
“Mercury?”
“I still can’t sense 'em either,” Mercury replied.
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