The Seven: Four tales of passion, danger and love

by Ciana Stone

  She had a great need to be in charge of her own life and he respected that. Despite her youth, she was quite remarkable. He'd never known a woman capable of the level of passion that came naturally to her.

  Even now he could taste her, feel the lingering tingle of her touch on his skin and echoes of her orgasms in his mind. He felt a bit foolish. After having lived so long to have just now discovered this type of passion and desire made him feel like a young man just starting a journey.

  Perhaps he was. A Vampire's lifespan was measured in centuries rather than years. He'd known Vampires who'd died, killed by humans or catastrophic events, but it was a rarity.

  Could that be the reason there were so few of his kind? Nature was far superior to man and far wiser. Through Nature, a balance was achieved. There might be moments of imbalance but left to Nature, the world righted itself. Were there too many of his kind, there would not be sustenance enough to sustain them. Perhaps Nature's wisdom kept that from happening. It was humans and perhaps his kind as well that disrupted the delicate balance.

  Augustus shoved aside those thoughts as he felt her waken.

  Layla opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Yes."

  "Yes?"

  "To staying for one month. Not to the other."

  He had not expected her to accept. While making love he'd bitten her. He could see the two nearly healed wounds on her right breast. She'd allowed it. Once.

  Augustus had asked her to allow him to turn her. She would be virtually immortal, possessed of great strength and immune to disease and old age.

  She'd said it was not a decision to make while distracted and now she wanted more of the distraction he so talentedly delivered. He had to admit that it was a masterful way of evading – stroking his male ego.

  "You may change your mind. In time."

  "No."

  "You can't know—"

  "Augustus." She lifted one hand to stroke the side of his face. "I may be young in comparison to you but I know who I am. An ordinary woman who got lucky. Now don't give me that look. It's true. There are people out there who can write circles around me. I got lucky. And maybe I can build on that luck, but I'm still nothing special."

  "You're wrong. Your abilities—"

  "Sensing other people's thoughts?"

  "Knowing when someone is telling the truth."

  "Oh. That. Well, I guess it has its plusses but it also has its negatives. Most of the time it just gets your feelings hurt or makes you mistrustful."

  "It could be invaluable to the peace accord."

  "Don't you believe what your people are being told?"

  "I am not certain there is complete truth being offered from either side of the table."

  "Are you serious?"

  "Very."

  "Well, I'll help you however I can on that, but I can be human and do that."

  "As Vampire your ability would be greatly magnified."

  "Maybe, but … look, I'm not going to beat around the bush here. It's a given that I'm attracted to you and have feelings for you, but we're – we just started out. Who knows how we'll feel in a month or a year? I was engaged to someone for a long time and I thought we'd get married, have a family, and grow old together.

  "That didn't happen. And there's no guarantee we'll last. And if this thing between us goes south – well no offense but the idea of being alone forever isn't real appealing to me."

  He did understand. Being alone was not easy. His kind shared more traits with humans than she realized. Both races were creatures with strong emotional components. The need to love and be loved was as strong in one as the other.

  "Fine, then we shall not speak of this again. If you change your mind the offer is on the table."

  "Thank you. Really. It's an incredible offer and I lo…"

  "Love me for making the offer?"

  "I can't say it."

  "Why?"

  "I just can't. Not yet."

  "It's alright. I can wait."

  "Can you?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, I can't."

  "Pardon?"

  Layla giggled and rolled over on top of him. "For this."

  When her lips claimed his, he released thoughts of tomorrow and allowed himself to be swept away in the now.

  Chapter Nine

  I'm in love. With a Vampire. Damn, that sounds like the start of a romance novel. That makes me laugh. I never – not in a million years— would have dreamed that something like this could be real.

  Vampires are real. It's freaking unbelievable. And they're not what we thought. Well, they are, in a way. Augustus says that some Vampires are not strong enough to endure a lot of direct sunlight. Something about a genetic thing and whether they're full blood or mixed race. Therefore, they are more nocturnal. I guess those are the Vampires who spawned the tales of the undead.

  He's not bothered at all by the sun. Like today. He's mustering cattle. What a word. Mustering. I didn't have a clue what it was and couldn't Google it so I had him explain it to me.

  There's a heck of a lot more to being a cowboy than I realized. I should have taken notes. Right now it's all a blur. I remember something about his horse being one of the best at drawing cattle. I think that means the horse is really good at making cows look at him and come toward him, but I could be wrong.

  Augustus said he had two guys who were top-notch herd holders. What a term. According to him that means they're good at keeping the herd grouped or in control while a cutter works.

  Cutter. Kind of a harsh word. I was scared that had something to do with knives, but he says a cutter is the one who focuses on a single cow that needs to be separated from the herd.

  Apparently, he's a cutter.

  I really need to make notes on all of this and get him to tell me more. It sure would help in the book I just started. Yeah, I couldn't resist. A Vampire cowboy.

  A knock at the door had Layla getting up from the sofa. She'd spent the last two hours lost in writing. Augustus had provided her with a laptop and since he was often busy with The Seven business, she'd started a new tale.

  She wasn't ready for him to know the contents of her new story since it was based upon the two of them, but she was addicted to it and spent all her free time writing. Layla was shocked at how easy she'd fallen into her new lifestyle. She hadn't been online for several weeks and didn't even miss it.

  Considering that she'd been a Facebook and Twitter addict that was saying something. She'd once joked that it would be like getting off drugs to give up social media. Of course, the fact that he didn't have cable or internet made it easy to go cold turkey.

  The only time she'd wanted to go online was two days after her rescue. She'd wakened feeling wonderful. Her body was fully healed and even her mind was at ease. Augustus had admitted that he had been feeding her his blood when she slept. She should have been angry, upset that he acted without her permission. But she felt too good, was too happy to be alive, whole, and filled with creative energy.

  Still, she wanted to let her publicist and her family know that she was okay. He'd had someone loyal to him send a group email from an untraceable account saying that she was fine and not to worry. She hoped that was enough.

  She opened the door to find Gabriel standing outside. The sight of him always brought a smile to her face. "Gabriel. What are you doing here?"

  "Come with me." He took her hand.

  "To where?"

  "Just come with me."

  "But Augustus might come home and –"

  "He's mustering cattle. Now come on."

  She let him pull her through the door and down the front steps. "Where are we going? Where's your car? How are we supposed—" Her sentence ended in a squeal as he lifted her into his arms, unfurled his wings, and ascended.

  "Oh my god!" She clung to him, watching the ground move away from them. "Holy shit – uh sorry, but holy moly."

  Gabriel laughed as she let out an excited yell. He executed a few dips and banks that had
her squealing like a child in delight. When they landed outside the back porch of the guesthouse, she was flushed with excitement.

  "That was the coolest thing ever."

  He laughed and gave her shoulders a squeeze. "We'll do it again something."

  "Oh I hope so. But…" She looked around. "Why did you bring me here?"

  "There's something you need to see. Come on."

  He took her hand and led her inside to the great room. Inside an oversized armoire was a flat screen television. She hadn't noticed it when she was there before, but then she hadn't spent but a few hours there. She and Augustus stayed at his house and she didn't accompany him when he met his peers.

  In fact, she hadn't known Gabriel was still there. All of the other leaders had gone back to their own commands.

  He found the remote, turned on the television and changed to CNN. "Okay, so?" She turned her eyes from the television where the newscaster was going on about stock prices to look at him.

  "Just wait for it."

  She took a seat and watched. Ten minutes into the broadcast, her mouth fell open in shock. Her publicist and her editor were on camera, along with an agent from the FBI. They were asking that anyone with knowledge of her whereabouts to come forward. The agent mentioned that an email had been received stating that she was alive, leading them to believe that further contact would be made, demanding a ransom.

  Layla watched in amazement as they told how she was last seen getting into a limo after a successful book signing. Footage was inserted of her on the morning news show giving her glib comment about not objecting to being kidnapped by a drop-dead sexy cowboy who had paranormal abilities.

  That was followed by speculation that perhaps her meant-to-be humorous comment had gotten her abducted. Or worse.

  Layla looked up at Gabriel when the report ended. "I have to let them know I'm okay."

  He didn't make a comment and for a moment she just sat there, chewing her bottom lip. Why hadn't she considered this before? What was wrong with her? Was she so caught up in the fantasy she was living with Augustus that she'd blinded herself to reality?

  "I should have let them know. That was stupid. How could I have been so stupid? Of course they were going to be worried – or mad. Maybe at first they just thought I skipped town for – for whatever reason – couldn't handle the attention or – or …"

  She jumped up. "I have to call my publicist. Where's the phone?"

  Gabriel pointed in the direction of the phone and she crossed the room and picked it up. That's when she realized that she didn't know her publicist's number. It had been programmed into her cell phone.

  "Where's my phone?"

  "Pardon?"

  "When I left the signing and got in that limo I had a shoulder bag with me. My phone and Kindle were in it. Where is it?"

  "I don't know."

  "Well who does?"

  "Augustus."

  She considered it for a few moments. "Can you take me to him?"

  "I suppose we could find him."

  "Then let's go."

  "Layla, it might be better if I took you back to his house and you waited for him—"

  "No. I want to see him now."

  "Okay, it's your funeral."

  "Oh, puleeze he's not going to kill me because I want to let people know I'm not dead."

  "But he might pull my feathers out."

  Layla laughed. "Yeah, right. Come on. Please?"

  After a melodramatic sigh, Gabriel grinned. "Well, it will rankle him seeing me show up with you in my arms. You want to change first?"

  She looked down at the loose cotton sundress she wore. She didn't have a lot of choices. When she'd packed for the signing events, she'd chosen skirts and blouses. This was just a comfortable old dress she'd tossed into her luggage for wearing while she was relaxing at the hotel.

  "No, I'm good."

  "Okay then, let's do it."

  With that, he picked her up and took to the air. Layla marveled at the experience. This really was like a dream, flying over the countryside in the arms of an Angel to find the man she loved. A Vampire. Talk about fact being stranger than fiction.

  It took them a bit to locate the herd and when they did, Gabriel circled it several times, allowing Layla the chance to watch what was going on.

  She forgot all about soaring above the earth. Watching the cowboys work was fascinating. Four cowboys moved in concert, two on each side of the herd, keeping what looked like several hundred cows grouped and moving in the same direction.

  One lone cowboy cut his horse into the herd. Layla gasped as he entered the teaming mass of animals, skillfully weaving his way with and through them. He apparently was focused on a cow whose head was mostly white. Within minutes, he and his horse had caused that one cow to move from the middle of the herd to the edge.

  The cowboy drove the cow away from the herd that was steadying moving. Finally, he turned his horse and started back toward the herd.

  "Why'd he do that?"

  Gabriel leaned a little closer, speaking in her ear. "They cut out the cows that aren't being sent to market."

  "Oh. Wow, that was something. Does Augustus have many cowboys that can do that?"

  "Most of them can. Some better than others."

  "Well that one made it look hot." She felt the flush rise on her face. "Sorry, it's just − well damn, that guy's like sex in a saddle if you know what I mean."

  "I'm sure Augustus will be happy to hear that." He started his descent and she twisted in his arms to look at him.

  "You can't tell him, Gabriel."

  "Why not?"

  "Because – because I don't want him thinking I'm lusting after one of his—oh shit."

  Gabriel laughed as the subject of their discussion looked up. Augustus reined his horse to a halt and waited for Gabriel to land. "Why're you here?"

  Layla gave Gabriel a little pinch on the side as he released her. "You're bad."

  "Bad? Have you seen my wings?"

  She laughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek and then turned to Augustus. "That was amazing."

  "What?"

  "The way you made that cow go from the middle of the herd to the edge. I've never seen anything like it. It was—"

  "Sex in a saddle." Gabriel said and then laughed when she cut him a look. "Okay, delivery complete. You want me to stay and take her back?"

  Augustus took off his hat and smoothed his hair back. "I'll get her home."

  "All righty then. I'm outta here. And I do mean out. I'm headed back to California."

  "Safe journey, my friend." August reached out and clasped Gabriel's arm just below the elbow and Gabriel followed suit.

  It was an unusual but somehow fitting act between the two of them, Layla thought. After all, they were an odd friendship. A Vampire and an Angel.

  Gabriel unfurled his wings and rose. Within moments, he'd disappeared into the clouds. Layla turned her attention to Augustus. "I'm really sorry to bother you but –"

  "Sex in a saddle?"

  Layla had no doubt that her cheeks were probably beet red if the intensity of the flush she felt was any indication. But she wasn't going to deny what she'd said. "Yeah, so?"

  "And just who is this sex in a saddle you're referring to?"

  "Well damn, Augustus, I guess it was you since that's who we were watching."

  He smiled. "I can live with that."

  She shook her head. "So even Vampires have male egos that like to be stoked?"

  "We have more than egos that like to be stroked."

  This time the heat didn't head to her face. She felt it suffuse her entire body. Saints and sinners, if he didn't have the ability to turn her on.

  "You're bad."

  "I can be."

  "Okay, before this gets out of hand, I need something from you."

  "What?"

  "My cell phone."

  "Why?"

  "Gabriel took me to the guest house. There was a newscast. My family, my publicist, everyone
thinks I'm either dead or being held hostage somewhere. The email you had sent is being looked at like some indication that I'm a prisoner and they're just waiting for a ransom demand. I have to let them know I'm okay."

  "Not from your cell phone."

  "Why?"

  "GPS."

  "Oh!" She hadn't considered that. Then, what difference did it really make if anyone knew where she was. She wasn't in danger, being held hostage or anything like that.

  "We are days away from signing a treaty with humans, Layla. I can't let anything, not even you, interfere with that. Just give it seventy-two hours and then I will return your phone. Please."

  She hated to think about her family worrying about her, but the treaty was something huge. It would change the world.

  "So, if you sign the treaty, everyone will be told about you?"

  "Yes, there will be a press conference. World governments are mobilizing their military to be on standby, in the off chance that there is trouble."

  "Do you think there will be?"

  "I don't know. Humans are predictable in some ways and completely unpredictable in others."

  "Okay, fine. We wait."

  "Thank you. Was there anything else?"

  "Uh, yeah. How about taking me home?"

  "Wanna ride my horse sugar?" His voice slid into a low southern drawl that sounded all too real and had the heat kicking up a notch inside her.

  "Oh yeah."

  "Then climb on."

  She gave him her hand and he pulled her up in front of him. Once they were settled, he unclipped the radio from his belt and called his foreman to tell him he was headed home and to call when the cattle were loaded.

  That done, he turned the horse and headed home.

  Five minutes into the ride, Layla was eager to get back to his house and not because the ride was unpleasant. Being nestled between Augustus' legs with her ass plastered against his groin, and the motion of the horse had her feeling a lot warmer than the temperature warranted.

  Added to that was the feel of his left hand resting lightly on her hip, fingers occasionally stroking lightly and how he'd lean in close to speak softly in her ear. She'd never been on a horse before and had no idea it could be so…stimulating.