by T. J. Quinn
Selene chimed in, “My father said to tell you congratulations.”
Dakota thought for a moment. “Tell your father the reward he put up was a nice gesture and generated a lot of calls. However, your congratulations should go to Jared. You would have been proud of him. The little girl was down a deep hole and he climbed right down before I could even get turned around, fed her, tied her to his body, and pulled her right out of there. Honestly, it was like he didn’t even need me. If it weren’t for his age, he could hunt on his own.”
Jared looked embarrassed and slowly sank himself beneath the water.
Selene just beamed. “By the way, how did you know that my father put up the reward?”
“I didn’t until you just verified it. It just seemed like the kind of nice thing your father would do and not many people have that kind of cash lying around to donate to a good cause.”
“My dad said that because no one claimed the money, he was donating it to the woman and her child so they can start a new life.”
“I think your father is a phenomenal person.” Selene smiled at her. Dakota kissed her on the cheek and said, “I am guessing Jared is not coming back up until I stop bragging about him so I will get going. I hope you two have a nice day.”
Dakota swam to the edge of the pool and turned around. “Will you give your father a personal message from me?”
Selene nodded her head. “I would be happy to. I know he misses you greatly.”
“Please tell him I am sorry about the time out thing because I really would have preferred spending yesterday evening with him.” The girl smiled and Dakota climbed out of the pool and went to sketch with Edward.
Chapter 16
Mr. Right
~ Alex ~
When she arrived with her sketch book, Edward glanced up at her. “Darlin’, you don’t look so good. Did you have a rough night?”
“My God, have I ever missed your slow southern drawl, Edward. Last night was awful. First night back from a hunt and you know how that is for me.”
He held out an arm. “Come on then, let’s see what you’ve been up to.”
Dakota smiled and slid into his arm beside him on the sofa. She held her sketch book and he began flipping the pages. He was shocked to see some very intimate sketches of her in the arms of a very attractive vampire in a shower and cuddled naked in bed doing very sexy things.
He gave a long whistle, “Not a word, not even to Nares.” He held up two fingers and said “Scout’s honor, doll.” Only when Edward said the word honor, it sounded more like ‘hourner’ because of his southern accent.
Edward recognized the man immediately and encouraged her, “So tell me all about him.”
“He’s that guy from the Christmas party a couple of years ago.”
Edward gave her a knowing smile. “You mean the sexy one who doesn’t like human women? He was quite mysterious. I always wondered what happened to him.”
“I think I am falling pretty hard for him but I’m very confused. He was a target and you how intimate getting to know someone is when you’re hunting for them. On top of that, he was in really bad shape when I found him so I fed him for a couple of weeks. Well, I found that my reaction to being near him was off the charts hot. I guess I need to figure out if all those feelings are for real or if it’s just the result of the intensity of the hunt and all that sexy feeding. God, you can’t imagine how it feels to have his fangs in my neck.”
Edward brought his hand to his chest briefly. “Remember who you’re talking to girl. I am married to the world’s sexiest vampire precisely for that reason.”
Dakota smiled and said, “I told him not to speak to me for a couple of weeks to give me a chance to sort out my feelings.” Edward asked, “How long ago was that?” She said, “Our waiting period is about up. Last night was horrible. I rolled back in from another hunt, was totally depressed, Durk came to the rescue like he always does, we got falling down drunk and I danced the night away with every gorgeous vampire I could get my hands on, except the one I desperately wanted.”
Edward smiled and offered, “I saw your hunt on the news. Good job there. Girl, you are always so over the top. Dancing with a million sexy vamps in one night doesn’t even surprise me. Now, wanna tell me why you’re even second guessing this thang with Mr. Right?”
She looked anxious and replied, “I am scared because I feel this terrible sense of loss when I am not with him. I just don’t know how I fell so hard and fast for him. I swear to God, it feels just like meeting my soul mate.”
Edward pointed out, “That is what you are supposed to be looking for, isn’t it?”
She sighed and replied, “You know that relationships never work for me. What if I give in to all those feelings and things don’t work out? I am already miserable and I haven’t even had proper sex with him. If I totally gave myself over and it didn’t work, I don’t think I could deal with the loss. Plus, he has children and his youngest is a feeding partner for Jared. I don’t want to screw up everything for everyone but being separated from him is a new kind of pain and intense longing I have never known before.”
Edward pulled her to his chest. “My dear, I can tell this is tearing you up inside. I say take a chance. If you can’t bring yourself to do that, then there is no guarantee that you won’t feel just this bad forever.”
Dakota looked doubtful. “I am also petrified that once the afterglow of being rescued by me wears off…well, I don’t think I will be hearing from him again in any event. I wonder if it wouldn’t hurt a lot less losing him now rather than after I have totally bonded with him.”
“Don’t worry, Dakota, if it is true love, you will hear from him and if not, then that means your true love is still out there looking for you.”
She smiled at her longtime friend. “Edward, you always know what to say to make me feel better.”
He smiled and responded, “Remember, I have you to thank for introducing me to Nares and for listening to all my insecurities about being with God’s gift to men.”
Dakota giggled and teased him, “Look, if Nares liked women instead of men, we would be having a very different conversation because I would have snapped him right up.”
Edward laughed. “Hands off my man, Princess, or I’ll spank you and not in a sexy way you might like.”
She smiled and replied, “You are always the most fun, Edward. I’ll make you a deal, if you promise to run off with me, I will give up this whole looking for Mr. Right thing.”
He laughed and teased, “Do you realize you say that every single time I talk to you? Besides, I am not going to let you give up on finding true love. It has only been two years of actually looking and you are so close to finding it with this last vampire. Don’t ever give up, girl. You give so much of yourself to others, Dakota. You deserve to be happy more than anyone I know.”
She smiled and they began to sketch together. Edward always drew sexy pictures of Nares because even after being married for four years, they were still crazy in love with each other.
She drew pictures of her latest hunt to try to get her mind off Alek. It didn’t work. All she could think was how warm and nice it felt to be in his arms. His cool body was heaven to cuddle up to and the lightheaded feeling of feeding him was something she had rarely felt in her relationships with other vampire males. She ended up working up a sketch of them kissing on the beach.
She loved that he was reserved and the way he had initiated intimacy with her the couple of times she was at his house left her with the impression that he was man who knew what he wanted and was not afraid to reach out and take it.
The tone of his voice had been deep and just slightly dominate. Hearing that tone in his voice was extremely sensual…it sounded needy, rough, and edgy…like sandpaper on gravel. She had instantly caved to his desires.
The feeling of his hands on her body had been incredible. His touch aroused every single nerve ending in her entire body all at once. It felt like coming alive after a lon
g hibernation. Being intimate with Alek was the single most pleasurable experience of her entire life.
She realized he was like a highly addictive and sensual drug to her. She wanted him, longed for him, needed him in a way she had never needed anything or anyone before in her entire life. The more she thought of the situation, the more she realized that she would trade a lot to have him in her life…everything, in fact, except maybe her son. She was shocked by that revelation.
Chapter 17
Star Crossed Lovers
~ Alek ~
Alek had spent the morning at work and went to the spa for a swim at lunch. Every male in the locker room was discussing Dakota, as usual. This time, they were talking about how depressed she usually was after a hunt. She always comes back, hooks up with Durk, and they drink and dance all night.
One of males snorted, “What is so special about Durk? He doesn’t have anything the rest of us don’t have.”
Another responded, “They were friends growing up. He might have the inside track but I think if she wanted him, she would not have broken it off with him two years ago. Besides, he asks her out all the time and she always says no. I think he should just give it up, move over, and make room for new blood.”
One of the males nodded in Alek’s direction and remarked. “The only hunt I have ever seen her come back fine from was Alek’s. Now I wonder what was different about that particular hunt.”
Several males approached him and began asking questions. “After she found me, I was in bad shape. She stayed with me and live fed me for a couple of weeks. I think she just needs down time after a hunt.”
The males were shocked and then there were several people asking dozens of questions. What was she like? Did she share his bed? Did they kiss? Did they have sex? What did she eat? Is it true she has a son? On and on the questions came. Alek was evasive and any question he could pretend not to know, he did.
Finally, he cut them off. “Look, I barely know Dakota, I am just one of hundreds of poor unfortunate souls she hunted. You have all known her socially for years. I’m sure I don’t have much to add to this discussion.” He threw his wet trunks in his gym bag, shut his locker, and hand scanned it to lock.
Durk’s voice sounded off from the doorway. “I think that perhaps you do have something to add to the discussion. I have never seen her the way she was after her hunt for you. She was relaxed, confident, and content. Why?”
Alek tilted his head and replied assertively. “If you would like to know the answers to such questions, you should simply ask Dakota. You are her best friend. I’m sure she would be happy to share with you what I can only speculate about.”
Durk responded bluntly, “I’m asking you.”
Alek replied coldly. “Then let me be clear that I have no intention of discussing Dakota with you or anyone else. What went on with my hunt and during the time of my recuperation is something I consider personal.”
Durk eyes narrowed. “Dakota told me the person who took you put a device on your arm that drained the blood out of your system. Drained you almost dry, in fact, over and over again…like on the ships.”
Alek nodded his head in acknowledgement. “It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my long life.”
Durk continued, “It must have taken massive amounts of intense live feeding to overcome something like that. If I know Dakota, she can be persistent about feeding sick vampires. She must have been in your lap fairly constantly to make that right in two short weeks.”
Alek looked him in the eye for a brief moment, nodded one short nod, and then turned on his heel to leave.
As he was walking off, Durk’s voice sounded off in the now quiet locker room. “Just so you know, last night, she came back from her latest hunt upset. She chose to spend her time with me. We drank and danced until the bar closed. No matter what any of you think, Dakota always comes to me because we have a special bond that cannot be broken.”
Alek turned and said quietly, over his shoulder. “I noticed she never goes home with you. She didn’t spend two weeks in your home, in your bed, and in your lap fresh feeding you. Honestly, I know why you are so territorial with her, Durk. Although I have never made love to her, just having in her my arms and drinking her blood while she gently caressed my body created the most intense longing I have ever known. The feeling of separation is more painful than anything I have known. It is a feeling I would not wish upon even my worst enemy.”
Instantly, the room erupted in excited whispering. Durk expression told Alek that the man knew exactly what Alek was talking about and only a fool would wish that kind of misery upon himself.
Alek decided to spend the rest of the day working from home. Very occasionally, he worked from his home office. The drive was an opportunity to get his head straight. He was finding the days he’d been separated from the lovely hunter wrought with loneliness.
He had quickly realized that never having been in love made such an emotion easy to discount and easy to learn to live without. Having held the beautiful hunter in his arms and kissing her had awakened such a strong longing in him. It was a sweet torment he had never known and he had no defenses against.
Each day, it had been difficult to resist the urge to go to her. He had promised her no contact for at least two full weeks and he worried constantly that she was slowly forgetting the feeling of his touch. He realized it must be difficult for a woman to form a genuine attachment to a vampire.
Whatever small tiny flame he had sparked in her heart was no doubt forgotten when she left his house and began spending time around other more attractive males. He was certain he would pale by comparison to the large, attractive vampire warriors he normally saw her with.
As difficult as it was to endure the urge to go to her during the day, the longing he felt for her at night was what tore a huge hole in his soul. It was during the night that he sometimes grabbed his cell phone and pulled up her number and it took every ounce of self-control he possessed not to push the button and hear her sweet, sleepy voice answer the line. It was at night that he felt bewitched and controlled by her. At night, the dreams came upon him almost every time his head touched the pillow. Strong, erotic dreams filled with having her with him, watching her expression when she played chess with his girls. Seeing the soft, loving expression on her face when he held her and kissed her. Playing over and over in his mind the sound of his name on her lips. Hearing her speak vampier made him so hard for her.
Remembering the way she touched him as he fed from her. How eager she was to feed him all better. The very pleased look on her face each time she pressed him back down on his pillow after feeding.
He remembered how aroused she became during his feedings. He often wondered if it was because of his gentle caress or because of the feeling of having his fangs in her neck. Whatever it was, he could tell she liked feeding him immensely. On several occasions, feeding him had led to high levels of sexual arousal for her. He could sense it and smell her pheromones. Her scent was the most beautiful he had ever encountered.
He had tried everything to drive thoughts of the beautiful hunter from his mind. He had scheduled spa visits every other day, which were nice, but did nothing to alleviate his intense longing. When that didn’t work, he tried masturbation several times a day, then moved on to cool showers. He had even resorted to live feeding with other females but the experience was nothing like being with Dakota.
It left him feeling even more need and desire for her, so he went back to synthetic blood and forced a discipline upon himself the likes of which he had never known. He increased his work, exercise, and swimming. He put a clamp on his heart. He spent endless hours practicing the old fashioned vampire martial arts cottas. He was beginning to lose hope that he could go the last week without speaking to her.
He walked in with his gym bag and found Selene and her little love mate on the sofa playing a video game. He smiled his greeting and went to get sit up in his private study off the great room. He pulled ou
t his laptop and pulled up his 3D imager. He was beginning to look at information generated by his VP on a potential acquisition when Selene slipped into the room. He took a break and sat with her on the sofa on the far side of his study.
She smelled faintly of chlorine, so he asked, “Have you been swimming?”
She pulled up the strap of her swimsuit and replied, “Jared invited me over. Dakota has a large Olympic size pool with a diving board. It was fun. I spoke with her this morning and she asked me to say thank you for putting up the money for the hunt she did on the missing girl.”
Alek smiled at his young daughter. “Of course, I saw the news footage. I guess it turned out to be the stepfather. Jared nailed him a good one from what I saw. I think that young man will be following in his mother’s footsteps.”
Selene looked very proud and responded, “It wouldn’t surprise me. Hunting is in his blood.”
He tilted his head. “I’m beginning to think you two have commitment issues…maybe a little too committed a little too early in life.”
Selene giggled. “Maybe you should sort out your own commitment issues before you worry about mine. Dakota had another message for me to give you. She said to tell you she is sorry about asking for the break…whatever that means. She also said to tell you she would rather have spent yesterday evening with you. Again, I don’t know what that means, either.”
Alek tried to wipe the very pleased look off his face.
Selene quipped giddily, “I have the feeling you know what it means.”
Alek smiled and nodded. “She asked me not to talk to her for a couple of weeks so she could sort out her feelings for me.”
Selene swung her legs capriciously. “Grownups are always so strange. Not talking to someone you love for two whole months is nearly impossible. Even I know that and I’m…well, a kid.”
Alek kissed her on the forehead. “First of all, you are very smart, even if you are young. Second of all, what makes you think we are in love?”
