Overcome by the flood of sensations roiling her body, she didn’t feel the sharp pain of his bite slicing through her skin, didn’t feel the soft pressure as his fangs pierced her vein. But when her blood began to flow and the euphoric in his bite slammed into her system, she could only hope to survive the exquisite rush of wanton need that sizzled through her veins. Writhing in his arms, her muscles rigid and her back bowed, she screamed helplessly into the darkness.
GABRIEL CUDDLED HANA close, her body still trembling in the aftermath of their lovemaking. She was holding on to him, her head on his shoulder, her face pressed into the curve of his neck. Every few minutes, she’d kiss him there, her warm tongue darting out to lick the salty sweat of his skin. He soothed her with long, slow strokes of his hand down her back, all the way to her sweet ass, and then over again.
“Your eyes were glowing,” she whispered, her voice sounding a little shaky.
He pulled the comforter tighter around her. “It happens when I use any of my vampiric power, or when I’m sufficiently aroused—which is any time I’m around you. Though it never happened under Nico’s spell.”
“Do you miss it? I mean, the spell. Do you wish it was still there?” Her teeth chattered on the last words.
“Are you cold, Hana? I can—”
“No.” She gripped him tightly as if afraid he’d leave her. “I’m not cold. It’s just my body trying to relax after—” She gave a hard, shuddering jerk, then seemed to calm down. “Sex with you is a little overwhelming.”
“Only a little?” he murmured into her ear.
“Oh, God. Do not go there. I’m trying to stop shivering, not start all over again.”
He hugged her. “Sorry. I’ll try to hold back next—”
She punched his gut. He made an oomph sound, though he barely felt it. Hana was a strong woman, but she wasn’t at her fighting best at that moment.
“Don’t you dare hold back on me,” she growled. “Just . . . talk about something else right now.”
“Like what?” he asked, shrugging his other shoulder.
“About tonight. Are you looking forward to dinner with your friends?”
“Brothers, not friends,” he corrected immediately. “And, yes, I am. Although unless you’re on the menu, I won’t be eating anything.”
She groaned. “None of that, okay? What should I wear?”
“I don’t know. Whatever you want.”
“Very helpful, thanks. We should bring something.”
“You mean food? Why would we—”
“Not food. A hostess gift. It’s a way of thanking them for inviting us. A bottle of wine, maybe.”
“Okay,” he said agreeably. He didn’t really think Kato or Damian would care if he brought wine, but then he didn’t know much about social niceties in this age. “You feeling better yet?” he ventured. Her body was loose against his, and she hadn’t shivered in several minutes.
“Yes. Getting there. I need to shower and wash my hair.”
He nodded. “We can shower togeth—”
“Oh, hell, no. I know what will happen if we get naked together.”
“We’re already naked together.”
“You know what I mean. If we shower together. I’ll be useless by the time we get out. You’ll have to call and cancel with your friends.”
Gabriel clamped his lips together, trying not to laugh. “Who goes first, then?” he managed to get out.
She lifted her head and squinted at him suspiciously. “Are you laughing?”
His eyes widened innocently. “Of course not.”
She made a dismissive noise and sat up. “The girl always showers first. We have more to do.”
“Okay.”
“No sneaking into the shower.”
“Would I do that?”
“Yes.” She leaned over and kissed him, wet and long. “But we can have sex in the shower next time, when we’re not in a hurry.” She smiled sweetly, then climbed out of bed, her hips swaying as she made her way to the bathroom and closed the door.
His cock hardened at the sight. “Well, fuck,” he grumbled. He heard the shower turn on and pictured Hana stepping under the spray, water running over her tight body, dripping from her full breasts. Reaching down, he gripped his erection and closed his eyes as he began stroking. He could still feel the slick heat of her pussy, the way her sheath had pulsed along his length when she’d come, the hard clench of her body as she screamed. He swallowed a shout when he climaxed, then leaned back with a grin, imagining all the things he was going to do with her the next time they took a shower.
A BLACK SUV WAS waiting for them an hour later, when they finally made it to the wide space in front of Raphael’s main house. Cyn was there, too, walking across the courtyard with Elke. They were both dressed in form-fitting workout clothing, which emphasized the excellent physical condition of both women.
“Hey, Hana, Gabriel,” Cyn said cheerfully enough that Hana figured she welcomed a chance to put off a training session with Elke. Hana couldn’t blame her. She was a damn good fighter and in great condition, but she’d felt like collapsing after even a short workout with the female vampire.
“Hi, guys,” Hana said, opening the back door of the SUV and depositing the bottle of wine she’d finagled from the guards’ kitchen. Apparently, Raphael employed a full kitchen and serving staff for the human guards who patrolled his estate during the day.
“Going off to the big reunion?” Cyn asked.
“I’m hoping for more of a dinner party vibe, but, yeah.”
Cyn shifted her attention to Gabriel. “You must be excited.”
Gabriel gave her a look that said he doubted her sanity, but nodded politely enough while he nudged Hana out of the way, so he could close the SUV’s door. Hana got the message. He clearly wanted her to get going, but Cyn wasn’t ready to let them go yet.
“Gabriel, I don’t think you’ve met Elke,” Cyn said, introducing the blond. She turned to Elke. “Gabriel’s the vampire who—”
“Wiped the floor with every vampire who thought he could handle a blade. At least until Gabriel here showed them how it was really done,” she said, sharing a grin with Gabriel as he walked around to the passenger side of the vehicle. Hana was driving, of course, since he’d never learned. But Juro had already scheduled him for lessons starting the next night, since all of Raphael’s security people had to be able to drive.
“You’ve got the address?” Cyn asked Hana, stepping into the open driver’s door. “You can program it into the nav system.”
“Got it, thanks,” Hana assured her.
She was from Japan, after all, Gabriel thought, trying not to roll his eyes. And they loved technology. If there was a new gadget to be had, it was on their cars.
“Well, we should get going,” Hana said, reaching for the door. “No one seems to know when we’re supposed to be there, but something tells me we’re running late.”
“Okay,” Cyn said, finally stepping back. “You kids have a good time now.” She waved as they drove around the circular drive and toward the gate.
“Whew,” Hana said dramatically, as they pulled out onto the street. “I thought she’d never let us go.”
Gabriel laughed. “With Elke as her trainer, she’s probably trying to put off the pain.”
“That’s what I thought, too. You ready for this?”
He glanced over at her. “These are my brothers, Hana. It’ll be fine. You’ll see.”
RAPHAEL LOOKED UP when the door to his office opened and Cyn strolled through unexpectedly. “I thought you were sparring with Elke?”
“Lucky for me, Mal’s flight got in early. Apparently, cops get to break the rules about cell phones.”
“He’s not a cop anymore. He works for me.”
�
�Yeah, but he’s officially on vacation, or maybe it’s retirement. Whatever. It means he still has a badge. Anyway, when he called, Elke couldn’t ditch me fast enough. She’s off to pick him up at the airport, which means I get a free pass.” She grinned.
“I could ask one of my other people to—”
“Don’t you dare.” She came around and sat her lovely ass on his desk. “I caught Hana and Gabriel going off on their dinner date.”
“With the others, you mean.”
“Yeah. You think he’ll change his mind after talking to them? I mean, from everything he says, they were pretty close.”
Raphael gave her a surprised glance. “No, I don’t. Yes, he was close to the men he fought with for so many years, and I expect he’ll remain friends with them. The three of them have lived through something that no one else can imagine, much less understand. But Gabriel has accepted what and who he is now, and that is Vampire. He fought it back then, because it was done against his will, and his first master used him ruthlessly. Katsaros’s spell gave him a reprieve, but it was only that, a reprieve. A temporary fix. The vampire symbiote might have been suppressed, but all the time he was under Katsaros’s spell, the symbiote was still working to reshape Gabriel to be a more effective host. Doctor Saephan agrees with me. We both believe that had Gabriel not been cursed, the spell would have weakened over time, and eventually stopped working altogether. The symbiote is extremely aggressive. Once it takes hold, only death can defeat it.”
“Fortunately for us,” she commented.
Raphael grinned. “Indeed. If it was weak, I never would have met you.”
“Aw.” She leaned forward and kissed him. “You say the sweetest things.” She straightened. “So you’re not worried about Gabriel?”
He shook his head. “I wouldn’t have taken his oath if I’d had any doubts. Gabriel’s heart is true. He’s one of mine now.”
“What about when Nick gets here?”
“Sorcerers love to shove themselves into everyone’s business, so I’m sure our front gate will be one of his first stops.”
“Maybe you two should meet outside, so the fireworks don’t damage the walls.”
“Very funny, my Cyn. I’ll handle Katsaros when the time comes. He can’t do much more than whine about it. Gabriel’s a grown man, free to make his own decisions.”
“Nick will say you influenced him.”
Raphael shrugged. “He can say whatever he wants. In the final analysis, it’s Gabriel who will convince him. The fucking sorcerer will see the truth of it, just like I did. And then we’ll get down to the real question.”
Cyn tilted her head curiously. “What question is that?”
“Who’s after Hana, and what are they planning? Gabriel’s one of mine now, and I protect what’s mine. But Hana needs our protection, too.”
“Then why let them go tonight? If someone’s after her then . . . Oh. You’ve got people watching Grace’s house, don’t you?”
He gave her one of his arrogant, emperor of the universe looks. “Of course. Gabriel is a powerful warrior and would give his life to protect Hana, but from what they’ve told me about the people sent against them in Nagano, someone is very determined to grab her. One warrior, even one as devoted as Gabriel, wouldn’t be enough. Besides, Grace’s house is right on the beach. She and the others will never know my people are there.”
“That Kato guy knows magic. He might have wards up around the house.”
Raphael shrugged. “My vampires won’t get close enough to activate the wards unless there’s a need. But even the witch’s son will welcome assistance if they come under attack.”
“Imagine going through life known forever as the ‘witch’s son.’ How’d he get away from her anyway? I mean, if she was so all powerful?”
“The fucking sorcerer used magic to send out a call for the greatest warriors to come to his side, and Kato heard. He cut ties with the Dark Witch—though not without a great deal of pain, I’m sure—and joined Katsaros’s army. And the rest you know. He was cursed with the others and ended up here.”
“Huh. Seems like all those guys have bad histories going for them. I wonder what the deal is with the other one at tonight’s reunion. What’s his name . . . Damian. Do you know—?”
The office door opened and Juro entered, seeming surprised to see Cyn there. “Sire,” he said, then looked at Cyn. “I thought you were sparring with Elke?”
“Geez, does everyone know my schedule? Elke went to pick up Mal. His flight’s early.”
Juro’s expression barely changed as he looked at Raphael. “Your guests have arrived. They’re in the large conference room.”
Raphael stood, then leaned over to kiss Cyn, before taking his suit jacket from the back of his chair and slipping it on. “Business, lubimaya. Would you like to join—?”
“Yeah,” she scoffed. “No thanks. I’ve got my own work to do.” She went up on her tiptoes to kiss him again. “See you later, fang boy. Save some time for me.”
“Always,” he said, and walked out the door as Cyn stepped into the secure elevator that would take her downstairs to their private quarters.
GABRIEL AND HANA turned off the main highway and onto a narrow street that ran along the beach. The houses were very close together, with older homes nestled right next to modern constructions with high walls and gates. Grace’s house was one of those. The gate stood open, but as soon as Hana pulled their SUV into the courtyard, the gate rolled shut behind them. Gabriel took this to mean the gate was normally kept closed and that someone in the house had been watching the feed from a security camera, waiting for their arrival. There were two other SUVs like theirs parked in the courtyard with a much smaller car at the end. But that wasn’t the interesting part. Between the cars and the house was a wall of about ten feet, made of pale stone and broken only by a single wooden door which was illuminated by unseen lamps.
He looked up as he climbed out of the SUV. “A curtain wall,” he said, as Hana came around to join him. “I didn’t know they still built those.”
“Well, I don’t guess they call it that. But it’s probably to keep out the noise and add another layer of privacy. From what I read about the houses around here, a lot of people try to walk through the yards to get to the beach.”
“Do the owners of the houses also own the beach?” he asked, puzzled at the idea. In his world, the ocean was a source of food and commerce. No one owned it. But then, few people sat on the sand for pleasure either, since his father’s territory had been a generally cold place, no matter the season.
“No. Apparently, there are public walkways that anyone can take, but some people don’t want to walk that far.”
Gabriel had nothing to say to that. After all, how far could the walk be? This street wasn’t more than a mile long. He shrugged as Hana took his hand and started for the wooden door, which opened before they reached it. Kato was already there, a huge smile on his face as he came down a short walkway and exchanged a warrior’s handclasp with Gabriel, slamming their shoulders together before he leaned back and pulled Gabriel into a back-pounding hug.
“I still can’t believe you’re here,” Kato said quietly. “We’re three now, and soon we’ll be four again.”
“Five,” said a deep voice. “Can’t leave Nico out, he might start crying.”
Gabriel looked up and grinned. “Damian.”
They were all big men, but Damian had always had an air about him that made him seem larger than life. He didn’t bother with the handclasp, just stepped up and hugged Gabriel with all his strength. He’d always done that. Everything with Damian was a contest, and Gabriel had always been the only one who could match the big warrior’s strength. Gabriel met Damian’s hug with one of his own, squeezing with all his newfound vampire strength. It was another vampiric trait that had been suppressed by Nic
o’s spell. He’d never minded, because even as a human, he’d been unnaturally strong. But now, he took great pleasure in hearing his fellow warrior grunt in surprise as Gabriel crushed the breath out of him.
“What the fuck?” Damian pulled back to stare at Gabriel. “I didn’t get any new skills when my curse was broken. How come you did? Of course,” he continued without waiting for an answer, “being a god of war, there’s no skill I haven’t already mastered, but—”
“Except driving,” Kato said dryly.
Damian opened his mouth to protest, but Gabriel interrupted. “Are you still clinging to that god fantasy? I keep telling you, it’s not your skills on the battlefield that those women were worshipping.”
They all laughed, even Hana, whom Gabriel suddenly realized he’d left out of the conversation. “Damian, this is Hana Himura.”
Damian stepped up and took her proffered hand, raising it to his lips instead of giving her a proper handshake. “Damian Stephanos,” he said smoothly.
Gabriel put his arm around Hana’s lower back, tugging her away with a hand on her hip. “God of war, my ass,” he muttered as Kato laughed and said, “Come on, let’s go inside.”
Gabriel held back as the other two men led the way down a flagstone path to the house. It wasn’t a mansion like Raphael’s estate, but it was a good-sized house—two stories with lots of windows, and a glass-and-wood door that stood open, waiting for them. Once inside, the house was big and open, with a wall of windows facing the ocean. The smell of savory food struck him, and for the first time he realized his friends had never known him as a vampire. Kato had come to Raphael’s to see him, but he wasn’t sure even Kato understood that Gabriel was now fully Vampire. Hana would eat whatever they were serving, and it did smell good, but Gabriel wouldn’t. For appearances’ sake, he could, but the food would have no taste and give him no nutrition.
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