“Very good, Sire” he bowed and left Cillian and him alone.
“Okay, now the other news, what did you find out?” Both sat down at his desk and he tried to get comfortable while Cillian went over business.
“The information we have found isn’t what we hoped for. It seems the new vampires are being sired from someone who claims to be more powerful than you are. He wants Ireland and other countries. But he, whom we have yet to figure out who he is, has worked on making sure he created enough young to keep us all on our toes.”
“How many have you destroyed gathering this information?” he asked.
“We counted seven.”
“Seven?” Sin was shocked that so many were lost in just gathering information. It took a lot to turn a human to vampire, and yet this one did, and wasn't worried they are now dead.
“Sin, what do you want us to do?”
He really didn’t have a damn clue what he wanted them to do. He needed the information, and it seemed Jager was facing the same issue. If this got out of control maybe he could offer a slight alliance. After all, he did trust Jager, more than most.
“Tell you what, capture a rouge and bring them to the castle, I would like to question one of them myself. I might be able to get somewhere with them.”
“Very good, Sin.” Both sat there and it seemed Cillian wanted to say more, but just stared at him.
“What?” he snapped.
“Sin, are you okay? You seem out of sorts.” Was he okay? He really didn’t know. All he could think about was gearing up for some sort of battle, and the sweet scent of Ms. Hick’s blood on his tongue while he buried his cock deep inside her. So no, he wasn’t fucking okay, he was out of his damn mind, but he wasn’t going to admit that to anyone else.
“Fine, but I think we need some air. Let’s go out for dinner tonight, Cillian.” This earned him a smile from Cillian as they both rose and left the castle to find more sweet treats.
*****
Marlee was lost. She was never lost. Damn it. She must have taken a wrong turn somewhere, but she couldn’t for the life of her figure where. The street signs were labeled, yet here she was in a weird looking alley, and the sun was going down. Shit, shit, shit. Deciding this was a bad idea, she turned around trying to make sure she followed the same path she had prior.
Looking at the sign it said Ardmore. Pulling out her stupid translator book she found it meant hill. Well isn’t that just peachy. It was not on her map, she really was lost. Taking a deep breath, she kept walking down the hill in the hopes she might find something that was on her map. The road was made out of cobblestone and the building looked old. She would normally admire such work if it wasn’t for a shiver running down her spine. Picking up her pace, she wanted to find people, anyone who didn’t look threating. But it seemed the further she walked—the more her nerves and fears started to get the better of her.
Rounding the corner, she found a small building that looked to have a lot of people. Music was playing and laughter was heard. Many of the woman seemed to be scantily dressed and the men, well they seemed to be just as revealing as many of the women. It was a small building, surrounded by nothingness. It set her nerves on turbo, making her turn around and practically run in the opposite direction. She just had a gut reaction; it wasn’t a place she should be. It reminded her of a brothel, and by the sounds the people made—maybe it was.
Marlee was a good five minutes away when she ran into a wall, but this wall had arms. Shit on a shingle. She pushed against the man, but he didn’t move.
“Mmm, ye smell good, little lass. I think ye missed the bar, let me show you the way. I bet ye 'ave them all lining up. Ye smell so sweet, ye must be a special blend.” The man buried his nose in her neck before licking her. She went to knee him in the nuts and tell him to fuck off, but it seemed he knew it was coming, spinning her around blocking her move and keeping her from moving away. She felt panic start to creep on her.
“Just let me go, fuckwad, and all will be okay.” She tried to sound more optimistic than she was, but he just chuckled at her, sending her into a spiral of doubt that maybe she wasn’t getting out of this one.
“Na, I think I just might keep ye to meself.” She went to ask what he meant when she felt his teeth at her neck as one arm held her around the waist and the other pushed her neck to the side.
“Please, stop,” she screamed, still trying to get away. But before she could get it all the way out, the bastard bit her. This time her scream seemed to have been heard as the sound of boots hitting the ground kept her from losing hope. She moved as much as she could and felt the small tearing of her neck. This fucker was holding her tight and wasn’t letting go.
“Let her go.” A strong commanding voice echoed through her. She wanted to turn and see, but her gut and her brain registered the voice. A sudden excitement and annoyment pulsed in her overstimulated brain. The dipshit holding her, lifted his mouth from her neck after one last lick of his tongue, he let go and seemed to drop to the ground.
“Lord Sin?”
“What the hell are you doing?”
“I was coming to dinner, and saw her walking in that direction, Sire, and it seemed she was part of the crowd. She smelled so sweet, my Lord.”
“Did she consent?” She had spun around by this time and covered her neck, which thought was surely bleeding after the man bit down on it. She started to feel faint as she thought about what could have happened if the other men hadn't come to her rescue. She did her best to try to remain focused on the men talking, the one who had held her was groveling, while Mr. Stalker was talking in a calm chilly voice that made her fear him.
“She was here.” The man shrugged.
“You know my laws, and you chose to break them, and with someone who is mine,” the handsome sexy man said.
Marlee swung her gaze back and forth between the men who were in a standoff. What the fuck was going on? Getting a hickey in the middle of the damn street by a stranger was freaking her out. Then they were just standing there talking calm-like about what the crazy fuck did.
“Hey,” Marlee yelled at the handsome man. “Why aren’t you calling the cops? What do you mean yours?”
His sharp piercing green eyes swung back to her and she shivered. Shit, he was gorgeous. She hadn’t dreamed him. How the hell was she supposed to concentrate, and what the hell was wrong with her, she had been assaulted.
“I am the law around here, Ms. Hicks,” the man said coldly and she frowned.
“You are the law, where is your badge, stalker?” she snapped and stood, swaying a little while trying to figure out what the heck was going on.
The man growled, he actually growled at her and then his gaze snapped back to the man who was trying to inch away from them. “Stop,” he commanded and narrowed his eyes. “Cillian will deal with you. I will inform him you will be stopping by soon.”
“Yes, my Lord,” the man said fearfully and bowed.
“Go,” the sexy man ordered. And Marlee watched in fascination as the man who had grabbed her seemed to snap to attention and move.
“Wait,” Marlee yelled and pointed to her neck. “I want to press charges.”
“For what?” her savior asked and she gasped and removed her hand from her neck, holding it out for him to see the blood she was sure would be there. However, when she looked at her own hand there was nothing, nothing at all, but she was sure she had felt the skin tear and blood flow when the moron bit her.
“Well…” she muttered.
“Come, Ms. Hicks, let me buy you dinner and we can talk,” the man said and she shook her head. “My name is Sin Donovan. I can give you references to check with if you are worried about anything.”
“References? You are stalking me!” Marlee stomped her foot. "And a man assaults me, by biting my neck no less, then refers to you as his lord. What the hell is going on around here?"
“I am not stalking you, Marlee, I would just like to get to know you,” Sin said quietly
and took her arm. "As for your other questions, I will answer in due time." With that, he began to walk.
She followed, not understanding why, other than she felt the zing of awareness shoot through her body when his hand touched her arm.
“Let’s get something to eat and get to know one another,” he said and she followed, not saying one word.
She had no idea what the hell was going on, first she was attacked, and yes she knew she had been, and now she was walking calmly away with a stranger. Her mother would have a fucking cow, but Marlee felt something she had never felt with another person—passion and safety. For some reason she felt a pull to the man, and for the life of her, she couldn’t decline his invitation.
Chapter Five
They walked in silence to a restaurant she had passed earlier and wanted to try. The hostess sat them right away; it had almost been disgustingly obvious that she was flirting with Sin. Then of course, who wouldn’t be attracted to the tall handsome man? He was right out of the books she read and damn it, every time he looked at her, she creamed her panties.
“Marlee,” Sin said softly. “Would you like something to drink?”
“Yes,” she said and looked at him closer. “White wine.”
Sin smiled and nodded, then ordered wine for both of them. “I prefer red myself, but you will enjoy the wine I have ordered.”
“I thought you men only drank Guinness,” she snorted.
“When sports are involved, yes, however, dinner with a beautiful woman, not really.” He smiled.
Marlee rolled her eyes, “Nice line. Bet that works with all the women.”
Sin threw back his head and laughed. He liked the little spitfire. “No, that was not a line.”
“So why am I here?” Marlee asked quickly.
Sin raised an eyebrow and said, “Because there is just something about you, Marlee.”
She rolled her eyes. “There goes another bad pick up line.”
“Tell me about yourself,” he said.
She shrugged. “Not much to tell, I have my own web design company, so I can set my own hours. I grew up with an overprotective mother who had a hard time when I flew the coop. She would love nothing better for me to come home with my tail between my legs to live, but instead of doing what she wanted I took a trip here. I am ready to live life to the fullest, and get on with things you know.”
Sin nodded and looked closely at her. “So you can work from anywhere?”
Marlee nodded and spent the next few minutes explaining what she did. The excitement in her voice drew him to her. She was more amazing than he first thought, and also more confident. She was not a shrinking violet, she would make an amazing mate to him. Whoa, what the hell was that? he thought as he watched her move her mouth, but the thought had already planted a seed.
“What about you?” she asked, turning the table back on him.
Sin smiled. “I am a self made business man. I have a lot of holdings, which I watch after. Many people depend on me.”
Marlee shrugged and looked around the room. There were several people staring at them, but one made her skin crawl. She looked closer and shivered at the look in his eyes. He stared right at her, his face was angular and handsome, but he looked cruel. She opened her mouth to say something when she felt the tension in the air.
Her gaze swung to Sin who was staring at something over her shoulder with a deadly expression on his face, then the room erupted. Marlee had no clue what the hell was going on but Sin moved so fast she could barely see him. However, she could feel him; a hand gripped her wrist and pulled her to the ground.
Plates were breaking and she heard screams as she looked up. Five men were attacking Sin and she felt her mouth drop open. They were fast, if her brain had been working she would have tried to get up and run like the other people in the restaurant. But she was frozen on the floor watching.
Sin stood tall, and struck the man who she had been staring at her. Marlee heard a crunch, and watched in fascination as the nose Sin had just broke seemed to straighten and fix itself all on its own.
What the fuck?
Then she saw a group of men rushing into the room, one of them was the man whom she recognized from the game, she had heard someone call him, Cillian. They were just as fast as the other men were and before she knew it, the others were holding the men who had attacked Sin.
Sin turned to Cillian and whispered something, Marlee moved a little as both of their gazes swung to hers. Shit, their eyes were glowing. She moved as quickly as she could, standing up and preparing to run, when Sin yelled, “Stop!”
Like that was going to happen, she thought, and then she felt something on her shoulder and she blacked out.
Sin watched as Marlee crumpled into his arms. The need to keep her safe suddenly became a priority. Something in her blood called to him on a primal level, stirring strange things in him. Never had he felt such a need to safeguard such a tiny human, her beauty awakened his manhood to the point of pain.
“Sin, what shall we do with her? She seems to be a hazard to your health,” Cillian joked as Sin looked down at the sleeping woman in his arms.
“I don’t know, but I know we need to keep her safe. It seems I have many enemies tonight, and she seems to draw trouble wherever she goes. Must be an American thing. Come, we will take her home with us.”
“Home, with us? A house full of vampires? You can’t be serious, Sin.”
Snapping his head around and glowered at Cillian, “I am Lord in these parts and I, and only I, make the rules. She comes with us, and is under my personal protection. Anyone who questions me will be dealt with quickly and efficiently. Is that understood?” Cillian bowed his head as he pushed his power out to him to emphasize his point.
“Yes, Sire. What you say shall be done.” Sin nodded his response while he lifted his sleeping beauty in his arms better and took off out the door. His men would also take care of the vampires who attacked him. This was his territory and seemed the threat that hung over his head was indeed real, and risking Marlee was not something he was willing to do. With her tight in his arms he set a fast pace back to the castle.
Once back into his castle, Sin knew she would wake soon and needed a place to keep her safe until he could explain some things to her. She was, well she is, different than other humans he had been in contact with. Something about her drew others to her. Was it her blood, her personality, her looks? Sin couldn’t put his finger on it, but damn if he wasn’t going to find out, well after he put her somewhere and he determined what to do with her. Unsure of what she would do if she was locked in his chamber all night and day, he could not attend to her needs when the sun rose.
Not wanting to wait for Cillian to try to scold him like a child, he took Marlee into a separate chamber that did not lock her in the room, but allowed her to remain safe during the feeding hour in his home. His day men would be able to keep her safe when he was asleep. As he placed her on the bed he couldn’t help but sit and look at her. Her blonde hair reminded him of a warm summer sun, even though it had been many years since he had seen it. Her completion was fair, but kissed by the sun on her face. Unable to resist, he leaned over, drawling closer to her, and inhaled deeply, the sweet scent of normal clean flesh mixed with the most alluring scent of blood he had smelled in years, assaulted his system. His fangs ached to sink into her along with his cock. Shaking his head, he stood, effectually leaving her alone while he dealt with situations that needed resolved.
Making it into his office, he wasn’t surprised to see several of his security team there. Tomas, Kian, Connor, and Finn were all sitting down listening to Cillian as he started to bark orders. Sin listened to the discussion quietly, trying not to interrupt the conversation.
“How the hell did they get in the territory and attack Sin? There should have been no way they could have gotten to him. Idiots Dur. Ba choir dom a chop duit suas agus tu beatha leis an muc.” Sin couldn’t help but chuckle as Cillian started yelling in Irish. It was a
simple saying, but he didn’t know if the men knew the man just called them stupid idiots and was planning on chopping them up and feeding them to the pigs. Cillian turned and looked at him smirking, but the men kept their heads bowed. Not wanting to miss the party, he sat down at his desk.
“Let's talk about what happened tonight. As you know threats have been made for the Irish territory. This person has yet to come forward and claim to be a lord and have the ability to govern such lands. I would have thought these idle threats, but now after the small restaurant incident, even though small, we must take extra precaution with security checks. If you've any questions come directly to Cillian or myself, do not speak to others outside this room. Kian, I want you to speak with the day crew when they arrive to correlate schedules so we have at least four men within the grounds at all times. Those who work overtime will be compensated handsomely until this threat is resolved.”
Tomas was the one who asked the question about Marlee. "The girl, Sire?"
“We will not speak about tonight, and no questions about the girl. She is under my personal protection. Not a hair on her is to be harmed. Please let Ronan know as well. I will keep her in the guest chamber until the sun is up. Any more questions?" When no one responded, he continued, "Great, now go, and please feed before we rest, I have a feeling tomorrow is going to bring many challenges.” All the men bowed before exiting. Cillian knew more than a threat was weighing on his mind.
“Sin, what about the girl?”
“I don’t know, my friend. She calls to me like no other. Her blood pulls at me more than the sun, and I have yet to taste her. Have you heard of such a thing?”
Cillian shook his head before responding, “No, but I am sure there is an answer and that too we will find. I suggest, my Lord, you make sure your guest is okay before the sun comes out.” Agreeing, Cillian left him alone. As he looked out the window past the hills and meadows, Sin felt an odd calm within him. Normally he was the life of the party, the first to show and the last to leave, but now he was Lord of Ireland, and keeper of what? Something was missing within him he hadn’t realized before, and now the ache came in waves. Pushing the feeling aside, he went to check on his sleeping beauty.
Sinful's Desire Page 3
