*****
Marlee woke feeling as if she had been hit by a car and then a truck. Since that evidently hadn't happened, she was extremely confused. As she lifted her head, the first thing she noticed was the room was a calm sage green. Odd to her as she grew up used to the classic white or eggshell color. Not one to sit down and wait, she needed to find out where the hell she was, and it didn’t take long for her mind to recall what happened that night. Sin. He did something to her, gave her a type of drug or something. Looking around, she spotted a door and ran to it instantly. Unfortunately it only led to a bathroom, which too had a matching theme in color. No personal pictures or items. It was almost like a hotel room without the windows. Growling in frustration, she walked out, only to be stopped in her tracks by the sight of Sin looking at her. Mr. Extremely Sexy yet Stalker knew no bounds and she had had enough.
“You know this whole kidnapping thing would totally work if I was actually worth anything, but being I’m a simple girl who came from a crazy church lady you won’t get two cents for me.” She waited for him to say something, but nothing. Just a blank expression. “Okay then, well maybe kidnapping isn’t your thing, I sure as hell hope you don’t plan on selling me into a sex ring, because I hate to tell you, you might get gypped there too. My boobs are too small, and I don’t do blowjobs.” She half joked. This however made him smirk as he walked closer to her. “Okay, seriously now, you have to let me go, I won’t say anything about, well anything.”
“Calm yourself, Marlee. I won’t hurt you, or sell you. And kidnapping wasn’t really my intent, more or less I wanted to keep you safe.” She watched as he sat down on the small bed.
“Safe from what exactly? Tonight has been one hell of a brain trip and I just want to go back to my room and sleep.”
“I cannot permit you to leave just yet.”
“And why the hell not. You can’t keep me prisoner here.” She made a move to go around him but as she passed, he reached out and grasped her arm.
“You are not safe alone. You are under my personal protection. However, it grows late and I must leave for the day. I will have someone bring you food and keep you safe until I can return and explain everything to you.”
“What the hell, you can’t be serious. I’m not safe with you here now. Just let me go.” She pushed him, but met a wall of solid muscle. She looked up into his eyes and once again they glowed a green making her lose all reasoning.
“There is something about you, Marlee Hicks, that calls to me. I don’t like it, but yet I am unable to resist you.”
“Me, why me?” she whispered.
“I don’t know, but I will find out. Stay safe while I am gone, and don’t leave this room, Mo Millis.” Before she could tell him to stick it, or ask what that meant, his lips brushed against hers in a soft kiss. It was so unexpected she didn’t have time to think or respond before she was left standing alone in the room.
She ran to the door and found the damn thing locked. She slapped her hand against the door.
“Well isn’t that just peachy,” she stated aloud. She could beat on the door until someone came, however she felt safe here and confused with her own actions. Not sure what to do, she went to the bed to lay down. Maybe if she had some sleep she could find a way out.
Chapter Six
He was fuming as he looked at the few men he had brought with him to accomplish the mission. It shouldn’t have been that damn hard. Grab Sin, bring him to him, and he would kill Sin, taking what it was his. However, tonight was the first time he noticed from afar the old man had taken a particular interest in a blood bitch. Filthy humans. The disgusting peasants were beneath him, Sin too for that matter. The fucking prick probably didn’t even realize who he was. Why would he, he was the great Vampire Lord Sinful. The one people bowed down to and kissed ass when needed. But not him. No, he wasn’t one of them. He had seen first-hand what the monster could do.
He paced around the room looking at the demolished building that was once something great and powerful, now it acted as a reminder of what he lost and was going to avenge.
He had been a small boy when the vampire came to his small village. He never knew evil like that existed; however, when he saw his whole family slaughtered in front of him, he had been forever changed. The vampire wanted a slave, and he turned him. Keeping him alive and thirsty in order to control him.
For the first two years, all he could think about was blood, his past meant nothing—the craving ruled his life. His maker knew it and loved to hold it over his head, making him do his bidding in order to get the few drops of blood his maker allowed him. But he grew strong despite his treatment, his maker knew it and hated it. In turn, it made his punishments crueler.
Then Sin came along. He was powerful and had rules his master could never follow. His master liked violence, he liked to bleed humans dry and just throw them away, not caring if someone found them. He loved the smell of fear, which put him on the map where Sin was concerned. After another brutal slaughter of a small village, Sin and his lackeys showed up.
Instead of caring for the slaves his maker had made, Sin disregarded them with a blink of an eye. Killing a maker would usually kill the vampire unless they were strong enough to survive the break in the connection. Sin had not cared about anyone but himself, the bastard had looked at him in disgust and killed his maker. It had been painful, and he was sure Sin knew that.
When his maker was struck down, he thought he would die from the pain. Thankfully he had not been in the same room as his maker or they would have killed him when they discovered he was still alive. Alive, it was laughable, he wasn’t alive—he existed. The destruction of his maker had taken whatever piece of his soul that was still present. For days he had laid there, a prisoner in his mind, unable to move because of the severed connection. After the initial shock, he had been stuck until he could gain enough strength to feed. He had almost died; if it weren’t for the anger he felt, he surely would have. So instead he fed on his anger, focusing on finding out who had done this and put an end to them. He rose from the ground full of hatred, knowing what he had to do.
Dante was done following other people's rules, he deserved to be sitting in that big mansion ruling over everyone. He was stronger than any vampire, even Sin Donovan, the bastard who had unwittingly created him. If Dante killed Sin, he would rule it all, and then nothing would stand in his way.
Chapter Seven
Marlee felt like she had slept all day and had no sense of time. A woman with dark black hair had brought her a sandwich and clean clothes but that had been hours ago. She admitted her stomach was now growling and she now had a new way to get the hell out of Dodge. Since there were no damn windows and nothing in the room, she had plenty of time to think. It was her best plan. She waited patiently until someone brought her the food again. The sound of an alarm-type of code sounded and she was shocked that a man in his mid-thirties came in.
“Ms. Hicks, is there anything else I can get you. My Lord wanted to make sure you were comfortable until he woke.” He woke, what the hell. She tried to push that question away and focused on her goal.
“Actually can you help me, I wanted to take shower, but knob seemed to be stuck.” The man nodded and headed that direction. She went over to the small tray that was solid wood and quietly and quickly removed the items, picking the up the tray then going behind the poor man, and just as he turned she brought it down on his head. The guard, or whoever he was, crumpled down and lay on the ground.
“Oh crap, sorry.” Feeling bad, but not bad enough, she reached into his pocket and found a weird key card. She had seen the lady this morning use it and finding the small slit, she pushed it in and the door unlocked, allowing her to leave. Not one to sit around and wait for shit to happen anymore, she took off in a run down the hall. Not sure which way was out she kept running. The sound of footsteps sounded behind her and she ducked into a small corner trying to calm her ragged breathing. Once the person walked by her she followed
the sound to find a way. Normally she would have stopped and admired the amazing stonework, when realization hit her that she was locked into a castle. She was a damn damsel in distress like the freaking fairy tales, but in this one she was saving her own ass.
“Come on, Marlee, move your ass,” she motivated herself. Rounding the corner after going up two flights of stairs, she was happy to find the sun was just setting. Awesome. Making her moves short and with purpose, Marlee did her best to avoid anyone seeing her. She reached for the door and the sound of someone shouting alerted her that she was now discovered. Pushing it open, she didn’t think twice and took off in a full sprint for any sign of a road.
Thank God for track and field in high school, she muttered to herself while she kept her head up and took off.
“Marlee!” She heard her name being called and panic set in. No she would make it, she needed to find a car. Pushing all the energy she had into her run as her legs screamed at her, she spotted a car. Flagging it down, Marlee found a small woman behind the wheel. She stopped when Marlee practically jumped on the hood.
“Please you have to help me, someone is after me.” She heard her name being shouted again, the panic filled her. “Please, I can pay you if you can take me to my hotel.” The woman nodded and without a second glance she jumped into the passenger seat and they sped off into the night.
*****
Sin woke with an unease. Something was wrong and off. He could feel the panic within his castle. Marlee. Shooting up, he hurried and pulled on clothes before unlocking his chamber and running to her room. What he found was an empty room and a day guard unconscious on the floor. After checking him, he sent a message to Cillian to get him medical help before looking for her. She had run. He gave her credit, she found a way to escape, but now with the threat hanging over them he knew it was something more. Taking off down the hall, he found that many of his vampires and day guards were speaking. It seemed that even his men were on edge.
“Sire, it appeared she took off in a car toward the town. We have men at her hotel, but she hasn’t shown up yet. What are your orders?” Kian bowed his head before looking at him. He really wished he had answers, or at least tasted her blood because then we would be able to get a read on her. But right now he had nothing, no idea where to look. She only had her hotel. Not one to wait he gave orders to cover the castle and to remain on look out within the town and blood houses. Last thing he needed was to have her caught by one of his enemies. Heading back to his study, he needed to know how she escaped, besides the obvious. He had the tightest security money could buy. Not satisfied with what happened, he called his security advisor, Patrick, to his office.
“My Lord,” he too bowed and waited for him to acknowledge his presence. Sin wasn’t sure he wanted to let him up. He stood looking at the man who stayed bent, sweat started to form around his face and he seemed nervous. He was hiding something.
“Patrick. Have a seat, we have much to talk about, and then I will need to leave.” Not wanting to sit, he stood in front of the man who never showed any fear standing before him with the scent of fear reeking from his pores. Good, he should be afraid. “Tell me how this happened. She is a small woman, yet she seemed to be able to leave this castle without anyone seeing her. Please give me detailed information about this, because right now your life is on the line.” Sin was seeing red with knowledge that Marlee could leave or anyone could come in.
“Sire, please, I beg forgiveness. It was right before shift change and the best time to do system updates. We were offline for five minutes total. I thought we had every exit and entrance covered. She came through the one the day maids enter and exit. Plus she used a key card to leave, we had no idea it was her. I had planned it when the guard left to set the update. I made sure it wouldn’t have messed up any time. I’m sorry I failed you.” Sin watched as the man kept his head down. Not Patrick's fault she happened to be on the run at the exact same time the systems went down. He was aware a new software was updated, and he didn’t alert them to have a guard by her room. He was just as much at fault as Patrick was.
“From now on system updates when I am awake and can help cover better. You are not at fault this has happened. What is it those Americans say a lot, 'shit happens'. That’s what this is. Please go back to your post so we can deal with the current issue, and do a perimeter check to make sure that no one encroached the walls without our knowledge.” The man nodded and quickly left. Growling in frustration, Sin snapped when someone knocked at his door. “What!”
“Sorry, my Lord, but Finn thinks he may have found her. He is keeping an eye on her as we speak, but he also caught the scent of others. What would you like me to do?” Cillian asked, looking expectedly.
“Take me to her.” Without another word spoken, the two of them rushed off to see what type of trouble Marlee Hicks had gotten into—this time.
*****
Marlee asked the lady to drop her off outside a smaller pub that was close to her hotel. She had planned to sneak into her hotel, but soon realized she left her damn purse with Sin and his crazy bunch of psychos. Thanking the woman, she started walking to the back of her small hotel, hoping she might be able to sneak in. The alleyway was dark and a shiver of fear shook her. She instantly realized she should have just walked to the front where light beamed. Last time she had ventured out she was attacked. Instinctively she reached for her neck, but once again nothing was there. Keeping a steady pace, Marlee scanned the outlying areas and sped up her pace.
“Well look what the cat dragged in, who would have thought dinner would be delivered tonight.” Snapping her head in the direction of the voice, she went to scream when a hand covered her mouth. “Now none of that.” The sicko stuck his nose in the crook of her neck and took a deep breath. “Now you do smell good. Simply edible.” He then proceeded to lick her. She shook and went to move.
What is it with the twisted Irish men and her neck? Do they go around licking every woman in reach?
“Let her go.” Moving with lightning speed, another man appeared in the small alleyway. Trying to focus, the man let her go, throwing her at the brick wall. Hitting hard with a thud, she watched as both men started fighting. Hissing noises were made and then eyes snapped to her. Following their line of sight, Marlee looked down at her arm, she saw she was bleeding from a cut. Damn it. Trying to cover it, and run, she hit a wall—a wall of men. To stunned to move, she looked up and noticed them smiling down at her. As they did she noticed the elongated incisors protruding each man's mouth, making them look like—oh fucking hell—vampires. Sure she read lots of books with paranormal activities, but real and true vampires. Maybe she hit her head a lot harder on the wall than she thought. The one man who held her before was fighting the one who seemed as if he was saving her. The presumed good guy seemed to be winning as he pulled something out and hit the man square on the chest making him scream out. Unable to move her eyes from the action, she watched as the man, or vampire, started to dry out and ended up in a pile of dust within seconds. Considering no regular man would dry and turn to dust, she assumed she had just witness the death of a real life vampire. One of the men blocking her spoke, bringing her attention back to the wall of men.
“Ms. Hicks, my Lord is looking for you.” She had no clue what he was talking about, but then it hit her. Sin was a vampire too. Fuck a duck. She backed up as the man walked closer to her. “Don’t be afraid, I’m Finn. Sin will be here in a few minutes. It’s not safe to be out in the open. Come,” he commanded as he grabbed her arm. She stumbled as he pulled her along and outside the alleyway. Too lost in thought, she had no clue where she was going with several turns and twists between buildings. The two other men followed behind her with the guy named Finn holding her arm.
“We can stop here for a second. I sense something is amiss. Gustave, Phillip, check it out,” Finn barked. Marlee watched in silence for a moment while he pulled out his phone giving directions to his location, she could only assume it was to Sin.
>
“So, you are um…well, you’re a vampire?” she asked hesitantly. Finn's eyes snapped at her for a second before nodding.
“Are you going to hurt me—drink my blood or something?”
“No, Ms. Hicks, if I need nourishment I will seek a donor who is willing. We do not take without permission. It is law in this land. Lord Sin was clear on that.”
“So he is like the head big wig of what the vampire world or something.”
“Something like that, yes. He is Lord of Ireland.”
“You mean to tell me there are more vampires outside of Ireland. Holy shit. I am seriously going to lose it. This shit…damn, I think I need a drink or a shrink. So why me? I won’t say anything, I mean, look, no one is going to believe me anyway.”
“I understand that, Ms. Hicks, but you are a distraction to my Lord, and right now he is in danger, and so are you. The sooner we get you out of here the better.” She heard some shouting and sound of shoes hitting the pavement.
“What the hell is that?” she went to ask him, but he turned his attention to the left before clicking his cell phone on and making another call.
“We have company, I need backup now.” Before he could hang up two other men with blood dripping from their face appeared.
“See, told you I could find us dessert, and even some dining entertainment,” one man said as he grabbed her arm, but Finn was on them quickly, pushing her between two trashcans while he fought them. Watching everything, trying to keep up with the motions, it seemed like blurs as one grabbed Finn hitting him in the face, but Finn countered, jumping, throwing a kick with both legs, sending the one with short blonde hair into a wall. The other with black hair ran toward Finn. Punches and grunts sounded as blow after blow landed on each of them.
Sinful's Desire Page 4
