They shed their clothing, frantic to get closer and feel skin pressed against skin. Weapons clattered to the floor as their coats and ammo belts were cast aside. Olivia broke the kiss and pushed him away as she peeled her catsuit and boots from her beautiful body. She watched through heavily lidded eyes as he did the same and threw his clothes on top of hers.
She moved toward him, her pale skin glowing as the lights flickered, revealing her body in rapid-fire bursts. He reached out and took her hands in his, pulling her nakedness against his own. Her breasts crushed against his chest as she kissed him in a rush of lips, teeth, and tongues. He groaned and ran his hands down the beautiful curve of her waist as his erection pressed against her belly, and all he could think about was being inside of her.
He picked her up in one swift motion as she wrapped her legs around his waist, clinging to him and kissing him desperately. As Doug walked her to the VIP tables, his hands cupped the smooth skin of her ass, and his fingers pressed into the tender flesh. Olivia suckled his bottom lip and broke the kiss as she wiggled against him temptingly.
“I want to taste you,” he murmured against her lips as he placed her on the edge of the table. “Lie back.”
Olivia complied and lay with her arms stretched out over her head. Doug dropped to his knees as he wrapped his arms around her thighs and dragged her to him, trailing butterfly kisses along the quivering flesh of her inner thigh. She squirmed, eager for more, as the pounding music surrounded them.
Her musky scent filled his head as he kissed the soft flesh of her thigh and worked his way up to her hidden treasures. She bucked as his mouth found the sweet spot, and his tongue dove deep, tasting every bit that she gave. Doug groaned as her juices flowed into his mouth, and she cried out as his tongue worked the tiny bundle of nerves mercilessly. Sensing she was close to the precipice, he pulled back and kissed his way up the curve of her hip and along her rib cage.
“You have to fuck me now.” Impatient, she sat up, grabbed him by the hair, and kissed him, her fangs scraping his lip and severing the last bit of resolve he had.
He lifted her knee, and she opened wider as he thrust his hips and entered her. The pleasure built, and she cried his name as he pumped into her furiously. Ecstasy flashed over him, coiling deep inside, and he knew what she needed—what they needed. At the peak of climax, they bared their fangs and sank into one another as the orgasm burst, and they fell into the exquisite abyss together.
***
Olivia walked the club surveying the dancing patrons, finally feeling as though life was back to normal. It had been over a month since the rogue attacks, and only now was she beginning to feel as though her family had recovered.
Sadie was spinning records like she always had. Holding the headphones to one ear, she beckoned Olivia with a wave.
“What’s up?” Olivia said as she climbed the steps to the platform.
The only downside of being bloodmates with Doug was the inability to telepath with her coven. It made her feel as though they were vulnerable. However, since they could still telepath with each other, it gave her some peace.
“You look good.” Sadie gave her a look of approval. “I told you that you just needed to get laid.”
“Right,” Olivia said through a laugh.
“Seriously,” Sadie continued. “You look really good. I can’t explain it, but ever since you hooked up with Doug…”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. You were right.” Olivia gave her friend a pat on the back. “I’m going to head down to the floor and check on the VIP table. Don’t forget to play that song they requested, okay?”
“You got it, boss.”
Olivia descended the steps and turned her attention to the bar. Trixie and Maya were serving drinks, and their newest regular was hanging out at the bar, as he had been most Friday nights since the shit-show.
Olivia nodded to Shane, who as usual, didn’t smile. The guy had only one night off a week as a sentry, and he spent it sitting at a bar, not drinking. She had a pretty good idea that he was there for Maya, but so far the guy had not made a move. Maya, of course, didn’t seem to mind.
Her two newest coven members were adjusting quite well to their new lives. Damien moved into Olivia’s old apartment, and Suzie was rooming with Sadie while she adapted. Although, her transformation came with an added bonus no one expected. Suzie had a sixth sense and could see hidden traits in people sometimes. It scared her at first, but she slowly got used to it, although she wasn’t great at sharing the information. She turned into a blurter and spilled info at inopportune moments.
When Olivia and Doug took over as czars, the first thing they did was turn the Presidium’s main chambers into living quarters and a more traditional office setup. Their lives had taken a bizarre turn, and since they were already vampires, that was really saying something.
As Olivia checked on the folks in the VIP booths, who were nicer than Moriarty and his crew, she noticed Suzie standing off to the side of the club, by the entrance to the bathrooms. She was waving Olivia over frantically and not exactly subtly.
Olivia excused herself from the guests and went directly to Suzie. The girl’s pale blue eyes were wide with wonder and a touch of fear. Her whitish blond hair fell over her forehead as she looked Olivia up and down in absolute shock.
“What’s going on, Suzie?” Olivia tried not to sound annoyed, but the place was slammed, and she hated making her customers wait for drinks. “You’re acting weird.”
Suzie grabbed Olivia’s arm and pulled her toward the office. Olivia rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh through a smile as Suzie dragged her through the mass of writhing dancers. Suzie bumped the office door open with her hip and yanked Olivia inside. Hands on her hips and her patience at the breaking point, Olivia arched one eyebrow at the latest addition to the coven.
“This better be good.” Van Helsing, now fully recovered, came directly to her feet and sat down with Oreo at his heels. Olivia scratched his head but kept her eyes on Suzie. “We’ve got a club full of people. What gives?”
Suzie pointed at Olivia’s belly, and her doe-like eyes filled with wonder. “You’re pregnant, Olivia.”
“What?” Olivia said through a laugh. “That’s ridiculous. There’s no way that I could be pregnant. Vampires can’t have babies.”
Suzie put the empty drink tray on the desk and grabbed Olivia’s hands before placing them on her belly. “Close your eyes.” When Olivia didn’t initially comply, Suzie stomped her foot. “Now.”
“This is silly, Suzie.” Olivia let out a dramatic sigh and complied. “Vampires don’t get—”
White light flashed through Olivia’s mind, and the image of a little girl with bright red curls and big blue eyes, eyes just like Doug’s, flickered vividly. The girl was running through Washington Square Park in the bright sunshine and laughing loudly as she looked over shoulder, calling Olivia… Mommy.
Suzie dropped her hands as the vision faded and the room spun into focus, but Olivia, dizzy from the vision, had to sit in her chair and regain her bearings. She looked at Suzie, but before she could say anything, Suzie grabbed the tray and ran out of the office yelling, “Congratulations, boss lady.”
Tears fell freely down Olivia’s smiling face as she sat in the chair with her hands on her lower belly. She had been feeling strange. She felt like she was operating in a fog since the attacks at the club, but she chalked it up to recovery. Van whined and immediately placed his head in her lap, and Oreo hopped up in one swift leap.
Seconds later the door to the tunnels slid open, and Doug whisked into the room, fangs bared and gun drawn as he looked around the room wildly.
He looked so fiercely protective, she didn’t know whether to kiss him or smack him. He still hadn’t, and probably wouldn’t ever, get past his macho nature, so she shouldn’t have been surprised that he showed up. They learned early on in their ma
ting that when one experienced strong emotions, the other was equally affected. Apparently, this little experience was no different.
“What the fuck is going on?” he said as he holstered his gun. His look quickly went from furious to concerned as he knelt at her side, squeezed Van out of the way, and brushed her hair off her tearstained face. “Olivia?” he asked quietly. “What’s wrong?”
“Remember how I told you there could be other side effects of being bloodmates?” Olivia sniffled and rubbed Oreo’s soft head.
“Yeah.” He leaned in and kissed her lips warmly. Oreo meowed, and Doug scooped the kitten up and plopped her on the floor. “Sorry. I get first dibs on the girl.” He kissed her again. “So far, I like ’em all. Hot sex. Daywalking. You and me, for eternity…”
Olivia took his hands and placed them on her belly as she held his curious gaze.
“Make that… you and me plus baby makes three.”
Doug stared at her blankly and blinked as if he didn’t hear what she said, and for a split second, Olivia thought he was unhappy. However, as that charming smile cracked his handsome face and his blue eyes twinkled at her, her fears were put to rest.
He captured her lips with his and gently rubbed her belly. Olivia could barely remember how lonely she was before they found each other. I love you, Doug. For eternity.
“Eternity,” he murmured against her lips before resting his forehead on hers. “Damn, baby. It just doesn’t seem long enough.”
Acknowledgments
Thank you so much to everyone at Sourcebooks, but especially Deb Werksman and Cat Clyne for their editorial awesomesauce, Danielle Jackson for her publicity with pop, and the art department for beautiful, standout covers.
Thank you to my agent, Jeanne Dube, and to my beta-readers, Sheila and Jennifer. You rock!
Thank you to my husband and children for their unconditional love and support.
A shout out to my street team—Sara’s Angels. I don’t know if I can ever thank you all enough for the support, enthusiasm, and dedication. I appreciate you all, and this one’s for you!
Last, but definitely not least, thank you to my readers. Thank you for coming along on this crazy journey.
Dream on…
Sara
In case you missed it, read on for an excerpt from Undone, part of the Amoveo Legend series by Sara Humphreys
“Humphreys’s skillful storytelling is so intriguing, you’ll have a hard time putting this book down.”
—RT Book Reviews Top Pick of the Month
White light pulsed and flickered through the club in time with the gritty dance music. The crowd of writhing bodies throbbed with the unmistakable energy of lust as they clamored for a connection—any connection. Hands wandered, looks were cast, and figures melded together, almost becoming one.
Maybe living like a human wouldn’t be that bad.
Marianna leaned back in the horseshoe-shaped VIP booth and watched the humans as they danced. The scene before her flickered rapidly between darkness to blinding, artificial light as the strobes flared. She observed couples as they disappeared into the crowd, losing themselves in the music, the sex in the air, and in the moment.
No conversations. Eyes closed.
No past. Bodies touching.
No future. Hips swaying.
No consequences.
Just now.
She sipped her champagne and crossed her bare legs as she witnessed the mating rituals that they participated in with relentless energy. They spent their lives looking for someone to ease the loneliness, with no idea who or what they were looking for. No predestined mate. No clan. No telepathy. No shapeshifting. No powers of visualization. Aging and eventually dying.
On second thought, living like a human was going to suck.
Marianna shuddered and took a swig of her champagne. As a pure-blooded Amoveo female from the Bear Clan, she should have found her mate by now, or he should’ve found her, but he hadn’t. Having past her thirtieth birthday, she could already feel her Amoveo abilities waning, and if she didn’t find her mate soon, they would disappear altogether, and she would have to live, for all intents and purposes, as a human.
Mateless. Powerless. Alone.
Yup, she thought, sighing heavily, it was going to suck.
The bass beat vibrated the tabletop beneath her fingers. Hayden sat next to her with his arm draped behind her, wearing his usual air of irritating arrogance. She wanted to tell him where he could stick it, but instead, opted for ignoring him as much as possible.
He hated this place—most Amoveo did because it was owned and operated by vampires—but of course, that’s exactly why she came here. Up until tonight, hanging out at The Coven had been a surefire way to keep Hayden and the rest of the Amoveo out of her hair. Apparently, his desire to try and get her to mate with him overrode his innate disgust of vampires.
“I have to admit, Hayden,” she said over the music. “I’m more than a little surprised that you came to The Coven tonight.”
Marianna glanced at him over the rim of her glass and offered him a tight smile. She could still connect with any Amoveo telepathically, but didn’t necessarily want to. She didn’t care for being next to him in the booth, so the last thing she wanted to do was invite him into her head.
“You practically live here now.” He drained the rest of his scotch. “Although I can’t fathom why.”
He didn’t look at her, but leveled his dark eyes at the humans who passed by their table. Marianna noticed how hard and unforgiving his features were. Hatred and contempt oozed off him like bad cologne and stuck in her throat. She knew most women found him handsome, but she thought he was far too much of an asshole to be attractive.
Hayden was a self-entitled tool who rode his father’s coattails with obnoxious ease and made no secret that he wanted her for himself. He wasn’t her predestined mate, and he knew it as well as she did, but that didn’t stop him from trying. Unfortunately.
“Olivia is my friend, Hayden. If I’m going to go clubbing in the city, then I may as well go someplace where I’m friends with the owner.” She narrowed her eyes and struggled to keep her voice even. She didn’t want to fight with him. She just wanted him to go away. “I like sitting at the VIP booth and doing a bit of people-watching.”
“Your friend? She’s a vampire,” he said with contempt. “Vampires are dirty, disgusting creatures. They drink the blood of humans, which makes them no better than humans. In fact, it makes them worse and puts them far below us on the evolutionary chain. If it weren’t for you, I would never step foot in a place like this.”
At that moment, a young human girl with dark, heavy eye makeup sauntered by the table and gave Hayden what was surely her most seductive look. Clad in a tiny black dress, fishnets, and several tattoos, she looked like a regular here at The Coven. She ran one hand through her long dark hair and winked at Hayden as she swayed to the music.
Hayden promptly looked away and inched closer to Marianna. The girl shot him a dirty look and turned her attentions to another clubgoer who had almost as many tattoos as she did. Moments later, they were absorbed into the dancing mob.
“As for your people-watching,” he sneered, “I could do without it. I may as well be at a farm watching pigs wallow in mud.”
Your friend looks a tad uncomfortable. Olivia’s voice touched her mind gently, and Marianna suppressed a grin. She scanned the club and found Olivia behind the bar with her two bartenders—both vamps. Her bright red hair made her easy to spot in the sea of black. Olivia was the owner of the club, the head of this all-female vampire coven, and one of Marianna’s best friends.
He’s not my friend, and you know it, but I’m thrilled that he’s squirming, Marianna thought back with a smirk. You have to come over here soon. It will annoy him and hopefully get him to leave.
He’s not bad looking, but you
obviously loathe him, and you already told me he’s not your mate, so why even bother? Olivia continued to make drinks and tend customers without missing a beat. Tell him to fuck off.
Let’s just say it’s politics. She gripped her champagne flute and gave a slanted glance toward Hayden. I have no interest in picking sides in this stupid civil war that my people started. However, I’m getting tired of playing nice. Now be a good friend. Get your ass over here, and flash him your fangs.
Olivia’s laughter jingled along her mind. Now, come on. If any of my human customers got wind of my wiles, we’d have a serious problem on our hands. I don’t feel like fending off silver, crosses, garlic, and wooden stakes—that’s so last millennium.
I thought that garlic couldn’t hurt vampires?
It can’t, but Hollywood keeps perpetuating the myth. I really don’t care for garlic, and it takes forever to get rid of the stench. She threw a wink from behind the bar. I’ll be over in a second.
Another song erupted loudly, and the startled look on Hayden’s face made Marianna want to bust out laughing. If he insisted on chasing her, then she was going to make it as uncomfortable for him as possible.
“I love this freaking song!” Marianna raised her arms in the air. “I think it’s just about time to dance.”
“I don’t think so.” He grabbed her arm and yanked her toward him, preventing her from leaving. “Aren’t you almost finished with your champagne?” He shouted over the music and looked at his watch for the tenth time in as many minutes.
“Oh dear, I hope you’re not leaving yet.” Olivia’s voice cut into their conversation, and Marianna smothered a giggle when she saw the look of surprise flicker briefly over Hayden’s face.
“Hey, Olivia,” Marianna said with a big smile as she tugged her arm free of Hayden’s grasp. “The club is packed tonight, so thanks again for hooking me up with the VIP booth. I would tell you that you don’t always have to give me VIP status, but I’d be lying. However, as much as I adore it, I don’t want to wear out my welcome.”
Tall, Dark, and Vampire (Dead in the City) Page 25
