Knox cocked his head, malicious interest lighting up his ice-cold eyes.
Her mind protested, bombarding her with memories of the consequences from such defiance. It became too much, the tremors spreading like a gas infused wildfire. His mouth twisted into a dark grin.
Finding her limit, she shoved away from Mace and raced up the stairs.
A string of vile curses aimed at Knox spewed from Mace in a heap. “She requires tenderness, Knox!”
“And I require food.”
Mace lumbered forward and kicked the other vampire’s boot off the table. “Over my dead body!”
“Don’t tempt me.”
Mace struggle to stow his temper and think rationally. “Look, you don’t want to be bonded to Cora. She’d prefer that as well, and it’s no big mystery that I’d like you gone. So stay away from her, leave, don’t take her blood, and don’t give her yours again. I’m sure your bond will fade, and you’ll be free before you know it.”
“Be assured, Mace, I won’t share my blood with her again, especially if her life is in danger. And I know better than you that the bond will fade. I don’t need you to tell me that.” Knox stood. “But I won’t resign myself to indefinite weakness. I’ll feed from the witch until I can feed from others again. I suggest you learn to accept that.”
Mace bared his fangs. “I don’t have to accept shit. I could just end you.”
“Love for you to try, mate. I’ve been looking forward to the end for a while now. But do you think you’ve got what it takes?”
They were nose to nose.
“Mace! Knox! Separate, now!”
They both backed up, the power of their sire’s command overruling their macabre urges to beat the other bloody.
“Sit,” Trent ordered.
They claimed spots on opposite sides of the coffee table, staring daggers at each other.
Trent glanced around the room, his eyes coming to rest on Mace. “Where’s the girl?”
“She’s upstairs.” He hated leaving her by herself, but she was overwhelmed, and he could tell she wished to be left alone anyway.
Adjusting her ingrained perspective of his kind was going to be a task. She’d find more success if she could learn to assert herself better.
“Good. I have things to discuss with you. There’s already been new leads on Brayden’s case. Whoever’s holding him didn’t wait long to start selling his blood again through new channels. I was hoping to bring you back in to investigate.”
“Cora needs me.” He didn’t hesitate in his response. “Clearly they still want her dead, which tells me something about her is a threat to them.”
“I’ve considered that as well,” Trent replied solemnly. “And I agree with your assessment. But mostly, now that you’re bonded to her, I don’t have much of a choice. Your strength depends on her blood at the moment.” His eyes shifted to Knox. “Both of yours does.”
“You can’t be serious,” Mace protested. “Knox does nothing for the clan. His strength is inconsequential. He need not feed from her at all.”
“Everyone is an asset, Mace. He hasn’t been working for the VEA because I’ve assigned him to this cottage.”
Mace fell silent, taken aback. “Why?”
“An entity made its presence known several years back. I fear, whatever it is, it’s growing stronger.”
“A ghost,” Mace replied, deadpan. He turned to Knox and mocked, “You’re a ghost hunter now?”
Knox sneered. “Smirk all you like, it won’t save your woman from me.”
Mace frowned, turning to Trent. “You can’t subject her to him. She’s…delicate. More so now than ever.”
Trent turned contemplative, leaning back in his chair. “Knox, you’ll only feed from her. You’ll not harm her in any way. Understand?”
Knox waved his hand in a show on nonchalance. “Fine, whatever.”
“You can’t be serious. Knox just being near harms her.”
“Is that so?” Mischief coated Knox’s words.
Mace gesture toward him as if proving a point.
“Enough, Mace, I’ve made my decision. You’ll both stay here with the witch.”
“Then how will I be able to help with the case?”
Trent turned roguish and then headed for the kitchen, gesturing for Mace to follow. “Knox has been working on another project here at the cottage.”
“Oi,” Knox complained. “You’re not going to show him, are you? It’s not ready yet.”
Trent ignored him and continued to the secret panel.
Moments later, Mace and Trent descended into the cavern. Knox begrudgingly trailed behind.
“We only just finished carving out the space,” Trent declared. “Knox has been installing the power station and backup generators.”
Mace paused. “Power station? For what?”
“Our new compound.” Trent turned a corner and disappeared through a fissure in the wall, covered by darkness. His voice echoed back at Mace, “Eventually I want to relocate the clan.”
Through the hidden alcove, and a set of heavy metal doors, Mace found himself in a large, open room, perfectly square with smooth grey walls. Light fixtures hung from recesses in the ceiling. A door on each wall led to three other rooms, all of them bare, with doors of their own.
“Impressive,” Mace said. “How far does it go?”
There’s room for the whole clan and then some,” Trent replied. “But like Knox said, it’s not ready yet. Mostly bones at this point. However, a couple rooms are set up for communication and research. That’s how you’ll continue your work on the case. When I get back to St. Stamsworth, I’ll send you the list of new suspects.”
“When are you’re leaving?”
“Within the hour. I dropped my entire investigation to come see to you. Drove like a bat out of hell to get here too. I have to get back.” He retrieved his phone from his pocket and scrolled through a list of messages.
Mace recognized one of the names as belonging to the captain of the human precinct who had been all too willing to cooperate with their investigation. Captain Avery. At the time, he had been grateful for the easy capitulation.
Now he was suspicious.
“With you gone, how am I to deal with…” Mace glanced around. “Wait, where’s Knox?”
* * *
“Sweet frightened Coraline,” Cora heard Knox purr.
Her blood stopped cold and she shot out of the bed, backing up several steps. Knox closed the door behind him and loped toward her at a leisurely pace.
She remembered Mason's words and fought to hold Knox's gaze. “Go away.”
“But I brought something for you.” His fangs were already extended, his intention’s clear.
She gulped down the painfully hard lump that had swollen in her esophagus.
“Hold still so I can give it to you.”
Her feet ached to do just the opposite, but her legs were like two shaking sticks in stormy weather. Besides, there was nowhere to run. Knox was nearly upon her. Her pulse thumped out a rabbit’s warning, her brain not knowing how to respond to the message.
Knox shoved an object into her shaky palm just as he pulled her head to the side by the nape. His fangs bore down on her. There was a quick sting when he penetrated her skin, then a rush of unwanted pleasure as he began to drink her in.
Mace barged into the room, the waves of his fury mingling oddly with her pleasure. He lunged for Knox. Cora was somehow shoved out of the way as the two began to grapple. Back to her senses, she scrambled to the opposite side of the bed, using it as a barrier. Then she realized she still held what Knox had handed her: Pride and Prejudice. She gazed at the book as if it were a three-headed sloth.
Trent appeared and forced himself between Knox and Mace, quickly breaking up the brawl. Mace made sure to back up so that he was in front of her. Knox taunted him with a triumphant visage.
Cora took in the carnage, surprised by the amount of damage done in just a few seconds.
The reading desk had been knocked over, the drawers and items inside spread over the floor. The chair had been tossed as well, along with the bags of clothing Mace had brought up from the car. The bathroom door was smashed in. She hadn’t even noticed when that had happened. Had she blacked out while Knox had his way? She brought her fingers to her neck. They came away with blood on the tips.
Mace panted like any beast would after taking on a rival. So did Knox, and though he was bleeding from his nose and lip, he appeared smug and amused, whereas Mace was concentrated rage. If Trent weren’t in command, Mace would have disemboweled Knox for her.
He was magnificent.
“The two of you will work this out!” Trent sliced his hand through the air as if this were a final warning. “And without killing each other. Mace, I expect you to be reasonable. Knox…don’t be an ass.” Then he surprised her by asking, “You alright, Cora?”
Her blonde hair was sweat-dampened and tangled in her face. She haphazardly brushed it back, nodding, trying her damnedest to mean it.
“Of course she’s not alright,” Mace bellowed. “Get Knox out of here. Take him with you.”
Impatiently, Trent replied, “My decision has been made.”
“Come off it, mate.” Knox extended his arms outward with his palms to the ceiling. “I was gentle, just like you said. She melted for me.”
Mace hurled himself at Knox again and managed to get his hands around his neck.
This time, instead of ordering them to stop, Trent approached and used his considerable strength to hurl them in opposite directions. They barreled into the walls on either side of Cora, causing more destruction to the room.
Then Trent sent an accusatory glance her way as if she were to blame for their behavior. She cringed, wondering if he’d changed his mind and was about to kill her.
As Mace and Knox pulled themselves to stand, Trent repeated his declaration for them to “work it out.” Adding, “I can’t stay here and babysit you both. In fact, I should have left an hour ago.”
When he turned in to the hall and headed down the stairs, Cora scurried off the bed toward Mace. He opened his arms for her and folded her in his embrace. Then, with a parting grimace at Knox, he guided her downstairs after Trent.
She tried to block out Knox’s insolent satisfaction, pouring over her like sticky glue, and to her surprise, it actually dimmed a bit.
“Hold on,” Mace called to Trent.
Trent looked up as he donned his coat, and Mace swiftly informed him of Cora’s total loss of appetite, seeking advice.
Once more, Trent glared at her in accusation. “She’s definitely primed for the change.”
Knox lumbered down the stairs, joining them. His disgruntled expression matched Trent’s.
“It’s a process that only few have knowledge of,” Trent continued, “with even fewer aware of the catalyst. When the process is prolonged, appetite is often affected.” Cold eyes rolled over her as he added, “But she won’t change. Just keep an eye on her. Her appetite might return. In the meant time, make sure she eats.”
Mace glanced down at her, and she knew he would stock the kitchen at the first opportunity.
Before he left, Trent pulled a small package from his coat pocket and handed it to Knox. “Almost forgot to leave this with you,” he said.
Knox took the item without reply.
* * *
“Try not to destroy this one,” Cora said as they transferred their things to the tidy room across the hall. Once Trent had gone, and Knox disappeared to the underground compound, she seemed to relax.
She was smiling again, at least.
But Mace could tell how hard she was trying to hide the fragility of it.
He set the bundle of her clothes he’d gathered from the other room on the bed, and she dove into folding them.
He perched on the mattress, leaning his back against the headboard with one of his legs dangled over the side. For a long while, he was content just to watch her work, intent on her task. Her delicate arms moved with swift grace, her fingers nimble as she stacked the clothing and then plucked another garment to repeat the process.
He must truly be in love if he can find her sexy during the mundane task of tending laundry. He let that thought percolate.
However, his mind soon drifted to how drastically her behavior changed around Knox. When he was near, she became like a completely different person. Suppressed. Like a flower that closes as night creeps in.
“Does Knox remind you of Edgar?” he blurted.
She froze mid-action, the shirt in her hands half finished. Unease seeped into him.
She lowered the garment. “In a way, you all do.”
He frowned. How could he possibly remind her of a sicko like that?
As though gathering the direction of his thoughts, she hurriedly explained, “Not so much you…entirely…anymore…It’s more of the situation. My life is in constant danger. I feel like I’m treading on thin ice, and at any moment, I could find myself in another chokehold.”
He grimaced.
“Along with that, I’m trapped here with—”
“Trapped?” His brow furrowed.
She gave him a withering look. “Can I leave?”
He pursed his lips and settled back against the wall, not about to answer.
“Well, then.” She went back to folding.
“Do you want to leave?”
She slowed, but didn’t look up. “I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”
“Is that a yes?” His words came out harsher than he meant.
She sighed, set the garment away, and approached him. With no hesitation at all, she slipped onto his lap and put her arms around his neck. His hooked her waist.
A sadness in her contradicted her actions.
“Put yourself in my shoes. You called me a survivor, and you’re probably right. I don’t want to die. I do care about you, but part of me thinks I might be safer away from you.”
His fingers dug into her hips possessively. She winced, and he forced himself to relax.
“But maybe I’m not as much a survivalist as you think. It would be easy for me to tell you that I love you, and I never want to be separated from you, but I can’t bring myself to lie to you like that.” She offered an apologetic look before turning thoughtful. “Then I think about being away from you, and I get a little anxious. Sad. Then I think that’s crazy, like maybe I’m coming down with Stockholm syndrome, which is possible, you have to admit. Then I think about the things we’ve done to each other and my heart goes all wonky—”
Mace chuckled. “You’re mixed up.”
“Big time,” she concurred. “I know what you want from me. All I can say is when I figure it out, I’ll let you know.”
“How sweet.” From the hallway, Knox’s voice curled around the corner of the open door. In the next instant, he appeared, taking up the space of the threshold.
Mace nearly shot to his feet, but Cora now clung to his neck like a spider monkey. He squeezed her closer and flashed his former friend an expression that said, “This belongs to me.”
Knox inclined his head as if to reply, “If I wanted, I could take it from you.”
“Can I assist you with something?” Mace hissed.
“Found this in the other room.” He didn’t enter, only reached his hand in to set a book on the reading desk near the door. “Someone forgot it.”
Cora looked away, and Knox smirked. Clearly, whatever he intended to communicate had been telegraphed, and received.
When Knox turned to head downstairs, Cora hopped off Mace’s lap and crossed swiftly to close the door. She didn’t so much as glance at the book.
“What was that about?” he asked.
She shrugged, and went back to her folding. And just like that, she was closed to him.
He glowered. “Come here.”
She stilled at his tone, going tense.
“Please,” he added. “I liked you where you were.”
&
nbsp; After a moment, she smiled and returned to his lap. He rewarded her with a tender kiss. She leaned in, expounding upon it by running her fingers along the back of his neck.
“Are you trying to get me going?” he rumbled.
“Can’t you tell?”
He had intended to talk with her more, he’d been enjoying their conversation, but blood from his brain had transferred to a more demanding region of his anatomy. “It’s too easy for you.”
She bit her lip, and her eyes turned sultry.
Chapter 26
Mace eased out from under Cora’s limp arm, then leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. She slept soundly as he stabbed his feet into his jeans and then slipped quietly into the hallway.
It didn’t take long to find Knox. He was in the living room, lounging on the couch and watching…
Mace stopped short. “For the love of god, don’t watch that down here. What if Cora were to see that?”
Without taking his eyes from the porn flick, Knox replied, “Girl might learn a thing or two. Why aren’t you hissing at me like a cat in heat right now?”
“I’m here to talk,” Mace replied evenly.
A sardonic gaze landed on him as a climactic scene came to an end. “You’re serious?”
“And I need one of those inoculations Trent left for you. I haven’t had one in a while.”
Knox hit the mute button, and the salacious sounds cut off. “You want something from me? I want something from your little lady.”
Mason’s teeth gnashed together. “Is this how it’s going to be from now on?”
Knox shrugged. “Pretty much.”
“And what is it you think you should get from her?”
“What do you think? I want her available to me whenever I want.”
Mace glowered. “Not going to happen.”
“Then I’ll just take her whenever I want.”
“You sorry son of a bitch!”
Knox sat forward. “Talking pretty to me doesn’t work, lover boy.”
Gnashing his teeth, Mace said, “What will work? What will it take for you to leave her alone?”
A Wicked Hunger (Creatures of Darkness 1) Page 21
