Vampire's Companion

by Jory Strong

  Israel’s tongue scraped against them. Bled.

  Need turned into savage desire.

  He ended the kiss.

  Israel’s head tilted back on a moan.

  “Do it.” Harsh, husky entreaty.

  Terach struck. Fangs piercing, the penetration throwing Israel into orgasm.

  Jets of heated semen splashed on already sweat-slick skin. Blood poured over Terach’s tongue but the hunger increased rather than decreased.

  He thrust harder, Israel’s second release shattering his control so orgasm ripped through him in wrenching soul-deep claim.

  Terach collapsed, panting.

  Rolled onto his back and allowed himself to drift in contentment.

  “You’re the first in centuries.”

  “The first male lover you’ve had?”

  “Yes.”

  Israel rose onto an elbow, his hair brushing Terach’s chest and hardening a nipple. “Tell me about it?”

  Terach laughed. “Playing bartender?”

  “Or shrink.”

  They kissed.

  “Or maybe just feeding my ego,” Israel said.

  Hardly necessary. But the words got trapped in Terach’s throat. For every visible wound on a slave’s flesh there were a thousand bleeding internal cuts.

  He met Israel’s gaze, held it. “I would have fought to true death to keep you from Diarmid.”

  “Thanks for that.”

  Hours ago he could have denied this aspect of his sexuality, but not now, not ever again. Somehow they’d find a way to make this work.

  He mentally touched the companion bond. The distance between the club and Cia’s apartment was too far to pinpoint her exact location, but she was in the general vicinity of where she lived.

  He didn’t want to wait until tomorrow’s nightfall or give her time to shore up resistance and denial. Sitting, he said, “I’m going to shower.”

  “I’m going to just lie here for a few minutes.”

  Terach stood, gaze roaming Israel, possessiveness riding him, more primal than he’d ever experienced as a human.

  Israel’s cock twitched and his stirred with renewed interest. He laughed and leaned down, risked another kiss before getting in the shower, supremely satisfied.

  His smile lingered until hot water struck his skin and soap washed away the scent of Israel and sex, casting him back to those first days after Gian had made him vampire. With safety had come the intense need to bathe, as if plunging into icy streams or water heated by inn servants could cleanse him of the defilement he’d experienced as a slave. His sire had known, had lingered in the area and altered his own plans so his newest son could hunt and kill those who’d made sport of him, those who’d preyed upon him when he was viewed as less valuable than a horse. But the drain of blood hadn’t been enough. Only time had turned acute memories into duller ones, wrapping them into his psyche with centuries of distance.

  And now he owned a slave. Could he live with that?

  Even if they were equals in his heart, the stigma of it remained. He’d be shunned by some. It would cost him alliances and friendships, perhaps ultimately, his self-respect.

  He scrubbed his hands over his face. Turn Israel?

  And if he refused it?

  Offer to introduce him to Gian’s other sons? To Brann’s sons, in the hope one of them would make Israel their companion?

  The back of his throat burned. His heart thrummed.

  Contend with one uncertainty at a time.

  He reached along the companion bond. Chill engulfed him at finding it taut, thinning, stretched by distance and nearly beyond range of his being able to locate Cia.

  He jerked the shower door open, hurriedly drying himself as he returned to the bedroom. He tossed the towel onto the floor, snagged his jeans and pulled them on.

  Israel was instantly on his feet. “What’s wrong?”

  “Cia. She’s leaving the area.”

  Terach grabbed a shirt. Shoved his feet into shoes then bolted from the room.

  He entered the main area of the club, pushed through the crowded humans, intent on the exit.

  Stop.

  Gian, I need to—

  Come to me.

  Instincts dueled. Bonds dueled, his sire versus his companion.

  He took a step toward the exit. Israel caught up to him.

  Come to me. Though Gian didn’t enforce the command with his will.

  Terach took several more steps before common sense prevailed. Before the imperative to get to his companion yielded to the respect he owed his sire.

  She wouldn’t leave the city without informing her captain. Modern technology meant she could easily be found and he couldn’t afford to be caught outside in the sun, chasing her.

  He joined Gian, the tightness in his chest easing at finding Skye sitting next to him, beer bottle in hand. Even before discovering her Angelini heritage and making a vampire one of her mates, she was a famed hunter of the missing.

  “Good of you to obey,” Gian said, amusement lacing his voice.

  “If I’m slow to do it, possibly it’s because I take after you.”

  Gian laughed. “Brann would no doubt be quick to agree. But then he claims I’m a disrespectful ass when it comes to him. I take it you finally realized your companion is fleeing the city?”

  Bite had replaced amusement. Everything inside Terach stilled. How did Gian know?

  A flicked glance at Skye answered the question. Rico must have provided the information. “Where’s she going?”

  “Ventura.”

  He could be safely there in under an hour, sending Israel after her in the car in case her plans deviated while he made the trip via private jet. He could commandeer some of the humans who guarded Fangs during the day. They could be trusted to secure whatever location he chose for his daytime resting place.

  The bond stretched thinner, the connection minutes from breaking. He pulled car keys and a wad of cash from his back pocket, thrusting them into Israel’s hand while he sent the image of Cia’s car mentally. “Go.”

  Israel’s resistance pounded against Terach’s senses. His fingers closed around keys and cash with enough force to whiten the knuckles. He took them, pivoted.

  Terach grabbed his arm, unwilling to part this way.

  Where once he would have been self-conscious about letting others witness his desire for another man, possessive urges dominated now. His mouth claimed, tasting anger and fear of separation, and driving them back with the thrust of his tongue, incinerating them with the ravenous promise of what it would be like when they were together again.

  Israel’s resistance lessened. His body softened.

  Only the possible loss of Cia gave Terach the strength to break the contact rather than drag Israel back to the bedroom to sink cock and fangs into him. “Go after her. Please. Keep her safe.”

  “Hold,” Gian said, dipping a hand into the biker’s jacket Skye wore and retrieving a pen.

  He snagged one of the bar napkins littering the table and wrote a phone number on it. “Raphael’s cell,” he said, directing the information at Israel. “He’s one of Brann’s companions. He’ll be able to track and guide you to Cia.”

  Gian placed a black credit card with no spending limit on the napkin, pushing both across the table. Israel took only the phone number then left.

  “You test him?”

  “Perhaps. And perhaps I test you. Remain in Las Vegas until tomorrow night. When you wake, come directly to me.”

  No!

  It swelled upward from deep within. Terach’s muscles bunched. His hands curled into fists with the effort not to shout the denial.

  Gian’s expression remained unchanged, centuries of history flowing back and forth between them like a silent tide.

  “As you will, Sire,” he said in a tone textured with thick resistance.

  Chapter Four

  Cia emerged from the motel bathroom fresh from the shower and feeling human again despite the long da
y yesterday and early morning arrival.

  Her cell rang.

  Grabbing it, she smiled.

  “What’s up?” Tessa asked.

  “I’m in town.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Seriously.”

  “You’re the answer to a prayer. How long are you here for?”

  “I’m on leave.” It came out stark, more pain-filled than she’d intended.

  “What happened?”

  She forced herself to sound carefree. “Why don’t I tell you over coffee and a pastry if you’ve already eaten lunch?”

  “I’ll do you one better. Come to the house. The kitchen is all yours. In fact, the place is all yours. Tell you more when you get here. I’ll even have lunch waiting.”

  “I’m on my way.” A quick double check, not that she’d done more than unpack the clothes she needed for today, and she was out the door.

  She jerked to a stop at seeing the black SUV parked to the left. Heat crawled up her neck and into her face at recognizing Terach’s lover in the driver’s seat.

  She’d dreamed of him last night, dreamed of them, as though instead of turning away from the bed and rushing from Fangs, she’d joined Terach and this stranger in it.

  Ignore him.

  Impossible.

  A light haze appeared around him. It clung, darkening to become mustard yellow washed through with gray.

  No. No. She didn’t want this in her life again. She’d left Las Vegas to get away from it.

  He shouldn’t have come after her. Terach shouldn’t have sent him. Rico shouldn’t have betrayed her destination.

  She turned away, the ache caused by Rico’s involvement unsustainable when it collided with the image of Terach’s hair draped over this man’s thighs, his mouth obviously on this man’s cock.

  Behind her a car window rolled down.

  “This is how you repay Terach when he saved your life? By acting like a scared child and running. By throwing away everything he has to offer, including love.”

  Coldness swept in. Her lungs froze. She whirled, the colors hazed around him still there. “Tell me why you think he saved my life.”

  He bared his teeth. “On one condition. I’ve got the task of watching over you and keeping you safe. Let me hang with you and I’ll tell you at nightfall.”

  No. But she bit off her first response.

  No. And that second response was even weaker.

  Her gun hand tightened on the suitcase handle.

  The need for answers had driven her to Fangs in the hopes they would lead to her being cleared for duty. Here was validation that something had happened that night besides a one-night stand.

  Did she really want to find out what? Did she really prefer the truth over a self-diagnosis of PTSD?

  Her palm grew slick. Fine tremors went through her. The color around him changed, mustard shading into orange with streaks of light gray, then fading altogether.

  “Until nightfall,” she said, stomach cramping.

  “You coming back here?”

  “No. I’m staying at a friend’s place.”

  “I’ll follow you,” Israel said, silently cursing himself.

  He’d made a mistake. He’d let desperation get the better of him.

  He’d thought himself calm, cool and collected despite having to chase after her instead of remaining with Terach.

  But when Cia had turned away…

  She’d pissed him off.

  And even knowing it wasn’t smart, he wanted to stay pissed.

  In the end, one way or another, she might cause him to be sent away. She might cost him Terach.

  He wanted to hate her, but he’d glimpsed her fear, and it had done what her actions couldn’t—softened his attitude.

  Cia might not consciously believe vampires existed, but whatever memories Terach had implanted to explain what had happened weren’t holding.

  He’d read the truth.

  What was he going to tell her? How much?

  He pounded on the steering wheel. Once. Twice.

  Then laughed, exhilaration rushing in. It had been years since he dared to express his emotions or demonstrate them for fear they’d draw the wrong kind of attention.

  Estelle liked her pretty human trinkets to stay where she put them and not demand anything of her, most especially her attention after the fascination had passed.

  She wasn’t averse to having said baubles beaten, though she didn’t get her hands dirty or bother to watch the lesson being administered.

  He took a deep breath, savoring freedom. He’d make this work somehow. Sometimes the prickly ones were the most interesting to get to know.

  She stopped in front of a quaint house in an older part of town where lots were large and offered privacy. It was one story, light green with white trim, the windows oversized.

  Potted plants lined a tiled porch. Wind chimes and a swing hung from the underside of the porch roof.

  He parked behind Cia and got out.

  The house door flung open. A woman emerged and hurried toward Cia, the resemblance to Lucy Liu lessening but not disappearing.

  The two hugged. He joined them when it ended. “I’m Israel.”

  “Tessa.” She glanced at Cia, eyes sharp, questioning. “You didn’t say you weren’t alone.”

  “She didn’t know I was going to show up.”

  He placed a hand on Cia’s lower back, his thumb stroking her spine.

  She stiffened, though a blush spread across her cheeks and her nipples hardened to become visible points.

  He hid his smile. She wasn’t immune to him.

  Tessa gave the slightest nod. He could practically hear her thinking, lover’s tiff.

  Her gaze flicked to him. He allowed the smile.

  People interested him, always had. He liked figuring them out and helping when he could.

  It’d led him to bar tending and the fit had seemed perfect. His downfall had come in not understanding at first that a supernatural world existed alongside a human one.

  Tessa led them to the kitchen and an assortment of sandwiches on the table, complemented by potato salad and macaroni salad. “Canned drinks in the fridge,” she said.

  Terach reached it first, snagging a soda for himself and handing off a lemonade to Cia when she said that’s what she wanted. His cock stirred with the brush of her fingers against his, awareness flashing between them before she hastily turned away.

  “Get you one?” he asked Tessa.

  “I’m fine.” She dropped into a chair, waited until Cia took the one across from her before saying, “I really hate to spring this on you.”

  Cia selected a ham sandwich. “Which is why you’re softening me up with food.”

  “True. And you’ll notice I’m sparing you the donuts and coffee thing.”

  Cia laughed. “Only because you were a cop.”

  “That would also be true.”

  “Does this have something to do with your prayers being answered?”

  “Yes. I’m heading to Italy. A friend from college is getting married and I’m staying to explore afterward. That’s why your call went to voice mail earlier, I was on the phone frantically trying to find someone willing to hunt a runaway.”

  “I’ll do it.” Just like that.

  Israel admired her for it. Secretly smiled because the task just might be a way for Terach to demonstrate how useful it was to have a vampire for a lover.

  “What’s the story?” he asked.

  “The girl’s name is Kadence Kramer. She’s sixteen. Mother is desperate. That’s it in a nutshell, other than money is tight. Very tight.”

  “Money’s not a problem.” A rock backward and he’d feel the thick wad of bills still in his pocket. He lifted his fork. “We can eat the costs. It’s the least we can do for the room and board.”

  Across from him Cia twitched. But Tessa laughed. “Well, I don’t want to misrepresent the situation. I rushed to the deli before you got here. Unless you and Cia want
to live on canned soup or rice or beans, you’ll have to grocery shop. I cleaned out my fridge.”

  “We can handle a little shopping.”

  Cia glowered at him. His smile widened.

  Tessa hid amusement behind a fist and hasty cough, going cop-serious in a blink and asking Cia, “Why are you on leave?”

  Cia got busy scooping potato salad onto her plate. “I shot someone.”

  “He’s dead?”

  “Yes.”

  Tessa drilled him with a look, like he should be doing something or saying something. He didn’t dare, didn’t have a clue. He’d been in Las Vegas less than twenty-four hours when he’d been presented with the tights and told to put them on, along with the slave bands, so he could accompany Karen.

  “You don’t really think you can leave it there, do you?” Tessa said. “Has the department made a ruling on the shooting?”

  “Justified.”

  “Case related?”

  “Yes. It started with a missing girl, Brittany Armstrong, and got strange.”

  Tessa perked up. “How strange?”

  Cia stopped concentrating on her plate. She favored him with a thinned-lipped stare. “Kids wanting to become vampires. Black magic ceremonies.”

  “Okay, that’s freaky, even for Vegas. And the shooting?”

  “It happened at a place called Toppers. My partner was there. Right after I walked in his… Skye was attacked in a tight hallway. She had a knife. The guy had a gun. He fought like a cornered animal that didn’t intend to die alone. There was only one way to stop it.”

  Her hand trembled. Israel stood but Tessa was there first, bending down to give Cia a hug. “First time, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “It takes a while to process. Then it gets better. I know. I’ve been there.” Tessa gave Cia another quick hug then returned to her seat. “Why does the name Skye ring a bell?”

  Cia’s knuckles whitened on the fork. “Skye Delano. The captain has a file on her.”

  “The vigilante.”

  “That’s the one.”

  “Now that I’m not a cop anymore, I don’t have to be so upset by the idea of someone taking out child molesters.”

  “Tessa—”

  “I know, I know. All black and white with no gray, otherwise there’s chaos. But—”