Keeping Cambria

by Kitty DuCane

  They materialized outside the station and both quickly inhaled deep. Her scent was negligible. They barged inside, but the place was empty except for a sleepy female behind the counter, and she was no help. She hadn’t seen anybody, and no buses had left in the last five hours. But Cambria hadn’t been inside.

  Venom called all the taxi companies and inquired about any pickups at the bus station, but he had no luck.

  “Now what, bro?” Viper asked. He hoped to hell Venom had a clue.

  “Was the bus station a decoy?” asked Venom.

  “Don’t know, man. She’s slippery as an eel. And I will spank her ass when I find her.” Viper tugged on his hair but stopped short of pulling it out. His mate, their mate, was unprotected, and if their enemies found out they had a mate, she’d never be safe. They’d given her the mating mark. Some vampires and werewolves would see it and leave her alone, but others would fuck her because of it. And if one scented a Hell’s Hunter on her, God help her.

  Venom called Zenith again and asked the cabbie who dropped off Cambria to come back to the bus station. They had to wait ten long minutes before the driver arrived. He apparently didn’t like the looks of them because he didn’t get out, just rolled down the window. Viper froze the man and rummaged through his mind. “The driver pulled up here, she got out, turned around several times, laughed, and then headed for the parking lot.”

  Viper cursed. “She knew what she was doing.”

  They let the man go and misted around the bus station parking lot until they found her scent.

  “Mother fucker!” screamed Viper, his body shaking with ballistic rage. Their mate had deliberately misled them. “She must have had a car here.”

  “Un-fucking-believable,” muttered Venom.

  Viper asked Bear the location of her hotel, and he and Venom materialized in the room. She wasn’t there, and hadn’t been there in a while, based on her scent.

  “Fuck!” growled Venom.

  “What do we do now?” asked Viper.

  “We’ll call all our brothers and get them out here. We’ll have all our teams searching every motel, and tonight we’ll hit the bars.” That was Venom, the calm planner.

  “And if she’s left town?” His gut tightened. They didn’t have enough manpower to cover all the major cities on the East Coast.

  “I hate to say this, bro,” said Venom. “But if we don’t find her at seedy motels, I hope she’s hunting in Atlanta tonight.”

  Chapter Four

  Cambria swallowed the bile in her throat. She hated BDSM clubs, but lots of vampires trolled these grounds. This club was at the bottom of the slime barrel. No medical forms, no contracts, just pick your partner and do-si-do. Yuck!

  Tonight all the sweat and sex made her belly turn over. In fact, she’d been sick all day caused, as usual, by running on no sleep and a big case of the nerves. She hoped those…those…twins hadn’t given her a vamp disease, because she hadn’t heard any whisper of a foil pack tearing. Thank heavens she was on birth control.

  She halted the glass at her lips as sheer terror raced through her veins. Oh, my God. Could they…did they turn her into a vampire? Her hand shot to one of the bites, and she ran her tongue along her teeth.

  No fangs.

  She smiled at herself. Just checking.

  Cambria tugged at her too-short skirt, part of her vampire-come-get-me schoolgirl outfit. White, skimpy crop top that fell off her shoulders and knotted under her breasts, no bra, mini plaid skirt in baby blue, no panties, garters, white silk hose, and kick-ass pumps. She crossed her legs to push the skirt up even farther, so her ass could hang out as bait. Being newly naked down there almost made her want to put on some panties, but neither scraps of nylon nor hair would save her. At least her ankle was well.

  And other parts didn’t hurt either.

  Except for those bites on her shoulders. They did burn and throb like a mother.

  What have I done?

  She wasn’t the same any more, that much she knew. They’d somehow marked her, and she wasn’t talking about her skin. Visions of them constantly filled her mind, naked, cocks in hand or jutting out, abs to lick, muscular legs and arms, and faces belonging on the cover of GQ.

  Cambria had enjoyed herself so much she almost wondered why she wasn’t seeking out two from this crowd. There were plenty of takers, some not so pathetic-looking, but she tried to focus on her mission and not her clit, in spite of the fact that it needed rapid attention.

  And she longed for some sleep.

  Cambria had purposely napped in her car at the park, because she didn’t want to be found by her…uh…the twins. Hell, they might not be looking for her. They’d probably fucked half the females on the planet in the past how many ever years old they were, probably whole damn harems full. She was just one of hundreds of their one-night stands.

  Who would they fuck tonight?

  How many?

  She turned to the bartender and ordered another shot, then downed it as soon as he brought it to her. She couldn’t say the liquor made her feel better, because it didn’t, but she hoped to dull the something that felt like hot sexual need.

  Someone or something tapped her on the shoulder. She took a deep breath, plastered on the best smile she could muster and turned.

  “It must be my lucky day,” she said.

  The guy before her licked his lips. It was hard to tell if he was human or vampire since he didn’t have the glassy look of a rabid animal. The true tell was if he tried to bite.

  “You’re not a submissive,” he said.

  “No. No, I’m not. Is that what you need?”

  He nodded. This one wasn’t much of a talker, so it was hard to see if any elongated canines were in there anywhere. Come on baby, show me some teeth. She reached forward and grabbed his crotch. A rigid erection filled her hand.

  He smiled at her.

  Yep. Fangs.

  But the twins had taught her that not everything with teeth was a killer, so severing this guy’s head from his shoulders was not an easy choice anymore.

  “Are you a vampire?” she asked.

  He scowled as if he’d bitten into a sour lemon. “Fuck, no.”

  “Then what’s up with the teeth?”

  He placed both hands on the bar, hemmed her in, and whispered, “I ain’t no nasty vampire. I’m a werewolf.”

  What?

  The twins had mentioned werewolves, but she hadn’t thought much about it. “I didn’t know they existed.”

  He shrugged. This guy was good looking, too. Must be a paranormal thing.

  “What’s your deal?” he asked.

  “I’m searching for a vampire who knows Steven Johnson.”

  “Never heard of him. Are they the ones who marked you?”

  “No. Neither.” So werewolves could smell she’d been bitten by two different people. Damn, she needed to start a journal to keep up with all this supernatural shit. “Steve is an acquaintance of mine, and I’m looking for him. Last time I saw him, he was with a vamp, but I don’t know the vamp’s name.”

  “Can’t help you. Are you up for sex tonight, or are you just here trolling for info?”

  She smiled as sweetly as she could. “Info.”

  “Vampires are not something you need to get tangled up with.”

  Boy, was that an understatement.

  “I know, but it’s important.”

  He stepped away from her and smiled. “Take care.” Then he turned and melted into the crowd.

  Cambria spun back around and tapped the bar to order another drink. Well, at least she’d met a werewolf and hadn’t had to kill him. Perhaps the night was looking up.

  After the shot of courage, she eased up on the whiskey and spent the rest of her time scanning. When most of the people had paired up and hit the back rooms for play, she turned and held up two fingers. “Two for the road, Todd.” Tonight was a bust.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Todd set another shot glass on the bar and poured her a double befor
e heading to the other end. She quickly downed one and picked up the other only to stare at the amber liquid as it swirled and danced in the light. She held up the glass, toasted Steve, and then threw it back. Maybe she’d get lucky tomorrow night and find someone who knew something.

  As she reached for her money pocket hidden inside her skirt, she was suddenly pinned against the bar. Fear crept along her spine as a heavy breath rasped in her ear. She searched for Todd, but he was way down at the other end and didn’t notice her.

  “You reek of a werewolf.”

  “Hmmm. I’m stepping out on the proverbial limb here and saying that you must be a vampire.”

  His laugh rattled against her back. “I’ve been watching you.”

  “Really? If you let me go, I can turn around and figure out why I’ve missed you.” And take a breath.

  He laughed. “I like you like this. I always take my women from behind.”

  “In a bar?” She quickly pushed down the panic that threatened her.

  “Nah.”

  He sniffed her hair, and she wished to hell that she could see his eyes.

  “You’ve been with two Hell’s Hunters.”

  Yep, he must be insane. “What’s a Hell’s Hunter?”

  “Six bastards.”

  She waited for him to continue, but he didn’t, so she asked, “And that means?”

  “They need to die slowly. ‘Hated by some. Feared by most. Hunted by fools.’ Their motto.”

  Hated by some?—like the one standing behind her.

  Feared by most?—yeah she could understand that.

  Hunted by fools?—anybody would be a fool to get in a fight with the twins.

  That motto was dead on. “That sounds…er…stupid, but I don’t know any Hell’s Hunters, and you’re putting a kink in my back. Now, back the fuck off.”

  His laugh rumbled deep in his chest and vibrated her breastbone against the bar. Where in hell was Todd with that shotgun she knew he had?

  “I was planning to kill you just for talking to the werewolf.”

  “Really? And now?”

  “Now you’re bait.”

  Cambria blinked slowly and tried to force some air into her lungs. Glancing around told her that the entire establishment was in some kind of trance, and Todd wouldn’t be rescuing her tonight. She cleared her throat. “Why would these Hell’s Hunters come looking for me?”

  In a lightning-quick move that had her eyes catching up to her head, he spun her around and pressed her back against the bar with another thud. “Thanks for pushing my breastbone back into place. Now, you were saying?”

  He bunched his brows together in surprise. “I’m going to hurt you.”

  That much she knew. “Well, before you hurt me, answer two questions.” I need another shot of whiskey. “Do you know a Steven Johnson or any vampire who knows Steven?”

  “In the face of danger, you ask me about someone?”

  Cambria hoped she could keep up this bullshit, but the shakes threatened to topple her from her perch. “I tend to talk when I get scared. Just answer the questions.”

  He arched a thick brow. “I’ll answer your two questions if you’ll shut the fuck up.”

  “Deal.”

  “I don’t know a Steven Johnson, and I haven’t heard of him. Now what’s your second question?”

  “Why would these hunters be looking for me?”

  His gaze held hers, and she purposely lifted her chin a little. Then he had the audacity to throw his head back and laugh like the insane man he was. Apparently, it didn’t take much to amuse this vamp. “What’s so damn funny?”

  “I’m tempted just to turn you back over to them and let your sassy attitude and incessant mouth irritate the fucking hell out of them.”

  “I think I’ve been insulted.”

  He laughed again. Boy, you’re a jovial fellow. When he’d gotten control of himself, he said, “You have.”

  The vampire pulled a barstool to him and sat down in front of her, narrowing her escape opportunities. “You really don’t know, do you?”

  “No, Mr…” She waited for a name, and when he didn’t offer, she said, “Vampire. I don’t know why they want me.”

  “Those marks on your neck. They’re mating bites. You are their mate.”

  She knew what a mate was—in freaking romance books. Surely that shit wasn’t real? “Well, just kill me now.”

  He leaned back and laughed again. She cut her eyes at him ‘cause she was damn serious. A husband—or two—was not in the plan. “Listen, the last thing I want is a mate, much less two vampires, present company included.”

  He grinned again.

  “So, we’re just going to wait?”

  “Yes. They’ll be here in a few.”

  “And you’re planning to kill them?”

  “Yes.”

  Something like terror coursed through her. She didn’t necessarily want them dead, but, hell, she didn’t want to see them again, either. “I’m kinda cold. Can I put on my coat?”

  “No.”

  “No? I’m cold, damn it.”

  He lifted an eyebrow and suddenly a blast of hot air blew on her. Now I’ll die from heat prostration.

  “Shouldn’t you get up and get ready to kick their asses? You know. Be prepared?”

  “Oh, I’m not worried.”

  “Well, you should be. I’ve seen them fight six at a time wielding big-ass heavy swords like they weighed nothing.”

  The bastard laughed at her again. “You mean a sword as big as this?”

  A sword appeared in his hand, and it was just as nasty as the twins’. He whirled it around as if the damned thing weighed less than a feather. Sweat rolled down her back. “Okay. I’m warm now. Cut the damn heat off.”

  He grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Well, at least this vamp had some manners.

  “They didn’t tell you what they really were, did they?”

  “I don’t know. They didn’t tell me they belong to some Hell’s Hunter club. Is that like the Boy Scouts?”

  He flashed is canines again. “Not exactly. They’re not just vampires, but werewolves too.”

  What? This guy had to be feral even though his handsome green eyes held no sign of craziness. “That sounds…bleh!”

  “They had a werewolf mother and a vampire father.”

  “Sounds like an abomination, and there are six of them?”

  He nodded as a beer appeared in his hand. “Three sets of twins.”

  “Three sets of assholes.”

  The ass in front of her took a swig from his bottle and nodded. Cambria swallowed hard, her mouth void of spit. “Can I have a shot of whiskey?”

  “You smell like you’ve had too much already.”

  “Can you smell that I don’t give a shit what you think?”

  “Yep. Got that.”

  A bottle of water appeared in her hand. She uncapped it, drank a huge gulp, and kept watching him twirl the sword around as if it was a baton and he a twirler in high school.

  It had been at least twenty minutes since the club went into zombie land. “Can these people breathe? Are they okay?”

  “Yep. They’ll be fine. Quit worrying. You should be worrying about your mates.”

  He regarded her with those green eyes, so she rolled hers. “I told you they wouldn’t come for me.”

  “As hot as you are? They’ll come running, probably cussing up a storm.”

  This moron obviously wasn’t scared of the twins. The only way to save herself was to either make him realize that he could possibly die and get him to leave, or slip out when the swords started swinging. “I still don’t know why you think you can kill them. The odds, my friend, aren’t in your favor.”

  “I can kick both of their asses.”

  “And why do you think you can do that?”

  He cut her a sly look. “I’m older than they are.”

  “By how many years?”

  “Three hundred or so,” he glanced at he
r, “I guess.” He shrugged. “Don’t actually know.”

  Suddenly, the door opened, and men filed in. They were all sizes of big. Cambria arched a brow. “Friends of yours?”

  “Yep.

  “Sounds like you’re chicken to me. You had me going. I thought you would take the twins on by yourself.”

  “Oh, they’re not here for me. They’re here for you…when I get through with you.”

  Her belly bottomed out and her breath hitched. Even if she had her sword, she couldn’t get away from all these men. More attractive men filed in. “So I’m what, soup du jour?”

  “Something like that. Looks like they’re not coming. Time to get this party started, darlin’.”

  He stood, and her mind raced, searching for options. If she had her sword, she’d use it on herself. She damn sure didn’t want to be passed around. “I…uh…have a wager.”

  He arched a suspicious brow. “What do you have to bargain with?”

  “Nothing, but let’s do it just for fun. You do things for fun, don’t you?”

  “That’s what I’m planning on doing with you, sugar.” He flashed his fangs in that brilliant smile of his.

  She noted he called her sweet names, and maybe that was because of his audience. “A challenge then, before you…snack on me.”

  “Okay. What do you want to do?”

  “I challenge you to a sword fight.”

  His new friends laughed. Some yelled “that was fair,” another said, “give her a chance.” She arched her brow in a dare.

  His lips twitched. “Okay. What do you need?”

  She’d rather handle her custom sword, but she didn’t want to give that away just in case an opportunity came around to use it. “Clear the floor and...” She rolled her hands in a circle. “Do whatever you do and get me a sword.”

  The men clapped and cheered, and the tables and chairs magically disappeared along with the patrons who’d hadn’t gotten lucky tonight. Cambria hopped off her stool when the vampire stepped back. Conscious of her behind, she asked, “Can you maybe…cover up my ass?”

  A small sword appeared in his hand, and he held it out to her, grinning like an idiot. “Not in a million years, sweetheart.”