by Lia Slater
Moans rasped from her lungs as he bucked his pelvis up, jutting his cock into her bottom. Her body seemed to vibrate from the inside out and she had to clench her eyes shut as the world spun around her.
She was reeling from the passion and from the intensity of her release. Her bones melted to liquid as Worth gave into his own release, coming inside her. He groaned against her neck, clamping down one last time on the numbed area then, finally, retracting his fangs.
He kissed her cheek gently. “You are my love, my life, my One,” he said, ending the simple Vampire ceremony and shaking her soul with a mixture of adoration, devotion and concern over where this would lead them next. He’d claimed her as his spouse yet she had yet to accept him as her mate. The Were ritual was almost as clear-cut but it demanded both parties to declare their possession of each other.
Blanca wasn’t sure she was prepared to make that commitment, not when their future together in this unfriendly country was so unsure. But she promised herself that she’d enjoy Worth for as long as she could, that she’d love him with her every breath. How could she not when her heart and soul demanded it?
Carefully he pulled from her satiated, limp body and lifted her into his arms. Exhaustion overcame her and she struggled to keep her eyes open.
“Let me wash you in the lake then I’ll take you home.”
“Mmm,” was all she could say. Yes, her body was tranquil but her mind couldn’t stop worrying.
“You’re worn out,” he said. “I didn’t take very much blood but I suppose the day has been long.”
She couldn’t help but smile. “I’m tired because you loosened every muscle in my body with that incredible orgasm.”
“Was it good?” He kissed her forehead.
He really has no idea.
“Worth, I don’t think sex with you would every not be good, or fantastic, for that matter.”
“I’m glad I can satisfy you, love. I’ll always do my best to keep you happy.” He spoke as if he truly believed their relationship could last forever.
And for one brief moment Blanca allowed herself to hope that it would.
Chapter Ten
Worth ran his fingers over her new markings while she slept soundly beside him. The previous evening couldn’t have gone better. They’d miraculously escaped the High Council’s marking ceremony, Blanca had professed her love to him and he’d made her his One.
And yet a feeling of dread sat heavy in his chest—an annoying nuisance that clutched onto his heart and wouldn’t let go.
There was too much that threatened their love for each other, too much uncertainty. If only he had the ability to build an impassable wall around his land to ban every intruder while keeping both Blanca and Kerene safe and in his sight. Alas, the idea wasn’t at all realistic.
But it didn’t mean he wouldn’t do everything in his power to preserve the special bond he’d formed with Blanca. He loved her more than he’d ever thought was possible and, no matter what, he’d fight for her, kill for her.
She stirred in his arms and turned to face him, her eyes sleepy and sexy as she cuddled against his chest. “Good morning. Is it still morning?”
“Mid-morning.” He tilted her chin up and brushed a kiss to her soft lips.
Her tongue swirled along his bottom lip and she hiked her leg up his thigh. “I’m not sure I can blame our renewed blood bond on how much I desire you right now.”
“I’d be happy to oblige, wildflower, if you tell me you love me again.”
“I love—” She stopped mid-sentence and sat up quickly. Her nose wrinkled as she sniffed the air. “Worth?”
“Yes?” The dread clenching his heart squeezed tighter. “What is it? My sense of smell isn’t as sharp as yours.” Anxious, he leapt from the bed and flung open the curtain. The sun blared in and instantly burned his skin. “Damn it.” He jumped back from the direct light and met Blanca’s concerned gaze.
“Are you all right?”
“I’ll be fine once you tell me what you sense.”
Her hand trembled as she shoved a long lock of hair behind her ear. “My pack members are close. Kaige, Gambel, Xavier and Ever.”
“Four of them?” He could take them. He had more to lose.
“Yes, and don’t even think about doing anything stupid like trying to fight them. They won’t attack you if they know you’re not a threat. So don’t be one.” She shot him a look of warning. “Please.”
* * * * *
Blanca didn’t like the desperate expression on Worth’s face or the way his body tensed as if ready for battle. She went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Please,” she said again. “I don’t want any one of you to get hurt.”
His body relaxed somewhat as he braced her jaw with his rough hands. “Stay with me, Blanca. I’ll live the rest of my days to make you happy.”
“Oh, Worth.” Her throat clogged up but there was no time to talk this through. The front door opened with a bang as her pack members strode in, probably with the idea that she was being held against her will.
“Blanca?” Kaige called out from the other side of the door. “Tell us you’re okay.”
“I’m fine.” She swiveled on her feet but remained in front of Worth. “I’m in here and I’m not in any danger.”
Worth grabbed the shirt that he’d worn the day before off the floor and covered her with it. “Put this on. For me.”
Her pack had seen her naked on numerous occasions but she slipped the shirt on anyway and fastened it shut in front of her. Somehow, for some unknown reason, she didn’t feel as comfortable showing anyone other than Worth her bare body. What had happened to her the past several days?
The bedroom door slowly swung open and the sight before her almost brought tears to her eyes. She hadn’t realized she’d missed her pack members this much. And who knew what they’d been through to find her? But they did.
Kaige, with his long, dark dreads and gray, smoky gaze, was the first to walk in, followed by Gambel, with his chestnut hair and light golden eyes. Then Ever and Xavier. All tall, strong muscles and intimidating features for anyone who didn’t know them personally.
“You can step away from him now, Blanca,” Kaige said, all the while glaring at Worth. “Leave the room and we’ll take care of business.”
Blanca wanted to roll her eyes at the crazy amount of testosterone polluting the air. “Worth isn’t a threat to me so knock off the macho act.”
“Blanca’s right,” Worth said. “I’m not a threat to her. I would never hurt her. Why don’t you four wait out—”
“Bullshit,” Gambel growled. “Look at her neck. He marked her.”
“I asked him to,” Blanca said quickly when Kaige stepped closer. “He’s not like the Vamps we knew before, Kaige. He’s been kind to me.” She glanced up at Worth, who, she could tell, was desperately trying to abide by her wishes and keep his mouth shut. “He’s protected me from the rest of them.”
“I don’t believe that. Why would you ask him to scar you like a blood slave after all we’ve been through with his kind?”
“Not as a blood slave,” Worth spoke up and placed his hands on her waist. “I marked Blanca as my One. She’s my wife now and I’ll always treat her as such.”
“Blanca, leave the room.” Kaige took another step forward. “He has you under his influence. You know how this works.”
“It’s not like that.” Was there a point in arguing this? Kaige’s hatred toward Vamps ran deeper than hers, well, her hatred toward most of them anyway. Not all of them were bad. Not Worth, at least. She knew that much.
She took a calming breath before going on. “I wasn’t under the influence of the blood bond when I asked him to mark me. I’ve fallen in love with him and my feelings have nothing to do with blood.”
Kaige glanced to the other three Weres, giving them a look of disbelief. “That’s ridiculous, Blanca. Stop being stubborn and leave the damn room. You won’t have to watch when we tear him to shreds.”
Worth pulled her closer against his chest. “You won’t talk to my One in that manner. It’s time you left our home,” he said with a growl.
“Wait.” She turned to face the man she loved. The tension in the room was escalating too quickly and she feared a fight would break out if she didn’t do something. “Worth, I’m sorry. I…”
“Don’t say it,” he whispered and held her face in his hands. “Stay with me. I’ll take care of you. I’ll love you for eternity. I swear it.”
Blanca peered back at her pack members when they began to advance. “Just give me a damn minute, you guys. Can you do that for me, please? And you might as well get it out of your heads that you’ll be fighting with this Vamp today.”
Kaige scrubbed his hand down his face and then gestured for the other three to leave the room. “You have a minute, Blanca. We need to get out of this country before all the other Vamps come out to play at sunset. Understood?”
She nodded and gazed up at Worth again. His deep frown told her what she knew he must be thinking and she hated that she made him feel this way.
“I have to go with them. I have no other choice.”
“Do you fear him?” He nodded to where Kaige still stood.
“No, not in the least. I’ll be safe with them.” And she feared this would be her only chance to escape Okantalor with a war brewing.
“I don’t want you to go, love.”
She didn’t want to go if that meant never seeing him again. Never being in his strong arms. Tears burned her eyes and her stomach knotted painfully but she tried to remain composed. He’d never let her leave if he saw how she truly felt inside.
She gulped down the clump in her throat. “You promised you’d stand back if my pack came for me, remember?”
“Yes. I only hoped you’d decide…” He let his sentence fade as he shook his head. “Is this what you really want? To go back to Paqualette?”
No. She wanted to crawl back in bed with him and make love until everything and everyone around them disappeared.
“It wouldn’t be a good idea for me to stay,” she said. “You have Kerene to think about, too.” She used her last defense, since all the ones inside of her were crumbling to pieces. Her love for him seemed to blossom every second she was in his presence. Any longer and she’d toss all logic and stay with him.
And, she reminded herself, she had a war to fight. Weres were being enslaved and mistreated in this country and she wouldn’t be able to help them if she stayed under the High Council’s control, in this house, with Worth. Even if he was nothing like the other Vamps, they still had power over him. Last night proved that.
“I understand.” He seemed to force the words out. “Like I promised, I won’t stand in your way.”
“Thank you.” She attempted to step away from him but her legs wouldn’t move. Not when he stared down at her as if she were his only hope at happiness. And she was walking out the door forever.
“Just…” He whooshed out a breath and then ducked his head to whisper. “Just say it one more time before you go.”
“I love you.” Her voice croaked as the words spilled out. Tears let loose and trailed down her cheeks. She nuzzled her face into his shoulder so he wouldn’t see but he forced her to look at him by holding her chin up.
“And I love you.” He kissed her lips, a soft, pleading touch. “Don’t ever forget that.”
“It’s time to go, Blanca,” Kaige said.
The damn tears wouldn’t stop leaking from her eyes. She swiped at them and used every bit of strength she had to turn and walk out the door, making sure Kaige was in front of her and there was no longer the threat of a fight.
They stepped out into the sun and met up with the other three Weres.
“Do you want us to kill him?” Ever asked her.
“We’ll make it painless, if you like,” Xavier added.
“No.” Blanca’s stomach twisted at the thought of anything happening to Worth. “Let’s just go.”
Gambel patted the two Weres on the back. “Plenty of bloodshed to be had in the near future, boys. No worries.”
* * * * *
“You have to get out of bed, Worth.” Kerene stared down at him, her pixie face scrunched into a worried frown. “Your heart’s barely beating. You need blood or the sun. Which is it? Time to stop beating yourself up over these stupid women.”
Worth groaned and swiped his hand over his face. It was true he’d been wallowing in his own pity for the past few days, only going outside to care for the horses when he needed to. This long, immortal life didn’t seem worth living since he’d watched Blanca run away with her pack mates. If there was a chance he’d never see her again, he might as well resign to sleeping his pathetic days away.
“Blanca isn’t stupid,” he muttered. “And when did you get so bossy?”
“Since I realized love is a farce.” Her lips thinned as she placed her hands on her hips. “I’m done with the emotion entirely. Just like you are.”
“First of all, I’m not done with love.” He’d never be done with it as long as there was the slightest possibility he’d get Blanca back. “Second, is this about that poet? What’s his name? Nolan?” He’d beat the little human’s skull into his sensitive brain if he hurt Kerene in any way.
“Possibly. But we’re not talking about me. I, too, liked Blanca and thought she’d warm up to your, uh, personality but sometimes things aren’t meant to be, are they? You were much better without Marta and you’ll be fine without the Were. Now get up before you die on me. You’ve been lying in that bed for five days.”
Five days? Hmm. Seemed more like four.
“I won’t die.” Although he’d happily accept another week or so of some peaceful sleep. He could see that wasn’t going to happen. “What’s going on with Nolan?”
“Let’s just say I won’t care if he chokes on his own charm.” She cocked her head and gave him another look of concern. “Do you want my blood? Or I can call one of those human women who used to traipse around here, asking for it.”
“No and no. I’ll be fine.” Worth could see she wasn’t going away quite so easily this time so he sat up in bed and gestured to the window. “Would you pull the curtain down so some light can get through?”
“Finally,” she mumbled and did as he asked, yanking the deer skin off the window.
The midday sun blared in and stung his skin. One would think he’d be used to the pain by now.
“Somebody’s coming, Worth. He’s riding in on a horse.”
“Anybody we know?”
“No. He’s wearing an awful regal blue uniform that the High Council’s minions wear.”
“Shit.” What now? He’d sent the message to the High Council that his blood slave had been stolen by her pack members…after a couple days had passed so she’d have enough time to get safely back to Paqualette. If they had a problem with that, well, he supposed he was screwed. He’d followed their rules this once by reporting the loss. He’d hated it but he’d complied.
Worth buttoned on his shirt, pulled on his boots, stuffed his hat on his head and stomped outside. Whatever the courier wanted, it was sure to be interesting.
The man stopped his horse just short of the porch and tipped his hat at Worth. “Good day, sir. I have official business from the Okantalor High Council.”
“Yeah? What is it?”
He pulled a piece of paper out of his coat pocket and handed it to Worth. “A summons, sir. You are hereby obligated to join the ranks of the Okantalor army in the pursuit of diminishing the growing Were population in Paqualette. All of the information is on that document.”
Worth hissed out an annoyed breath as the courier rode away. So they wanted him to join an army that was to attack Paqualette? And put Blanca in danger. Surely she planned to be front and center in this war. If this didn’t decide his fate, he wasn’t sure what would.
“Kerene?” he yelled and turned to see her at the doorway, her face a shade paler.
>
“What are you going to do?”
“We’re packing up and moving. I have a war to fight and we’re on the wrong side of the enemy lines.”
Chapter Eleven
Orleff had given Worth a fair deal, he supposed, under the circumstances. The mercenary had purchased Worth’s land and home in exchange for Tobias and enough gold to build a new home once Kerene and him settled in Paqualette.
It didn’t bother Worth that his cousin would sell the land for a huge profit or that his family home would now belong to someone else. Nothing mattered but finding Blanca and starting his life with her. He should’ve thought of this a week ago. He should have fought for her. But he hadn’t and now he had to make up for the time lost.
His cousin had wished him well after Worth had lied and explained that his blood slave had run away again and he had to cross enemy line to retrieve her. Orleff hadn’t seemed convinced, but he wasn’t the type to turn down a bargain. And, for a price, he’d given Worth a map detailing the best way to reach the Paqualette border without running into any of the Okantalor guard.
With the carriage filled with only the most necessary of possessions, he and Kerene made good time and were now just crossing into their new homeland under the star-filled night sky.
“Well, I heard it’s much greener here,” Kerene said in a conceding tone, one of the few things she’d said to him since Worth had made the decision.
“It is. I hope you’ll be happy here.” He could tell she’d been anxious about the journey.
“How do you know they’ll accept you, Worth?” She swiveled on the bench seat and faced him. “You’re considered the enemy. How do you know they won’t try to kill you?”
“I don’t know. But I’ve lived too long under the High Council’s control and I don’t believe in the war they ordered me to participate in. This was my only choice.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “I hope you’ll forgive me for uprooting you. I couldn’t leave you behind, certainly not when you’d be the one punished for my decision to flee the country.”
