by Anya Bast
Her eyelids fluttered closed at the ecstasy of it. Involuntarily, she thrust her hips forward, grinding herself against Alejandro’s cock.
He gripped her waist, forcing her to cease the movement. “You’re going to drive me insane,” he bit off after he’d let out a stream of Spanish. “Stop that.”
The ache in her stomach from the blood hunger eased little by little until it was completely gone. She released her hold on his throat and tipped her head back on a satisfied sigh. As much as she hated to admit it, she felt much better. Stronger.
She pushed off of him and stood. This time there was no wooziness at all. A hard flush enveloped her body as she glanced at Alejandro, who still reclined on the bed. Again she’d lost her control, and this time she didn’t have the Choosing to blame.
“Next time try and unfurl your veil. You have one. You just need to learn how to use it.”
She glanced at him. “I’m sorry. Did I hurt you?”
He shook his head and grinned. “You didn’t hurt me, no.”
“Can you tell if there’s anything special about mine? I read that some vamps have different veil abilities.”
“It’s true different vamps have different flavorings to their veil. Your specialized abilities probably won’t develop for several years, though certain aptitudes may show themselves immediately.”
“What are your secret ingredients?”
His fangs flashed as he grinned. “Pleasure. My bite gives more than the average amount.”
Daria rolled her eyes.
“I also have the ability to tear down people’s inhibitions with my veil. I don’t advertise that skill.”
“What do you mean?”
“My veil acts like a drug, or like alcohol on a human system. It frees the id, makes the receiver do exactly what they want to do, without the rational thought that would ordinarily hold them back.”
“You can compel people? I see how you’d want to keep that on the lowdown.”
He shook his head. “Not compel people. I can only free them of their inhibitions and make them do what they truly want to do. It’s a rare ability, and only a handful of people know I possess it.”
She considered him for a long moment. “Do not ever use that on me, Alejandro. I mean it.”
“Most people get nervous when they find out I can do that. I felt you needed to know everything. I won’t ever use it on you, Daria. Not without your permission. You have my word.”
“Where’s the shower?” she bit off.
“In the back.”
“Thanks.”
Daria gingerly made her way to the back of the tent and into the small bathroom. Catching her reflection in the mirror over the small travel sink, she stared. A small drop of blood dotted the corner of her mouth. Right before she licked it away, she caught herself. Her eyes widened as she realized that she had done it. She’d actually gone through with it. The blood drained from her cheeks.
She was a vampire. Immortality, whether she wanted it or not, was hers.
For a long moment, she gazed into her pale face in shock. Tears pricked her eyes. She ducked her head quickly and slammed on the tap to splash her face with water. She’d seen the tank at the back of the tent when they’d flown in. She didn’t know how much water was in there and she didn’t want to waste it.
After cupping her hands under the flow and taking a couple of gulps, she shut it off. Then she leaned her arms on the edge of the sink and listened to the plink, plink of water droplets dripping off her nose and hitting the porcelain. To her newly minted preternatural hearing, it sounded really loud. She closed her eyes.
What the hell had she done?
Even though she’d planned for this and had even fought for it, it seemed unreal to her now. Her thirst for revenge against Sante had been so much stronger than her will to live out her life as she’d been meant to. Her desire to take vengeance on him had eclipsed everything else, had driven her without thought or consideration. That was a frightening revelation.
How could she be capable of so much hatred?
She straightened and stared at her reflection in the mirror, wondering who it was she truly blamed, who it was she truly hated. Was it Sante?
Or was it herself?
5
DARIA stepped out of her very short shower. The stupid thing had given her just a trickle of cold water. She stumbled on the canvas floor and caught herself on the edge of the sink. Gripping the rim of the cool porcelain, she closed her eyes for a moment. Her body felt weak, like she’d just recovered from a bad illness.
When she stepped away from the sink, she avoided catching her reflection in the mirror. Right now, she had to keep her mind on the job. The ABI had sent her to bring Ari Templeton home. That’s what she had to concentrate on. When this was over, she could visit a psychiatrist for the rest.
Grumbling, she pulled a large white towel from the bar and dried herself. Voices from the room beyond the bathroom door made her fumble when she tucked in the flap of the towel over her left breast.
She padded to the door and pitched her new hearing outward past it. Alejandro’s laughter boomed, and the sound of another other male laugh joined it.
Did they have neighbors way out here? She doubted it. She pushed the door open and stepped outside, really wishing she’d had the forethought to bring fresh clothing into the bathroom with her. Thinking straight hadn’t been on her agenda after she’d taken Alejandro’s blood. It probably hadn’t been on her agenda for a while.
When she emerged from the bathroom, a man she didn’t know stood from where he reclined in the jumble of oversized pillows on the floor. The man had shoulder length, wheat-colored hair and green eyes. He was as solidly built across the shoulders and chest as Alejandro, not someone she’d want to take on in a fight.
He was vampire. She could feel it with her shiny new vampire senses. Not only that, he felt old and strong. Apparently, this ability of sensing someone from afar had come with her new set of fangs.
She glanced at Alejandro. He still reclined on the bed, looking all shirtless and luscious. It was an eye-candy festival in here. Experimentally, she pitched her awareness toward him. He felt as strong as the other man to her, but not as old.
She wondered how she felt to them. Weak as a mewling kitten, maybe? Scowling at the thought, she narrowed her eyes at Alejandro.
Alejandro sat up when he saw her approach. An apprehensive look crossed his face.
Uh oh. She didn’t like surprises, and it looked like she was about be socked in the gut with one that had light hair.
“Daria, this is Brandon Nichols.” Alejandro motioned to the green-eyed man, who nodded slightly.
“Hey, Brandon.” She cocked her head to the side and tried to look commanding, but that was hard to do when you were barefoot and wearing a towel. “What are you doing way out here?” She suspected strongly that she knew the answer to that.
Alejandro rolled off the side of the mattress and to his feet in a gesture that reminded her of a large cat. “I didn’t tell you this last night because I didn’t want to add to your stress, but the GBC has required he accompany us on this mission. He has a connection to Sante, so it wasn’t that hard to work out. The GBC thought we could use some extra muscle and the knowledge of an older vampire. Brandon is over one hundred and fifty years old.”
“Uh-huh.” She tipped her chin at the two men. “So, what’s your connection to Sante, Brandon?”
“We share the same blood mother, Maria Gillante.” He had a charming English accent.
Daria raised an eyebrow. “That’s a pretty damn good connection, Brandon, but I’ll be honest with you. The fact that you share the same blood mother as Sante, the same woman who was the reason my best friend was killed, doesn’t make me feel very warm and fuzzy. ” The words sounded hostile, but she didn’t know any other way to sound at this point.
She glared at Alejandro. “It would have nice to have been told about this beforehand.”
Alejandro
sighed. “Look, Daria, this is a joint operation between the ABI and the GBC. The ABI didn’t get to set all the rules. At the GBC’s insistence, they agreed to Brandon being included. He brings skills we don’t have to the table. You do want to get Sante, don’t you?”
She gave him a withering look. “No, I wanted to grow a nice pearly white set of fangs for the hell of it.”
Brandon glanced at Alejandro. “Uh, I’m just going to use the bathroom. Give you two a little time to talk.” He pushed past her and headed toward the back.
Her pack leaned against the commview. She grabbed it and rifled through it for some clean clothes. “Why didn’t you tell me about this last night?”
“Because I knew you’d react like this and you needed to be as relaxed as possible for the Choosing.”
She turned and stared at him. “You don’t know me that well. It’s been seven years since we had anything to do with each other. I’m a completely different person now. There’s no way you knew how I’d react.”
“Yeah, okay, so I guessed.” He grinned, and it infuriated her. “I guessed right, though, didn’t I?”
Daria swore under her breath and turned back around to keep searching through her bag for her clothing. She didn’t want anyone else horning in on their operation. It would only complicate things.
His gaze followed the slender line of her nape down the sweet taper of her back to her narrow waist. Dios, he could see the curve of her breasts when she moved just right. The nipple he’d just been treated to a peek of was a pretty, suckable pink.
Dulce. Sweet. Just like he remembered it.
He wanted to walk over and cup her breasts in his hands, roll her nipples between his fingers. Wanted to do what she’d done to herself underneath her shirt the night before, while she’d been driving him insane as he tried not to fuck her right there on the floor. Last night she would’ve let him touch her, but if he tried now, he’d draw his hands back missing a couple digits. Although it might be worth the loss.
Even seven years later, he remembered her skin had been so silky and smooth under his hands and lips. He shuddered. Last night she’d been so fucking hot and tight when he’d teased her perfect little cunt with his fingers and tongue. The sexy moans and cries she’d made still echoed in his ears. Alejandro made fists as he remembered just how good she’d tasted, all spicy sweet. Her clit so responsive against his tongue . . . His fingers literally itched to touch her right now.
He looked away and rubbed a hand over his face, feeling stubble. He needed a shower and shave. “Daria, I had no say in the GBC’s decision to include Brandon, but he’ll bring benefits to the mission. He won’t be a detriment.”
“He’ll have to convince me of that.”
Keeping the towel around her waist, she slipped on a pair of white cotton panties, then dropped the towel and slid on a pair of blue jeans. There was heaven in the curve of that ass. He felt his cock stiffen.
She seemed completely unconscious of her sexual allure. It didn’t even register that she was changing in front of a man who wanted nothing more than to pull her over to the bed so he could cover her body with his and kiss every inch of her, concentrating on that sweet, rounded ass and the smooth skin at the small of her back.
He’d lay her facedown, nudge her thighs apart, and press his cock against her, but not enter her. Not right away. He’d tease her nipples, lick and bite her throat until she pushed up and back. Only then would he grab her hips and cram his cock inside her tight cunt, take up a fast and hard rhythm to drive them both to bliss. Fuck.
Didn’t she know she was driving him crazy?
“Don’t like complications.” Daria turned. “Alejandro?”
“Yes?”
“Did you just hear anything I said?”
“Uh.”
She waved a hand dismissively at him and pulled on a pair of white socks and some heavy, black dune-biker boots. “Whatever. We’re stuck with him, so that’s that.”
“There’s that positive attitude I love about you,” Alejandro shot back.
The woman could drive him insane in more ways than one.
The bathroom door opened and Brandon walked out. “What Alejandro didn’t tell you was that I turned against Maria long ago. I left her right about the time she started keeping blood slaves in her territory because I was against the practice. It caused a rift between us. Sante stayed loyal to her, but I went back home to England and eventually started working for the Body. Sante has no idea I started working for the GBC. That makes me an excellent participant in this operation.”
“How’s that? It sounds like Sante wouldn’t want you anywhere near him, let alone give you entrance into the exclusive community of the Shining Way,” Daria reasoned. “I mean, he’s still loyal to Gillante, seems like he’d be a little pissed at you.”
“You’re right that he’s angry.” Brandon smiled. “That’s exactly why he was more than happy to grant me entry. Even though Sante has left Maria’s territory, he’s still close to her and he’s miffed at me for turning against her. He’s just itching to tell me off. We used to be close, he and I, before I left for England.”
“Ah, England.” Daria draped the towel over the commview and turned. “How are the merry ol’ Brits these days?”
“Bloody overcrowded like everywhere on Earth,” Brandon answered with a grin. “We still make excellent tea, however.”
Daria smiled and extended her hand. “Welcome aboard, I guess.”
Brandon shook her hand. “I’ve heard nothing but the highest praise of you from the GBC and from Alejandro. You’re supposed to be a hell of an agent.”
“Thanks, but at the moment, I only feel hellish. The Choosing walloped the piss out of me.”
“You’ll feel that way for a couple days.”
“So they say,” Daria muttered as she ran a hand through her damp hair. “I wish Alejandro and I could have had our party a little sooner than last night. I could’ve used some time to adjust before we headed to the Shining Way, but the schedule is tight. Everything’s been happening really fast since Ari was taken. No time to lose.”
Brandon turned to Alejandro. “We need to coordinate our arrivals. When are you two leaving here?”
“Later, tio. Daria needs to rest a little. The deadline is five a.m. Anyone on the list to be admitted who shows up after that time doesn’t get in.” The Shining Way grouped all the new members to arrive on the same day. Alejandro imagined there were likely more than just the three of them.
“Okay. I’ll go in before the two of you.”
Alejandro nodded. “Sounds good.”
“The GBC told me no firepower. Is that true?” asked Brandon, looking from Alejandro to Daria.
Daria shrugged. “It’s not like we can waltz in with a lot of weapons. That would look pretty suspicious. Hell, we can’t even take in PComps.”
“We can try to take our pulsers,” said Alejandro. Everyone carried pulsers these days. “But my money is on the guards confiscating them.”
“We’re going to have to be our own weapons,” answered Daria.
“This isn’t going to be easy,” said Brandon, “but I’m glad the GBC convinced the ABI that blasting their way in wasn’t a good idea.”
Daria walked to the edge of the bed and sat down. Alejandro watched her rub her palms on her jeans. She looked like she needed a few more hours of sleep, but he couldn’t give it to her.
“That was just misguided,” she said on a tired sigh. “The ABI would’ve had to use an incredible amount of firepower to simply break past the barriers of the Shining Way. It would’ve been like laying siege to a castle. Sante would’ve probably just found a way to smuggle Ari out in the melee, anyway.”
“If she’s still alive,” said Brandon.
“If she’s even there,” Alejandro answered. “We don’t know if she’s being kept there yet. No one is even sure Richard Templeton’s suspicions are true.”
“Yeah,” replied Brandon. “Imagine the scandal if the
ABI sent forces blasting into someone’s private property on a suspicion that turned out to be false. Sante would have a bloody sweet lawsuit.”
“And the Organization for the Fair Treatment of Chosen would have a field day. They’re always looking for a reason to accuse the ABI and human law of bigotry.”
Daria nodded. “The bottom line is that the ABI knows now this isn’t a job for an elephant. It’s a job for three little mice.”
“Hey, are you calling me a mouse?” joked Brandon.
“I can’t believe she just called herself a mouse,” muttered Alejandro.
“Yep, we’re three lethal little mice,” Daria answered as she rubbed her temples as though she had a headache. “Sante won’t know what hit him.”
The objective was to capture Sante alive if possible, take him dead if not. Alejandro suspected Daria might be looking less for a way to take Sante alive than dead. Considering all she’d sacrificed so far to get close to him, Alejandro wondered how she’d act when they finally had him in their control.
“Yeah, well, we don’t kill Sante unless we have to,” said Alejandro. “Remember, Daria, that’s the deal.”
She paused in the massage of her temples and looked up at him. Her eyes glittered. “I know what we’re supposed to do, Alejandro.”
“Anything we do, it’s going to have to be subtle,” said Brandon. The GBC and the ABI both agree that this is an operation that requires delicacy,” said Brandon. He smiled. “You don’t seem very subtle, Daria. No offense.”
Daria dropped her hands to her lap and laughed. “Brandon, we’ve only just met and you already know me well.”
“It’s all part of being newly Chosen, Daria,” said Alejandro. Both their packs were slung over his shoulder. “Consider yourself mine now, under my protection. I’ll teach you what you need to know.”
Was he deliberately trying to piss her off, or was he being sincere? She fought the growl in her throat and blew out a breath instead. If it was a goad, taking it was probably just what he wanted. Shit, she hated this, having to rely on someone else.
