Da dum.
His tongue licked down her neck.
Da dum.
Her hands reached up and tunneled through his hair.
Da dum.
He pushed down her pants and underwear, grazing her folds. Sensation flooded her, and she was lost.
Chapter Twenty-Four
She stretched and felt Roke's arm across her belly. Moving slower than a snail, she turned and looked. Roke was spooned up behind her, eyes closed. He had really long eyelashes.
Roke's eyes opened and he smiled. He trailed his hand down her side pulled her back flush against him. She felt the slide of his skin against hers, smooth and slick and hot. He nuzzled her neck as he angled and slid inside of her. She groaned and arched into the movement.
He grabbed her chin and brought her lips to his. “Hi.”
Laughter flooded her, and she couldn't help her but giggle.
The lines around Roke's eyes eased as he grinned at her. “Well, someone is in a fine mood.”
Isabelle flushed and tried not to move. Even laughing caused her to clench and, oh, god, that felt good. “Roke.”
“I love when you say my name.”
“Roke,” she repeated with a grin.
“Yes, just like that.”
She choked. Damn him. He slid against her, deeper. And she didn't feel like talking any longer. Her fangs dropped and Roke's forearm flashed in front of her face. Bite marks ran down the length from the elbow to the wrist. She gasped. “Did I do that?”
“Yes, but trust me when I say I liked it.”
“It looks like it hurts.” She tensed drawing another groan from Roke.
He placed his mouth by her right ear. “Not even a little. It's okay. You can take more. I have taken enough from you; we just keep passing it back and forth. We’ll need a live donor soon, but right now, I can’t move.” His cock twitched inside her. “Well, some parts of me can move. Just not the rest of me.”
A laugh escaped her. “I like that part.” She bit her lip.
His chuckle vibrated against her back. “I'm glad.”
That quick, the tone went from playful to serious. His pulse throbbed in his wrist and called to her. Again, the thrum of his heartbeat filled her head. She leaned forward and licked his arm. “Is this right?”
“You just did it an hour ago.”
“I don't remember anything except a red haze after you rubbed me.”
His Cheshire grin said he knew exactly where he rubbed her and when the haze hit. “You don't need to lick but most do. Habit. We don't have anticoagulants in our blood. Our teeth are needle sharp so if pressure is applied, most wounds bleed very little. The neck is the most likely to bleed.” He pressed his wrist to her mouth. “Take a taste.”
The beat fascinated her. The pulse and thud rang in her ears. Her fangs ached. She leaned in again and opened her mouth. The weirdness of the gesture resonated in her, but unerringly her fangs hovered over the artery. A millimeter at a time then slid forward until with a pop, warm hot blood rushed into her mouth in a trickle.
The taste. God. She expected iron and coppery, a metal taste. That wasn't what she got. It was ambrosia. Honeyed and golden. No words to describe it, really, other than amazing. Every food she'd ever consumed was eclipsed in her mind as she lost herself in the flavor. Her mouth closed around the wound and a small suck and more of the liquid squirted into her mouth transporting her. Oh.
Roke groaned and moved against her. Isa. His other hand gripped her waist and then she started to throb. They both enjoyed that.
Damn it. How many times was she going to wake up covered in blood? This was just her first day and already she was on her third such encounter. She rolled over and threw her arm over her face.
Roke sat a short distance away. She is so beautiful. A flush heated her cheeks, and she smiled until she noticed again his lips didn't move. What was she hearing? His thoughts?
“There you are, sexy.” He echoed his words from earlier.
“How long was I out that time?”
“Less than an hour. You're doing great. Until you feed, you have superb control. Once you start feeding, though, you’re mine.” The possession in his eyes frightened her a little and she glanced away. Mine.
“Where are we?”
“In an old house near the south gates. Less than a fifteen-minute run to freedom.” He paused. “We need fresh blood. I feel myself weaken each time you feed. We can’t afford to have me be depleted. If this doesn't go well, don't blame yourself. I will try to control you, but you need fresh blood.”
Strangely enough, it wasn't fear or even revulsion that filled her but anticipation. Roke turned his head, and she saw a middle-aged man lying across the room. He had to be in his forties and twice her size, but saliva flooded her mouth.
She finally noted the surrounding room through her daze. Little furniture lined the room, just the bed and a dresser near the window with a gaudy curtain in burlap. No art covered the walls. Dust motes danced in the air. Roke stood and grabbed the man, dragging him to the bed.
The man woke as he was being dragged and began to thrash. He jerked up and the fear on his face made her hungry. His arms rose in defiance around his face, and he crouched back along the headboard. “No, please.”
The pleading penetrated her hunger and her fangs eased back. Roke pulled the man next to her. His frightened eyes lessened her appetite. “I don't know if I can, Roke.”
“You have to be able to feed yourself.”
“Well, send this one back then. I didn't catch him.”
He rolled his eyes. “Isa.”
“Roke,” she said adding a teasing tone.
He blinked and narrowed his eyes. “You can’t distract me with sex.”
“Wanna bet?”
He grinned. “Well, you shouldn't be distracting me with it. How about that.”
She sighed and looked at the old guy. He shook his head and cowered. Her gut clenched. She leaned forward and ran her hand down his cheek. He looked up with wide eyes.
“It will be okay.”
“You’re newborn. It will not be okay.” His fear-laden voice wavered.
“Yes, it will. Relax now.” And just like that he did. He smiled and tipped his head back, trusting. Huh.
Her fangs slipped in smoothly this time, no mess. She sipped lightly. Trepidation filled her as she waited for the other sensation to fill her but nothing. She looked at Roke and heat flashed through her. Good. The sexual hunger was picky. A few more pulls and she was sated, replete.
She retracted her fangs and glanced over at Roke. He held rope in his hand. His head tipped to the side and his expression confused.
I've never seen a sheep so docile. A few feedings and she is already in control. How is this possible?
His words filled her mind. Panic skittered through her. How was it possible? What was wrong with her? Her encounter with Theon made more sense now. He pointed to his head and said to fix it. Was that going to happen to her? Would she be crazy like Theon? She needed to get home, read her father’s notes and ask her mother about the hospital. Her time there was still so jumbled in her mind. She'd been in and out of the hospital so much when she was young, and she didn’t remember much of it at all.
Her head buzzed with thoughts and her skin tingled. Roke moved the man off the bed and took him somewhere. She laid her head back and stared at the ceiling as it swirled around her head. The bed dipped and she turned. Roke stalked over the mattress to her. A trail of blood decorated his own chin. Such a messy eater.
Mine.
When he got close, she smiled and struck. Her fangs sunk deep into his neck, but she didn't pull. She let her lips seal on his neck and her tongue stroked.
Roke moaned and moved closer. He pushed her onto her back and straddled her. Awe filled his eyes and something else she didn't want to name. Not going there. Not yet.
Her hand curled around his neck.
* * *
This was getting ridiculous. She
swam to consciousness, groggier now than when she first turned. Roke curled up behind her. The sun streamed in through the window. She heard nothing except a faint snore from sleeping beauty.
Alarm pulsed inside her and refused to be shaken. Dread pumped into her blood. She's in there. A sibilant hiss filled her brain. Her elbow slammed back and woke Roke. He bolted up and glanced around and then at her. As his mouth opened, she put one finger to her lips.
“Listen,” she mouthed.
Roke went completely still like only a vampire could do. The soft slide of footsteps sounded harsh in the silence. His jaw clenched and he nodded at her. He pointed to the window and tugged his dagger out from under the pillow. Some of her dread eased at the sight. He gestured again at the window and stood up, pulling on his pants.
More voices filled her head, and she realized there were at least fifteen vampires outside their building. Too many for Roke to fight alone, and she still wasn’t sure how much help she would be.
Wait though, Theon was there. His mind brushed her, and she knew he would help them. Still three against fifteen. Horrible odds. They couldn’t fight. They had to surrender. She didn’t want to see Roke hurt.
Surrender is not an option. They won’t let us live. She is marked by the Romeran to be untouched. To find her blooded and turned. Weak. They will obliterate their mistake before anyone finds out about it. Even to be the bearer of that news would be death. They would kill her and he wouldn’t let that happen. Isa was his.
Then Theon's thoughts followed. Silly cow didn't run away when she could, now she is trapped with no way out, no friends.
But Isa thought they would always be friends, wasn’t that what he said?
Hmm, well hello, Isa. Glad you are discovering a bit of your own abilities. Now how to make you not a tasty treat for real, hmm.
Theon?
Yes, who else can converse this way?
Not sure.
Just us, Isa. The rejects from the labs. They are making their super vampires and we did not make the cut.
“What?” Her voice echoed around the silent room.
Roke slid her a startled glare then grabbed her. They shot out the window. Three vampires waited outside ten feet away. Theon stepped out from the bushes and tossed a bomb at the vampire’s feet.
When they landed, they rolled in a tangle. Isabelle ended up on her back, head throbbing. Roke crouched on top of her, his sword out. Theon and he exchanged hate-filled glances.
“Not now. We need to run,” Isa said. The men nodded. And they were off. She wasn't used to the speed. Everything was so weird, but they had to escape. That was their priority now. Worry about everything else later. Like why the hell she could talk to Theon with her mind and hear Roke's thoughts.
Much more than that, Isa. You will see.
She glanced over to see Theon smiling at her and nodding. Her hand grabbed Roke's and held on tight. They arrived at the smooth steel wall. One hundred feet of barrier between them and freedom.
Roke kept hold of her hand and kept running the perimeter.
Theon stepped into their path.
“Stop. They closed the gates. This is a coordinated effort. We need to go over. It is the only way.”
“Over? How do we do that?”
Theon twisted and removed his backpack. He reached in and came out with a grappling hook. Honest to god.
“Can I fire it?”
He flashed her a grin. “No playing with the power tools, Isa.”
Roke curled her tight to his side and glared at Theon. “We have a lot to talk about later, T.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Theon shot the grappling hook. It spun through the air and caught on the edge with a thud. Theon yanked hard on the rope. He jumped on the bottom knot. It didn't budge. “You first, Roke. Then Isa. Then me. Go.”
Roke scrambled up the rope moving quick as a monkey. Isa hesitated as she put her hand on the first knot.
“No time for fear, Isa. Go. I will be right behind you.”
She tightened her hand around a knot and pulled herself up. Her muscles strained and up she went. Faster than she expected. A laugh slipped out. She sucked at this in elementary school. Hand over hand, she pulled herself up the rope. Below her, Theon followed. He reeled in the rope behind them.
Faster. We’re sitting ducks on this wall if they see us. We need to be high enough to be missed.
She’d just reached the top and Roke grabbed onto her shirt and pulled, while Theon popped up like a monkey.
They all looked down. A troop of fifty men ran into the clearing under them. Would they look up?
It was odd to realize she wasn't breathing hard as she waited. A giggle threatened but she bit her lip and held it in.
Down below on the leaders stopped and scanned the area, looking right and then left. His gaze studied the ground then moved to the wall and lifted.
Please don't see us.
His head stopped and jerked mechanically, then he pointed toward the gate. “That way.”
The troop ran off.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Once they scaled the wall, they rested on the top for a second. Theon set the hook and the trip down was much quicker.
The run back to the resistance base passed in a blur. They dodged three more patrols, but managed to get to the safe area without further incident.
Last time Isa entered the complex she was on a stretcher. This time she came in the door and saw the security. The first room had no furniture. Gun turrets lined the walls. A mechanical voice told them to strip.
Oh nice.
Gas filled the room.
It didn't even seem odd to Isabelle anymore to wake up naked and not knowing where she was. Par for the course one could say. Still, it didn't mean that it didn't piss her off. What the fuck?
She inched onto her side, muscles burning, and saw Alex sleeping on the floor next to the bed.
Alex.
Even though it had only been two days, she swore his hair was longer. Shaggier on top. His face in sleep did not looked relaxed. He had bags under his eyes and an unnatural pallor.
Isa's eyes closed as tears threatened. She'd hoped to avoid seeing him for a few days. When she opened them, Alex smiled back at her?
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
Alex's gaze ran along her face. With a screech, he pulled a chair close to the bed and grabbed her hand tight. “You made it back. Thank god.”
His lips grazed her knuckles and he rested his cheek against them.
“Yeah, I’m back. Where am I?”
“The infirmary.”
“Ah.” She turned and looked at him.
The corner of his lips lifted. “How did the mission go?”
“Poorly.”
“They told me. How does it feel?”
“Weird.” She knew words, they just wouldn’t come out. She couldn’t be with Alex even if she wanted to, not now. She saw the hope in his eyes and it hurt her.
As she stared at him, she felt the same thumping she had before. Ba bum. Ba bum. His heartbeat. Her gaze tracked to his jugular and she pulled back. Her fangs had dropped and she closed her mouth with a snap. Yeah, she wanted to put this off for as long as she could.
Alex lifted a hand and tapped her mouth with his index finger. “Let me see.”
She shook her head, mute.
“Let me see, sweets. I need to know.”
Rosa stepped into the room. Relief coursed through Isa as she kept her mouth shut. Alex turned to greet her mother. Her mother came and sat on the opposite edge of the bed across from Alex.
“Isa. My poor baby. We never wanted this for you.”
And like that, Isa focused.
“Why not, Mom? Who is Theon? Why wasn't I to be turned?”
Rosa paused and let her eyes rest on Alex and then her.
Alex sat back with a smirk. “I'm not going anywhere. Anything that concerns her concerns me.”
That’s not good.
R
ose squirmed on the bed. “How much of the notes did you read?”
“Some of them, not all. Did Dad do that to me? Did he change my DNA?” There. She said it.
Her mom stammered. “Well, not your DNA. The marker. He mutated the marker. Tried different changes.”
“He killed babies, Mom.” How many infants did her father kill? What did that make him, his mother, her? She swallowed hard. This couldn’t be happening.
“He didn't kill anything. The vampires insisted. What were a few more sheep to them? They weren't babies. You were our baby! I wouldn't let them do to you what they were doing to the others.”
“What were they doing?”
“I’m not sure exactly but whatever it was, your dad put an end to it. You never went back to the hospital after that last time. It took you weeks to stop crying. You hurt all over and kept asking for them to answer you.”
“Who?”
“I’m not sure. It was heartbreaking. Your dad gave you something to forget and after a while you did. It seemed better not to bring it up.”
“Who is Theon?”
“He was another one of the children.”
“Is he my brother?”
Rosa jaw dropped. “What? No, our genetic stock was used to create only you. Dad deleted the records pertaining to you, but not the project.” Deleted her hairy red ass. There were always backups. That was her job in the city. She spied and invaded neighboring networks. Got information for them. No way her information was lost. She needed to see those files.
“I want to read the reports.”
“Rebs and our scientists are looking at them. They are encrypted. Rebs was shocked you could read them. He can’t. He is trying to decode them now.”
“They are in the old code Daddy and I used. The message in the spaces. I won’t translate them unless you let me study them. I need to know what was done to me.”
“There were no changes, Isa. You are just like any other little girl.” Her words sounded like she was trying to convince herself as well as Isa.
Blood Will Tell: The Blood is the Key (The Blood series Book 1) Page 15
