Blood Oaths

by Stein Willard

  “I’m sorry, mother.”

  She swallowed hard. “I’m so sorry too, my son.”

  The door opened further and a small pyjama-clad body crawled straight into her arms. Iramis held onto her son as he settled deep in her arms, his face pressed into her breasts. She was right. Humans were so much more resilient than they gave them credit.

  She did not know how long she had been sitting there cradling her son. By the time the door pushed open to allow Sandra in, Oscar was fast asleep in her arms, his hair damp with Iramis’ tears. As if it was an everyday occurrence to spend the night on a cold bathroom floor, Sandra settled behind Iramis, pressing against her back.

  Epilogue

  Adomini walked around Sandra, his eyes sharp and assessing. Finally, he came to stand next to Iramis, his eyes bright with approval.

  “She is a masterpiece.”

  “I can hear you,” Sandra muttered softly. She smiled as she met Iramis’ gaze. Iramis grinned even as her eyes glittered with desire.

  “I know you can, my heart,” Iramis admitted as she walked over to tower over Sandra. Her eyes took in the specimen that was her wife. Things…everything…emotions, touch, hearing, smell, taste and sight were so much more enhanced, layered and richer. She had only been vampire for three days and already she loved her new abilities. For one, she could hear the children from anywhere in the house. Her best discovery, however, was that she could sense her wife’s thoughts. She was stunned by how many times Iramis fantasized about pushing her up against a wall and ravishing her. To think that that was what the vampire had thought about almost ten times a day every day for the past twenty years was too much to comprehend. It helped to realize that Iramis kept on forgetting that Sandra was now vampire and that she had free access to Iramis’ thoughts.

  “How are you doing?” Iramis smiled tenderly as she cradled Sandra’s cheek. “You’ve always been beautiful, but as an immortal; you take away my breath.”

  Sandra leaned into the touch. “Imagine how it must be for me. It’s like I’m seeing you for the first time; your power, your allure. I struggle to keep my thoughts guarded around you.”

  Iramis’ eyes darkened with dangerous desire.

  “Ok. I think that is a sign that I should find myself occupied elsewhere,” Adomini said and hastily left the room.

  Iramis chuckled, even as her eyes shaded to red. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

  Sandra bit down on her lower lip, drawing blood. Iramis’ eyes grew an even darker shade of red as her gaze settled on Sandra’s lips.

  “Yes, I can read your mind. But first…”

  “Yes,” Iramis interrupted even as she reluctantly pulled her gaze from Sandra’s lips. “It’s my turn to help with the homework.”

  Sandra nodded and pushed passed Iramis, licking her lips. “I’ll be waiting for you in bed. Oscar’s teachers expect an A from him; make sure he doesn’t disappoint them.” As she strolled out of the room, she could feel Iramis’ eyes on her and it made her chuckle softly knowing that they had the whole night…as well as the enhanced stamina to explore each other thoroughly.

  THE END

  Deception

  Prologue

  The music was loud, throbbing. For the woman lying spread-eagled on the bed in the dark room, the throbbing bass matched the stabbing lust that pounded through her body. She prayed her ‘date’ was late and had not stood her up. She needed release urgently and this was the only place where she could get it without drawing attention to herself. The bed vibrated lightly with the sound of the deep bass, increasing her arousal. Biting her lower lip, she stole a glance at the closed door. It would take her but a minute to make herself come, but the last time she did that, she got a spanking from her Mistress that made it uncomfortable for her to sit for two days.

  Just then the door opened.

  A tall silhouette filled the doorframe. The woman on the bed moaned with anticipation. All their sessions took place in darkness and in silence. The moans and screams, the sound of flesh slapping against flesh, the wet sound of fingers plunging deep… those were the only sounds breaking the monotony of silence. No words were spoken…ever. It was strictly forbidden. As she watched, the tall woman closed the door and walked over to the music system and turned it off. The woman on the bed took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes.

  PART 1

  Washington, DC

  With a soft satisfied sigh, Logan rolled off the sweaty, trembling body of her partner. Turning her head to the side, she looked at the gasping woman lying next to her. The dark head turned and liquid amber eyes met hers.

  “You’re a great lover…the best.” There was a slight accent in the voice and Logan felt a faint stirring of renewed desire course through her body. Emmanuelle’s voice always turned her on, especially that soft French accent that laced her English.

  “You are even better, my angel.”

  She smiled as the brunette blushed. Logan’s chest squeezed at the flustered sight of her lover. She still could not believe how lucky she was to have snared this beautiful woman. She shuddered as she recalled her life before Emmanuelle. The endless one-night stands, the beautiful shallow women, some downright dangerous, the partying…the sex. OK, the sex was spectacular. That was maybe the only thing missing with her and Emmanuelle. Their sex life was good, satisfying and…yes…it was extremely satisfying. Scenes from their earlier sexual encounter flashed through her mind and she smiled warmly. Emmanuelle was too genteel to be exposed to her earlier brand of sex. She studied the soft amber eyes again. No, she was happy to have found her sweet Emmanuelle.

  But only if there could have been more to their sex life… She closed her eyes and felt guilt pour from her. Other women would not have been necessary. She truly loved Emmanuelle and hated lying to her.

  “Is something bothering you, my love. You look so serious.”

  Logan’s eyes opened, she shook her head quickly. “No, I was thinking about us and how happy I am to be with you.”

  Emmanuelle smiled and her beautiful face lit up. “You are still happy to be with me…even after two years?”

  Frowning, Logan smiled at the brunette. “Why wouldn’t I be, ma cherie?”

  The amber eyes darkened slightly.

  “Because…because of who you are. You are…”

  Logan lifted herself up to her elbow at Emmanuelle’s hesitation. “You will have to explain, my dear.”

  Long slender fingers combed through short raven strands, a sign Logan knew as an indication that Emmanuelle was nervous. The amber eyes were soft as they studied her intently.

  “You are a very beautiful woman, Lo.” The amber eyes were serious. “You are the head of a billion-dollar company and…and you can have anyone you want. I’m but a lowly teacher and…and where you are constantly in the spotlight, I live in obscurity.” The amber eyes looked away. “I know that you need more…in bed. You are an exciting woman who should be dating someone exciting and adventurous. I am still surprised that you chose me.”

  Logan leaned closer and placed a gentle kiss on the soft lips.

  “What makes you think that I would want more in bed, baby? I am happy with what you give me and I find you to be a great lover.” The blue eyes were tender even as guilt burned a hole in her stomach. “I will not lie to you, yes, I used to date wild women before I met you and we had wild sex, but that is not why I chose you, Manu. I chose you, because you are what I have been looking for my whole life. You are gentle and kind and beautiful. I love you so much, baby, more that I can begin to tell you.”

  An unfathomable look flashed in the amber eyes before they became tender. “Am I enough for you?”

  “Yes, yes, yes. I would not want you any other way.” Please, forgive me for this, Manu. I truly hope that one day I can be totally honest with you and earn your forgiveness

  They looked at each other for a long while before they kissed again.

  “Ok, then. Let’s go take a shower. It’s almost time for u
s to go to work.” Manu swung her feet of the bed and rose, making Logan’s breath catch in her throat. Manu was truly gorgeous. She herself was quite tall and it helped in the boardroom when she wanted to intimidate her male counterparts, but her lover was even taller. Her love for martial arts added supple muscles to her tall frame and her broad shoulders, giving her a sturdy appearance.

  Built like that and with her expertise in three martial arts disciplines, Logan knew that her lover was in fact a dangerous woman who could easily overpower her, but in the two years that they had been dating, the French teacher had never even raised her voice in anger.

  Unlike Gwen. She shuddered mentally. When she started dating Gwen, Logan had been turned on by the fact that the martial arts instructor could overpower her in bed and ravish her until she was raw, but her displays of power suddenly took on a menacing air. She quickly put an end to their six-month relationship and ordered her bodyguards to block any attempts by Gwen to see her. It was a wise decision from her side, because not long after their relationship ended, Gwen was arrested for battering her live-in girlfriend. Watching Manu, she felt safe and protected because she knew her lover would never lift a hand in anger to her.

  “You’re going to be late, love.” The golden eyes were amused as Manu watched her looking at her body.

  “I can go in a bit later. How ‘bout you? Do you have an early class?” Having seen what she had been feasting on for the past two hours, her appetite had returned with a vengeance.

  “No, but we have to prepare for the board meeting next week.”

  Disappointed, Logan sighed and got out of bed. If she was lucky, she might score a quickie in the shower. It would have to last her until they saw each other again.

  +++

  The amber eyes were cold as they scanned over the contents of the folder. She cursed silently. This was not good, not good at all. She looked up, her gaze skewering the man who was standing against the wall sweating profusely as he tried not to make eye contact. He had his hands in the pockets of the dark trousers, but she knew that they were shaking. They always did when he was in her presence.

  “Who ordered this?” There was no trace of an accent in the cold voice.

  “Now take it easy, Manu,” the man warned quickly. “It only came through this morning and I was instructed to inform you as soon as possible since…since…”

  Manu rose to her full six-foot height and walked over to the opposite wall. She stared at the barrier for a long time, trying to control her rage, before she turned to the man.

  “I don’t like this, Jeremy.”

  +++

  The man pushed away from the wall and cautiously made his way over to the tall Amazon. He was so bloody unlucky to have pulled the short straw this morning that gave him the unpleasant task of meeting with Manu. They had worked together many times before, but she still gave him the creeps when she looked at him with her piercing golden eyes… just like she was doing now. He had seen what she was capable of and although he knew she would not strike out at him, he was always careful around her.

  “We believe it’s the Japanese.”

  “Do you know who they will send?”

  Jeremy grimaced. “Probably Lulu Chen.”

  “Dammit!”

  Jeremy had expected this reaction. Lulu Chen was bad news. Experience had taught him that female assassins were so much deadlier than their male counterparts. To find out why, he had studied his wife carefully. He had come to the personal conclusion that women were patient. That was a killer trait, and secondly, they held grudges and got even every time. That was his opinion and that was what he believed made them so fearsome. Lulu Chen was not as good as Manu, but she had many scores to settle with the American and that alone made her a force to be reckoned with.

  “Find out when exactly the hit was ordered. If it’s Lulu, I want to know if she’s in the country already.”

  Jeremy nodded. “About the target…what do you suggest we do about it?”

  The amber gaze was hard as they looked into his eyes.

  “Leave her to me. I will take things from here.”

  “But the agency—” Jeremy began.

  “—will find themselves in a trouble if they even think of interfering,” came the curt reply. Jeremy could see in Manu’s eyes that this was not an idle threat. “I will take things from here.” She grabbed her jacket and walked to the door. “Call me when you have what I asked for, Jeremy.” As she left the room, Jeremy sank into the nearest chair rubbing his sweaty brow.

  Dealing with that woman was absolutely nerve-racking. He remembered the day he had first met her about seven years ago. She had been already operational for more than ten years by then, but she had only come to their attention seven years ago. She was that good. The agency had offered her a job. It meant that she had to switch sides, become legit and be exonerated for every crime she had committed before she joined the agency.

  He was to meet her at a downtown nightclub, a perfect location for her to scout him out thoroughly before she approached him. While nursing his second drink of Jack and soda, a beautiful blonde approached him with an offer to dance. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he had accepted. This was the one thing he loved about his job—beautiful women. Under the guise of a secret agent, he could let loose and take on another persona. He got laid too, occasionally, but that was information that never reached his wife. A fast dance number was playing and he was just starting to enjoy himself when the blonde suddenly turned and left the dance floor.

  The next moment he felt soft hands running up his back, clutching his shoulders. Then he was spun around. Slack-jawed, he had gaped at the woman who was rubbing her unbelievably tall body against his. Pulling back a little, his eyes trailed up a well-toned body, over gorgeous breasts to a face so beautiful it made him want to weep. He only snapped out of his stupor when he met her eyes. They were flat, the eyes of a killer. It struck him then that he had met The Mist. Looking into those creepy eyes, he had wished he had stayed at home.

  She had calmly pushed her hand into the inside pocket of his jacket and had taken the document he was to hand over to her. The music changed and for a few seconds the dance floor was in complete darkness with only the DJ box glowing a bright red. He never saw her again for the rest of the night, the week, and thankfully the year.

  Now as he sat there, he knew that the agency was being placed in a very uncomfortable position. If The Mist and the Tokyo Blade clashed on American soil, someone, either the FBI or the CIA, would get wind of the titanic showdown between the two most prolific female assassins of the century. They needed to find a way to divert attention from what was to happen. What made matters worse was the identity of the target. It was Logan Keppler, CEO and owner of Hansom Industries, an international communications heavyweight.

  The lover of one of the most dangerous women on the planet.

  +++

  Logan was running late. She had almost completely forgotten about the Japanese delegation she was meeting for lunch at Kong’s. She skilfully slid out of traffic and brought her red Mercedes coupe to a stop in front of the restaurant. Getting out, she tossed the key to the valet and strode into the cool interior of the Japanese restaurant. A bald man of Asian descent rushed over to her and she smiled at him.

  “As always it’s an honour to be met personally by management, Shimizu,” she said in a sultry voice, knowing exactly what it did to the shorter man.

  The dark eyes twinkled as they discretely looked her up and down.

  “You don’t know how many times you’ve made me wish that I could be a woman for just one day, Ms Keppler. Please allow me to escort you to your table.” He bowed deeply then turned, briskly walking past the main dining area to a private dining room at the back of the restaurant.

  Stepping into the room, four men in dark suits swiftly came to their feet. Their eyes ran appreciatively over her tall frame, making her smile faintly. She was used to this kind of reaction from men and women alike. Sh
e actually thrived on it. She bowed her head and the men returned the gesture.

  “Ah, Logan-san, you look as ravishing as always,” the eldest of the men said in a heavily accented voice, waiting for her to take a seat.

  “And you, Lee, are a terrible flirt. Remind me to report your antics to Gloria. She will have your head for flirting with me,” she teased him good-naturally. The other men broke out in soft chuckles. It was well-known that Lee Takahasi’s gorgeous blonde American wife was a little spitfire. The twenty-two-year-old, made sure to keep her husband’s attentions firmly focused on her, using her physical attributes to the maximum to achieve exactly that.

  “Ah, how cruel of you, Logan. How very cruel, indeed.” His dark eyes were smiling as he looked at her. “We have ordered the usual. Hope you don’t mind?”

  Logan did not mind at all. As a woman operating in a largely male dominated world, she knew that most of her male counterparts felt the need to always try to intimidate her. They marvelled at her beauty, admired her business intellect, and hated her shrewd brain- especially when she bested them repeatedly. Sitting through a business lunch, stuffing her face with deadly blowfish, was simply another challenge for her. One she knew she would win again.

  A slight movement behind her made her stiffen slightly. A slender woman stepped forward to stand behind Lee. His bodyguard. She carefully studied the woman. Her eyes brightened as she picked up on the ominous aura which clung to the guard. She slowly took in the short, spiky hair, the cool black eyes, and the trim body. She was pleased to find the black eyes staring back at her, unflinching. A slight twitch in her groin made her smile faintly, her eyes holding the cool gaze of the bodyguard. Even after a rather satisfying session with Manu a few hours before, she was still hungry for more. Hungry for a wild, sweaty romp. The bodyguard looked perfect for what she had in mind. Her eyes faltered a little. If only the damn guilt would leave her.