Damek's Redemption l(-6

by N. J. Walters

  Damek inclined his head and opened his mouth. His fangs pierced the man’s skin and blood filled his mouth, powerful blood, paranormal blood. Every cell in his body expanded as fresh energy flowed into them. It had been centuries since he’d had paranormal blood anywhere near this pure. He withdrew his fangs and closed the wound as the blood flooded his cells, replenishing them.

  It felt as though his entire body was glowing brighter than the sun. He reached into her mind, into her very soul, searching for the spark that was Sonia. Come back to me, he commanded. I need you. I love you.

  Long moments passed until he felt the lightest brush against his mind. Damek? I hurt all over.

  I know, my sweet. But you must open your eyes and come back to me. You’re safe now and your family is here.

  Damek brushed his hand over her hair, willing her to look at him. “I know you can hear me. Open your eyes.” He glanced down at the wound on her stomach and eased her wadded sweater away. The hole was closed and an ugly puckered red scar remained. Damek wasn’t sure if it would fade over time or not, and he didn’t care. Sonia was alive and that was all that mattered.

  He was gambling with her life. With both their lives. For Damek knew if she did not survive he would no longer wish to live in this world. He would not let her face the afterlife alone.

  He only hoped she’d meant it when she told him he could try to convert her. Neither of them knew what would come of this. He could only hope his blood was strong enough to bring her fully over without the accompanying out-of-control bloodlust that most new vampires usually experienced. Then there was the matter of her werewolf heritage. Who knew how werewolf and vampire blood would mix.

  No matter. He would take care of her no matter how many years it took for her to learn to control her urges. They had all the time in the world.

  “Sonia Maria Agostino.” Her mother spoke to her, lifting Sonia’s hand to her lips. “Wake up and look at me.”

  Sonia stirred, drawing Damek’s attention back to her. Her eyes fluttered open. “How do you feel?” he asked.

  She licked her lips, wincing slightly. “Like…like I was staked in the stomach.”

  He flinched and guilt filled him. If he’d let her go or protected her better this would never have happened. Now she was stuck with him, at least until she learned to control the bloodlust and discovered her powers. That could take years. He would use that time to make her so happy and would love her so well she would never want to leave him.

  “When did all of you get here?” Her voice was weak, but her gaze was filled with love as she looked from one family member to another. Her eyes fell on the remains of one of the hunters and she flinched.

  A man about her age stepped in front of it, blocking her view. He looked enough like her that Damek assumed he was her brother. He rifled through the memories he’d seen in Sonia’s mind and came up with his identity. This was Stefano, her oldest brother.

  She glanced back up at Damek and the corners of her mouth turned up. “Have you met my family?”

  “Not formally,” he replied. “But they’ve certainly made themselves known to me.”

  She laughed and groaned, clutching her belly. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  Damek lifted her, rose to his feet and carried her to the bedroom. “Make yourselves at home,” he called over his shoulder.

  “You might consider putting on some pants while you’re in there,” Sonia’s father called after him.

  And Damek, powerful vampire who had lived a thousand years, felt heat creep up his cheeks as he blushed.

  Sonia touched his face and smiled before paling. “You’d better hurry.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Sonia lay in bed and waited to see if her stomach would rebel. She was grateful it stayed settled and she gave a sigh of relief. Damek had explained that she’d most likely be able to eat food again once her system settled down. They didn’t need food to survive, but could enjoy it on occasion, just not too often. She could live with that. As long as she didn’t have to give up cookie-dough ice cream and chocolate she was good.

  “You’re awake.” Damek coalesced from the shadows and sat on the edge of the bed.

  “Yeah.” She’d slept a lot, but whenever she’d woken, Damek was with her and sometimes a member of her family was too. She’d seen them all the past few days and was glad to have them nearby. This was the first time she’d woken with some semblance of control over her new powers. Whenever she was lucid, Damek helped her learn to deal with her preternatural senses. At first, it had been extremely overwhelming. Every sound was magnified, every sight was sharper, her sense of smell was off the charts and her skin was sensitive to touch.

  It had taken her some trial and error and lots of effort, but she mainly had them under control now. It would take practice for it not to require a conscious effort but, given enough time, she was confident she could do it. It had only been a few days since her conversion and Damek seemed pleased with her progress.

  Maybe she’d been able to manage the changes in her body better than most because she already possessed some paranormal blood. Maybe it was simply because she’d already had heightened senses and this was only taking them up a notch. Okay, quite a few notches, but the idea was the same. She was used to dealing with her enhanced senses already, unlike someone who was fully human.

  Her body temperature was something else she needed to regulate. Her skin was cool now and she often found herself shivering before she realized all she had to do was imagine herself warm and a shift in body temperature would miraculously happen.

  She hadn’t looked in a mirror yet, but assumed she hadn’t changed, except maybe to be a bit paler like Damek. That was another myth that some believed—that vampires couldn’t see themselves in a mirror. Thankfully, it was untrue. She didn’t know what she’d do with her unruly hair if she couldn’t see to style it.

  She was still trying to wrap her head around the idea that she was a vampire and everything that entailed. Damek had saved her life, but did he want to be a part of it? Eternity was a long, long time. And what about her parents and family? They would age and die and she would still look exactly as she did now. She shuddered and tried not to think about it.

  “What happened to the hunters?” She’d spent what little time she’d been awake trying to get a handle on her extreme senses that she hadn’t asked.

  Damek reached out and eased a lock of hair off her face, tucking it behind her ear. “They are no longer a problem.”

  She shivered at the deadly tone in his voice but she had to know. Her memory of what happened at the end was fuzzy. She guessed that was normal considering she’d been dying at the time. “Tell me.”

  Damek sighed, took her hand and brought it to his mouth for a brief kiss. “They are all dead. When you are well enough, I plan to take a visit to Luther’s home and check his records to make sure there is no trail leading to us.”

  “The bodies…” How in the name of God would they have gotten rid of the bodies?

  A half-smile crossed his face. “I could have disposed of them myself but I didn’t want to leave you. I called in a favor from the Haven pack. Those werewolves are very good at disposing of unwanted bodies. They helped clean up the place and put everything to rights while I was with you.” He paused and shook his head. “They seemed to get along very well with your family, especially your grandparents.”

  Sonia licked her dry lips. She was thirsty and hungry at the same time. “Can I have some water?” Maybe that would help. Her stomach was growling. No, that wasn’t quite right either. There was a gnawing in her belly, an emptiness that went far beyond mere hunger.

  He shook his head, his eyes filled with sadness. “You can have a few sips, but water won’t help.” He rubbed her hand over his face, placing a kiss in the center of her palm. “You are a vampire now, Sonia. That means you need blood to survive.”

  Her stomach roiled and she swallowed hard, fighting down her natural aversion to s
uch a thing. It was normal now, she told herself as sharp fangs punched down from her gums, making her mouth ache. It felt strange to have teeth that long and sharp and would make it awkward to talk. Something else she needed to learn to control.

  “I’m sorry for that.” Damek hung his head, never releasing her hand.

  “Hey.” She waited until he was looking at her again. “It’s better than being dead.” She spoke carefully with only a tiny lisp.

  It amazed her to find her stomach wound healed with only a reddish, puckered scar remaining. The blow should have killed her, had killed her, but now she was lying awake in Damek’s big bed with him beside her. Maybe the idea of drinking blood to survive left her feeling queasy, but she’d get over it. She had to.

  “I can help you.” Damek released her hand and brought his own to his mouth. His fangs flashed as he punctured the skin and blood rolled down his wrist. He brought it to her lips. “Drink.”

  Sonia could feel the compulsion behind that one word, and for once it didn’t piss her off that he was using his powers to manipulate her. The sweet scent of his blood filled her nostrils and she took another deep breath. It was divine, better than the finest perfume.

  Still, the idea of drinking blood still bothered her, so she closed her eyes and opened her mouth, her teeth scraping his skin. Something warm and sweet hit her tongue and she groaned. This was better than chocolate and cookie-dough ice cream put together. She gripped his wrist and began to suck harder.

  “Yes,” he moaned, shifting closer to her. “Take what you need from me.”

  She could feel Damek in her mind, monitoring her acceptance of what was happening. The extent of his power was truly amazing. She tasted his brutal strength, smelled his unique masculine scent. Her body responded, coming to life as lust poured through her. She wanted him.

  He jerked and his breathing quickened and she knew he’d heard that thought. Gently, he brushed her hair from her face. “Enough, Sonia. If you take too much you’ll make yourself ill.”

  She took another swallow, not wanting to give up such a delectable treat.

  He brushed her hair again. “Sonia.” This time there was a minor compulsion in his voice.

  As much as she hated to, she released his wrist. All she wanted to do was keep sucking and sucking, and that frightened her. It would be so easy to lose herself in bloodlust. She suddenly understood how easily it could happen to new vampires who didn’t know what was happening to them. She fully comprehended what it meant to be a vampire and it was still incredibly difficult for her. She wasn’t sure she would have stopped on her own and was grateful for Damek’s presence and care. Blood still seeped from the puncture wounds, so she lapped at his skin and watched as the holes closed and finally disappeared. Cool.

  Damek stretched out on the bed beside her, pulling her into his arms. He was totally dressed, lying on top of the covers, while she was naked beneath them. She wanted them to be flesh to flesh, wanted her breasts rubbing against his smooth chest, his erection snuggled against her.

  “Sonia,” he groaned, “you must not broadcast your thoughts to me so loudly. Your family is still here. Your parents are out in the living room and you’re not as strong as you think you are. Give yourself some time.

  As if Damek had summoned them, a knock came on the door and her mother pushed it open and walked in. Her father, brothers and grandparents followed. Sonia struggled to sit and Damek stood and helped her, settling her against the pillows with the thick down-filled comforter tucked beneath her arms.

  Tears flooded her eyes as they moved closer. Her family. She could always depend on them no matter what. Damek started to ease away, but she grabbed his hand, anchoring him to her. He didn’t understand family, but by the time her family was done with him he would. He was a part of it now, whether he wanted to be or not. He’d saved her life and that meant her family would always be in debt to him.

  “Mama.” She held out her hand and her mother strode to the bed, climbed up the two steps and dropped down on the mattress beside her.

  Celia Agostino’s gaze was filled with worry but she managed to smile. “How are you feeling, baby?”

  “Better.” Damek’s blood was still zinging through her veins and it was better than a pot of coffee and twice as potent. She felt as though she could leap tall buildings in a single bound. She’d have to ask him about that. Maybe she could. Probably not, but it was fun to speculate. She was determined to focus on the positive aspects of this change in her life. She was alive and healthy and that was all that mattered.

  Her father loomed behind her mother, his large hand on her shoulder. He looked impossibly sad. “Papa?”

  He shook his head, his shaggy black hair swaying. He rubbed his beard, his eyes solemn. “Much has changed in your life. You have many decisions to make.”

  Her stomach cramped and she nodded. She had no idea what would happen with her job. Obviously she’d have to leave it, at least for a while until she figured out exactly what being a vampire meant for her.

  She, better than most, understood how fragile she was right now. Bloodlust affected all newly made vampires differently. Many gave into it, killing indiscriminately and gorging on blood. She didn’t want that. The mere thought sickened her.

  She felt fine now, but she was in a contained environment, surrounded by people who understood what she was going through. What would it be like to be out among a large group of people? Already she could hear the heartbeats of everyone in the room. The sound pulsed through her veins, calling to her. It frightened her how the craving for blood washed over her.

  She glanced up at Damek for reassurance and he offered her a tight smile. “You have time. You will make your decisions when you are ready.” He shot her father a dark look. “You do not need to decide anything right now.”

  Vincenzo straightened and stared Damek down. “You are not exactly right, vampire. Sonia has to decide if she is staying here with you or coming home to New York with her family.”

  Stefano and Milo both stood behind their parents, presenting a united force. Only her grandparents hung back near the doorway, letting the scene before them play out without interference.

  “You should come home so we can take care of you.” Stefano crossed his arms over his chest after making his pronouncement.

  “Stefano and Papa are right.” Milo took a step closer to the bed but stopped when Damek glared at him.

  “I take it you’ve met my brothers Stefano and Milo.” Sonia’s tone was dry. “They do like to tell me what to do.”

  “Not that you ever listen,” Stefano muttered under his breath.

  Damek nodded but said nothing. She could sense him withdrawing emotionally from her. He was standing next to her but might as well have been miles away. The intimacy of moments before, the sharing of his blood, might never have happened. Sonia swallowed hard. Maybe he wanted her gone.

  Her grandparents stepped forward, her large grandfather standing behind her much smaller grandmother. Nicola Agostino might have streaks of gray in her hair but her skin was unlined and there was a timelessness in her eyes that spoke of power and knowledge. “We will leave,” she said.

  Sonia’s father started to speak but closed his mouth when Nicola shot him a dark look. “We will go out for dinner, yes? That will give Sonia and her vampire time to talk. I want pasta and baklava and you will take me.”

  Sonia sent her a grateful look and her grandmother smiled, a knowing gleam in her eyes. Good lord, did she know what Sonia planned to do while they were gone? The smile edging up the corners of her grandmother’s mouth would suggest so.

  “Come,” Nicola ordered.

  Her mother leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “Don’t rush any decisions. No matter what your papa says, you have time.”

  Her father leaned down and kissed her forehead before ruffling her hair. “I want you home with us, but it is your decision.” No guilt there, Sonia thought.

  Her brother Stefano echoed her father�
��s sentiments when he kissed her, while Milo whispered for her to be happy.

  Her grandmother smiled and followed her family, leaving them alone with her papou. Damek released her hand and faced the half-breed werewolf. Roberto Agostino put his hands on his hips and scowled. He was a formidable sight with his dark shaggy hair graying at the temples, black eyes, huge shoulders and massive biceps. He was larger than Damek, but Sonia knew he wasn’t nearly as powerful.

  “Ignore them.” He jerked his head toward the door. “You saved my Sonia, and for that we will always be in debt.”

  “There is no debt.” Damek’s voice was cold and unforgiving.

  Roberto inclined his head in acknowledgement. “Be warned that our Sonia is precious to us. Make her unhappy and I will kill you myself.”

  “Grandfather,” she gasped, using the more formal name for him instead of the beloved papou so he would know just how angry she was at him.

  He shook his head. “This must be said. I am the head of this family and he must understand the consequences of his actions.”

  Damek didn’t know whether he should curse or laugh. Sonia’s family had completely taken over his home and his life. Byron had taken over the running of the club but that couldn’t last much longer. Damek had to take command of his life once again.

  But it wasn’t easy with all these Agostinos running around, giving him orders. There was no debt to him, and he found it insulting they would even think such a thing. And Roberto’s threat was laughable. There was no way for the half-breed werewolf to kill him. If anything, Damek could dispose of him with ease, but that would only upset Sonia. He’d seen firsthand how close the family was.

  And there lay the seed of his discontent. Sonia was close to her family. Would she want to go back to New York with them? He didn’t want her to stay because she felt she owed him or because she was afraid of what she had become. He wanted her to stay because she loved him.