Bloodlust: House of Vampires

by Tabitha Barret

  Marcario smiled. “I like it when you’re plotting against someone other than me. Go on.”

  I shrugged. “Silvijn won’t be the only one greeting Dakari at the gates. I’ll be there with my army.”

  Choking, Marcario held up his hand. “Wait. What?”

  “Leave the details to me. Please tell me you brought my daylight cape with you.” I pointed to his traveling cloak.

  He laughed. “You would have killed me if I hadn’t.” He pulled off his own cape to reveal my beloved daylight cape.

  Throwing it to me, he smiled. “I assume you will request my presence as well.”

  “Of course. It wouldn’t be any fun without you.” I smiled as I finalized my plans.

  He held up his hand. “Wait, you’re not still planning to kill me, are you? I don’t like that wicked look in your eyes.”

  “No. I need you to do something very important for me.” Winking at him, his face fell.

  “I’m really not going to like this, am I?” He crossed his arms and huffed.

  Laughing at his reaction, I smacked him. “No, you won’t, but consider it punishment for being stupid. Why didn’t you just tell me what was happening the night Dakari’s men came for me? Why kidnap me and drown me? You could have just told me to run.”

  His eyebrows flew up. “Would you have ran?” The sarcasm in his voice made me realize how stupid my question was.

  “No. I would have never left you to fend for yourself. I would have waged war on Dakari.” I suddenly understood why my brother did what he did, though his plan was still flawed.

  He stepped forward to put his hand on my shoulder. “You are stronger than me, and far smarter. I know that. That’s why father chose you to lead. I did try to clue you in when I called you a warrior and a philosopher. I was paying you a compliment, dummy.”

  Shaking my head, I laughed. “There’s much you need to know about our dear father and his reasons for choosing me as leader, but I’ll fill you in later. First, let’s discuss my plan.”

  By the time I snuck out of the detention cell, the sun was brightening the sky. I yearned to use my daylight cape, but I needed to keep it out of sight, so I kept it folded to look like a regular cape.

  Worried that I only had until nightfall to enact my plan, my mind raced to think through every possible scenario and have a contingency plan in case I had to improvise. If I failed, it would mean the end of Silvijn and me. If I succeeded, it would change everything.

  Chapter 14

  Looking up at the sky, I knew I only had a few minutes before I would burn in the morning light. I took a few steps until I sensed I wasn’t alone. Turning, I found Haines hidden in a bush and Talen’s raven form in the treetops.

  I motioned for Talen to prep for a battle, by making a stabbing motion in my hand. He nodded and flew towards the shifter house.

  Haines quickly ran to me. “Are you okay? I saw you send Talen away. What happened?”

  I quickly kissed him and ran my hand over his cheek. “Thank you for having my back. I’m okay. I can’t explain everything right now, but I need you to do what you do best.” I winked as I put my hand in his.

  Smiling, he nodded, understanding what I needed. “Are you sure about this?”

  “Dakari, along with my brother, are coming here and I’ll need a lot of help to enact my plan.” I intentionally kept things vague in case Haines was questioned.

  Nodding, he lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles. “I won’t fail you, Marianela. You should go now. It’s getting bright.”

  I squeezed his hand and headed back to Vamp House with a minute to spare.

  Expecting to see Nikkos’ scarred face when I walked in; I was pleasantly surprised to find Asha waiting to lock the doors for the morning.

  She smiled as she quickly looked around the empty common area. “I assume things went well?” Her eyes went to the folded cape that contained my blades.

  “Very. Where’s Nikkos?” While Asha had secured a family reunion for me, I wasn’t sure why she was helping me. For all I knew, this was one big set up to help her get redemption with the coven.

  “Drunk off his ass in his office where I left him. He’ll be passed out for a few hours. I figured you needed time to get off your ass and form a plan.” She playfully winked at me, proud of her accomplishment.

  “I’m not sure how you managed all that, but I am grateful.” I nodded my thanks to her and quickly turned to head up the stairs.

  She took a tentative step towards me. “Your father wasn’t the only one I tried to help, nor was he the only one who threw me to the side when my advice didn’t match his ambition. I hope you make Dakari suffer.”

  Her bright brown eyes flashed with anger when she said Dakari’s name. It became clear in an instant that he was the reason she was in Wicked Reform. Sending her here was the best way to keep her quiet about his involvement in coven business.

  Staring at her, I thought back to her time with my father. “You were the only one who had access to my father’s room where he kept his diaries. I assume that you’re the one who left it for me to find in the library.” It seemed that I had more than one reason to thank her.

  She silently nodded. “I always told your father you had great potential as a leader, and not just because you had a pretty face.”

  Stepping closer, I ran my hand through her shoulder length brown hair. “Again, I thank you.” I leaned in to place a sweet kiss on her soft lips.

  Surprised by the gesture, her eyes lit up. Blushing, she pulled her hair behind her ear. “You’re welcome.”

  “You know, I will need an advisor if things go the way I hope they’ll go. I’ve always thought you were excellent at your job, regardless of how perky your ass was.” I ran my hand down her cheek and winked at her.

  A huge smile lit up her face. “I’m at your service, Marianela.”

  Leaving her with stars in her eyes, I blew her a kiss and headed upstairs to the male dorm rooms.

  I ducked into Silvijn’s room and pointed my swords at his throat.

  He woke with a start and held up his hands.

  I leaned down and whispered, “Unless you want to die tonight, you need to come with me.”

  He gave me a quick nod and quietly got out of his bed to follow me to the showers.

  Once there, he crossed his arms and glared at me. “You know how much I hate waking up to a sword at my throat. You really have to stop doing that.”

  I shrugged. “I love watching your reaction; besides, I figured you would actually listen to me if you knew I was serious.”

  “I’m listening. What’s going on?” Unamused by my favorite game, he scowled at me.

  “Your father is coming to rip you from the school and drag you home so he can kill you. He’s been ruling the covens from the shadows since Marcario came into power. Well, technically, he’s been doing so for much longer than that. I learned that the Mielcareks don’t have the iron-fisted control over all covens as we were always led to believe. The other coven leaders have been making demands for decades. Father tried to appease them through arranged marriages and other concessions. Dakari wanted you to marry me because he thought you would carry out his will and I would be too meek to say no. My father agreed only because he thought I could keep you chained to my bed and away from politics. He didn’t want Dakari ruling through you. I’m told that your father wants to make a spectacle of your death to appease his anger. You failed him and he wants you to suffer.” I watched Silvijn’s eyes narrow as I explained the reality of our arranged marriage.

  “Well, my father underestimated you.” After a long minute, his arms dropped and his face softened. “I swear, I didn’t know of my father’s plans. I never wanted to rule the coven. I would have never imposed my will over you, regardless of what my father wanted.”

  I smiled at him and rubbed his arm. “I know that. You never would have gone to war as my general if you were working on behalf of your father. You would have left me to drown so that Dakari
could manipulate Marcario, just as he’s been doing.”

  “I never cared about my father’s ambitions. You know that. Tell me, how do you know all this?” He relaxed his shoulders and stepped closer.

  “Let’s just say, I’ve been busy. Dakari is coming here tonight to take you home. If he succeeds in taking you, he will kill you. Thankfully, I refuse to let that happen.” Pulling my swords from my cape, I gripped them in one hand as I donned my cape.

  Staring at my wartime uniform, he sighed. “Marianela, please don’t do this. I understand that I’m in danger, but seeing you like this, I just can’t do it again. I’ve seen glimmers of the woman I loved peeking out here and there since we arrived but if you fight my father, I fear that woman will be lost forever. I don’t want you involved if it means losing that last piece of your soul.”

  He pushed my arms down so I would lower my swords.

  I shook my head. “Silvijn, I’m not declaring war for the sake of vengeance this time. I’ve had time to reflect on the many decisions I’ve made in my life. I should have accepted your offer to run away when you rescued me from the water. I should have turned my back on the covens and their pettiness, but being trapped for so long, my anger was the only thing I had to keep me going. I forgot to let go of it once I was free. I’ve made a lot of mistakes and I’m sorry for that. I made a mess of our relationship and I put my need for revenge above my love for you. This time, I’m fighting to save you. I still love you.”

  He let out a long sigh and hung his head. “I should have tried harder to stop you, but I wanted revenge for you. Helping you gave me a sense of purpose I never had before. We both went too far. I admit that I hated you for sentencing me to this place. I was too wrapped up in the power of being your general. I couldn’t stand the thought of being trapped too. Thankfully, being here has helped me realize that you did grant me a gift. It gave me time to heal and remember who I once was.”

  I put my hand on his cheek. “We both needed time to heal. I’m sorry for dragging you into my war. I should have married you and settled down to have kids.”

  Chuckling, he shook his head. “I don’t know if that was ever your fate. You were always destined for greatness, which was why I fought so hard for you. I wanted to see you on the high seat. Of course, now that I know my father would have tried to pressure me to control you, I understand that our lives would have been plagued with problems if you had become our leader.”

  Raising my sword, I winked at him. “Let’s put an end to this, together, but not because we’re angry or bitter, but because it’s the right thing to do. Our covens deserve a better way of life. I thought about escaping from here and settling far away from the covens, but that’s not the answer. I still believe I can do better than my father did, but in order to do that, I will need help. A lot of help.”

  He scanned my face, trying to figure out what I was planning. “Are we still planning to kill your brother?”

  I understood that he was testing me. He didn’t completely trust the reasons behind my new rebellion.

  “I can’t very well kill the kind soul who returned my weapons to me, can I?” I smiled as I waved my swords around.

  A smile slowly spread across his handsome face. “I don’t understand how all this happened, but it’s good to see you smile. You remind me of someone I once knew.”

  “Well, a blood whore helped me remember what I lost.” I dropped my swords, grabbed his face and kissed him.

  He didn’t resist my kiss in the least. Instead, he pulled the cape from my body and grabbed my ass so he could hold me against his muscled frame.

  Looking down at me, he frowned. “You’re going to have to explain what you’ve been doing in my absence, but right now, I want to reclaim my lover. Being with Valene made me realize that I don’t want a submissive woman in my bed. I want a woman who will tell me how and where to fuck her.”

  Biting down on his lower lip, I took a sip of his blood. “I liked the idea of being bent over and having my ass smacked while I rode your stiff cock.”

  He gave me a wicked smile and licked the blood off his lip. “As you wish, my love.”

  He lifted me off the ground and carried me over to the sink area. Setting my ass down on the closest sink, his mouth kissed and sucked on every inch of my skin while he quickly undressed me. He dragged his fang down my breast, sending chills through me.

  “The skirt stays.” I stopped his hand when he reached for the button.

  Shrugging, he nodded. “I’ve learned to appreciate pulling up the back of a skirt to see what I want. I can work with that.”

  I jumped off the sink and pushed him away. “We aren’t fucking, Silvijn. We are physically professing our undying love to each other, just as we did our first night in your bed.” I smirked at him and slowly pulled my skirt up my thighs.

  Letting out a low growl, he dropped to his knees. Licking up my thighs, he sighed as if he was happy to be with me once again. “I think of that night often. Tell me you want me and need me as much as you did back then.”

  Stroking his temple, I smiled. “More so.”

  His blue eyes lit up. “I’ve missed you.”

  “Then you should have kissed me the other day.” Winking, I ran my hands through his short hair and down the back of his head.

  Frowning, he suddenly looked up at me. “Are you going to kill Valene?”

  I shrugged. “Do you want me to?”

  He chuckled as he stood up to put his arms around me. “No, but it’s nice to know that you’re giving me the choice. I half expected you to run into her dorm and kill her on the spot. It’s good to know that you’ve mellowed, slightly.”

  I shook my head at his odd humor and nipped as his chest.

  Growling, he quickly turned me around, and pressed me down over the sink. His hands skimmed the backs of my thighs until I widened my stance. His hand came down on my ass, smacking it loudly enough to echo across the room.

  I groaned and held onto the sink. I was wet and ready for him to take me fast and hard. How I missed my dear Silvijn.

  Leaning over my back, he pushed his hard length into me. Looking up into the mirror, our eyes met. He increased his speed until my breasts swayed just the way he liked.

  He reached down to my hands holding onto the sink. He slipped his fingers between mine and held onto them. Though he was slamming into me with the precision I had come to love, I felt an intimacy that we hadn’t shared in forever.

  With his eyes on me and his body inside me, I gave myself over to him completely.

  “I love you, Marianela and I always will.” Silvijn gritted his teeth and popped his hips just the right way, sending me over the edge.

  Panting, I held onto him to keep from losing my mind. “I love you too, Silvijn.”

  A few fast thrusts and he bit my shoulder as he came. Feeling his body, tense up, I sighed.

  Kissing the back of my neck, he chuckled. “Talen and Haines have been a good influence on you.”

  I raised my eyebrow at him. “How do you know about Talen? I never spoke of him and only mentioned Haines briefly.”

  He chuckled as he turned me around to button my shirt. “I’ve been busy too, you know. I don’t suck up to Valene just because of the sex. She has a network of spies that I have been slowly winning over to my side. They’ve told me about your fight with the shifters and your time in the woods with Talen. I also know that you’ve spent time with Haines. Admittedly, no one knew about Ceyla’s attack in the woods because it was so close to sunrise. That really pissed me off. Though, the blood whore threw me for a loop. I never expected you to indulge yourself with a necromancer.”

  “The defeat by Ceyla was my fault. I was unfocused and pitied myself too much to fight back. Though, in a way, it helped me clear my head. I saw myself in Ceyla. She started her rebellion, in part, because she wanted to reform the Sabourin Coven. Based on Declan’s argument with her, she’s lost her way too. She was so hellbent on getting revenge against me that she forg
ot to care about forming her new coven.” Adjusting his tie, I patted his face. “And you should be grateful for my weakness in seeking out a blood whore. His influence over me helped me remember how much I love you. So don’t kill him.”

  Frowning, he nodded, agreeing not to kill the necromancer.

  He played with my hair to help tame it. “Yeah, I’ve heard some crazy stories from the other vampires about Ceyla’s cruelty. She’s gone off the deep end for sure. Some of the vamps were actually looking forward to joining her new coven, but her plans quickly fell apart and she became a tyrant.”

  Patting his chest, I smiled. “Well, it’s time to get her back on track.”

  I watched the confusion play across his face. “Now, you’re going to have to tell me what you’re planning.”

  I kissed the tip of his nose and winked. “I will, but first, you need to wake Declan.”

  Chapter 15

  Careful to keep our secret meeting a secret, it took time to assemble the key players inside Asha’s office.

  “You’re sure Nikkos is still drunk off his ass?” I looked across the desk at Asha, who was leaning against her office wall.

  “Yup. When he’s incapacitated, I’m in charge here. It’s doubtful that anyone will question me. I’ve made sure to secure my position over the last few months.” She crossed her arms and glared at the rest of my guests.

  Ceyla, who didn’t like the idea of being chained to a leather chair, sneered at me. Standing over her shoulders, keeping her from attempting to break free, was Declan, who appeared nervous.

  “You traitor. I will kill you for this.” Ceyla snarled at her assassin.

  Looking to Silvijn, who was trying to suppress a gleeful smile, he nodded at me to give the go ahead now that Ceyla was secured.

  Folding my hands on Asha’s desk, I looked at Ceyla. “I need you to listen. I asked Declan to bring you here under the guise of having sex in the counselor’s office because it’s time that we forge a truce.” I held up my hand to stop her torrent of swears. “I’m well aware of how much you hate me, but I’m a pawn in all of this, just like you. My father erased your coven to gain more power. Dakari planned to kill me so he could use Marcario as his puppet and rule the covens. In the end, we have all suffered. I never claimed you as an enemy, as I stated earlier. Mateo Mielcarek was a cruel man who didn’t care who he screwed over to keep his power. I was nothing more than a pretty face meant to control the would-be male leaders of our coven. You know this to be true. Personally, I’m done with the old ways. It’s time for new leadership across the covens. I want to bring vampires out of the dark and into the 21st century. I believe that you are just the person who can help me.”