Rare Vintage

by Bianca D’Arc

  “That’s amazing. When you say werecreatures, you mean like werewolves?”

  The warring notes of fear and fascination in her voice both amused and alarmed him. “Wolves, hawks, big cats, all kinds of predators. If you ever encounter any of these other supernaturals, be very careful, Kelly. Like us, not all are good, and most have strict rules of behavior that aren’t anything you’re used to in the mortal world.”

  “How so?” Kelly faced him without a shred of her usual reserve. Marc liked the way she sought his opinion and asked questions. This was perhaps the first real conversation they’d had since they’d first met. He liked it. More than he probably should have.

  “Weres live by archaic rules. Most are predator species and as such, they have pecking orders, so to speak. Most have Alphas that rule the rest.”

  “Sort of the way you’re Master over all the other vampires in this region?”

  “Almost like that, but our Brotherhood is a much looser arrangement than the were hierarchy. We choose to abide by the Master’s will wherever we choose to settle. The weres have familial packs, tribes and clans, dictated by their species and location. They seldom travel far from their home and within the group, leadership is often chosen based on bloody battles between competing Alphas. Many are fights to the death.”

  He could read the growing unease on Kelly’s face and knew it was time to change the subject. In all likelihood, she’d never come across a were. There were a few in the area, but they tended to give bloodletters a wide berth.

  “We don’t interact much,” Marc said, touching her cheek and drawing her gaze to his. “Most of the supernatural beings don’t get along with each other. Few, if any, get along with us in particular because of what their blood does to us.”

  “What does it do?” He dropped his hand as she spoke, but he was glad to have her full attention. Just hours before, she would have been screaming bloody murder for such a simple, yet intimate touch.

  “Shifter and mage blood is considered a delicacy. It’s rare that we get a chance to sample from either of those unless the person in question agrees. They seldom agree.” He cracked a smile, charmed when she returned the gesture. “Fey blood is too strong for us, generally speaking. The power it packs can act as a poison, but the lure is great. Half-fey, now, that’s another story. The magic of the other realms flowing through half-fey blood is diluted enough for us to drink, but potent enough to give us a boost of power few of us ever experience. It’s a temporary effect, according to legend, but it’s rumored to be the biggest rush an immortal can experience in this realm. But half-fey are even rarer than mages or shifters and they are more powerful than either of the others. Unless they are willing—for whatever reason—to share their blood, there’s almost no chance for one of us to ever sample that kind of power.”

  “You mean fey as in fairies? Little pixies like Tinkerbell?” Kelly’s nose scrunched up in the cutest way when she was puzzled. Marc had to resist the urge to kiss the freckled tip.

  “Actually, they are fairly normal looking to our eyes, at least as they manifest themselves in this realm. The half-fey are, of course, also half-human, so they look just like you or me, but perhaps more beautiful than the average person. There is a Glamour of magic about them that makes them very visually appealing.”

  “That’s fascinating.”

  “No, Kelly.” He cupped her cheek, unable to resist the pull of her presence any longer. Marc moved closer, aligning his body with hers. “You’re fascinating. You’re the most beautiful mortal I’ve encountered in many years—inside and out.”

  He dipped his head, placing a chaste kiss on her upturned nose, as he’d longed to do. Her quivering response made him dare more. Pulling her into his arms, he went lower, to kiss her lips as he’d wanted to do for weeks.

  She was just as delicious as every dream he’d had of this moment. And he’d spent a lot of time dreaming about the delectable Kelly.

  As the kiss deepened, so did his desire. He’d never been so enflamed by a woman, so devastated by a mere kiss. She tasted of honey and wine, a rare combination that tempted his senses almost beyond reason. She tasted of life.

  The only thing that could make this moment better would be if she allowed him to taste of her essence…her blood.

  It was too much too soon. Marc knew that deep in his soul, where his restraint was rooted in long years of patience. He would have her, but it would be elsewhere—away from his friend’s home, where he wasn’t beholden to respect the rules Atticus had set forth.

  But she tasted divine. Marc lost track of time as he kissed the only woman he’d been this attracted to in more years than he could count. She fit in his arms as if she’d been designed to his exact specifications. She yielded to his mastery in the most delightful way and her little moans of pleasure were the sexiest he’d ever heard.

  Only one thing could pull him from the sublime feel of her kiss…

  The sun.

  As the very first rays of dawn kissed the eastern sky, Marc knew his moment out of time with Kelly was at an end. He pulled back, regret filling his world.

  “I haven’t been tempted to stay out this late in many long years, but I’m glad my first vision of dawn in centuries was with you, ma cherie.”

  Kelly’s beautiful blue eyes held the glaze of someone dazed with pleasure for a few precious moments more. Then realization of his predicament clouded her expression with worry.

  “Get inside, Marc!” Kelly took his hand in her much smaller one and dragged him toward the door to the house. He went willingly, perplexed and charmed that she’d try to protect him.

  Her reaction shocked him. She actually seemed to be anxious on his behalf and willing to push him inside, following close after to slam the door on the threatening light. She didn’t stop herding him until they were well within the windowless hallway that ringed the inside of the home Atticus had designed.

  “That was close.” She slammed the door to the hall and leaned against it. Her pulse beat hard in her neck as reaction set in. Marc didn’t know what to make of her, but the visible pounding of her blood against her pale skin had him licking his lips, eager for a taste.

  He moved close, blinded for a moment by the hunger that grew inside him until it was nearly uncontrollable. Kelly’s eyes widened in fear as he advanced on her. His fangs elongated as bloodlust and instinct overrode his saner side.

  Marc wasn’t sure what he’d have done if Dmitri hadn’t chosen that moment to clear his throat. Marc looked up to find Dmitri watching him with narrowed eyes from the other end of the long hall.

  A tense minute passed as Dmitri held his gaze, one raised eyebrow speaking volumes. At length, Marc pulled back. This was wrong. He saw that now. In a crisis of passion he’d let his impulses overcome his better sense, but oh, it had been sublime while it had lasted.

  Marc drew back, away from Kelly. She trembled in reaction, fear lighting her beautiful eyes. Fear he had put there. Marc felt lower than pond scum.

  “Je suis désolé, ma petite. I’m sorry.” With those last whispered words, he backed away putting even more distance between himself and temptation. It was sunrise. He could feel the sun weakening him already. Lesser bloodletters would soon be down for the day, and the threat to Kelly would ease. Nodding to Dmitri, Marc left her, realizing with a sinking heart that the only threat to her in this house was himself.

  Chapter Five

  The next evening, Dmitri cornered Marc in the library. Marc wasn’t used to answering to anyone in his own territory—except perhaps his closest and oldest friends—and Dmitri fit that description on both counts. Still, it rankled to have his shortcomings pointed out by another, and Marc suspected Dmitri had sought him out for that reason.

  “I’m leaving tomorrow,” Dmitri said, taking a seat in one of the leather wing chairs that sat before a wide fireplace.

  “So soon?” Marc closed the book he’d been perusing and set it back on the shelf before taking the seat opposite Dmitri befor
e the fire. “I thought you’d be here for a few more weeks at least.”

  “So did I, but I just received word that the new owner has taken possession of the house above ground. I want to figure out just who she is and why she was interested in buying the place in the first place. It’s no show place, that’s for certain.” Dmitri regarded Marc steadily. “But the question is, do you need me to stay?”

  “If you’re referring to what you interrupted last night, I assure you that I can handle the situation.”

  “It didn’t look like it to me, if you’ll pardon my saying so.”

  Marc bristled. “I don’t care what it looked like. Kelly is in no danger from me. You should go home and look to your own house. And let me know if I can be of any assistance. You know I’m always here to help if you need it.”

  “That’s much appreciated, Marc. And the same goes. Atticus mentioned something about an upstart named Gibson who might issue a challenge?”

  The statement was phrased as a question, and Marc was glad to let the subject of Kelly and his lack of control the night before drop, to indulge in talk of the minor vampire who plagued him. Normally, Marc wouldn’t have aired the dirty laundry of his territory, but this was Dmitri after all. They’d been friends long enough. They could discuss anything. Well, almost.

  “Leonard Gibson is a foul creature, and I regret the day I gave him leave to live in my territory. I should have known he’d be trouble from the moment he came crawling in, seeking my blessing to build a lair nearby.”

  “Then why did you let him?” Dmitri’s tone wasn’t judgmental, but Marc had been asking himself the same question for a long time and he didn’t like the answer.

  “I guess I’d become too complacent. The sad truth is, I didn’t care one way or the other at the time. I realize I should have vetted Gibson thoroughly before granting him a foothold in my territory, but hindsight does me no good now.”

  “So the question becomes, what are you going to do about him?” Dmitri had a way of cutting to the heart of a matter.

  “I believe he’ll challenge me sooner or later. I don’t trust him to fight fair, but after last night… Well, I doubt myself and my control, Dmitri. Frankly, I’m sick of being Master, but Atticus has flatly refused the job, as did Ian, and they’re the only two I’d trust with such power of those under my jurisdiction.”

  “Then you must kill this Gibson before he gets the chance to kill you.”

  Marc’s resolve hardened. “I will.” His hands tightened on the arms of the leather-covered wing chair. “As I said, I expect the challenge soon. When it comes, I’ll be ready.”

  “I hope so, my friend. If you need me, all you have to do is call. I will gladly stand second for you.”

  Marc was touched by the offer. It wasn’t something to be taken lightly. A commitment to act as his second in a formal challenge was a very large responsibility. Essentially, Dmitri had just offered to put his life on the line for Marc—something they’d done a few times over the many years they’d been friends, but not recently. It was good to know the bonds of Brotherhood were still strong between them.

  “So now we come back to the matter of Kelly.”

  “I’d rather we didn’t. She’s driving me crazy, but I can’t have her. End of story.”

  “Perhaps not.” Dmitri shot him a glance that spoke of mischief. Marc remembered that look. It had prefaced some wild times in the past and always spelled trouble and pleasure in roughly equal measures.

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “Well, if you can’t have her in the flesh, maybe you could have her in another way.”

  “Such as?”

  Dmitri’s grin turned downright devilish. “Are you up for a little dreamwalking?”

  Marc wanted to deny the temptation, but he knew he wasn’t strong enough. A Master, he had many gifts both physical and psychic but dreamwalking was something Dmitri had perfected to an art over the years. He’d always been fascinated by dreams and slept lighter than any other of their Brotherhood. During the hours of daylight he often amused himself by insinuating himself into mortal dreams, if he could find anyone asleep during the day. Marc knew he found it amusing but Marc also suspected it was a way he could still see the sun—in other people’s dreams.

  Dmitri had taken Marc along on his dream adventures before. Invariably, he coaxed his mortal dreamers into reliving some vacation on a sunny beach or even a simple Saturday afternoon ballgame in the park. Marc couldn’t say he hadn’t enjoyed those phantasmical forays into the mortal, sunlit world. Those memories were precious to him to this day.

  “You propose invading Kelly’s dreams?”

  “Come now, it wouldn’t be an invasion so much as a coaxing. I saw the way she looked at you. She’s attracted, even if she doesn’t want to be. I think she could really let go if she believed it was only a dream.”

  “You’d be there too?”

  “But of course, my friend. I’m better at this than you are and we have shared women before.”

  “Kelly’s different.” Marc forced the words through his teeth. He didn’t want to show any vulnerability where the mortal woman was concerned, but Dmitri knew him too well. No doubt he’d already seen how deeply involved Marc’s emotions were with the little human.

  “She is. Very different. She is a friend of our kind and a good woman. Not at all like the girls we used to bed.” Dmitri moved closer, his voice coaxing. “I like her too, Marc. It will be no hardship to bring her pleasure, even if it’s just a dream. She’ll enjoy it and she’ll have no idea that we’ll truly be sharing space on the dreamplane. We’ll treat her well, Marc. Just like old times. No—better than old times.”

  Marc thought about it. The idea was all too tempting. He’d shared women with both Atticus and Dmitri in the old days. They’d enjoyed finding new ways to pleasure their prey while they drank from them both physically and psychically. They’d been inventive back in their early years as blood brothers.

  But they hadn’t done anything like that in a long time. Atticus was mated now and would never join in their revelries again. Dmitri was a Master in his own right and they didn’t often see each other anymore. This was a rare opportunity to do something both forbidden and entirely appealing. Dmitri could walk in Kelly’s dreams easily and Marc could make love to her without her ever knowing it was at least partly real.

  He could even bring her a sexual experience she would likely never pursue in the waking world. Loathe as he was to admit it, he’d seen the way her eyes followed Dmitri. She was intrigued by him and Marc bet she wouldn’t be averse to bedding him if she thought it was just a dream.

  “All right. I’m in.” Marc’s bold statement made Dmitri smile. “When do we do it?”

  “No time like the present. I’ll catch her when she slips into the deepest part of sleep then bring you in. You remember how?”

  “Of course. We used to do this often enough. I’ll be waiting for your signal.”

  Dmitri held out his hand for a deal making shake. “Just like old times, mon frere?”

  “Oui. Only better. I think Kelly will surprise us both once we get inside her dreams.”

  After dawn, Kelly took a breather. All the vampires had gone downstairs for the day and she was left alone in the big house. Surprisingly, she felt lonely when Lissa and the men weren’t around.

  She had a cup of tea out on the deck as the sun burned off the morning fog, taking time to settle her troubled thoughts. Marc LaTour was on her mind, as usual of late. The man was so frustrating, so handsome, so damned sexy! She had a real problem handling him. She wasn’t physically afraid of him. She doubted he’d ever hurt a woman deliberately. But she was afraid for her heart.

  He was immortal and she knew the chances of her being the One for him, like Lissa was the One for Atticus were next to nil. That kind of thing only happened in fairy tales. So anything between them could only lead to tragedy. She’d be wiser to stay as far away from Marc as possible, but her traitorous hear
t wouldn’t let her.

  She sighed heavily as she went back inside, cleaned what little mess she’d left in the kitchen and headed upstairs to her bedroom. She’d catch a few hours sleep now, then get up in the afternoon to handle whatever business of the Maxwell Winery had to be handled during the day. By nightfall, she’d be back with her friends and once more in danger of the temptation Marc posed with each breath of his sexy body and every flash of his cunning eyes. The combination of muscular male perfection and undeniable wit was her downfall.

  Kelly made sure the house was secure, then went upstairs. She changed into her nightgown, and lay down on the plush mattress. Her room here was almost bigger than her entire apartment had been back in the city, and it was certainly decorated with much more style, not to mention very expensive furniture. It was gorgeous and she loved the large, fluffy bed with its down stuffing and silk comforter.

  Each of the guest rooms and suites had a color theme. This one was pale lilac and it was fast becoming one of her favorite colors. The attached bath was huge and decorated in a complementary pale baby blue color. She could get used to living like this, if only Marc would go back to his own house.

  If he weren’t always underfoot, her life would be so much simpler. She was living and working with one of her best friends and Lissa’s husband was utterly devoted to his new wife. It was a pleasure to watch them together and see the love Lissa had found. Kelly wanted that. She wanted a man to look at her the way Atticus looked at Lissa, but doubted she’d ever be so blessed.

  Kelly drifted into sleep thinking about her friends and their love, clinging to the longing for a love of her own. Maybe that’s why the first face that met her in her dreams was Marc’s. He was everything she wanted in a man, but he wasn’t for her. Immortal and impossible, it could never work between them.

  “About time you got here.” Marc met her with a lopsided smile. “We’ve been waiting for hours.”

  “We?”