His sigh was labored, as if he was already tired of her. “Do not take these powers for granted, Veronica. In fact, during your time here, you can practice key abilities such as those of teleportation, telepathy and transferring energy to others…”
“Transferring energy?” Why the hell would she want to give anything away?
“It’s especially useful when someone needs healing or extra strength. You are strong. If you focus on another’s sickness, you can transfer energy to them.” Like she would waste time on shit like that. “I can assign a vampire to train you…to help tap into your powers.”
“No bloody way am I learning any bloodsucker skills.”
“They would be useful.”
“I don’t need supernatural powers to beat anyone. I’m strong enough.” The idea of additional strength was tempting, but the more of their traits she took on, the more like them she would become. “Have you heard more about Rasmus?”
He picked up a pen from the table and twirled it between his fingers. “One of my horde is tailing his right hand, Edge.”
“I know him.” That was a damn good lead.
Leke leaned back in his armchair. The top few buttons of his shirt were open, and her eyes lingered on that tattoo. “Rasmus is a dangerous fucker. Why the hell did you get mixed up with him?”
“When I started expanding my business, I didn’t know I was imposing on his territory. And once I did, I wasn’t going to let go of what was now my turf. Since then, it’s been a non-stop party.”
That cold smile faded. “It never scared you…the danger?”
She told the truth. “No, because I always thought the worst could be death.” Now she knew different.
His eyes dropped to her lips, and sure enough, her own flesh reacted as she remembered how their mouths had pressed together yesterday. She tried to resist the response, but even though she was supposed to be pissed at him for what he’d done to her, a slow burn began in her belly and filtered to other parts of her. “All this feels scary when you’re new, Veronica. But it gets easier. I’ve seen others go through the change. As they came into powers and realized the benefits of being supernatural, the uncertainty and fear faded—”
“That’s the thing, though. The fear I can cope with. But disgust—that’s something different.”
His eyes flickered. “I can’t go back and change things, but I can help you get rid of Rasmus.” He stood. “Come. I will show you your room.”
He stepped around the table, and when he towered over her, she also stood. Still not enough distance between them. He was so close she could feel his breath on her face. All she had to do was lift her chin and their lips would touch. His jaw tensed as he stared down at her, his pupils dilating…pulling her. She turned her back on him. “Let’s go.” She tried to keep her voice hard as she picked up her backpack. “I’m dying to experience bloodsucker hospitality.”
When he opened the door, Fry was waiting outside. “I will show Veronica her room,” Leke told him. “Make sure you keep an eye on the security monitors.”
Veronica was pretty sure Fry would keep an eye on the monitors without being reminded. He seemed like one hell of a sorted guy. Leke walked ahead of her through the long corridor. At the end of it was a winding staircase.
“How big is this fucking place?”
His lips curled up. “Big enough.” He led her up the stairs to the next floor, where they stepped out into another yet another corridor. The red carpet was thick and soft, absorbing their footsteps. He stopped outside one of many oak doors, carved with symbols she did not recognize. “This will be your room.” He opened the door and stepped aside.
She wanted to play it cool, she really did. But fucking hell, this place was a damn luxury suite, twice the size of her apartment. The whole far wall was made of glass, with breath-taking views of the forest. One side of it was taken by a seating area and two doors led off from it—she guessed to the kitchen and bathroom. She stepped further inside to see a giant bed raised on a platform. King-sized with thick velvet curtains hanging on either side of it. Leke’s eyes also landed on it, and when he glanced at her, that cocky smirk indicated he was thinking the same thing. That bed was made for fucking. And right now, she could only imagine Leke in it with her. “Thank you,” she said. “If you don’t mind, I’ll take a shower.” Which was the wrong thing to say, because it conjured up images of him under the water with her.
His eyes darkened, but he said nothing, stepping back. He opened the door and turned to her. For a moment, she thought he might return…or was that wishful thinking? But he only said, “If you need anything, call Fry.” He glanced at the landline phone on the bedside table. “1 for my number and 2 for Fry’s. That should cover everything…or is there anything else you need?”
You. There went her damn mind again… “Actually, do you have a map of the mansion?”
He took his mobile from his trouser pocket and hit a few keys. There was a beep from the device inside her leather jacket. “I’ve sent you an interactive map.”
And with that, he was gone. She stood silent for a few moments, tempted to call him back. This fucking heat that surged through her since the transformation was too much to bear, and he seemed to turn it up a notch. She hit her fist against the wall, but it didn’t drive away the lust. The first chance she got, she would take a trip outside this mansion to get rid of this ache inside her. There were enough hot men in town dying for one-night stands. Damn it, all she had to do was head to one of the zones in Eclipse. That would serve the bloodsucker right—getting off with someone under his roof. Yet the thought of other males—even Enzo—did not appeal anymore.
She entered the bathroom, a white luxury number with a whirlpool bathtub on one side and a rainfall shower on the other. She stripped off to enter the shower, and as the hot water gushed over her body, she imagined the vampire here with her, running his hands and mouth over every inch of her wet body. By the time left the bathroom, she was even more aroused than before. As she pulled on a leather mini skirt and tee shirt, she figured she would have to deal with it.
Her attraction to Leke was some syndrome, trauma even. There was no way she was fucking him, not when he was the one who turned her into this creature.
LEKE HAD RETURNED TO HIS office to oversee new projects, but Veronica took over his mind instead. It was obvious she wanted him, but she was denying her need. Hardly surprising, when the thought of bloodsuckers disgusted her. But like he said, it was too late to turn back.
He leaned back in his chair. Last night was fucking torture—all he had been able to think about was what happened between them in the hall. He spent the night fantasizing about taking it further, having his cock in her mouth, between her legs, fucking her until her need was fulfilled. But she needed time to adjust to their world, and he would give it to her. She was one hell of a fighter, and her experiences as a human meant she had what it took to adjust to a life with the horde. Until then, he would be patient. There was a knock at the door, and Fry entered, but he would not meet his eyes. And was that a bruise by the side of his face?
Leke’s first concern was for Veronica. Had she been attacked? “What’s happened?” And then he paused, breathing deep. If the mansion was infiltrated, he would have known immediately. Whatever this effect she had on him…he had to fight it. Emotions had no place in the mission they would carry out against that rogue werewolf, because they led to mistakes, something he couldn’t afford.
“Veronica’s playing up,” said Fry. Leke shut his laptop and then headed out of the door. His right hand was close behind, following him up the corridor. “She throws one hell of a tantrum—”
“I told you to take care of her.” He was giving her some leeway because of what she was going through, but she was going to live by the horde rules. While she was here, he was boss.
“I know, Leke, but she’s seriously shit crazy.”
“Looks like I’ll have to deal with this myself, then. Damn, Fry, can’t you ke
ep a newborn under control?” There went the plans he wanted to finish by the end of today. That Association job had gone well, and when the stolen information was delivered to the government contact, it more or less made up for his unsuccessful mission when it came to Veronica. It also meant more assignments.
At the end of the corridor, Leke took the stairs two at a time. He hadn’t even reached the next corridor when he heard the sounds coming from inside her room. Screams…vile swearing…threats…things being smashed.
What the hell’s got into her?
He opened the door, and a bolster came flying at him. There was a loud thud as it made contact with his face. Fry snorted, but when Leke glared at him, he straightened that damn expression. “Get the fuck out of here, Fry.”
Leke was barely able to contain his rage as the door closed behind his right hand. He entered the room—that fucking room he had spent time and money making nice for her—to see it trashed. The bedding was ripped to shreds, the full-length mirror smashed and cables torn from appliances. He’d arranged for the fridge to be stocked full, but its door was open, with packets ripped and blood all over the place…all over that expensive Persian rug.
She saw him enter, but that did not stop her damn tantrum. In fact, it sent her into a greater rage, if that was possible. She picked up a chair and threw it at the glass wall. Thank fuck it was reinforced.
“Stop it.” Even to his own ears, Leke’s voice was dangerously calm. She paused and looked at him…her eyes meeting his. He knew that look. She was going to see how far she could push him. Don’t do it, Veronica. The next chair she picked up came straight at him. He sidestepped it, but she had taken it too far. As she went for another one, he teleported to her and grabbed her by the wrists, pulling them behind her back and holding her body up against his. “I said stop it, Veronica.” Her eyes blazed red with rage, and those full lips were parted, her breath coming and going so fast that her breasts heaved over the neckline of her tight top. He kept his eyes firmly on hers. There was desperation in their hazel depths. “What happened?”
“Fuck you,” she said, struggling. “I hate you, bloodsucker.”
“Have I upset you?” Shit. If anyone else pulled a stunt like this, he would string them up instead of trying to find out what he’d done. Her eyes went to the fridge and then trailed over the red stains on the floor. “The blood pissed you off?”
“I’m not a fucking bloodsucker.”
“What do you mean? Surely you’ve…” But as he stared at her twisted expression, doubt struck him. That psychic connection he’d had with her reduced after her transformation, so he hadn’t seen her first intake, but all newborns gave in to the blood lust soon after turning. It was not possible that she hadn’t drunk blood, not when she completed her transformation two weeks ago.
“I’m not drinking that shit.”
Goddamn it. She had to take blood. Not only for nutrition, but because it would help stabilize the emotional turmoil that was a side effect of turning. “You’re a vampire. Sooner or later, you have to.”
“Fuck you, Leke. I will fight this.”
If she fought what she was, refused to take the nutrition her new body needed, her rage would only deepen, and her health would be affected. He glanced around the trashed room. “I had no idea, Veronica…that you hadn’t taken blood yet. That’s why I filled the fridge.”
“Bullshit. You stocked the fridge because you thought when I got desperate enough, I’d drink. You don’t give a toss about what I want; all you want is to get me in line with the rest of your horde. Even if that means pretending to help me and then feeding me blood against my will.” She narrowed her eyes. “You can’t force me to eat that shit.”
He gritted his teeth. She truly was testing his patience. “If I wanted to, I could force that shit down your throat, and you deserve it for being such a stubborn ass. But seriously, I had no fucking idea you hadn’t drunk yet. That’s why the fridge is full of blood. I would never compel you to drink before you are ready.” He’d never heard of anyone holding out so long. Damn, she had some resistance, didn’t she?
When she looked up into his eyes, hazel broke through the red, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Some of that resistance was melting. “You’re telling the truth?”
“Yes.” He gauged that it was now safe to let go of her wrists. But when he stepped back, he immediately missed having her body pressed against him.
She stared at the damage around her, her eyes flitting between broken items and his face. Now her rage had cooled, she almost looked…embarrassed? And was that a hint of pink in her cheeks? “Stop laughing at me.”
He made an effort to keep his lips set in a straight line. “I’m not.”
“You are. I can see it in your eyes.”
It would be one hell of a job cleaning this up. Leaving her to stay among this mess would be the perfect punishment. That would soon teach her some discipline, wouldn’t it? Instead, he found himself saying, “Pick up your bag. I’ll move you to a different room.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
* * *
THE NEW ROOM WAS IN a different section of the mansion. After they turned a few corners, Veronica stopped trying to remember the way they’d come. Best to get out the map later and revise it. Eventually, they stopped at the top of a stairway. The door ahead of them had a security panel next to it. Leke touched the panel, and red lights flashed around his fingers. Then there was a flash that reflected off the blue of his eyes.
“I’ll ask Fry to clear you to enter this section,” he mentioned.
They stepped into a corridor decorated in crème and black, with wood flooring and LED lighting. It was a shorter corridor than the others they’d been in, four doors on either side of it. There was no decoration, and the doors had no engravings. “What is this area?”
He paused outside a black wood door. “These are my quarters.” He indicated at a door opposite to the one they stood outside. “That’s my bedroom.”
“What?” What the hell was he up to? She couldn’t stay in such close proximity to him. Being a bitch on heat was one thing, but she still suffered from nightmares after that crap she went through. The last thing she wanted was him knowing about the lingering effects.
He frowned at her expression. “Keeping you at a distance hasn’t improved your behavior, has it? If we’re going to work together, you might as well be nearby. Within the next hour, you’ll be cleared to access these quarters.” The door to this room also had a panel next to it, which scanned his fingers and retinae before they had access. “If you throw a single tantrum here, I’ll ensure your clearance privileges are removed. The possibility of not leaving your room without Fry’s assistance should help keep that rage of yours in check.”
Damn asshole.
He stepped inside, and she followed. The room matched the other in terms of size and was also set up with sofas and a table on one side, but was more masculine…his stamp all over it. A theme of crème, black and brown dominated the suite, subtle LED lighting enhancing its relaxed ambience. How the hell was she going to survive staying here, when just stepping into his quarters made her stomach flip? And that massive bed...had he slept in there? Was his scent on it?
“Let Fry know what you want to eat.” That was definitely a look of distaste on his face. His eyes flitted to the fridge. “Before you go on a rampage again, there are a few pints of blood in there, so don’t bother opening it. I’ll ask Fry to remove them…until then, can you keep your mood under control? You’re turning out to be an expensive guest.”
She could only imagine how much damage she had caused. Fuck, the bedding in the other suite had looked as if it was worth thousands of dollars. That pride reared its head. “I’ll pay you back for what I ruined. So no need to think of me as a liability.”
He raised an eyebrow, his lips curling up. “Really? And how do you propose to do that when your own gang wants nothing to do with you? How will you make that amount of money in between this mission of yours
?”
“I’ll find a way.”
“I’m sure you will. In between your charming hissy fits, I’m sure you’ll manage a big money-earning enterprise.”
Fuck you. “There must be something I can do. To pay you back.”
She regretted the words as soon as they popped out of her mouth. She had not meant the offer to sound like that, but there was already a wolfish grin on his face as his blue eyes moved over her, resting on her mini skirt and reminding her how short it was. When his gaze landed on her breasts, her damn nipples strained against her tight tee shirt, as if saying yes please. And now his eyes were glued to the nipple ring on her left breast, visible through the material of her top. “There is something you can do.”
His meaning was obvious, but instead of pissing her off, the prospect sent her libido on fire. That was an expensive suite she had destroyed, and it wasn’t as if she didn’t desire him. But seriously, was she going to go through with this…with a vampire? The bloodsucker who turned me.
She hoped her nerves did not show. “What do you want me to do?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll leave that to you.” His eyes landed on her face. “As long as you make it worth my while.” She knew exactly how to make it worth his while. And she was doing this because she owed him. Those waves pulsing through her at the thought of what she was about to do…they were not of anticipation. No, it was annoyance that made her feel like this. This was not going to give her any pleasure. None at all.
She dropped to her knees and stared up at him. His mouth tightened and pupils dilated, and when he drew a sharp breath, it gave her satisfaction to know he wasn’t unaffected. Ignoring the heat at her own core, she lowered her gaze to his belt buckle. But when she reached for it, he stepped back. “Veronica? What do you think you’re doing?”
She looked up at him again, confused. “I thought you wanted me to make it worth your while?”
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