Loved by the Vampires

by ERIN BEDFORD

  I'd sent him to check on Piper a week ago and he still hadn't checked in. I had begun to think something had happened.

  "Wynn's fine." Rayne shifted on the couch, glaring at the pale peeling yellow wallpaper around us. "He messaged a few hours ago that he was going to make a stop."

  My hand tightened around my phone as I held back my need to lash out. "Why wasn't I informed?"

  "Well, oh stick up your ass one, if you weren't in here moping, then you would have been with me when I found out." Rayne slid his fingers through the front of his hair, fluffing it up. "I was getting dinner with the twins."

  Crossing one leg over the other, I glared at the door of the motel room. "You shouldn't be going out in such a big group. I've told you this time and time again." My voice rose, unable to keep myself in check any longer. "Pairs are all we can risk and only at scheduled times. Your turn wasn't until four with Marcus."

  Rayne stood from the couch abruptly. "Well, tell that to your pet, because Marcus has been gone all day. I wasn't going to risk not getting to eat tonight. It's already been three days."

  My own hunger ate at my stomach and my fangs ached to sink into someone. It could be that my need for blood has caused me to lose control of myself, but at that moment all I wanted to do was rip Rayne's throat out for daring to speak back to me.

  Rayne backed away slowly, his hands up in front of him. "You could do with a bite too. Especially before you hear what Wynn has to say."

  Flashing my fangs at him, I bolted to my feet. My hand raced out too fast for the human eye, but not for Rayne's. He quickly dodged my hand and jumped back to the door, his hand going to the doorknob.

  I took a step toward him but then stopped myself. Taking a moment, I closed my eyes and worked on calming myself. I couldn't lose it now and hurt one of my own. No matter how much he frustrated me to no end. After I felt I wasn't in danger of lashing out again, I opened my eyes and focused on Rayne.

  "My apologies. It seems I, too, need to feed." I adjusted the cuffs of my suit jacket and brushed my long pale strands over my shoulder. "As for the matter of Marcus, he's on recon for nearby hunters. He should be back soon. What of Wynn?"

  Rayne turned the doorknob and threw the door open, revealing our disheveled, dark-haired brother. "He's here."

  Scanning over Wynn's form and finding no injury or other reason for his delay, I prepared to lay it into him, only for the vampire to lift a dark blue ice chest. "Hungry? I brought dinner."

  Rayne sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Thank God. Our lord and master here was two seconds away from tearing my head off."

  Wynn's lips quirked up. "It's a good thing I stopped by a blood bank on the way home then, brother."

  I narrowed my eyes on him and took my seat on the couch once more. "It was a rash and unnecessary risk."

  Rayne snorted.

  "It was necessary, mon cher." Wynn threw a packet of blood at me.

  I caught it midair and lowered it to my mouth. Tearing into the side of the pack, I grumbled, "Don't call me that."

  The moment the blood touched my tongue, I couldn't hold back a groan of pleasure. The others moved into the room, keeping their distance from me as I drained another bag of blood. When I opened my eyes, four out of five of my brothers stood before me. The twins had on matching grey hoodies, stating they went to the local college, along with gym shorts. We tried to integrate ourselves into each place we hid out in so we didn't stand out. The town we were in now was a college town, which made it easy pickings for feeding, but harder for those of us who looked more than the average college age. Which was why I'd sent Wynn to see Piper while I kept to our motel room.

  "Better?" Drake quirked a brow.

  "Much." I tossed the bag aside and placed a hand on my knee. "How did it go?"

  "Well, Allister got himself surrounded by a horde of sorority girls and we had to push a bit of power to get out of there without getting mobbed or stripped on the spot." Drake chuckled, nudging his brother in the arm. Allister's lips ticked up slightly at his twin's words, but didn't comment further.

  "While that sounds entertaining, I was referring to Wynn." I shifted my gaze from the twins to Wynn. He lounged on the dingy, vomit green bedspread with a look of utter disdain on his face. No doubt in reference to the pitiful lodging we had found ourselves in.

  "Speaking of interesting," Wynn murmured, with a sly quirk of his lips that didn't promise anything I would like. "Things with Piper and Darren are going well."

  "Are you sure?" I arched a brow. "I feel far more anger than I should be if everything is going well."

  Wynn threw his head back and laughed. The others gave him a curious look, but I simply waited for him to elaborate. "Oh, yes. Piper is truly and surely, as they say, pissed off. I barely made it out of there with my head on my shoulders. We must find a better way of checking in on them than just once a month. I fear she won't stay in one place for too much longer. It's already been far too long." He seemed like he had more to say, but he didn’t elaborate further.

  "Yes," I mused, lifted a hand to my face. "I wish we had better news, but unfortunately, with no way to find the hunters, we are simply stuck on the defense. Marcus is out now doing recon."

  "Recon?" Wynn sat forward, his hands laced between his legs. "What could he possibly hope to learn?"

  My mouth tugged up at the edges. "With any luck, where the hunters take refuge. Marcus will let a hunter find him and then follow them back to their lair."

  "Lair?" Drake chuckled.

  "For lack of a better word." I glowered at him, then I turned my attention back to Wynn. "Anything else to report?"

  Wynn's face takes on a curious expression I couldn't describe, but Rayne thankfully figured it out for me.

  Rayne jumped back from the others with a look of shock and horror on his face. "Piper and Darren are what?"

  Wynn offered Rayne a lazy grin, lifting a hand to wiggle his little finger into his ear. "Shout a little louder, little brother. I don't think the hunters in town heard you."

  The twins carried identical expressions of confusion and interest, while I waited patiently for Rayne or Wynn to explain.

  "How could this have happened?" Rayne continued, jerking his arms around him. His agitation showing with each movement. "I thought they tolerated each other." Then, without warning, Rayne spun on me, pointing a finger in my face. "This is your fault. If you hadn't opened that can of worms, my Piper wouldn't be lowering herself to...to playing house with that stick in the mud." Rayne's face turned as red as his hair as he twisted back around to the others. "And I blame all of us for leaving her alone with him for so long."

  Drake grabbed Rayne by the shoulders and stopped him from going back and forth like a spin top. "Would you chill out already and just tell us what's going on?"

  Wynn interrupted Rayne before he could get another word out. "It seems our dear Darren has far more charm than we believed. He's somehow wormed his way not only into Piper's bed, but her heart as well."

  While the others stiffened at Wynn's words, I hummed. On the outside, I seemed calm and collected, but on the inside, I boiled with jealousy and rage. Not because I hated the fact that Piper and Darren were together, but because I hadn't been there to watch it develop. Two of the people I cared for most in this world had found solace in each other. If that wasn't ironic, I didn't know what was.

  My brothers argued and debated how the serious Darren had been able to woo the hyperactive klutz that was Piper, while I closed my eyes and focused. My mind shifted from my body and flew through the air. My conscience sped through the emptiness until it came into the nearest crow in Seabrick.

  Lifting my wings, I took to the air. The salty breeze from the ocean filled my senses as I swooped and flapped in the sky. I shifted through the trees and passed the houses, barely noticing the humans wandering the streets around me. Finally, I lowered myself onto the nearby branch of a small house near the beach.

  Peering through the window of the living roo
m, I searched for a familiar face. Neither Piper nor Darren were in the living room. I strained my ears toward the sounds coming from farther in the house. Giggling and groans. Taking flight once more, I glided through the air until I rounded the house, landing on the windowsill to the bedroom.

  The room was simple, but it had touches of Piper and Darren in it. The bathroom door was open, spilling light into the otherwise dark room. Clothes were strewn over a nearby chair, a bra had been carelessly dropped on the floor, and there was a stack of romance novels on the side table. Nothing of Darren's was thrown about the room, but there was a small pile of his clothes on the dresser and a pair of white gloves on the nightstand.

  Another giggle pulled my attention back to the bathroom door. The water from the showerhead tinged against the tile, disrupted by what I assumed were bodies in the way. I waited for the water to cut off and then feet padded out of the shower, barely audible. Then there was giggling again.

  "If you get me dirty, I'll have to take a shower all over again." Piper's voice came out husky and muffled as if something covered her mouth.

  "Then I shall have to clean you, thoroughly." I recognized the sound of desire in Darren's voice as they stumbled out of the bathroom, nude and still slick with water. I waited for Darren to insist on cleaning up the water they were dripping all over the wooden floor. He didn't. Darren's hands slid down to cup Piper's ass, dragging her closer to him as they collapsed on the bed. To my utter surprise, Darren smiled. An open and honest grin that spread from one ear to the other. I'd never seen such a thing on Darren's face in all our time together.

  Giving them their privacy, I withdrew from the crow. My mind flew through the air between Georgia and Rhode Island, settling back into my body.

  My brothers were no longer arguing, their voices low as they discussed the movements of the hunters nearby. Wynn noticed my movements first, pausing mid-sentence to look to me. The others followed suit.

  "Well?" Allister asked with a hint of apprehension in his voice.

  I uncrossed my legs and brushed my pants off as I stood. "What? Are you afraid of a little competition? Do you think that Piper does not have room in her heart for each of us?" All but Wynn shifted. He seemed unaffected by my human servants’ coupling, unlike the others. "There is nothing to fear. Be happy they are finding enjoyment in each other rather than outside of the family. God only knows what Piper could get herself into if she wasn't thoroughly distracted."

  Wynn snorted. "Isn't that the truth."

  Chapter 5

  Marcus

  Hunting the vampire hunters was not quite as exciting as it sounded. Hours of waiting around and nothing to show for it. I even left a trail of bitten humans to lead them to me, but as of yet I have not gained the attention of a single hunter.

  When Antoine and I had concocted this plan, I’d been against it. I thought we should have called in the favors owed to us by the other vampire masters to find the hunters, but Antoine didn’t want to put our fates in the hands of others. Something I couldn’t disagree with. We’d already been screwed over by more than our fair share of master vampires. Luck hadn’t been on our side as of late, and I’d much rather we took things into our own hands.

  Hence the plan.

  The vampire hunters had to be close. We'd been in Rhode Island longer than usual, so we could execute this plan. Not that our brothers knew about it. If they did, they would have objected for sure. The hunters usually found us within a few weeks of wherever we hid out. It's been a month. They should be here by now.

  A light drizzle came down around me from where I stood. The awning of a drugstore that had long since closed hung above me, shielding me from the rain. The water didn't bother me, but the rain would wash away my scent, something I didn't want to do. I needed the hunters to find me for our plan to work.

  It was a foolish plan. One of desperation. My brothers and I were tired of running. Tired of always looking over our shoulders. We wanted to go home. And I knew they wanted to see Piper again.

  I, too, missed the pretty human who had captured the hearts of my brothers. I'd only been to visit her twice over the last year, and both times it was as if I could finally breathe again. Not that I needed breath to live. All I knew was she made everything right. Something I hadn't felt in a long time. My mind drifted to the last time I had felt any semblance of peace. A time when everything in my life made sense and I had a purpose.

  "You're a long way from home, knight," a gravelly voice announced, stepping out from the shadows of a nearby tree. "It isn't safe here for people like you."

  I glared down at the man, who had yet to reveal his face beneath his hood. "People like me?"

  He gestured a hand in my direction. It was spotted and wizened and long nails tipped each finger. "Knights of the Catholic Church should not venture out this far by themselves. Especially, at night." The man coughed a laugh, his hand going up to his face beneath the hood.

  The sky above had turned dark over my hours of traveling across the desert on horseback. Exhaustion ate at me as well as my horse. Unfortunately, there was no place to take shelter. I supposed I would be sleeping beneath the stars tonight.

  "Thank you for your concern, but I will be alright." I glanced back to the hooded figure. "The Muslim troops have gone east. I plan to be well away from here before they can find me." I paused and looked back down to the figure. "You should be on your way as well if you value your life. This is not a time to be venturing out on your own without an escort. You'll be lucky to be killed on sight and not be taken to be tortured for whichever side you sit on."

  The hooded figure laughed. "Oh, I do not belong to anyone's side but my own." He stepped closer to my horse, making it neigh and shift nervously. I tried to reassure my mount, but the figure caught my wrist where my armor ended and my gloved hand began. "But if you are offering your services, I would gladly accept."

  Before I knew what was happening, I was pulled from my horse and knocked to the ground. The figure, which I had thought to be an older man, was far quicker than expected. My ears rang as my helmet was ripped from my head. I reached for my sword and glared at the man.

  "Unhand me, you beast, or I shall show you why we are called God's army." I grabbed at the cloak, trying to get a handhold on him. His hood fell back and I gasped, my eyes going wide with horror. "A demon. You're a demon. Begone! In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I banish you back to your hellish plane. Leave me be."

  The creature threw his head back and laughed, his ears pointed and his teeth sharpened into spikes. Red eyes bore into me right before he attacked. I didn’t have a chance to swing my sword before sharp pain burrowed into my neck. Then I remembered nothing but the sounds of my screams. I screamed until my throat burned, not stopping until I could no longer keep my head up, and my eyes closed. Then there was darkness.

  I shook my head of the memory. My last night as a human had been gruesome. Full of pain and blood. Boris hadn't changed me right away. He'd made me last days. Nights. It was hard to find food readily available in the desert, he'd said. He had to make me last.

  Scoffing, I rubbed the back of my head and then crossed my arms. Now was not the time to be nostalgic. Boris was dead. There was nothing keeping me from moving on with my life. I could only hope that God would forgive me for the acts I'd done for an undeniable monster.

  My head jerked up.

  I shifted to the left, narrowly dodging an arrow aimed right for my head. Pulling my knives from their sheaths at my sides, I spun around to face my attackers. Three hunters approached me. They weren't even trying to be subtle as they walked brazenly down the middle of the street.

  "There you are," I mused aloud, my lips ticking up in amusement. "I was beginning to think we'd lost you."

  The middle hunter, a young woman with long, raven-colored hair and a crossbow in her hands sneered, "Were you looking for us, vampire? I'm so sorry we have kept you waiting." She cocked her crossbow and aimed it at me. "Where are the others
?"

  I held my daggers out at my sides and shrugged. "What others? I work alone."

  The hunter to the left snickered. "As if we believe that. We scented you bloodsuckers the moment you stepped into this town. It's only a matter of time until we find you all and kill you. Give it up, and we'll make your death a quick one."

  “I doubt that,” I grumbled.

  “Fine then, have it your way.” The female lifted her crossbow, but before she could shoot me with it, I was moving.

  I knew the plan was to have them chase me, but if I didn’t at least try to defend myself they would be suspicious. With my daggers drawn, I ducked one way and then the other, avoiding the bolts coming my way. The woman cursed as she fumbled with the next bolt. I came up underneath her crossbow and slashed at her side. She dropped the crossbow and jumped back, but not fast enough. The tip of my dagger sliced into the side of her clothes and blood tinged the air.

  “You bastard,” the hunter on the left snarled, coming at me at full force. “How dare you draw blood from our dear, Mizuki. Die, bloodsucker!”

  Was this guy for real? I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I easily dodged his attacks. He swung his sword like a newborn pup. Weak and unused to carrying a sword. I smacked his wrist with the flat side of my dagger.

  “Fuck!” The man dropped his sword, falling back onto his ass.

  I could kill him right there, but that wasn’t the plan.

  Ignoring the downed man, I turned around and lifted my daggers into an X, blocking the sword coming down at me. Gritting my teeth, I allowed myself to drop to one knee, pretending that the hunter was getting the best of me.

  If I were a prouder man, I’d never pretended I was the weaker opponent in the hopes of catching them off guard. When I was a knight, I surely would never have allowed my honor to be tarnished in such a manner. However, being a vampire under the cruel thumb of Boris would destroy the honor of even the most loyal and proud man.

  “We’ve got you now, fucker,” the first man crowed as the female, Mizuki, leveled the crossbow at me once more.