Destined Hearts

by Castle, Angela

  Strengthening her resolve, she shimmied farther out of the window and balanced on her hips, reaching for the drain pipe. The damn thing had better hold. It was a leap of faith. Her fingers curled around the pipe, gripping as far as the cuffs would allow. With a firm grip, she pulled the rest of her body out. She knew she didn’t have much time before her day guards would check in on her, find her missing, and automatically put two and two together.

  Aria whimpered in fear as she hung for a moment, her feet grappling to find purchase on the pipe. She was now thankful that her feet were bare as the perspiration that had broken out all over her body, including her feet, gave her some grip. She pushed out slightly with her elbows and moved her arms down before letting her feet drop a little. She had managed to move down one storey when she heard a shout. Yup, she had been discovered. Glancing up, she saw her captor’s head poking out of the window. He was way too big to follow her down; he vanished, and she knew he was racing for the stairs.

  Aria began to panic, loosened her grip, and began to slide down.

  With only a few feet left, she let go and dropped the rest of the way. She fell heavily onto her right arm and cried out as pain flashed through it on impact. She rolled, panting, trying to ignore the pain in her arm. She climbed to her feet and ran down the cobblestoned, Parisian alley.

  It didn’t matter that she had no idea where she was running; her only goal for the moment was to get away. She didn’t know who to turn to for help. Would the Paris police help her or lock her up for being in a country without a passport? If she told them about the vampires being

  after her and how they had locked her vampire lover in a metal box, she would end up in a mental asylum. She had no idea how to contact the other elder vampires, either.

  Aria made a turn, attempting to keep her arm still, but it continued to jolt with each soft thump of her bare feet on the stone. She could only guess she had broken something as the pain was intense and radiated down her arm and across her chest. Hearing heavy footsteps behind her made her run full pelt, trying her best to ignore her pain. She saw cars up ahead. Maybe finding a French policeman was her only option at the moment.

  “Stop her,” yelled a heavy-breathing voice.

  Shit, her captors were closer than she had realized. Aria hit the larger street at a dead run, weaving her way around people, who turned to stare as she bolted past. She ran down a sloped street, her pursuers now gaining on her. The pain was draining her body of strength; she had already been weakened slightly by Jacob’s bite. She was thankful that Ethan’s bites had helped increase her blood supply. It had helped her better withstand Jacob taking blood from her.

  She flew around a corner and ran smack into something solid, warm and fleshy with a loud humph.

  “Facile là bien-aimé,” exclaimed a deep, rich voice.

  She was grabbed suddenly by two strong arms; her upper arm was jarred, making her cry out in pain. She stared up at the man who had incredibly quick reflexes, preventing her from falling onto her ass.

  He had green eyes, instantly reminding her of Ethan, and a strong jaw, dark brows and hair. The crisp, clean, expensive suit he wore did not take away from the fact that the man was built tall and strong. His handsome face was marred with a deep frown as he took in her disheveled appearance, bare feet and cuffed hands. His hand smoothed back the hair from her shoulder, and his gaze was riveted on the bite mark on her neck.

  Instinct took over. “Help me, please,” she whispered, her voice sounding breathless and panicked and laced with pain.

  “Do not fear, little one. You are safe now.” He had switched to

  English with only a hint of French in his accent.

  Once again, he reminded her of Ethan; it was so uncanny and made her want to trust this stranger. Without another word, he scooped her up, quickly crossing the street with her in his arms.

  They reached an expensive, dark BMW with tinted windows. He unlocked the doors and slid her into the passenger seat before slamming the door shut and heading around to the driver’s side. On the other side of the street, her captors came barreling around the same corner as she had only a moment before. The two men paused and glanced around. She shrank down in her seat, frightened they would find her.

  “They are your pursuers?” her rescuer asked without looking at her.

  “Yes,” Aria whispered.

  He turned his green eyes to her. “Who bit you?” It was more a command than a question.

  Aria gasped softly. Was this man friend or foe? Had she just run into the arms of someone worse than Jacob? She studied the man, trying to ignore her throbbing arm. He reached across her side and opened the glove box, pulling out a little handheld black leather case. Aria watched as he unzipped it to discover it looked very much like a lock-picking kit.

  “My name is Lucas Archalon,” he told her, selecting a solid wire with a hook on the end from his kit. He then motioned for her to hold out her cuffs.

  Aria did so, trying not to whimper as the movement made the pain in her arm worse.

  No wonder he looked so damn familiar; he was an Archalonian?

  But how could that be as he was out in the daylight?

  “You’re not a vampire, either,” she blurted out. “You can’t be an Archalonian and walk around in the daytime.”

  The cuffs clicked as he had released the spring, sliding them off one wrist, and then he began on the other. “Let’s focus on one thing at a time, shall we? I will ask the questions, and you will answer, or I’ll let your friends over there know where you are.”

  Aria gasped at his threat. Yup, he was Archalonian, all right, and

  damn bossy, just like Ethan. The other cuff slid free from her what-she-knew-now-was-broken arm. Lucas quickly shoved the cuffs and lock-picking kit back into the glove box and turned his full attention on her. Aria cradled her hurt arm.

  “Let’s start with your name, ma petite.”

  “Don’t call me that.” She only wanted Ethan spouting that familiar endearment to her and no one else.

  “Fine, now answer. Who are you?”

  Aria swallowed. If this man really was Archalonian, then he could help Ethan.

  “Aria Nova Tempest.”

  “And those?” He motioned out the window. Her captors had split up in order to search for her.

  “They work for Jacob Mathers, a vampire from New York. They were ordered to watch me while he got his beauty sleep,” she said with hatred.

  Lucas seemed to think for a long moment before he shook his head.

  “It is not a name I know, and I do know many vampires. It was fortunate I had business in this part of town this morning.” His gaze softened as it roamed over her. “Was it he who bit you?” He reached forward, brushing the hair back from her neck.

  Aria nodded.

  “We have rules,” he continued with a frown. “No foreign vampires are allowed to hunt or trespass on the European ground without approval and clearance from the elders.”

  “Do you know Ethan of Archalon?” she asked, testing the waters with his proclaimed Archalonian status.

  His frowned deepened as he studied her. “I know that the elders have been searching for him for a very long time. They know he is alive but do not know where.”

  “I do. I am his blue blood.”

  Surprise crossed Lucas’ face. His gaze swept over her with greater interest. Feeling she could trust this man, Aria told him her story of Ethan being kept like an animal for the past few hundred years until she had

  been fed to him. With some details left out, she told him how they had journeyed across on a cargo ship and the trap Jacob had laid out for him after kidnapping her during daylight hours.

  Aria noticed Lucas’ jaw clench as he struggled to keep the anger out of his expression. Not that she blamed him—she was downright pissed off for what those elders had done to him, and now he was trapped inside another box.

  Lucas drew in a calming breath. “It will be all right.” He spoke with a sud
den gentleness and yanked out a BlackBerry phone from his pocket.

  He hit a number then spoke in rapid French.

  Despite Ethan’s few French lessons, she had trouble keeping up.

  He glanced in her direction through a part of the conversation. “It is fortunate we have the daylight to our advantage. I will take you to a hospital as your arm appears broken.”

  “Getting to Ethan is more important than me. We need to get to him quickly. They could move him now I have managed to escape. Plus, I don’t have a passport or any papers; we left New York without much of anything. He really wanted to reach France.”

  Lucas flashed her a megawatt smile. “You’re a blue blood, sweetheart, and we take care of our own.”

  What did he mean by that? “Who are you, really?” Aria had to know.

  He reached across, buckled her seatbelt, and started the engine of his BMW. “I am the great grandson of Luc of Archalon. Unlike my great grandfather, I am half human and blue blood myself.”

  “Oh, yes, Ethan said I could get pregnant.” Aria felt her face turn three kinds of red after blurting that out.

  Lucas simply laughed.

  “Shit, sorry.”

  “You belong to Ethan. I understand that, and I’m not surprised you’re a beauty, and there’s no need to worry about paperwork. As for Ethan, we already have people moving in on his location. We need to get you seen to,” he said in a firm tone. “My people can sniff out any vampire within a two-mile radius.” He handled the wheel of his car with one hand

  while pulling out his wallet and flipping it open to reveal an official-looking badge. “I’m a detective with the Paris Police.”

  “Do they know you’re not fully human?”

  “I’m sure you know the only differences that would show up are on an extensive medical scan, and, well, Archalon men are made for pleasuring their women.”

  Aria’s gaze automatically dropped to his crotch before she could stop herself, her cheeks heating as he gave another chuckle.

  “Exactly.” He winked.

  Ten minutes later, Lucas walked Aria into the emergency entrance of a tall hospital building, where in Paris, she had no idea. His cell rang, and he was quick to answer it. She really wished she could understand French better. He hung up and spoke to a nurse, who immediately ushered them through the white corridors and into a cubical.

  When they were alone, Lucas turned to her. “We have found Ethan, just as you described, sealed in a metal box.” He leaned casually against a white wall, his green eyes regarding her.

  “Oh, thank God.” The full weight of her exhaustion and pain folded in around her, and Aria found herself feeling faint. “Where will you take him?”

  Lucas gave her a small smile. “Home, of course.”

  “Are you sure he will be safe? If you or any of your people hurt him in any way, I’ll kick your asses all the way across Europe.”

  Lucas gave a laugh at her threat. He pushed off the wall and gently pushed her down fully onto the bed. “Do not fret, sweetheart. Ethan is family and will be treated with the utmost respect and care—as will you.

  When was the last time Ethan fed from you?”

  “Four nights ago.”

  Lucas gave a nod. “Let’s get you fixed up so we can make sure you’re by his side when he wakes. I can speak for my great grandfather when I say this is a reunion we have all been looking forward to for a very long time.”

  Even with Lucas’ words, she felt nervous being away from him for so long, and she would only feel safe and secure when she was in Ethan’s

  arms again.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Feminine scents drifted into his consciousness, and the familiar, warm softness of his beloved lady was pressed into his side—Aria. His beautiful Aria… Her heated breath warmed his cooling skin. The thrum of her blood made his mouth water and erection bloom to full hardness.

  Through all time and space, she was the one soul that connected with his to complete him. He loved her unreservedly and would do anything she asked of him. He would protect and worship her for the rest of time.

  He had not forgotten Jacob or what he had done to her, but he did not matter now, only that she remained safe. Opening his eyes, his gaze drifted around the darkened room. They lay in an elaborately carved bed with soft, silken burgundy sheets. The room was decorated with rich, comfortable furnishings, tastefully matching the old stone walls. Where were they, and what miracle had occurred that he was no longer in a box and his Aria was safe in his arms? Unable to keep his gaze away for a moment longer, he looked down on the beauty in his arms; her right arm was encased in a hard, white substance. He let his fingers trace over the material, and he realized it was covering an injury. She had been hurt by more than just Jacob’s bite. The mark was slowly fading on her neck.

  Ethan shifted, rolling her slightly, and moved over her before lowering his head to softly kiss her lips. He smiled as a soft sigh parted her lips, allowing him deeper access to the silken cavern of her mouth. He traced the tip of his tongue over those lush lips before sliding it in, tasting

  her fully, gently coaxing a response. It did not require much; a soft, feminine moan sounded in her throat. Her lips began responding with a heat and passion along with her body. He knew her nipples were hardening, begging for his mouth. Her skin was coming alive with sensation as the sweet scent of her arousal wafted up. It was like an addictive intoxication. He knew that if he felt between her thighs, she would be wet and ready. Such a wonder was this woman, and she was all his.

  He broke the kiss. Aria whimpered in protest, and he raised his head to watch her eyelids flutter open. Their gazes met and locked. The smile she gave him was breathtaking.

  He had two questions in that moment. “Are we safe?”

  Aria nodded.

  “Were you harmed?”

  “No, I broke my arm escaping through a window, but it’s all right.

  I’m all right.” She lifted her left hand to touch his face. “It all worked out great. You’re home, Ethan; I found those you came to find.”

  Ethan was in awe of this woman who had saved him not once but twice. Words did not have enough power to express what he felt for her.

  He could only show her. He captured her lips, pouring all his emotions and love into that kiss; he wanted and needed to worship her. He began running kisses over her face, down her throat, across her shoulders, not leaving one inch of her skin un-kissed or untouched by him, until she was begging and crying for him to take her, but he wanted more of her pleasure. He licked his way up her thighs, pushing her legs wide as he took in the musky scent of her arousal, her dark curls glistening with the evidence of her readiness to take him.

  Ethan parted her outer lips and ran his tongue from her anus to the top of her clit. Aria cried out; he kept his hands on her hips as her back arched. Again, he licked and lapped, hungry for her every flavor. He speared her as deep as he could penetrate with his tongue. She mewled and undulated. Over and over, he fucked her with his tongue until he felt her body begin to tremble. He quickly took her hard, sensitive nub into his mouth and sucked down hard.

  She screamed his name as she flew apart in his arms. “Ethan, I want you. I need you!”

  It was a heartfelt cry, one that he could not deny. He rose over her, plunging in deep in one, deft stroke. He had been on the edge. With her every whimper and moan, he struggled to hold back his own impending release. Now as the wet heat of her inner walls gripped his cock, he knew he would last no more than a few strokes.

  “I know you need it.” Her gaze met his, and she moved her head to the side.

  Ethan saw the faint bruising of Jacob’s bite. He nuzzled down, gliding his lips over the spot, and let his fangs lower before reclaiming what belonged to him alone.

  She cried out as a second climax hit her; Ethan groaned, feeling her walls clenching around him. He withdrew and plunged in once, twice, his cock thickening, his eyes slamming shut as colors swirled before them. He gr
oaned and shuddered as his seed released into her willing body and let his body drop into her small, soft one. His head nestled in the cradle of her neck, keeping the bulk of his weight on his upper arms so that he would not crush her. He knew she enjoyed the security and comfort of his body.

  Neither of them spoke as their breathing started to calm.

  Slowly, Ethan raised his head, gazing into her hazel depths. “I want you to know you mean everything to me, Aria; you have my heart, my soul, my life, ma petite.”

  Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes before sliding down the sides of her face, making Ethan fear he had spoken words she did not wish to hear. “Do not cry, ma petite. I have no desire to hurt you.”

  Aria’s face lit in a smile. “No, no, Ethan, I’m crying because you’ve made me so happy. I love you more than the breath I breathe.” Trying to throw her arms around him, she winced in pain from her arm.

  Ethan gave a low growl. “First.” He let his incisors lower, biting down on his tongue until the blood started to flow within his mouth. He caught her chin in his hand and sealed his mouth over hers, thrusting his bleeding tongue deeply into her mouth and letting his blood flow between

  them.

  Aria’s eyes went wide. Ethan’s blood flowed into her mouth, and she had no choice but to swallow his offering. It slid down her throat, burning like hundred-proof liquor yet not. It spread a fiery heat unlike anything that she had ever experienced. Colors and lights danced before her eyes. The darkness around them suddenly brightened, and she could see with utmost clarity. The purity of colors and shapes, smells and scents, bombarded her senses. She could hear things so clearly: the steady thump of Ethan’s heartbeat, the rush of his blood, and even movement of humans within the walls of the castle around them. Her outer and inner flesh had a sensitivity she had never felt before. Ethan’s cock grew hard and strong inside her. She broke free, and a growl tore from her throat.