by Katie Reus
Without turning back to him, she hurried to the bathroom and flushed the skin down the toilet before she started washing her hands. She could already feel the first layer of skin starting to heal, stanching the bleeding, but it didn’t stop the pain. Damn, this was definitely from the blood loss. She should have healed almost instantly.
“Why are you taking so long to heal?” Aiden asked from the doorway.
Grabbing the hand towel by the sink, she started drying her hands as she turned to face him. “I’m weak. You were right earlier. I need to feed.”
He didn’t seem surprised by her answer. “I can feed you now,” he said, but there was a question in his voice and she knew why.
“If I take your blood now, I won’t stop at feeding.” She was feeling primal and in her weakened state knew she’d take everything he had to offer. They didn’t have time and she was strong enough to go on the run, at least temporarily. “I’ll be okay for another day or so.”
He shook his head, his expression resolved. “You won’t have to wait that long. I’ll put a bandage on you, then inspect the rest of your body in case she inked you somewhere else.”
Once he’d covered her wound with materials from a first-aid kit, she held out her arms and let him inspect her from head to foot. It should have been clinical as he searched her for another tracking mark, but when he lifted her full breasts, inspecting the undersides, it was hard not to be affected.
Her nipples tightened and tingled, her reaction to him clear. And if that wasn’t enough, she knew he had to scent her desire. How embarrassing. She knew they needed to run. They had dead bodies downstairs and who knew how many others after them. And all she could think about was going at it with him on the bathroom floor. She wanted to see his head between her legs, to feel him stroking and licking her in her most intimate place.
“As soon as we find someplace secure . . .” He trailed off, his intent crystal clear.
Larissa didn’t bother to contradict him. She didn’t care what she’d said about not being ready. Her body certainly was. For this male and this male alone. Once his blood coated her tongue again . . . She swallowed hard and tried to rein in those thoughts but she was so hungry and he was so deliciously masculine.
Once Aiden was done, she quickly dressed, but was surprised when he didn’t. “Why aren’t you putting on clothes?”
His heated gaze raked up the length of her body and locked on hers. “I’m going to go wolf. Then we’re running deep into the mountains. From here it should take us maybe half an hour to reach one of the nearby ski resorts. They’ve got plenty of unused cabins. We’re going to break into one since none of them are connected to us and use the shelter. Then I’m contacting my Alpha again. I’ve already texted him, telling him what happened here. He’s going to send a cleanup crew. My phone is in the duffel bag. If anything happens to me, press SPEED DIAL one. Do you know how to do that?” His voice was gentle as he asked.
Feeling stupidly embarrassed, she nodded. “Yes.”
“That’s my Alpha’s number. No matter what, he’ll help you get back on your feet if I’m—”
“Nothing is happening to you!” The vehemence in her voice shocked both of them.
His head tilted slightly to the side but he nodded. “I know you’re more than capable of taking care of yourself, but I also know this world is different from the one you remember. We need to prepare for all scenarios. I’ll feed you as soon as we get someplace safe. Until then, stay close to me and if we’re attacked again, I want you to run.”
Larissa snorted. That wasn’t happening.
He seemed annoyed by her response, but just shook his head. “Come on, let’s get the hell out of here.”
Ignoring the ache in her shoulder, she nodded. She couldn’t wait to get moving.
* * *
Magda glared at the lone incompetent male vampire standing in front of her. “You have failed us. Again.” And for the last time.
The male was relatively lucky it was just her berating him, not . . . him. Magda fought a shudder, not willing to even think her master’s name. He was an ancient vampire and while not inherently strong like someone of Larissa’s unique line, he’d gained massive amounts of power in the last few months using the dark arts. Meaning he made human sacrifices in exchange for his new gifts. But he still had to drink blood to maintain his impressive powers. A lot of it. The more blood he drank, the more his body became accustomed to it. It was why he needed Larissa. The last of her line, a daywalker, a bloodborn, the female reeked of power. Whoever—or whatever—he’d gained his power from had demanded a specific sacrifice. Larissa fit all the requirements.
Magda could practically taste Larissa’s power in the air whenever she was near the female. It was why she’d been giving the vampire animal blood mixed with human blood, keeping her as weak as possible without tipping her hand. If she could have, Magda would have just sacrificed the female in her stasis state. That wouldn’t work for the required spell, however. She’d been keeping her on a tight leash, but unfortunately Larissa must have discovered the tracking ink on her because Magda couldn’t locate the vamp anymore. She hadn’t been able to for the past hour. Magda might have another way though.
“They killed five of us. What was I supposed to do?” Logan snapped. In vampire years he was only two years old. A child. Having been turned at eighteen, he was incredibly young. He was also handsome and knew it. Something he probably thought would save him now. Just because she’d fucked him a few times meant nothing though. “You’re lucky we decided to keep one of us as a lookout, otherwise you wouldn’t have even known what happened,” he continued, oblivious to her ire.
She reined in her snort of disgust at his stupidity. Of course she would have known. Her master had been watching everything through their eyes. His powerful gift allowed him to control almost anyone with vampire blood in their veins, even from a distance. He was their puppet master. They were just too weak and stupid to realize they weren’t in control of their own bodies.
Her master could even control humans who were hopped-up on the addictive vampire blood—which was why he’d taken to selling it in huge quantities. Winston-Salem was his testing ground and so far, things were moving along smoothly enough. His control wasn’t perfect with vamps, but for humans, he’d been directing them to do all sorts of nasty things, including robbing banks and other places. Her master sometimes did things just because he could, but the stealing was for a purpose. He wanted power but also money. He didn’t care how he attained it.
Using her own display of power, she reached out a hand and curved her fingers as if she were choking someone. Logan started gasping for air, as if she was physically strangling the life out of him.
Eyes bulging out of their sockets, he fruitlessly clawed at the invisible hand around his neck. With another burst of power, she held his entire body immobile. This would drain her, but she didn’t care. She’d been so sure these fools would bring Larissa back after the failure last night. Now she would be the one who suffered her master’s wrath.
So Logan would feel hers before she endured her own agony. She drank in his fear as she choked the life out of him. While holding him immobile, she reached for a dagger on her altar. His eyes widened even more as she came near him.
When she reached him, she pressed her body to his, rubbing her breasts against his chest. Even with their clothes separating them, she could feel the fear emanating off him. The stench wrapped around her, invigorating her. “I’m going to enjoy this,” she said as she stepped back and dragged the blade down the front of his shirt.
It fell away as if it was a piece of paper. He started making grunting sounds, like an animal, but she kept her tight grip on his entire body. Normally she liked to hear her victim struggle and fight, but she didn’t have time for any distraction right now.
Not when she was going to attempt to put off her master’s wrath
for another day. Shoving the blade through Logan’s chest, she twisted hard, shredding his heart. His eyes widened even further. At his young age he wasn’t powerful enough to heal from this wound. And he definitely wouldn’t heal from what she did next. She pulled the blade out, then shoved her hand through his chest cavity.
A ripple of arousal went through her when she grasped his heart. After pulling it out she licked her wrist and fingers as the blood dripped down her arm before she placed it on her altar. He fell to the floor, but she ignored his body. She’d deal with the cleanup later.
Clasping her hands together, she smeared his blood over her other hand before she closed her eyes, lifting her hands out in a wide, welcoming gesture, and started chanting a locator spell she’d used many times before. Usually on humans, but Magda had to try to find Larissa. She still couldn’t believe the bitch had found her tracking spell.
Magda focused all her energy on Larissa’s face.
Energy drained from Magda as she chanted. The harder she tried to find Larissa, the blurrier the female’s face became in her mind. It didn’t make sense. She wasn’t sure how much time passed, but guessed it had been close to an hour when the air in the room suddenly changed, becoming colder, heavier. He was here. She felt his presence even before her eyes snapped open.
“Master,” she whispered, staring as he slowly descended the stairs to her basement.
“You’ve lost Larissa.” A statement, not a question. She shivered.
He wasn’t wearing the hood he often chose and his eyes weren’t glowing red, which meant he was in full control of himself. He was impossibly good-looking. With dark hair and beautiful eyes . . . She locked down her thought process at his knowing smirk. He loved the effect he had on her. “A momentary setback. She must have discovered my tracking spell, but I can still locate her.” Magda simply needed to try harder with her locator spell. With the vampire’s heart as a sacrifice it was possible. And if not, she’d sacrifice more vamps.
As if he read her thoughts, her master looked at the dead male on the ground, then at the now-shriveled heart on the altar. His jaw tightened. “It would seem you couldn’t.”
She swallowed hard, hating that familiar glint in his eyes. When they’d first met they’d been equals. She’d even revealed ancient spells from her line to him. Now he treated her like a whore. Like one of his minions. “I will find her.”
He covered the distance between them before she’d blinked. Reaching up, he grasped her jaw in a tight, unforgiving grip. His touch was unnaturally warm. “I don’t doubt that,” he whispered, that red glow flickering to life once again. “Because if you don’t, I’ll make you regret being born.”
Before she could respond, he turned her around and slammed her face-first onto the altar. The blood from the vamp’s heart spread over her face. She knew what was coming before it happened. Her nipples pebbled tightly as he shoved her skirt up. Seconds later, he was inside her, his thick length spreading her. Groaning, she arched her hips up as he thrust into her over and over. Bastard wouldn’t let her come. He never did when he was pissed like this.
When she reached between her legs to stimulate herself, he stopped, buried deep inside her. “Don’t.” The warning sent a wave of fear rolling through her.
Though she wanted to orgasm, she knew better than to defy him. By now she didn’t bother fighting him. There was no point. If she stroked herself anyway, he’d let her come, but then he’d punish her afterward. She’d rather deal with no climax than with what he’d do to her later if she defied him.
He resumed thrusting and she gritted her teeth. As soon as he was through with her, she’d have to find Larissa. Or suffer far worse consequences than this.
Chapter 9
Aiden tugged on one of the sweaters he’d grabbed earlier as he took the stairs to the second floor two at a time. The cabin he and Larissa had just broken into was huge, with two fireplaces. Luckily the one in the master bedroom was gas operated so he could start it without worrying about alerting anyone to their presence.
Larissa was waiting downstairs in the kitchen while he made sure the place was secure. He hadn’t even had to break any windows or pick a lock to get in the place. One of the upstairs bathroom windows had been unlocked. The window was narrow and high up, but he’d used his skills as a shifter to jump up to it. Of course it had been the very last window he’d checked.
At least they were someplace relatively safe. He didn’t think anyone had followed them and after he’d texted Connor he’d turned off his phone and taken out the battery. Going completely dark for a few hours was the only option right now. Larissa was beyond exhausted and needed to feed. Once she did, he planned to make sure she got more sleep. It was the only way she’d start regaining some of her strength. Since he couldn’t take her back to the ranch yet, this place would have to do.
After checking the propane tank, he turned on the fireplace and turned it up high. He wanted to get this room as warm as possible, quickly. The cabin was located right near the top of one of the mountains at the Sugar Mountain ski lodge. If they’d been here on vacation it would have been the perfect getaway spot. They could practically step out the front door and hit the slopes.
But they weren’t on vacation and the woman he’d never stopped loving didn’t remember him. He bit back a curse and tried not to dwell on that. It wouldn’t do him any good.
As he pulled two thick electric blankets down from the closet, he paused at a slight shuffling sound.
“It’s just me,” Larissa whispered nearby.
He stepped out of the walk-in closet to find her hovering in the doorway, arms wrapped tightly around herself. Wearing a thick jacket over a sweater, snug jeans, and knee-high snow boots, she was still practically shivering.
Damn it, he needed to feed her and get her warm. “I’ve got the fireplace going and I’m going to plug in these blankets. This will warm you up, but you’ve got to feed.” He tried to brace himself for how arousing it would be for him. In the past they’d always been intimate when she fed from him, but things were different now.
She nodded as she stepped into the room. “I know.” She took off her boots and set them neatly by the door. Next went her jacket, which she hung over the back of a tufted chair within arm’s reach.
As he started plugging in and situating the blankets over the bed, she fiddled with the hem of her sweater, looking anywhere but at him.
“What?” he demanded, crossing to the entryway where she still hovered like she was ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.
The thought pissed him off. He’d already proved he was trustworthy, that he’d never hurt her and wouldn’t take anything that she wasn’t willing to give of her own free will. She might not remember him, might not remember how good it had been between them, but she shouldn’t be afraid.
Clearing her throat, she looked up, her indigo eyes confused. “How do we do this? Do I take from your wrist or . . .” Her gaze fell to his throat, her eyes going heavy-lidded with an emotion he recognized clearly.
Lust.
What he saw matched exactly what he was feeling. What he never stopped experiencing in her presence.
She wasn’t afraid, she was nervous. And she was shaking. Shit.
Aiden closed his eyes and took a deep breath. No matter how much he wanted her, there was no way he could take advantage of her. Not now. He might want to use her own desire to win her over, to seal their bond, but something told him now wasn’t the right time. He needed to take care of her other needs first and that meant making sure she was healthy.
When he opened his eyes, he held out a hand, let her see he was in complete control of himself and his baser desires. “Come on.”
Tentatively, she placed her smaller hand in his. She seemed surprised when he led them to the tufted chair near the window rather than the bed. The curtains were shut and he didn’t plan to open them or any of
the others in the house. They weren’t turning on any lights either. Nothing to draw attention to themselves. The soft glow from the fake wood in the fireplace barely illuminated her delicate features, but he didn’t need it to see in the dimness anyway.
As he sat, he tried to order his growing erection to stay down, but it didn’t work. The thought of Larissa’s mouth on him was too much. Well, he’d just have to ignore it then. Without him having to say anything, she tentatively sat on his lap, perching on the edge of one leg.
This close to Larissa, that crisp forest-in-winter scent of hers wrapped around him, making him crazy. Fall and winter were always hardest for him because the smells had constantly reminded him of her. Hell, he was reminded of her no matter what.
Now he wouldn’t have to worry about that anymore. He spread his thighs wider as she turned toward him, giving her more space to move. Her breathing increased as she placed her hands on his shoulders.
“You’re turned on,” she whispered, stating the obvious.
“So are you.”
She nodded. “I should take your wrist . . .”
He tilted his head to the side, baring his neck completely to her in a way he never had or would with anyone else. She might not remember him, but maybe she would remember this. Even if she didn’t, he was showing her, the best way he could, how much he cared for her. “Take what you need.”
For a split second indecision flared in her eyes, but then they glowed brighter as her basic hunger took over. He thought she was just going to pierce his neck, but she bent down and started nuzzling him. The brush of her mouth against his skin was soft and sweet and so much like the first time she’d fed from him, his throat ached with too many emotions.
Closing his eyes, he let his head fall back against the chair as she gently raked her teeth over his neck. He shuddered at the feel of her teasing him with her teeth and tongue, the erotic action pushing his control to the limit. Combined with the growing sweet scent of her arousal, it was almost impossible to retain restraint. His cock ached between his legs, but he made himself stay still, just loosely holding her. One of his hands was wrapped around her back as she sat perched on his leg, but he didn’t want to screw this up.