“Fine. But I’ll say it as it is. I’m unmated, and I’ve always thought of you as a fine female. To be honest, I’d hoped that now you’re one of our kind—”
“I’m not one of your kind. And you can forget about that mating shit. A vampire biting me changes nothing.”
“She says after flashing those fangs at me.” Rasmus’ jaw tensed. “Fine. If nothing else, how about joining my pack?”
Was he serious, or had she imagined the past few years, too? “Join you guys? Not in a million years. I’d gladly do away with you all, though.” Her gaze met Edge’s. “Every one of you.”
Ramus smiled, but his face remained cold. “All on your own?” Her expression froze. “Yes, good news spreads. Your gang’s disowned you, which means you’re alone.”
“I don’t need anyone.”
“A lot of changes are happening in Manhattan. Sooner or later, you’ll have to join a side. You’ll never be accepted in a human organization. So it’s us or another supernatural group.” When she remained silent, “What are you going to do, Veronica? Join one of those non-humans who attacked your uncle James?”
“Distant uncle.”
“Both of you were part of the same family, though. And the demon who attacked him, Blade, has links with nearly every supernatural organization in the borough. If you join me, I can help you get revenge.”
She nearly laughed out loud at his offer. “If you’d bothered to do a little more investigation, clever clogs, you would have learned I wasn’t on the best term with James.” The guy was a damn misogynist who held her back. And if anyone deserved to be attacked by supernaturals, he did. He ran a prostitution racket and had treated the women who worked for him like shit. From what she heard, the night he was attacked, he’d been preparing to torture one of his hookers. Whatever he went through that night, he had it coming. “I don’t know what happened to him after he was attacked, but as far as I’m concerned, good riddance.”
“Don’t be an idiot, Veronica. The ones who attacked him could turn on you. Do you want to waste your supernatural life looking over your shoulder?”
“Get this once and for all, wolf. I ain’t joining any supernatural gang. I’ll be fine on my own.”
Before he could open his mouth again, she showed him her back and went straight to the Blood Zone entrance. If anyone tried to stop her, she didn’t register. At the ticket counter, she held her wrist out to be stamped, without being asked. The nymph from yesterday glanced at the screen before her. “I hope you have a better time today, love.”
She had no intention of feeding today, either, but she would leave this place with the information she wanted. She smiled at the nymph. “Oh, I will, love.”
She passed through the corridor and then paused outside the doors to the zone, preparing herself. But this time, it wasn’t to face the sight of vampires chowing down human blood. It was to resist the temptation she would face inside. The dark hall was not as full as last night, but it seemed even louder. The humans sat at tables around the hall had their eyes on the vampires feeding in its midst, as if awaiting their turn. She averted her eyes from the orgies, but it was impossible to avoid the stench of blood or ecstatic moans. She went straight to the crowded bar, heaving with vampires and humans, and the same asshole from last night came over. As if he expected her.
“A beer,” she said. No wisecracks or an offer to mix in some red stuff this time. “Has Fry arrived yet?”
The barman placed the drink in front of her. “He’s due any minute now, but Leke said that any business you have with him takes place off the premises.” The last bit of his statement came out in a squeak, almost making her smile. Almost.
“So how much do you know about bloodsuckers?” she asked him.
The bar was busy, but he probably knew better by now than to turn his back on her. And there were enough of his uniformed mates to take care of other customers. “Enough.”
“How the fuck do they die?”
He picked up a glass from the counter and wiped it with a cloth, apparently just to have something to do. “Every fucker knows that. A clean slice through the neck.”
“Guaranteed death?” She stared at him over the rim of her glass as she took a sip of the beer. How had this crap ever tasted good?
“Beheading is the only way—” He paused, his eyes wide. “Wait. You’re not planning to top yourself…”
She shrugged her shoulders. No point scaring him to death…and to be honest, now she had a mission, she didn’t have that desperation to end it all. “Just curious.”
When the barman looked past her, she followed his gaze. A man had entered through the doors and waited, his eyes blue and the top buttons of his shirt open, exposing the beginnings of an intricate black design. She recognized that tattoo…when their eyes met, he nodded before turning to exit the zone. She left her drink with some cash at the bar and then followed the bloodsucker.
As he exited through the rear of the zone and out through a side gate, he did not turn to check if she was following him. He led her away from the crowd, stopping in an alley, where he turned to face her. “Hello, Veronica.”
“I take it you’re Fry?” That rage she’d kept control of for the past few days flared, and she lunged for him, but he sidestepped her without effort. She bared her fangs. “Where is Leke?”
“He is waiting for you at his mansion. Come with me if you want to meet him.”
Go to the horde leader’s mansion? As if this wasn’t some trap…but even if it was, what was the worst he could do? Kill her? “Let’s go.”
His eyes narrowed, a white glow piercing the blue. “You’re strong, but don’t forget that Leke is the one who turned you. I wouldn’t pull any stunts with him.” She shrugged, as if she couldn’t give a damn about what he thought. “He knows about what went down in the bar yesterday. If you think you’ll get away with any more of this shit, you’ve got something else coming.”
“Just fucking take me to him, will you?”
“I plan to. We’ll go in my car—”
“I’ll follow you on my bike.”
It was happening. She was finally going to see that cold face from her visions. She would stand before that bloodsucker and ask why the hell he had turned her.
And then she would end him.
LEKE SAT IN THE UNDERGROUND hall, waiting for his mobile to ring.
He was alone in the vast space, his agitation bounding off the stone walls and returning twofold. Candles burned in the sconces lining the walls, creating a somber atmosphere that matched his own mood. Before him, on the wood table, sat a new collection of weapons, but he hadn’t bothered to check them. A dealer had delivered the customized swords this morning…designed to be untraceable, unlike guns and ammunition. They were untouched with blood, but it would not be long before they were stained red, if the government had anything to do with it.
Where the hell was Fry? Were they on their way? He resisted the urge to pick up his mobile and check on him. He had always trusted his right hand with any task he gave him and would do the same now. But that didn’t help the impatience. He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes, wanting to focus on Veronica, find out if they were on the way…but the connection with her had weakened, and agitation made it impossible to concentrate, in any case. When his phone rang, he scrambled for it even though it was on the table before him. “Where the hell are you, Fry?”
“I’m on my way.”
“Is she with you?”
“Yes. A bit of a spitfire.” A chuckle. “She’s dying to meet you.”
Of course she would be. Apart from the fact that she was after his blood, she had questions. Leke had tried to dig up answers, but Rasmus was impossible to track down until tonight, when he appeared outside the damn Blood Zone. What were the damn chances? But according to security, he’d disappeared after a quick word with Veronica. The wolf did not touch her, but his interest in Veronica had driven Leke to put more of his contacts on the case. For as long as Ra
smus was out there, Veronica was in danger…
A few more minutes, and they would be here. The hair on the back of Leke’s neck stood in anticipation. He had already told his horde that they were to stay away during her visit today…not that the sight of a group of vampires was likely to scare her. According to what the Blood Zone manager told him, she’d walked into the place as if she owned it, scaring the shit out of the barman and refusing to cow down before the burly bouncers. And despite being a newborn, she was entering his mansion without knowing what awaited her. It tallied up with all he had heard about her. All those rumors after she separated her business out from James…he’d never paid them much attention except to make a note of her as a potential threat…but now they made him eager to see her…
When the door to the hall opened, he drew a sharp breath. She walked in, and for a moment, he couldn’t speak. She truly was…transformed. The last and only time he saw her, she was covered in blood, suffering from the bites of a werewolf. She had cleaned up since then…and how. Her hair had lengthened—when he held her in his arms as he bit her, it hadn’t touched the ground, but now it would trail over it in the same position…in the same position…that thought stirred heat in his belly, and the combination of leather pants, matching jacket and corset-like purple top she wore didn’t help. Her clothes gave her the edge she was after but made him uncomfortable. She stared at him with those hazel eyes that had haunted him since he bit her, no hint of fear in her expression.
Fuck what his horde and the government officials thought—now that she stood before him, full-blooded and angry, there was no doubt that it would have been a travesty to let her go. Someone with her ruthlessness and lack of fear would make the perfect addition to his horde. And there was something else…something buried deep inside for so long that its resurgence was a surprise. The instinct. To claim a female for his own.
I want you.
And now the mating instinct had reared its head, he struggled not to approach her…to prevent himself from touching her. It was a mistake to send the horde away and be alone with her, but that thought evaporated as he stared into her eyes. Her pupils were dilated, a flash of red in her gaze. His lips curled up in a smile, and her eyes landed on them as she licked hers. The transformation process would have left her with a raging need that needed to sated. And judging by how Veronica’s gaze devoured his form, she found him attractive. If anyone was going to alleviate her want, why not him? In fact, the idea of anyone else laying a finger on her was downright unacceptable…not only unacceptable, it filled him with an unfamiliar emotion…resentment.
A damn inconvenience. His cold calculations and restrained nature were the reason he was a respected horde leader, and long ago, he’d learned to subdue emotions that may affect his work. Damn, the only time he didn’t was when he saw her covered in blood…
He pushed that thought from his head, making an effort to keep his voice nonchalant. “Welcome, Veronica.”
Those hazel eyes traveled along the impressive array of weapons lining the wall. “Nice place, bloodsucker.” Her eyes landed on the swords on the table.
“Thank you.” Her icy politeness did not fool him. There was anger behind it, directed at him.
When she smiled, he was taken aback by the malice in her expression. “I’m not here for small talk, Leke.” Fine, so she hated him, but before long, she would understand. And maybe even be grateful. There were few turned vampires who, in the end, regretted the transformation. And someone like her, who thrived on power and strength, would soon come around to the perks of her new existence.
When she moved toward him, he stepped back. I do not trust her. She was a newborn, volatile…and hated him. There went that smile again. “Is the big vampire scared?”
“Of a child like you? Never.” But he was wary of her.
When she took another step toward him, he did not move. “It’s disappointing, Leke…I’d heard so much about you. About how dangerous you are.” She looked him up and down, her gaze insolent. “Yet here you are, a vampire horde leader, scared of a little newborn like me.”
She was trying to provoke him…but why? If he wished, he could snap her little neck in an instant. But he knew he could not do it. He had been unable to kill her when she was a helpless, bloody human lying before him. And now that he saw the spark inside her—the potential—he wanted her. By his side. And it had been too long since he felt about another being like that.
But why was she moving toward him...? She was now so close he could feel the heat from her body.
“I would not do that, Veronica.”
Her eyes flashed, and Gods, she bit her bottom lip with her fang. “Why?” she breathed. “Does the horde leader not trust himself?” She lifted her head as if for a kiss, edging toward him until her breath reached his lips…
Her smirk unsettled him. It was a trap…but his hands went to her waist as if of their own accord, pulling her to him. Before she could release any more taunts, he slanted his lips over hers. She was of a hard character, damn hard, but her kiss was gentle, exploring and hesitant, lighting a fire inside him. The soft moan she released was almost as sweet as the taste of her mouth. His hands roamed over her back, moving down to her hips to pull her tight against his body. A light sparked inside him when her arms went around his neck, and he tried to subdue it…he had to keep control, retain the discipline that had both protected and driven him all these years, but as her body squirmed against his, a yearning took him, a need to be with her.
“Leke,” she murmured. His name on her lips sent desire raging through him, and he kissed her with a hunger that was… unexpected. Her mouth moved against his with equal desperation, as her hips pushed against him, sending the sensations inside him into overdrive. When he probed her lips with his tongue, she opened her mouth, releasing a sound somewhere between a moan and a gasp as he entered. As her firm breasts pressed against his body, pleasure shot through him in waves. He wanted…he didn’t know what he wanted…only that he could not let this stop.
Turning her so her back was against the table, he then held her by the waist to lift her on to it. He positioned himself between her legs as he pulled her to him, her core meeting him as he kissed her harder. When he moved his mouth to her neck, he paused, licking her there. His fangs elongated in anticipation, but no, she was not ready…
So he moved further down, his lips exploring the cleavage peeking over that sexy top. She encouraged him to go further, the soft sounds she made heightening his desire. He pulled at the material to expose a lace bra, her nipples pushing against it. And on one of those erect buds was the glint of metal. Shit, she had a piercing there...he hooked the lace over his fang to pull it down and expose a breast before taking her nipple and the attached ring in his mouth. When he slipped the tip of his tongue through the ring to make contact with her nipple, she shivered, moaning as she came closer and drew her legs around his waist. He sucked her nipple, hard, tugging at the ring as her fingers pulled at his hair, keeping his face pressed against her breast.
“Leke. That feels damn good.” Fuck, he wanted her. Now. He pressed his hands against her backside to push her core even harder against his erection, both of them grinding against each other, the sounds of their panting filling the air. Fuck the sacredness of the hall, he would take her on this table right now…make her his…
He had no idea how it happened, but he was suddenly on the floor, Veronica on top of him, straddling him with a sword at his neck.
A goddamn trap…but how the fuck did she get him into this position? Such strength and skill was unheard of in a newborn, but her background was ruthless. He was a damn assassin, sent out to take down supernaturals who were centuries old, and this fucking newbie had got the better of him. His cock was still hard as she sat atop him, that nipple ring glistening at him, and he was torn between tearing her apart in a rage and kissing her again.
She spoke between clenched teeth. “Prepare to die, you bastard.” But when she lifted the swor
d, it was obvious she had never used one before. She was off balance only for a moment, but it was all he needed. He grabbed her by the waist and turned so he was on top of her, a hand on each of her wrists as his body pressed her in place. She squirmed underneath him. “Let go of me, asshole.” She was in a rage, red flashing in her eyes, and when she pushed her body against his to get him off her, the contact spiked his lust. He had to move off her before she got him into a position where she might overpower him again. So he took her wrist, the one that held the sword, and hit it against the stone floor. “Ouch! You bastard!”
He hit her wrist against the floor again, until the weapon dropped from her hand. He grabbed the sword and stood, holding it at her neck as he positioned himself so he was between her and the weapons on the table. “Get up.”
She stood, rubbing her wrist. “Fucking asshole. Way to show your strength.”
“You’ll live.” He kept the sword aimed at her neck. Wanting her was one thing, behaving like an idiot another. “Why the fuck do you want to kill me?”
There was no humor in her laugh as she adjusted her top. “You’re seriously asking me? I mean, look at me.”
He couldn’t help smiling. “I’ve been doing that since you came in, and I don’t see the problem.”
“Fuck you, asshole.”
“With pleasure.” When she gritted her teeth, he sighed. “Go on, then. Why are you so pissed at me?” He knew, of course—just wanted to hear it from her mouth.
“I was minding my own business, and I’m suddenly a fucking vampire.”
“Is that such a bad thing?”
“My gang wants nothing to do with me,” she spat. “My life is over. I can’t eat or drink…everything is…fucked up.”
“It gets better.” The pain she was in made his voice soften. “Once you’ve accepted what you are.” It would take time, especially in her case, but the perks of being a supernatural far outweighed the cons.
“I’ll never accept being a bloodsucker. And do you have any fucking idea of how painful the transformation was? I still have nightmares.” He was born a vampire, but he had seen others go through the transformation: never-ending pain, the fever—it took some vampires decades to get over the trauma. But Veronica would not be one of those. He would be there, by her side…suddenly, there was something else in her expression. Desperation. And it was not something he wanted to see—not on her face. “Why the fuck did you do it, Leke? What the hell did I ever do to you?”
Bitten And Twisted (Blood Moon Book 3) Page 4