“Talk to me, Gina.”
“We were here, um, in my room, and you, um, said you, um, wanted to try something,” she started.
“Gina, take a deep breath and just tell me. I promise you, you can tell me anything.”
“Yeah, okay,” she said and took a deep breath. “You wanted to try something. You wanted to tie me up, and I let you. Not only did I let you, but I enjoyed it. Immensely enjoyed it.”
“I’d have never taken you for someone who would willing submit to another,” he told her and ran a finger down her cheek. “But, I have been known to like a little BDSM on occasion.”
“Um,” she said and looked at the floor.
“No,” he said and placed a finger under her chin. “Don’t look away from me please. I love you, and would never do anything you didn’t want to do.”
“What scares me is I was turned on by it,” she admitted.
“I know,” he told her. “I smelled your arousal, and it took everything in me not to roll you over and bury myself inside you. It took all my willpower not to take what you offered, even though I knew you were dreaming.”
“I…” she started and shook her head.
“Gina, you don’t have to say anything,” he told her then leaned down and kissed her softly. When he went to pull away, she reached up and tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him in for a deep kiss.
When she reached out and laid her other hand on his chest, he growled into her mouth, and pulled her roughly against him.
She shifted so she could straddle him, and he tangled his hands in her hair.
He pulled her back a little so he could look into her eyes. What he saw there was a reflection of his own need, of his own desire.
“I want you inside me,” she told him, breathlessly, and that was all he needed to hear.
Reaching between them, he ripped the crotch out of her leggings, and freed himself from his underwear before she could blink. When he lifted her, he shifted and sat her back down, sliding his ridged length into her.
She moaned as he held her still for a second before shifting under her and filling her completely.
“Fuck,” he breathed and released her hips so she could start moving on top of him.
“Nathan,” she breathed as she ground against him.
“I need more,” he said before he ripped her tank top and bared her breasts. Bending, he took one of her rosy nipples in his mouth, and nibbled on it as she ground against him again.
Rocking back and forth on top of him, she cried out as the pressure built. She knew she was going to come.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he said when he released her nipple. Gripping her hips roughly, he dug his fingers into them as he stood and turned. When he laid her on the bed, he lifted her legs and hooked his forearms under her knees.
Driving deep and hard, he felt her unravel under him.
“Gina,” he grunted as he tensed and spilled his seed inside her.
“Nathan,” she said breathlessly after a moment, and he heard something in her voice that snapped him out of the haze that was surrounding him.
“Please tell me I didn’t hurt you,” he said as he lowered her legs to the bed, and pulled her into his arms.
“You didn’t hurt me,” she responded and laid her head on his chest. “But you did destroy my favorite leggings.”
“I’ll buy you new ones,” he said and chuckled into her hair. After a moment, he sighed. “I don’t want to move, but we do need to get up and dressed. We still have some clean-up to do from the attack, and I need to contact President Isaac and talk to the Senate.”
“Just a minute more,” she said and kissed his chest.
“If we sit here any longer, I am going to rip your leggings the rest of the way off you and have my way with you again,” he nearly growled and she pulled slightly away to smile at him.
“Then I guess we should get up,” she said and shimmed from his arms. When she slipped her leggings off, he saw dark spots on her hips, and frowned.
“You said I didn’t hurt you,” he nearly roared.
When she looked at him, she followed his gaze to her hips, and frowned. “You didn’t hurt me. I felt zero pain then, and I feel zero pain now. Nathan, I promise you, I am not hurt in any way.”
“I bruised you.”
“I can see that,” she said and walked back to him. “But you didn’t hurt me. I would tell you if you did, I promise.”
“I’m sorry,” he said and pulled her into his arms.
“I love you,” she told him, and touched his cheek.
“And I love you,” he responded.
“Now, let’s get dressed. I need to get Zora up and fix her some breakfast before we dive into today.”
“Yes,” he said and looked at his phone. He had a feeling things were going to go horribly wrong today. What he didn’t know was, if it would happen here or in Miami.
Chapter Sixteen
“We have a situation,” Jensen said as soon as Baxter answered the phone.
“What’s going on?”
“Johnson is MIA. Someone called him, and he had Woods trace the number. It led him to the house we were renting when Maggie was taken last night. By the time we got there, he’d slaughtered around fifteen vampire and disappeared again. Woods is tracing his cell phone for us right now. When we find him, what do you want me to do?”
“Fuck,” he said softly and ran his hand through his hair. “Bring him in. I’ll alert the Senate, and call Karma. He’s going to have to face a trial. I just hope we don’t lose him.”
“Boss, we may have already lost him.”
“If he thinks what he’s doing is going to save Maggie, the Senate will take that into consideration. If they don’t, and I would hate to do this, but I will ask them to bring Karma and Dylan up on charges, as well as Nevaeh and Harrison. Both couples have violated our laws to protect their copula.”
“You would really do that?”
“Wouldn’t you?” He asked and looked across the field at Gina. “What’s illegal for one is illegal for all, and if the Senate decides to hand down a harsh sentence for Johnson, I will demand the others be brought up on the same charges.”
“I see your point,” Jensen said and sighed. “Woods is calling, so I have to go. I’ll update when I can.”
Jensen ended the call, and Baxter sighed again. He was certain things were unravelling, and he knew there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop it.
“Everything okay?” Gina asked as she walked up beside him.
“I’m most likely going to have to go to DC in a day or so.”
“Johnson?” She asked and let her mind drift to the agent she’d always thought of as one of the calmer members of the VEB.
“Yeah. He’s MIA, and has already broken a couple of our laws,” he answered. “I would love for you to come with me, but I know that isn’t possible right now. Just promise me that you’ll be as safe as possible while I’m away.”
“How long will you be gone?”
“I don’t know, really. Depends on how fast the humans can get everything together for a trial. It’ll be me, the Senate, and the heads of a couple of human organizations. President Isaac may also want to be there.”
“If it’s longer than a week, I will join you,” she told him and kissed his cheek. “Now, I promised Zora we’d take a walk around the lake. Would you like to join us?”
“I would love to,” he responded and kissed her forehead.
“Let’s go, then,” she said and took his hand. When she pulled him to where the very observant child stood watching them, he was struck once again by how much the child seemed to see without really looking.
“You love my mommy, don’t you?” Zora asked when they stopped in front of her.
“I do,” he answered honestly.
“And my mommy loves you,” she added.
“I do,” Gina told her. “Is that okay with you, sweetheart?”
“Oh, yes, Mommy,” she a
nswered and smiled at Gina. “He’s a good vampire.”
“That he is,” Gina told her and smiled. “Would it be okay with you if he joined us on our walk?”
“I would like that,” she answered and looked at Baxter for a second before closing her eyes. “Something has you worried.”
Frowning, Baxter looked at Gina for a second before squatting in front of the child. “What makes you say that?”
“This line right here,” she said and traced the crease in his forehead without opening her eyes. “You’re worried about someone you care about, but it’s not my mommy.”
“You’re absolutely right,” he said, and she opened her eyes. “Someone I care about is in trouble, and I don’t know if I will be able to help him.”
“He will be okay,” she told him and closed her eyes again. “Both of them will be okay, so will the other you’re concerned for.”
“The other?” Gina asked her. She’d always known Zora was different, but until now, she’d never seen exactly how different.
“I don’t know,” she responded. “The good vampire is worried about someone, but I can’t see who.”
“See?” Baxter asked and sat on the ground beside where she was standing. “Can you tell me what you see?”
“Yes,” she said then sat in his lap, and laid her head on his chest, and started talking. “When I close my eyes, I can see two of the ones you’re worried about. The vampire with chocolate skin and the woman who looks a little like mommy.”
“Their names are Leland and Maggie,” Baxter told her. “Leland works with me and your mommy, and Maggie is his girlfriend.”
“They are going to be okay, but things will get bad for a little while,” she said, and he looked down at her. Her eyes were closed again, and her body wasn’t a relaxed as it had been when she sat in his lap. “But the other one you’re worried about, I can’t see that person.”
“Caia,” Gina whispered. “It has to be Caia.”
“Caia,” Zora repeated her name and scrunched her nose like she’d smelled something bad. “I can’t see her.”
“It’s okay that you can’t see her,” Baxter told her.
“I can’t see her, but I know she’s okay,” she told him.
“That’s more than we knew before,” Baxter said and hugged her a little tighter. “Is being able to see people how you knew I was a good vampire?”
“Yes,” she answered him. “You’re a good vampire, and you love my mommy, and you love the vampire who is in trouble.”
“You’re very observant,” he commented. “Are you sure you’re only seven?”
“Yes,” she answered and giggled. His question relaxed her a little, and that made him smile. “Can we go on our walk now?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Baxter answered and rose with her still in his arms. When he spun her around, her peel of laughter struck him straight through the heart. This little girl was already worming her way into his heart, the same way her mother had.
“Yay!” She yelled and Gina laughed.
Baxter sat her on the ground, and took her hand in his. When Gina took her other hand, they started walking toward the lake.
When his cell phone rang, Zora tensed beside him. “Something’s happened.”
“Baxter,” he answered without looking at Zora.
“Boss, we have Johnson in custody,” Jensen told him. “I’ll give you the full details when we get to DC.”
“How bad was it?” Baxter asked, as Zora released his hand and sat on the ground.
“Really bad,” Jensen responded. “So bad, he walked away from Maggie, and didn’t look back.”
“Fuck,” Baxter said then looked at Zora. “I’ll be on a plane asap, and I’ll have the Senate and Karma with me.”
“I’ll see you in DC, Boss.”
“Yeah, see you in DC,” he said and ended the call before squatting in front of Zora. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”
“Yes,” she said but didn’t open her eyes. “You have to go, don’t you?”
“I do,” he answered her. “But I will come back.”
“Can we go with you?” She asked.
“That’s up to your mommy,” he told her then looked at Gina. “But there’s a lot of work to be done here, and I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone.”
“Zora, why do you want to go?”
“Because Nathan will be there and I feel safe with him,” she answered and looked at Gina. “And you will be sad without him here.”
“That sounds like the best reason of all to go,” Gina said and looked at Baxter. “If Nathan wants us with him, that is.”
“I definitely want you with me,” he answered without looking away from Zora. “I want both of you with me, always.”
“Then I guess we better pack. It looks like we’re going to DC.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Once we land, I will be meeting with Johnson,” Baxter told Gina and Zora. “Then after, I will be free until tomorrow. What would y’all like to do?”
“I’ve never been away from the compound,” Zora told him. “Well, I was at the old compound, then this one, but I have never seen any place other than the compounds.”
“That was for your own protection,” Gina reminded her.
“Yes, Huntress children are in danger from the vampire their mothers hunt,” Zora said, and Baxter looked at her. “Mommy and Aunt Malinda tell me that all the time.”
“It’s probably true, but you will be with me and your mommy, and we will keep you safe.”
“Can you show us some of the historic sites?” Gina asked and glanced at Zora. “Little Miss here has been learning about the government system, and the political make-up of the US in her lessons.”
“Hey, Zora, see this?” He asked and held out his VEB badge. When she nodded, he smiled. “This pretty little thing will get us inside any place you want to see without anyone trying to stop us.”
“It’s really pretty,” she said and reached for his badge. “I like the colors.”
“Gold and maroon?” He asked, and tilted his head.
“They’re both shiny, and very pretty together.”
“Thank you,” Karma said from where she sat across the plane. “I designed it, and picked the colors.”
“Hello, Karma,” Zora greeted her and sombered. “You’re different than last time I talked to you.”
“I am,” Karma said and looked at Gina then at Baxter before looking back at Zora. “I am a full vampire now.”
“There’s something else different, too,” Zora said and closed her eyes. “You’re worried about people. The same people Nathan is worried about.”
“I am,” Karma told her. “They’re my friends, and I want them to be okay.”
“They will be okay,” Zora told her.
“Thank you, Zora,” Karma said and smiled at the child. “I’m glad you’re with us this time.”
“Me too,” she responded and opened her eyes. “I want ice cream.”
“We’ll get you some as soon as we land,” Gina told her then looked at Karma for a second. She had a feeling Karma knew something, or had figured out something, about Zora, and the first chance she got, she was going to question her about it.
“Everything okay?” Baxter asked softly and drew her attention from Karma.
“Yes,” she answered and smiled at him.
“Something is bothering you,” he said, and her smile shifted into a frown.
“We’ll talk later,” she mouthed and looked around at the vampire in the plane with them. No conversation would be private in a jet full of vampire.
“Where will we be sleeping tonight?” Zora asked, pulling both of their focus to her once more.
“We’ll find a hotel,” Gina told her.
“Why would you do that?” Baxter asked. “I have a very nice apartment, and you’re both welcome to stay there.”
“I didn’t want to assume,” Gina said, shyly, and Baxter grinned at her.
“There should
have never even been a question,” he said and took her hand. “You are my copula, my lifemate, and you will always have a place beside me.”
“Well said, Baxter,” Dylan said from his place beside Karma.
“There is something you need to think about, though, young Gina,” Langley said from the back seat he’d appeared to have been sleeping in.
“And that is?” Gina asked, already knowing what he was going to say.
“Allowing one of us to turn you,” he answered without opening his eyes.
“That isn’t something we have to discuss right now,” Baxter interjected.
“I have thought about it,” Gina spoke up. “After Nevaeh was nearly killed, and Harrison changed her, it’s something I’ve thought about, as have most of the Huntresses, but I don’t think I could deal with being immortal and watching Zora grow old and die.”
“I can understand that,” Karma said and thought back to her family that was slaughtered. She’d always wondered what she’d do when her mom grew old, and her brothers, and she was forever an eighteen year-old.
“I can too,” Dylan said. “I thought I was going to have to watch Jackson grow old, and be trapped as a twenty-two year-old, and be alone for a very long time. Then Karma walked into our lives, and I knew I would never be alone, but it didn’t stop the worry I had about Jackson.”
“And now he’s immortal too, and you have nothing to worry about,” Gina said and looked at Zora.
“Not nothing,” Dylan responded. “Caia is human still, and I know Jackson will be having those same thoughts and feelings as she ages.”
“Do you think she’s still mortal?” Baxter asked, voicing the question they were all thinking.
“Yes,” Eduardo answered, and they all focused on him. “Crompton is wanting to use her as a breeder, so he would not turn her. On the other hand, he does enjoy collecting siblings, so I could be wrong.”
“You’ve mentioned that before,” Karma commented. “When we were talking about Fuller, you mentioned Crompton liked siblings.”
“He does,” Eduardo said and looked at the other members of the Senate. They all knew about his past, and it was time to share it with everyone else. “I know this because I was half of the first sibling pair he collected.”
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