by Iris Abbott
“None at all,” he reassured her. “Vampires can only be born, not made, and they’re all male. A vampire’s chosen mate shares his blood and its superior healing and anti-aging power. The mate reaps the benefits of the blood, but she won’t actually turn into a vampire.”
Tara thought back to the coppery taste of blood she remembered tasting during their lovemaking. Her eyes widened. “I know you’ve fed me your blood more than once and I know you took my blood tonight as well.” Her hand moved to the upper swell of her breast.
“I did,” he admitted. You are my chosen mate, Tara. The intense physical attraction between us is obvious, but it’s more than that.”
Tara agreed. She’d never had feelings this strong before. She couldn’t argue with what he said. From the first moment she met him in New Orleans, she felt the invisible pull that existed between them.
“We are bound together by fate, the gods, and now my blood.”
Tara was speechless. This was a lot to digest. She should probably be alarmed, but Raphael was right. Her intuitive powers that aided her hunting told her without a doubt that Raphael was her soul mate and the one she needed to share the rest of her life with. “I need to sleep on this. Being mated to a vampire is going to take some getting used to. Maybe I should go back to my room at the inn.” She started to get up, but Raphael grasped her wrist.
“I need you to stay here with me. As you now know, vampires and other paranormal beings, for the most part, try to blend in and hide their true identities from humans. However, there are those that know of our existence. They’ve passed down the secret through the generations in some families.”
“Like the Myers family,” Tara pointed out.
Raphael frowned and vigorously shook his head. “These hunters are nothing like you and your sisters. They live only to destroy all beings perceived as different from them, regardless of good or evil. Now that you are mated to a vampire you are not safe. We cannot forget about the Puppet Master and his creatures either.”
Tara shivered at the reminder of the nasty monsters who almost ended her life. She kissed him. “Okay, you win.” Tara wasn’t convinced she was in danger, but Raphael was hard to refuse. She snuggled back into his strong embrace and immediately fell asleep.
SIX
The jarring vibration of his phone snapped Raphael awake. His hearing was acute enough that even the slightest sound could bring him to awareness. He grabbed it off the nightstand and quickly answered.
“It’s Lucian,” a firm voice snapped out. “Phillip and Alexander were out on patrol, keeping an eye on things in Enigma.” He took a deep breath and paused.
A cold chill slithered down Raphael’s spine. Lucian was never one to stall for time. “What aren’t you telling me?” he demanded to know.
Understanding finally dawned. “You said Alexander, is Kara with him?” He gripped the phone hard enough to crack the plastic. If anything happened to her twin, Tara would be crushed.
“No, as far as I know, your hunter’s twin is fine. She and Zoe are with Drew. But Phillip and Alexander did find the Puppet Master and what amounts to a small army. They managed to kill several of his puppets, and the master vampire is on the run, but both of the guardians are injured. They need aid pronto. The Gannons and the rest of the council, including myself, are converging on the town square. If you want in on this battle, you better move now.”
“I’ll be on my way in less than five.” He disconnected without saying goodbye. He got out of bed as quietly as possible, trying his best not to disturb Tara. The shit was about to hit the fan, and he didn’t want her anywhere near the fallout.
He slid on a clean pair of briefs and jeans. The black T-shirt was halfway on when he heard the rustle of sheets and Tara’s sleepy voice.
“What’s wrong, where are you going?”
“A couple of guardians on the council think they’ve cornered the Puppet Master and the rest of his ghoulish creatures.”
“That should be good news, but you don’t look too happy. What aren’t you telling me?” Her eyes grew wide. “You said guardians. Was Alexander one of them?”
He nodded. “Before you get too upset, your sister is fine. She wasn’t with him, but the two guardians have minor injuries and are still battling the zombie-like creatures. Reinforcements are needed, sooner rather than later. I have got to go.”
He finished sliding the black T-shirt over his head just in time to see her throw off the covers and get out of bed. He held up a hand. “Whoa, where do you think you’re going?” He let out an aggravated sigh. He most definitely didn’t want to argue with her, and he didn’t have time to spare.
She narrowed her eyes. “With you, of course.”
“Nope,” his flat voice left no room for argument. Too bad Tara did not get the memo.
“Of course I am. I’m a hunter. My sisters and I have been on the trail of that monster for months. I almost died because of him,” she said in disgust. “I have to see this through.”
He didn’t have time to waste arguing with her. He’d just have to do a better job of keeping an eye on Tara this time. “Fine, but you better not leave my sight,” he demanded.
She didn’t argue. She went to the closet and sorted through the clothes her sisters brought over while she was healing. He watched her shimmy into a pair of skintight black leather pants. She slid a tight-fitting, long-sleeved, black leather shirt over her head and covered it with a black leather vest.
“One more minute,” she promised. She grabbed a pair of thigh high leather boots with a very manageable one-inch heel and sat on the edge of the bed to slip them on. That done, she kneeled next to the bed and pulled out a long flat case. She opened it, exposing a cache of weapons for her to choose from. She picked two wicked looking daggers one for each boot. Then she grabbed a short sword and sheathed it in a loop on the leather vest. Another long knife went into a second loop on the other side.
“I’m armed and ready to take down that bastard the Puppet Master and all his minions once and for all.”
Raphael approved in more ways than one. She was sexy as hell in the all black outfit. But even better than the aesthetic quality of the clothes was the protective benefits of the leather. He knew the leather was tough and would help protect her tender skin during battle.
His chest puffed out with pride for his mate. Her courage was extraordinary. Only days after almost dying, she was ready to rejoin the fray when no one, least of all him, would blame her for sitting this one out.
She stood. “Ready?”
He walked to her side, pulled her into his arms and kissed her until their lungs were starved for air. “Now I’m ready.” He released her. “I need to grab a couple of weapons,” he told her. Not that he really needed them, but he grabbed his two favorite blades and rushed her out of the house and into his armored SUV. He was hoping he could talk Tara into staying put inside the vehicle once they got to where they were going, but he wasn’t holding his breath.
His heart grew heavier with every mile that put them closer to the danger. Raphael wished he could give her another warning, but he was currently on a three-way call with Lucian Petrakos and Mitch Gannon planning their strategy of attack. He pulled up next to the curve about two blocks from the town square. “Just parked and will be coming in on the south side of the square,” he barked into the phone. “Oh, and Tara’s with me, couldn’t talk her into staying home.”
“Drew couldn’t shake Zoe or Kara either,” Mitch replied.
“Alexander is not going to like that,” Lucian said with a sigh. “About the hunters, they’re more than capable of killing the puppets but do not let them get on the rogue vampire’s radar. He’s far too powerful for the hunters to battle successfully,” he warned.
“Got it!” Raphael disconnected the call and turned all of his attention to Tara.
She was fidgeting in her seat and tapping her fingers against her thigh. She looked more than ready to surge into action. Raphael’s gut churned, and
his heart hammered against his chest. Raphael’s legendary cool was gone. He cupped her face with both hands and rested his forehead against hers.
“Stay smart and stay safe,” he pleaded. “Think with your head, not your heart.” He didn’t give her a chance to respond. Otherwise, he’d beg her to stay in the vehicle locked away from danger. He yanked open the door and waited for her to join him.
His paranormal hearing picked up the thuds, grunts, and clash of metal against metal. He began to run toward the center of the noise. He glanced over his shoulder long enough to assure that Tara was close on his heels. He tempered his speed because he didn’t dare leave her behind in case she was ambushed.
His eyes widened as soon as they turned a corner and the town square came into view. He froze to assess the situation. He felt Tara slam into his back then heard her audible gasp. The square was filled with guardians, wolf shifters, and a couple of vampires fighting and trying to contain a multitude of the evil, lurching zombie-like creatures.
Several women he recognized and knew to be witches led by Brianna formed a loose circle around the makeshift battleground the town square had become. They raised their voices, chanting the rhythmic words of a spell. Raphael instinctively knew the witches were shielding the unusual activity from any human eyes and ears that might be out at three in the morning. He knew better than to worry about their safety. Brianna was the most powerful witch alive and her granddaughter Brittany was almost as powerful. They would have done a protection spell first thing to put up a protective barrier between them and the battle.
His gaze roved the area for any sign of the master vampire they sought. He wanted to strike hard and fast and end the carnage as soon as possible. He noted a weak spot in the witches’ barrier and followed the surge of energy that insidiously attacked their magic.
He was sidetracked when Tara’s fingernails dug into his shoulder. He glanced at her and followed her gaze to where Zoe and Drew fought back to back. They were surrounded by four growling, slashing, determined monsters. Before he could stop her, Tara sprinted toward her older sister with the blade of her favorite long knife raised. She’d almost reached one of the two creatures attacking her sister before he even had a chance to let out a breath.
His heart just about thumped its way out of his chest. He had to pull it together. He was not one to hesitate, and now was definitely not the time to start. He reached deep inside him to call on the magic and power of his ancestors. Not too many people knew that his mother was one of the rare female children born to a mated guardian and witch. That meant he not only had vampire blood in his veins, but he also had magic, powerful magic.
He shifted so that his hands thickened with muscles until they were almost double in size, and his nails sprouted and thickened to seven-inch claws capable of taking off a puppet's head in a single swipe. He used his paranormal speed to roar past Tara, beating her to her intended target. He swung hard and fast. His sharp claws slid through flesh and bone easier than a hot knife through butter. The zombie-like creature ceased to be and fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.
Tara gave him a grateful smile that lit up her whole face before the hardened look of battle slipped into place. He watched her bump fists with Zoe and then it was on to destroy the next evil puppet who dared to get too close. Two creatures lurched toward him, one stalking him from behind while the other distracted him.
****
Mind-numbing fear gripped Tara, momentarily paralyzing her. Seeing her sister surrounded by evil and fighting for her life was bad enough, but watching Raphael engaged in battle with creatures hell-bent on destroying him was worse than facing off against evil herself. That’s when it hit her, right there in the middle of an epic battle of good versus evil. It wasn’t just lust, she loved Raphael too.
The realization freed her. Tara shook off the fright, got her mind back in the fight, and joined the combat. “Watch your back,” she screamed at Raphael. He traded blows with one zombie-like creature while a second one tried to take advantage of his distraction and attack him from behind. It wasn’t happening on Tara’s watch.
If the creature even noticed her, he dismissed her as being harmless because he didn’t give Tara a second look. He immediately converged on Raphael. Tara made her move. She freed her favorite weapon from its sheath and jumped toward the zombie. The blade glided through the air and sliced through flesh and bone. The severed head flew through the air and landed several feet from the lifeless body it was once connected to.
There were so many skirmishes going on around her, Tara didn’t have time to celebrate her victory. She moved on to the next threat. Kara and Alexander for once weren’t fighting or participating in their own warped style of flirting. Instead, they stood back to back, working together to defeat any threat that got too close.
Another creature lurched toward her twin and Alexander. Tara launched herself toward them. That’s when she saw him.
All the air left her lungs, and her heart stopped beating for a fraction of a second. The otherwise handsome face was marred by the sharp edges of cruelty. It was a face no one would ever forget. It was the face of nightmares. It was the vampire who’d ripped out her parents’ throats, bathed in their blood, and laughed as they took their last breaths.
He began to move toward her, his movements so smooth he seemed to float on air. Tara took an involuntary step backward but didn’t dare take her eyes off of the evil being steadily getting closer. She heard her twin scream her name. It was enough of a jolt to get her moving. She tightened her hold on the hilt of her favorite long knife, widened her legs into a fighting stance, and prepared herself for the most significant battle she’d ever face.
She was immediately flanked on both sides by her sisters. She heard their collective audible gasps and knew she’d been right about the Puppet Master’s identity. The three Myers sisters stood side by side, blades raised, ready to fight. And so it had come full circle. An overwhelming sense of peace washed over her as she braced herself for the fight of her life.
****
Jillian Byrd stepped out of the protective circle of witches with her hands raised. She’d waited as long as she could, but each little nick, cut, and injury added up. The thick, soul-sucking gloom of despair was pushing at her, weighing on her, she couldn’t postpone the inevitable anymore. It was time to dig deep and grasp onto to what little bit of courage she could muster and do what she was born to do.
Her gaze collided with her mate, Dante, the third oldest guardian in the world. He was a powerful being in his own right but combined, the two of them were almost unbeatable. She could do it. She just had to have faith in herself and her powers. She’d worked hard with Brianna, Brittany, Selena, and Julie, increasing her skill and honing her magic.
Her town, her friends, the side of good were in dire need, and she would not let them down. Jillian raised a hand to Dante, and he did the same. Lightning flashed in the sky, lighting the square. Thunder boomed, shaking the very foundation of the buildings that surrounded them. She felt the linking not only with Dante but with every paranormal being in the square. Sheer power in its purest form arched from all of them straight to Jillian.
White hot power filled her. Jillian’s form became less physical, almost pure energy. She glowed until she was nearly as bright as the sun. She was weightless and floated several feet off the ground. Everyone else, even the puppets, stood frozen in shock at the intimidating display of magic and strength.
The master vampire seemed to snap out of his stupor first. He turned his attention away from the Myers sisters and put it squarely on Jillian. She felt the power coalesce inside her until it reached a crescendo. The vampire’s soul was so black and rotted from the evil within that even the strength of her light could not dispel the shadows that surrounded him. But deep down in her soul, Jillian knew he could be defeated.
She cupped her hands and directed all the power coursing through her to her palms. Jillian used her mind to force the energy into the shape
of a ball just as the vampire flew through the air toward her. The murderous rage on his face was easy to interpret.
It all happened in a split second, but it was the stuff of legends, and paranormal beings would speak of the one moment in time for centuries to come. Jillian raised her arms over her head and flung the pulsing ball of power toward the rogue vampire. It enveloped the Puppet Master instantly turning him into a charred heap of ash. But she wasn’t done yet. Trails of energy shot from him to each of his puppets. One by one the evil servants burst into flame. A strong, wailing wind swept through town, scattering the ashes to the four corners of the Earth until nothing malicious was left in the square or within Enigma’s borders.
SEVEN
Tara stretched out her legs and leaned back into Raphael’s solid form. His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her close, and it felt right. More right than anything in her life, and she knew without a doubt that she belonged with Raphael. They were soul mates, meant to be together and to love each other. She took a sip of the warm apple cider and sighed in contentment.
After their victory in the epic battle, hours before, they went home, cleaned themselves up, and fell into a deep sleep in each other's arms. They slept the day away, and now they snuggled up together on the floor in front of the living room fireplace. It was a cozy and ideal scene for a chilly autumn night, but Tara was having a hard time relaxing. There was just too much on her mind.
“That was the most amazing and scariest thing I’ve seen in my life,” she said of Jillian Byrd. “I never want to get on that woman’s bad side,” she joked. “What was that anyway?”
“It was a power of mythical proportions. One that is rare and pure.” He shook his head. “I’ve heard whispers of such a thing, but I’ve never seen it before. Evidently, Jillian Byrd is a conduit. A powerful born witch who can absorb all the power and magic around her and use it herself.”
“She zapped the evilest being I’ve ever had the misfortune to come across and turned him into nothing but a flimsy pile of dust. It was incredible, almost as incredible as you,” she shyly admitted. Things were moving fast between her and Raphael. Now she felt bad about teasing her sister so much about Drew because she knew exactly how Zoe felt. Love was worth making changes for, and there was no better time than the present.