He kissed her, his tongue darting between her parted lips to tease hers. The flavor of her mouth made his head spin and his hardness increase. ::Because, as I mentioned earlier, the males of our species become potent only in the presence of a female of our kind in heat.::
She broke off the kiss and whispered, her face hidden against his shoulder, "You feel potent enough to me."
"Ah, what a devastating combination you are, Liebling. Human enough to quench my thirst, yet vampire enough to awaken my mating impulse."
"Mating? You want me that way?"
"Can you doubt it?" Moment by moment the pressure become more intense. He could hardly resist the urge to penetrate her.
Squirming, she said, "I want it, too. But could I get pregnant?"
That delightful wiggle of her hips tortured him with a foretaste of how it would feel to thrust inside her while she undulated that way. "Unlikely. Our sperm don't become viable instantly. It takes a few couplings to reach that phase." Closing his eyes, he nuzzled between her breasts and inhaled her intoxicating aroma. "Anyway, you aren't fertile right now."
"You can tell?"
"I can always tell what stage of your cycle you're in. Every time we meet, I savor the subtle changes in your fragrance." The renewed dilation of blood vessels as she reacted to that statement sharpened his appetite.
A scarlet mist gathered before his eyes. She gasped when he stripped off her underwear. "Now," he growled, freeing himself of the shorts that constricted his aching shaft. "Can't wait."
She rolled onto her back, arms and legs spread wide in invitation. Her heartbeat thundered in his ears. The excitement thrumming in her nerves vibrated through his, too. How had he ever deluded himself that their blood bond could remain a mere formality? His control shattered. Half mad with the urgency of rut, he plunged to the hilt into her molten core. She welcomed him into her body and heart, arching her back to draw him deeper. Her sheath rippled around him.
His orgasm swept over him like a tidal wave. In the back of his mind stirred the thought that he was fortunate not to have to breathe as regularly as ordinary mortals, for again they were drowning in each other's ecstasy. So completely did they merge that his climax triggered hers, and once more they took flight.
When his vision cleared, he still trembled with the intensity of that moment. No mating with one of his own species had ever affected him this way. He'd never shared a bond with any female vampire, nor did they have the capacity to satisfy his blood craving as well as the sexual need they incited. Among his kind, copulation meant nothing but the discharge of a biological imperative. To his alarm, he knew the experience could never be that simple with Cordelia.
And, most unwisely, he did yearn to repeat the act as often as possible. With her, he could fulfill that craving. Unlike females of his own race, she didn't have estrous cycles. She would be ready for him anytime. Rubbing her shoulders and back as she quivered with aftershocks, he wondered whether she had mated with ephemerals in the past. Of course she had. The ease of penetration proved that. Before this episode, he wouldn't have cared. Now he had to swallow acid rage at the thought of her being touched by any other man, human or vampire, whether for blood or sex.
What lunacy had possessed him? He still didn't want to get entangled with a human female. True, because of her heritage she might live longer and stay healthy longer than most. But eventually he'd lose her. Meanwhile, he'd be depriving her of a normal human life. He knew Lydia had felt wistful regret over not being able to have any more children. On the other hand, it was now obvious that wouldn't be a problem with Cordelia, which came as an additional shock to him. Children? As he'd explained to her, males of his kind took no interest in their offspring. Cordelia would never tolerate such an arrangement. If their relationship got that far, she would insist on a long-term union and cooperative parenting. Did he actually want a human-style family, after all these centuries of contentedly solitary life?
He smiled grimly. Absurd.
* * * *
God help me, am I falling in love with him? With their lovemaking, her wildest teenage daydreams had come true. From her earliest crush at the age of twelve, she'd cherished an infatuation for Karl for years. She thought she'd matured and gotten over it, relegated it to a safe distance and locked in a memory box like a childhood trinket she'd outgrown. Now the fulfillment she'd forced herself to stop imagining had become real, if a blood bond with a vampire could be accepted as reality. Could she bear to settle for the cool friendship they'd shared before?
His mind wrapped hers in an embrace of fierce possessiveness. The next instant, alarm rushed over him like the rapids of an icy mountain stream. His shield slammed down, shutting her out.
She went rigid in his arms. So he thought falling in love with her would be a terrible fate? Fine, she certainly didn't want to fall into that trap, either. Besides, the passion was probably just a side effect of the blood bond. Her mother had left her father as soon as they'd quenched their mutual lust, and Karl hadn't disapproved of that behavior. Had he changed his mind?
Clearly she hadn't mastered blocking her thoughts yet, for his next words demonstrated he'd picked up that last question.
"I lied when I said earlier that my human behavior was merely protective camouflage. Our species is highly adaptable, which means we tend to acquire the traits of the creatures we live among. I've associated too closely with your family for too many generations. I've cared about them. And I do have feelings for you. Entirely too intense."
"Maybe they come from the intense situation we're in. When we rescue Randy and everything returns to normal, maybe these emotions will fade for both of us."
"Maybe." The gentle mockery in his voice clashed with the lingering anxiety she sensed in his mind. He ran a fingertip down her neck to the hollow of her throat, making her shiver. "After we achieve this chimerical normal you speak of, we'll have time enough to consider such things. Sleep now."
"How do you expect me to sleep in a house with a monster who'd like to drain my blood?" Sheer exhaustion had made her drop off earlier, but now the turmoil that buzzed in her brain kept her from relaxing.
Karl's arms tightened around her. "I will not let that happen. In any case, you don't have to worry. He's still civilized enough to keep his claws off another vampire's chosen donor."
"Not that I don't trust your judgment, but I felt the way Josef checked me out."
A momentary snarl curled his lips before he composed himself. "You belong to me. That's nonnegotiable. As for your need to rest, if you let me, I can soothe your fears and lull you to sleep. Will you lower your resistance and allow that?"
"You mean let you hypnotize me?"
"Not true mesmerism, only a calming influence. I won't subvert your will."
She exhaled a long breath. "Okay. I trust you."
She let her flimsy shield melt away. He smoothed her hair back from her face and stroked her head. His palms molded the outline of her shoulders, waist, and hips. Just as his hands skimmed over her body, spreading warmth through her tense muscles, his mind caressed the surface of hers. ::Rest. Sleep without fear. I have you safe.::
Safe? Strangely, she believed that promise. She drifted into oblivion.
* * * *
When she woke in the late afternoon, Cordelia found the other side of the bed empty and the shower running. To her surprise, she felt rested and tranquil. Had Karl planted a suggestion that she wouldn't worry? To her relief, although she sensed his presence in the back of her mind, he didn't speak to her telepathically, nor did she feel him probing her thoughts. Flushing at the memory of her uninhibited response, she wrapped her arms around her bent knees, hid her face, and curled in on herself mentally as well as physically. When Karl emerged, dressed only in shorts, she dashed for the bathroom without meeting his eyes.
By the time she got showered and dressed, she'd composed herself enough to ask with outward calm, "What now?"
He drew her close to his chest and whispered, his b
reath in her ear making her pulse leap, "I've decided to take the most straightforward and least risky course. I'll simply pay Josef's price for her and get us out of here as quickly as possible."
Nodding, she pulled away from him. He let her go with no response except a sardonic arch of his eyebrows.
While walking along the upstairs hall, she noticed deadbolts on several closed doors. She clamped down hard on her imagination when it speculated why Josef had installed locks on the outsides of bedrooms.
Downstairs, the aroma of soup led them to the kitchen. There they found Imogene taking a pouch of dark liquid out of the refrigerator. Cordelia swallowed to suppress the queasiness in her empty stomach.
Imogene turned to Karl. "Breakfast?" Without waiting for an answer, she chose another bag from the refrigerator and inserted both in the microwave to warm.
Cordelia held her breath until the brief heating cycle ended and Imogene poured the contents into a pair of mugs. Karl accepted one with a nod of thanks. Without looking at Cordelia, the female vampire said, "Donors usually eat in their rooms, but that's not a fixed rule. You are welcome to feed your pet here."
A flare of indignation came as a welcome distraction from Cordelia's churning stomach.
Karl's telepathic voice cautioned her, ::Don't overreact. You're supposed to be used to that kind of thing. Remember, that is the typical attitude, and she expects me to share it.:: Cordelia pasted a vague smile on her face and leaned into the curve of his arm, hoping she looked properly besotted.
Imogene opened the oven to extract a foil container, the source of the appetizing smell. She uncovered it and set it on a polished wood table in the center of the room, along with premixed salad greens from a bag, then got out carafes of oil and vinegar and poured a glass of milk. Karl pulled out a chair for Cordelia and took a seat next to her. Funny to watch a predator serving dinner--or breakfast, whatever--to an inferior being. On the other hand, lots of people pampered their dogs and cats at mealtime, not to mention how they treated prize cattle. This time the image of herself as a pet or livestock struck her as wryly amusing instead of insulting. Besides, the grumbling of her stomach reminded her she couldn't be fussy about how they treated her as long as the food was edible.
She scooped up a spoonful from the foil bowl. Mass-produced vegetable beef soup. Hardly gourmet fare, but hot and filling. While Cordelia ate, Imogene set up five trays with identical meals. Just as she finished distributing the food, another vampire came in, a man with the lean build and pale skin Cordelia now recognized as typical of the species. He had a hawkish profile like Josef's and a halo of silver hair. Imogene introduced him as Antonio. The two of them carried out the trays while Cordelia polished off her soup.
While both vampires were out of the room, she whispered to Karl, "Three of them? That's a little scary."
"Don't worry." He squeezed her hand. "I don't sense any others of my kind in the house, and in any case Josef is the only one who poses any real danger. Those two obviously follow his lead."
A few minutes later, as she was rinsing her glass and salad bowl, Josef strolled into the kitchen. After raking his eyes over her, he spoke to Karl. "We have five available donors at the moment, both males and females. I assume you're interested only in the females? Or am I underestimating how adventurous you are?"
Silently fuming at the leer in his voice, Cordelia kept her eyes downcast and struggled to firm up her mental shield.
At Karl's cool reply, "Only women, please," Josef led them into the lobby. Again a fire burned in the hearth. He showed Karl and Cordelia to the love seat next to the fireplace, where they waited for him to fetch the donors.
Shortly Josef reappeared, followed by three young women, one tall with long, blonde hair, one shorter with a tangle of shoulder-length chestnut hair, and the third tall and caramel-skinned with cornrows. All were barefoot, wearing simple sundresses. They looked half asleep, and the blonde stumbled on the stairs and had to catch the railing to steady herself.
A chill crept over Cordelia's skin at their dazed stares. Josef lined up the women on the Persian rug without bothering to introduce them. "You'll find all three healthy and satisfying. We choose clean specimens to begin with and make every effort to keep them rested and well fed."
Standing, Karl scanned the lineup as if shopping for a car. Though Cordelia knew the impersonal evaluation was at least partly an act, watching it tied her stomach in knots. How closely did that cool appraisal reflect Karl's actual attitude toward mere mortals outside her family?
"Suppose they do fall ill?" he asked.
"We deal with minor sickness ourselves. If necessary, one of us can hypnotize a pharmacist into dispensing antibiotics and forgetting about it. Of course, if a donor becomes seriously ill, we discard that one." With a thin smile, Josef added, "Going out of my way to treat a sick ephemeral would hardly be cost-effective. After all, there are many more where these came from."
"Yes, I'm well aware of your philosophy on the value of human life." Karl paced up and down the row of women, gazing into each one's eyes. "My main concern, other than health, is that if I purchase a donor from your stock, she can't be traced by anyone who might search for her."
"Trust me to be more careful than that. I pick donors who won't be missed," Josef said, confirming what Corinne had told them. "Most of them have a more comfortable life here than they would have in their former existence. All they have to do is sleep, eat, and indulge in whatever leisure entertainment they like."
"And get bled regularly, of course."
"Of course." Josef's ironic tone echoed Karl's.
"How often?"
"No more frequently than every three days, enough time to replace lost fluids, and you've seen a sample of how they're nourished. I also dose them with vitamin supplements."
"Very thorough." Karl clasped the black woman's hand, lifted it to his lips, and flicked his tongue over her wrist.
A sour taste welled in Cordelia's throat. She didn't like watching him touch another woman that way, even if putting on an act. A wisp of amusement from Karl's mind brushed hers.
"Still," he said, "I'm surprised you attract enough customers to make the trouble and expense worthwhile. After all, most of us have no trouble finding prey on our own."
"Oh, we have methods of enhancing the experience," Josef said. "Moderate amounts of alcohol, for instance, or certain drugs. Even a change in diet can alter the flavor of the blood in interesting ways. I assure you, so far the venture has been a success." He stepped behind the women and ran caressing fingers over the napes of their necks. "This facility is only the beginning of my plans, a pilot project, so to speak. If I can recruit enough investors, I'm going to open a number of these places all over the country. We're the superior species. Why should we risk our safety hunting in public or demean ourselves--like you--seducing the creatures whose blood belongs to us by right?"
Karl ignored the rhetorical question and examined the other two women, tasting their skin in the same way. Cordelia squashed the impulse to clench her fists in her lap. "What do you think, little one?" he asked.
Knowing she had to make a show of considering the question, she looked over the donors and shook their hands. When she introduced herself, she got only a languid nod from each of the women. She had to suppress a shudder at their clammy, limp handshakes. Returning to her seat, she said, "I'm not sure." She couldn't bring herself to reject these pitiable strangers outright, though she had no clue whether they would think of being "sold" as a reprieve or a threat.
"Don't you have any livelier specimens?" Karl asked. "I've heard your enterprise had quite a reputation. Frankly, I'm disappointed."
A frown darkened Josef's face. He smoothed it over and shut off the irritation that momentarily emanated from him. "I do have a new acquisition. I didn't count her as available because she isn't tamed yet. I warn you, she'd cost more than the others. I was planning to keep her for special customers."
"Ah, that sounds intriguing." Karl bar
ed his teeth in a predatory smile. "Show me."
Chapter 9
* * *
After a brief hesitation, Josef said, "If you insist. Girls, return to your chambers." When the women had withdrawn up the stairs, he led the way in the same direction. "This wildcat has been so difficult I've had to confine her."
Karl telepathically remarked that Miranda must be immune to mesmerism, like Cordelia.
::I'm glad she's acting difficult!:: Cordelia answered. She had to cling to him both physically and mentally to keep her anger hidden behind her psychic barrier. She wished she could drive a stake into Josef's heart right that instant.
The other vampire guided them to a bedroom on the third floor with a deadbolt on the outside like the others she'd noticed. The bolt had a simple latch, no key required, since it was designed only to keep the occupant in, not other people out. He opened the door to reveal a small bedroom with an attached bathroom. Some former owner must have renovated the entire building as a modern hotel. If so, this looked like one of the economy rooms, nothing like the lavish suite she and Karl had shared on the second story. The single gabled window was closed, the air stale. Metal mesh covered the outside of the glass. Even if Corinne hadn't gotten caught, she would have had trouble rescuing the captive. Miranda lay on the bed, still dressed in the pastel floral caftan she'd worn when she'd left home the last time.
Her eyes widened at the sight of Karl and Cordelia. Karl glowered at her. Either Miranda got the idea that she needed to stay quiet or he actually frightened her, for she shrank back against the pillow and said nothing.
"She's obviously terrified of you, and no wonder," Karl said to Josef. "Leave us alone with her. We can't evaluate her properly with you looming there."
The other vampire glared back at him. "I prefer not to. She is my property."
"What's your concern? Do you seriously believe an ephemeral could overcome me and escape? Or don't you trust me not to steal a free sample?"
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