Bite My Love Dark Creature

by Penelope Fletcher

  He kicks the bedroom door closed with the heel of his shoe, and walks over to the bed. The linen is rumpled from my restless nap when I feared for his safety during the day.

  Setting me down on the edge, he stands at the foot of the bed. ‘I bleed inside. Your soul calls to mine.’

  ‘Sexy, that’s a good thing. The need to connect with me, not the bleeding, that is.’

  ‘Each glimpse of what we might have shared had I been a better man cuts deeply. Unrivalled like this I cannot find the strength to leave you.’ Keeping eye contact, he unbuttons his shirt. The dark fabric exposes inch by delicious inch of radiant pale flesh. ‘Please. Touch me.’

  Stubborn to the end, he keeps saying goodbye. I clasp his hips and press my face into his stomach. “I don’t know what you need from me. All I can do is be myself and hope you’ll be happy. One day you’ll realise I’ve chosen not to fight my wolf because I want a future with you.”

  “I’m afraid.”

  “Why?” I cock my head. “Is it because I bite back?”

  Eyes widening, he grins.

  I push the shirt from his shoulders and lick the base of his throat. The blood in his veins sings to me. Breathless, I lick him harder, my tongue rasping. I score my nails down his back and my eyes burn.

  Daniel fists a hand in my hair. The other digs into my waist until it hurts.

  When he looks into my face, he jolts.

  “Your eyes,” he breathes. “They’re like mine.” His face twists in anguish then a savage kind of satisfaction replaces it. “Maybe we’ll both find the strength to survive what must be done.”

  “You’re hungry.” I bare my throat in submission. “Bite, my love.”

  Pushed to the edge of desperation, Daniel shoves his hips between my legs and sinks his teeth into my neck, piercing my heart and body.

  Head flung back I groan, tumbling into ecstasy.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  En passant? I call it cheating. I’m down a knight, my bishop is cut off from home, and Lord, my queen bit the dust three moves ago.

  Somehow my opponent is sitting pretty with all but one of his pieces. I cradle the black pawn in my palm. The dark king jumps two squares on Daniel’s original rank then the rook takes up residence beside him.

  “You can’t move two pieces at once, and you can’t jump over your own piece either.”

  “Castling, sweetling.”

  “I don’t give a shit what it’s called. You never said you could do that.”

  His lips twitch. “So you don’t know how to play.”

  “I do. I don’t know what you’re doing. I think you’re confused.”

  “I am a Grandmaster.”

  “That means squat to me. You’re cheating.”

  He leans forward. “Stop stalling.”

  Grunting, I roll the smooth head of the pawn over my bottom lip. “I’m stuck.”

  Drumming his fingers on the table, Daniel rubs his mouth. “I see two moves where you will evade me.”

  I study the board then him. “I don’t want to play anymore.”

  Rubbing the lower half of his face to hide an infuriatingly smug grin, he shakes his head. “You must learn strategy and tactics. They are fundamental to life.”

  I slouch and look at Ben and Lee for help.

  They’re entwined and still arguing considering the occasional hiss or growl that escapes from their otherwise silent forms.

  Sensing my gaze, Lee turns her head to break Ben’s eye contact, jaw jutting stubbornly.

  Ben sighs and peers curiously at our game. His dark eyes roam over the chequered board, a stunning creation of lacquered cherry wood on an antique table. His expression alone tells I’m getting my ass kicked. “Daniel gave me that board as a gift then tortured me with it for decades. I’ve never won. From what I see in four moves he’ll have checkmate.”

  Daniel clucks. “You stole my fun.”

  Defiant, my forefinger flicks the pale king. He topples over. “Next time I’ll win.”

  Ben’s laughter is a treble bass. He claps, delighted at my cockiness.

  Daniel glowers as he leans into the armchair. He’s dressed in edgy sophistication, a crisp white shirt, tailored trousers and a misanthropic face. It’s armour he wears to feel in control. “I wish I’d get to see that.”

  The stool cushioning my ass knocks over as I lurch onto my feet. “For God’s sake, Daniel.” I stamp my bare foot. “Stop acting as if you see the future. The test will change nothing. I am your mate.”

  “You’re going?” Lee is alarmed. “Harmony, it’ll be impossible for your wolf to do anything but submit to such a strong male Lycan. Aren’t you worried?”

  “Terrified.”

  She moves to stand at my side. The blanket covering her falls to the floor in a soft pile of wool. “Why are you making her to do this?”

  “Love, we have no right to interfere.” Ben holds out his hand. “This is Lycan tradition. An arranged marriage by her Alpha.”

  “This is not an arranged marriage.” She ignores the offered hand. “It’s a forced one. Harmony won’t be given a choice, Ben. It’s tantamount to rape.” Ben tries to wrap the fallen blanket around her shoulders and she slaps at his hands. “Stop fussing. Daniel what the hell do you think you’re playing at? You asked for privacy, I gave it to you, but I didn’t think you’d convince her to do this.”

  Crossing his legs, Daniel holds out his hand. “I’m fixing the mess I made. You wanted this.”

  “Not like this. I’d never ask this of you. I’ve forgiven you.” Lee touches Ben’s chest. “We both have. We’ll solve this problem together. Sacrificing your Bride isn’t something to be considered.”

  Daniel’s eyes close. “I have no desire to cause trouble between you and your Bride. Not anymore.”

  Ben’s grimace stretches the muscles of his face to the limit. “I know.”

  “Do you agree with her? Should I not seek to mend what was broken when I killed the Lycan? Should I not sacrifice my happiness by returning what I took, and avoid subjecting my family to a time of darkness, the killing of innocence, and the futility of war?”

  Staring at Ben, Lee shakes her head angrily when his expression creases in condolence. She moves away when he tries to hold her. He catches her wrist. “Listen to me, Cecilie. I’m worried enough you carry my baby. If there’s war you become a target. You’re the youngest of us, and as the Child the weakest. We would kill to protect you.” He gathers her in his arms and rests his cheek on her head. “Will you stand by this decision as I wash away the blood of the Lycans massacred to keep you safe?”

  Despite the mention of blood, she looks ill. “The Alpha talked peace with Daniel. He can again with me.”

  Ben and Daniel share a deep look over the top of Lee’s head.

  I understand. At the time of Daniel’s story my confusion over how he’d gotten out of the hunting grounds safely, again, surprised me.

  Sensing there’s something she’s missing, Lee reads our thoughts. I feel her power sweep over the room. Should I be feeling her like that? Like she is my queen with every right to burrow into my mind, and take whatever she fancies?

  Picking the answer to the unasked question she tugs the blanket from Ben to hug it to her chest. Her face crumples. “Oh. I see.” Feet dragging until she reaches the sofa she sits heavily.

  “I killed no one–” Daniel rubs the back of his neck. “–but it was brutal. After the deal was made I left without a problem, but to get before him I used battle fury I’ve not felt in years. I … what’s wrong?”

  A guttural groan snaps my attention from my mate to Lee.

  Sickly pale and sweaty, her neck muscles tighten, and her fingers curl into fists. Spine rigid she screeches in pain. Holding my hands to my head, I cringe, the sound harsh on my sensitive ears.

  Lee’s body buckles until she folds on herself.

  Ben falls to his knees. His hands hover but do not touch. “Focus, love. I know it hurts but gather what you can.” He i
nches closer. “What do you feel?”

  “P–Pain.” She trembles violently. “Sorrow. Regret.”

  “Is it a man?” Ben pushes. “A woman?”

  Daniel grips the arms of his seat his torso angled forward. “Tell me what happens.”

  “I don’t know.” Lee’s eyes fill with blood and dim the green of her irises. Head swinging side to side, she blinks rapidly, and blood runs down her pallid cheeks. “I can’t see who it is. There’s just emotion.”

  Her chest pumps up and down until I expect it to burst. Her body goes limp and she tips over, boneless.

  Ben catches her before she falls off the sofa and runs his hands down her back. “I have you.”

  Daniel is impatient. “Ben?”

  Ben gives him a piercing look over his shoulder. “We’ve had problems.”

  My mate motions to Lee. “You’re understating.”

  Ben exhales though his nose. “There are two pressing issues. The first is of the utmost importance.” He sweeps Lee’s hair away from her face. “It’s causing her pain. We were working on controlling her power after what happened on the night of your rebellion.” Ben’s throat bobs. Lee has been suffering, and he doesn’t know what to do to help her. “She started channelling the emotions of another.”

  Daniel visibly relaxes. “She will do until she gains control over her powers as the Child.” He waves his hand in dismissal. “You know this, Ben.”

  “Adam thinks she’s sensing the one who made his Sire. He and Simone have travelled to where he saw her last in a hope of discovering more.”

  There are a few emotions I never expect to see cross Daniel’s face, but he’s so complex he’s thwarted my expectation already. Utter disbelief. “Impossible.” He hisses. “All generations have tried and failed to seek out the first of us.”

  “Lee wasn’t looking. The Eldest One let her in or dropped mental defence. All we know with certainty is Lee feels strong emotions of one not already known to her through our collective memory.”

  “The less pressing issue?”

  “Humans.”

  Daniel’s face goes blank. “Humans? What problem can they cause when they don’t know we exist? They have their suspicions, and farcical stories, but never have we let them be a threat.”

  Lee weakly turns her head to glare at him. “Let them? I don’t think the organisation and power the government wields now compares to what it was six hundred years ago.” She rubs her forehead against Ben’s tiredly. “How am I supposed to keep us safe from them?”

  “From who?” Daniel is beside himself. “Who would dare?”

  “Open your eyes.” Lee looks good and pissed. “The world gets smaller every day. Did you really think you could keep killing and leaving fang marks on the victims without people noticing? Deaths are recoded and bodies autopsied. Even the dimmest mortician would recognise a pattern if bloodless corpses with fang marks’ on their jugulars kept landing on their slab.” She sighs. “It’s not as if we’re in the third world here.” Her eyes dart around, and she sniffs. “Though for the lack of technology you guys use you’d think we were in the dark ages. The only one of you even remotely modern is Afzal, and that’s only because of his love of the restaurant.”

  Ben strokes her to soothe her irritation. “Hush love. We’ll figure this out.”

  “How do I fix this? They know about us, Ben.” She covers her forehead with her hands. “This won’t ever go away. What we are will be seen as dangerous.”

  I’m troubled, but not panicked. “Who knows exactly?”

  “Some agency.” Ben is distracted by his Bride’s distress and I barely hear his mumble.

  Pushing him now seems callous, but needs must. “They’ve made contact?”

  “I lifted thoughts of us from their minds.” Lee sniffles. “They were driving past, and I thought it was odd since we have no neighbours. The road only leads to Castle, well to the cliffs, and Humans aren’t supposed to know there’s a building is here. They acted as if they knew something was in the field.”

  “When did this happen?” Daniel frowns. “I’ve been gone less than a week, and already there’s chaos.”

  “We think they’ve been watching us for a while,” Ben defends. “The amount of information they’ve acquired is discomforting.”

  Daniel’s gaze cuts to me worriedly. “Then it is no longer safe.”

  “Where will we go?” Lee asks.

  “We have houses on every continent, love.” Ben strokes her face. “None are as comfortable, but we’ll make do until we can create a new home.”

  “Castle is our home.” Lee’s expression sets. Unflinching stubbornness. “They can’t see it, so we should be safe when we’re inside.”

  “If they search the field they’ll barge into an invisible wall,” Daniel argues. “Must I point out because they can’t see Castle doesn’t mean it’s not there?”

  Lee scratches her forehead. “Are the other houses hidden?”

  “No.” Ben looks annoyed he hasn’t thought of this before.

  “We need to get on that.”

  “Do you happen to have a witch on speed dial powerful enough to cast such an enchantment?” Amused, Daniel rests his chin on his fist. “The crone we used died during the Salem witch trials.”

  “Speed dial?” I shake my head sadly. “Try voice control. Lord, how old are you?”

  Lee gives Daniel the finger. “Oh piss off Dan. The sugar coated shit you pass off as sarcasm is not appreciated right now.”

  Ben coughs noisily, and I burst into startled laughter.

  Charmed, Daniel smirks. “Blessed are we with such elegant and well-spoken Brides.”

  Tickled as I am by the Vampire Queen’s attitude, Humans discovering supernatural creatures exist have serious implications that affect more than this family of Vampires. “What do they want?”

  Lee stills and only unfreezes when Ben cuddles her from behind. He rocks her side to side.

  “Us. The power and strength of the bloodline at their command. I don’t think we’re the only creatures they’ve come across.” Lee chomps her lip until it bleeds. “I got the impression they are unsure of how to precede with us.”

  “That is a good thing.” Ben nuzzles her. “It means they know we are a force to be reckoned with.”

  Lee doesn’t look convinced, and I silently echo her reservation. “They have weapons.”

  “We are weapons.”

  She shakes her head wildly. “It’s not the same.”

  Daniel rubs his face in a move bordering stressed. “I can’t … I don’t … hells! Why did you not tell me this before? You said nothing of this. If you’re under surveillance they would have seen Harmony and I leave the woods then disappear. Any theories that there is something here to find will be confirmed. You told me Simone and Adam travelled, but you made them sound aimless. They’re at risk separated from us like this. The bloodline must be summoned to your side.”

  Lee shoots him a scathing look. “Your arrival on the doorstep wasn’t exactly expected. Give me a break, Dan.” He glares at her incredulously for continuing to shorten his name. “The last time I had the pleasure of your company you’d tried to kill Ben. I was supposed to fill you in?” She scoffs. “I’m nice not a moron.”

  Before Daniel responds with something cutting, I cut in. “Will these episodes hurt the baby? Is it getting worse?”

  Lee and Ben put their hands on her stomach. Their fingers entwine. “I don’t think so.” Her eyes are troubled, but her tone hopeful. “It was overwhelming at first, but I’m getting better at dealing with it. Blocking it.”

  “Blocking it?” Daniel shoves onto his feet and glares imperiously. “Reach out. Compel the Eldest to your side. Think of what we could learn, Lee. Think of what such a forebear could give us.”

  “The risk is too great,” Ben says. “It can wait until after the pregnancy.”

  “You say they are in pain?” Daniel returns to his seat. He drops his hands between his legs, elbows on
his thighs. “What if it is too late by then?”

  “Then it’s too late.” Ben’s lips peel back in a snarl. “Don’t you have other things to be concerning yourself with? The future of your Bride for one.”

  “I advise–”

  “Ben is my Sire.” Lee’s interjection is frosty. “His thoughts run parallel to mine. We’ve discussed this and decided what’s best for the bloodline and us. If I desire advice from a member of the family, I’ll ask for it. Are we clear?”

  I stare at the carpet embarrassed on my mate’s behalf.

  Daniel turns the other cheek. “Ja.”

  I kneel in front of him and cautiously put my hand on his knee. Standing, he brushes my hand aside and leaves the room.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Castle at our backs, Ben, Lee, Daniel and I wait at the boundary line. I peer into the trees, and the inner corners of my eyes squint from the tension.

  My wolf rises to brush fur under the surface of my skin. She’s irritated our mate is doing this, but willing to follow his lead. Grumbling, she urges me to let her free. The soles of my feet itch. She’s caught the scent of damp undergrowth from the woods and the fragrance from the trees. She wishes to sprint beneath them as she has done since she was a pup.

  Home.

  I’ve been away for days, and I miss it desperately.

  Is that why Daniel’s pushing this meeting? Does he sense my wolf’s need to run free? Is he worried that I’ll resent him if I can never go back to the hunting grounds?

  From the shadows comes my kind.

  They pad on silent paws through the mist. Amber, gold, and ebony eyes stare at us from the sleek faces of wolves. Long muzzles crack open to flash razor sharp and brilliant white teeth.

  I scan the faces and feel a tad uneasy. They still haven’t shifted Human, an aggressive and uncooperative signal.

  There are six male wolves. That’s not enough to kill the Vampires here, but five Enforcers are enough to watch their Beta’s back as he attempts to claim what’s not his.