Blood Obsession (A Vampire Paranormal Romance) (Deathless Night Series Book 3)

by L. E. Wilson

  "At least you don't leave me out in the elements to burn."

  He looked around at the pines, foliage, and mountains of Western Canada, and he was afraid he'd been mistaken earlier. He knew exactly where he was.

  He sighed heavily. "This is really getting old, mate. If you want me to go somewhere, you need only to ask nicely."

  No sooner had the words left his mouth than his blood began to boil in his veins, or at least that's what it felt like. It seemed Leeha was getting impatient.

  Aiden pulled his knees up and hunched over himself in agony. "Ahhh! Stop it! You bloody bitch! How the hell do you expect me to get there if you have me writhing around in pain like a snake with its head cut off?"

  Another burst of acid wracked him with white-hot fire, and Aiden cried out incoherently. He knew the longer he went without going to her, the worse it would become.

  He was almost grateful to feel the demon coming to life. At least it would take the pain away. It slithered around inside of him and stretched its tentacles, invading his muscles, his nerves, even his blood.

  The pain began to ease to a point where he could bear it, but in return, Aiden had lost control of his body. He again was sharing space with the demon. Aware, but unable to speak or have any say in how his physical body behaved.

  Waano got up, dusted the dirt off, and took off at vamp speed, following the call of Leeha's blood. His wrath and determination flowed through Aiden.

  Right. So, I guess we're doing this now.

  The demon didn't bother to respond.

  A sixth sense told him he was either going to leave here without the demon inside of him anymore, or he wouldn't be leaving here at all.

  The call got louder and louder, pulsing through him until it made his very bones ache. Right when Aiden thought he couldn't stand it anymore, Waano came to an abrupt stop in a clearing in front of a large, stone home. He fell to his knees and pulled back a bit, allowing Aiden control again.

  He waited, too weakened from her hellish summoning to do anything else.

  Snow capped mountains surrounded them, even in the middle of summer, with thick groves of pine trees along their base. When he looked over his shoulder, a turquoise blue lake was spread out before him. At least, he imagined it would be turquoise in the sunshine. The night air was crisp and cool, and he breathed it in gratefully.

  The burning in his blood began to ease, and he looked up to see a female with dark red hair prowling towards him across the moonlit grass. Her sheer white gown billowed in the cool evening breeze, teasing him with glimpses of the slender nude form underneath.

  He watched her come towards him, expecting to feel the familiar surge of lust that he always felt around her, but this time, there was nothing. Not even a twinge.

  "My Aiden," she purred in her thickly accented voice. "At last you have come to me. Did you not hear me calling you, my love?"

  Aiden didn't bother to answer her. Silly question, really. He wouldn't be kneeling there getting grass stains on his knees if he hadn't heard her.

  She came closer, until Aiden could see the terrifying, blood red depths of her eyes. "It's really you, is it not?" Her voice was full of awe. "You have proven yourself stronger than the others. You've learned to control the monster inside of you! I always knew you were special, my Aiden."

  Not wanting to be at a disadvantage, he stumbled to his feet and smiled down at her, content to let her lead the conversation for now.

  An answering smile began to curl up the corners of her red lips, but it froze on her face before reaching its full potential. Leaning forward, she sniffed him daintily. When she was done, her eyes were alive with fury.

  Before he knew what she was about, she slapped him hard. His head whipped to the side, and he felt the bones fracture in his jaw.

  "You filthy bastard! You have betrayed me! I can smell that human woman all over you!" She lifted her hand to hit him again, but hesitated this time. Gripping her fingers into a fist, she pulled it back down to her side, and took a calming breath. Her smile was downright disturbing. "No matter. You haven't mated with her yet, or I would smell her blood in you. You will forget about her soon enough."

  "I sincerely doubt that," he told her.

  "Ah, he speaks at last," she teased. "My Aiden, you doubt me? You should know better than that by now."

  "What is it that you want, Leeha?" he demanded, tired of her games. "You went through all of this trouble to get me here, why beat around the bush?" Another thought occurred to him. "By the way, how did you do that?"

  She seemed disinclined to answer him at first, but then shrugged a shoulder. "You are mine now, Aiden. My blood flows in you."

  "Yours? That's not possible. Luukas is the one that turned me."

  "No longer, my love. It was my blood that resurrected you after your...initiation...into my army."

  "You mean when you possessed me with this bloody demon?" He slammed his palm into the middle of his chest.

  "When I made you mine in the truest form, finally, after all of this time," she corrected him.

  He was hers now? She was his Master? No, no, no. This was not going to work for him. No, not at all. For one, he highly doubted that Grace would be very understanding about him running off to another female whenever that female crooked her finger. And for two...well, he was simply too aghast to think of a second reason at the moment, but he imagined the first reason was enough in any case.

  "Yes, you see, that's not going to work for me," he told her when he could manage to make his throat work again. "I have obligations. I can't be running amok all over the Pacific Northwest every time you need someone to hold the hem of your gown up out of the mud."

  Clasping her hands behind her back, the action thrusting her full breasts out against the thin material of her gown, she walked in a tight circle around him. Her hardened nipple scraped his arm when she passed, purposefully, he was certain.

  "I think you will change your mind when you hear what I have to offer."

  "Oh, I don't know about that, poppet."

  Stopping in front of him again, she leaned into him and ran her hands lightly down his arms until she was holding his hands. "What would you say if I told you that I could give you the chance to go back and change the one thing that's haunted you for your entire immortal life?"

  He tilted his head, trying to figure out what she was about. "I don't have any regrets, Leeha. You should know me better than that by now."

  One hand reached up to caress his cheek. "You don't have to keep up that brave front for me, my love. I know you better than you think."

  She jerked back, pacing away from him. "For instance, I know that you have a collection of heads hidden in the underground of the city. And more importantly, I know why you feel the need to keep such mementos." She turned to look at him with pity in her fiery eyes. "I know that you feel that you failed your family, running away the way you did. I know that you fear that you are exactly like your father, only thinking of yourself. And as a result, you weren't there to save your mother, or your siblings."

  She paused a moment. "Am I wrong?"

  He studied her closely, not bothering to answer her.

  "Nothing to say?"

  "I don't really see the need," he told her quietly. He felt naked in front of her, all of his innermost guilt exposed for the world to see. It was not the type of intimacy he'd always imagined they'd have between them. How did she know all of this?

  "Well, let me continue then. Stop me if anything I am saying is incorrect." She smiled, knowing damned good and well that she had hit it right on the button. "You keep the heads to prove something to yourself and to those you care about. You keep them to prove that you are nothing like your father. Every one of them shows that you were there to protect those you love. That you do not only think of yourself."

  Tired of her dramatics, he waved a hand in front of his face. "What is the bloody point of all of this? Anyone who'd taken a psych class could figure that out. Don't tell me you c
alled me here just to dance around my shame."

  "No, no, my Aiden. I would never be so cruel."

  He almost snorted aloud, but caught himself just in time. She forgot that he also knows her much better than that.

  "As I said, I have something to offer you. But," she held up one finger, "I expect something in return for giving you this gift."

  He shouldn't ask. He really shouldn't. He knew better. "What gift would that be?"

  Coming so close they were nearly touching, she paused again for effect, and then exclaimed, "I can give you the chance to go back in time, my love! To save your family!"

  Aiden took a step back, putting some space between them. "What are you blathering on about?"

  She clapped her hands. "It's true! I can do this for you. You can change history. Save your mother and siblings."

  "And my father?" he asked.

  Some of the excitement left her face. "I am afraid there is nothing that can save him. He will die no matter what you do, either from illness or his own hand. It is what he deserves. I didn't think it would bother you overmuch."

  "No. Not particularly," he agreed.

  Go back in time? The female was daft! All the magic in the world wouldn't be able to accomplish such a thing.

  She had truly lost her mind. He nearly felt sorry for her.

  Out of some sense of morbid curiosity, he asked, "And what would I have to give you in return? For such a thoughtful gift?"

  She lifted her chin proudly. "You would agree to stay with me, and be my lover, as we've always been meant to be. And when needed, your demon would help me control the others so I can bring a halt to this silly uprising that is taking place against me."

  Aiden laughed out loud, and Waano seemed to join him as he drifted around inside, listening. "You are truly off your rocker this time. Leeha, I can't control this thing you've put inside of me. He comes and goes as he jolly well pleases, sometimes at the most inopportune moments, may I add."

  Her face tightened as she watched him. "You dare to laugh at me? After everything I've done for you?"

  He laughed even harder. "Done for me?" It took him a full minute to be able to speak coherently. "What, exactly, have you done for me? Well, you haven't killed me. Yet. I guess I should be grateful for that."

  She clenched her jaw. "Let me speak with Waano."

  He scratched his head. "Yes, about that. I don't think he wants to talk to you, poppet."

  Her head tilted jerkily to the side and her eyes narrowed. "Well, make him speak to me. Order him to do so."

  Did the twit not hear a single word he'd said? "As I said, I have no control of him. If I could, I would not be nearly as upset with you as I am for putting him in there."

  She whipped around and paced away again.

  He knew she didn't like what she was hearing, but there was nothing for it. As he watched her, some lingering sense of affection for her had him throwing her a bone.

  "Besides, I don't think your demons are planning to rise up against you. I think they have a wholly different agenda."

  She was back in front of him in the space of a heartbeat. "What do you mean by that?"

  He put his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "I spoke with some of them when I awoke overseas. I assume I ended up there because Waano woke up in this body he'd never wanted, and when he discovered what you'd done, he took off on you?" He didn't wait for confirmation. "I honestly have no idea what it is they are up to, but I can tell you that your name was not brought up once, other than to threaten to bring me back to you. I imagine so that you would be distracted with me and would stay out of their business."

  She looked away, and he could practically see the smoke coming out of her ears as she tried to figure out what her little pets were up to.

  "Leeha, take this demon out of me."

  She ignored him.

  You'll need to be more convincing than that, vampire.

  He took her hand, the gentle touch finally gaining her attention. He knew from experience with this one that you definitely got more flies with honey.

  "Take him out of me. He's unclean, uncooperative, and honestly he's just horridly rude. His lack of manners is taking a real toll on my delicate British sensibilities."

  Sadly, she smiled at him. "If what you say about him being uncontrollable is true, I would release you from him if I could, my love. But alas, it is not possible."

  The demon growled with displeasure inside of him.

  "What do you mean it's not possible? You put him in there, just take him out again." He smiled encouragingly.

  "I was told the magic to bring out the demons quite accidentally, but that's all. I'm sorry, but taking them out again was never an option. His soul is tied to your body, forever, even if the physical you is naught but ashes in the wind. There is no escape for him now."

  Aiden stared into the nightmare of her eyes and knew she was telling him the truth.

  That's impossible. She cannot hold me here if there is no life in this body.

  Aiden's heart froze in his chest.

  Whoa, whoa, whoa. Just hold on a minute, mate! Let's not do anything rash!

  I will not be a prisoner to this stupid woman!

  The demon's filth roiled around inside of him angrily, his wrath filling every cell of his being.

  Aiden began to shake, fear and frustration freezing him where he stood. He could do nothing to stop it as the demon took over inside of him.

  Leeha leaned forward and stared hard at his eyes. Her head twitched to the side as a self-satisfied smile turned up the corners of her red lips. "I see you in there, Waano. Come out, come out, wherever you are...." she sang.

  The demon snarled back at her.

  So, this was it then.

  This is how I am going to die.

  He wondered if Grace would mourn him.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Nikulas and Luukas had left early with the help of the wolves, worried that if they waited until nightfall, they would arrive too late to help Aiden. Traveling in a blacked-out van, they'd slept in the back while Cedric, Marc and Lucian had watched over them. Duncan drove, getting them as far into the mountains as the vehicle would take them. As soon as the sun dipped below the horizon, they'd set out on foot.

  When they arrived at the clearing, they stayed concealed, and came up along the side of the two people standing at the center. The sight before them played out like a scene from their worst nightmare.

  Nikulas heard Aiden taunting Leeha, "You're bloody insane! Who in their right mind would choose to be with you? Who would want your maker's leavings?"

  "Oh, yes," he continued when she drew back in horror. "I know exactly how you whored yourself out to him. Tell me, luv. Did his touch excite you? Were you jealous when he brought the human girls up to your room? Feeding from them? Fucking them right in front of you?"

  "Shut up!" she screamed at him.

  "No wonder everyone rejects you. You're nothing, Leeha. Nothing but a lowly, jealous whore trying desperately to be a queen. I never wanted you. I only used you to find out what I needed to know. Everyone can see through you. Everyone knows what you really are."

  Out of nowhere, her arm rose, the knife in her hand flashing in the moonlight. She brought it down in a wide arc, neatly slicing Aiden's throat.

  He smiled as blood spurted from his neck to soil the front of her gown.

  With a scream, she swung her arm back and sliced him again.

  His head tilted precariously off to the side as he dropped to his knees.

  "NOOOOOOO!!" Nikulas roared. Without a thought for his own safety he charged out into the clearing.

  "Guards!" Leeha called shrilly when she saw him coming.

  Nik arrived at his best friend's side and fell down beside him. He heard Luukas let loose a war cry, and looked up to see him in close hand to hand combat with Josiah, both of them completely vamped out. The look on his brother's face plainly spoke of the history between the two of them.

  He loo
ked past them. The disgusting creatures Josiah had brought out, the decaying monsters that had almost killed his Emma, were heading straight towards him. They hissed loudly through mouths filled with razor-sharp fangs and dripping with bloody saliva. Their emaciated arms hung past their knees, yellow claws nearly scraping the ground as they clambered towards the intruders, their uncovered organs swinging obscenely.

  Howls filled the air as the wolves transitioned from their human forms. Before the creatures could reach Nikulas and Aiden, the wolves were there. Their powerful jaws ripped off pieces of the things, flinging blood and gore every which way as they delightfully tore them apart.

  He caught Leeha's eyes as she stood motionless, looking down at what she'd done. Tears ran down her porcelain cheeks.

  While the battle raged around him, Nikulas looked down at the knife in her hand. It was silver. His fangs shot down and he threw his head back, bellowing with a rage that shook him to his core.

  Pain lanced through him and he turned his back to her, uncaring of what she may do. He waited to feel the cold blade come down against the back of his neck as he hovered over his friend, desperately searching for a sign of life.

  But it never came, so he ignored her.

  "Aiden?" he said. "Aid? You can't do this to me, man. You can't leave me. Come on!" he yelled when he didn't respond.

  Aiden lay on the grass in a puddle of his own blood. He eyes staring off into the distance.

  Nikulas growled deep in his throat and turned towards the one who had done this. Fangs flashing, his eyes glowing nearly white in his grief and anger, he attacked.

  Leeha saw him coming and slashed out with her knife, catching him across the abdomen.

  He ignored the burning pain, wrapping his hands around her throat as he tackled her to the ground.

  She choked with rage and stabbed at him crazily, catching him in the arm and shoulder, the silver weakening the muscles until that arm was nearly useless.