by M. L. Briers
She needed it to ease just enough to be able to slip her wrists free, but not enough that he was back in control.
“With me,” Connor grunted out…
“I’m guessing that was fate’s plan. Who am I to challenge fate? Although, right now, you’re not looking like an appealing choice,” she pulled at her wrists and cursed at the pain of not being able to break free.
“Take my blood and I’ll turn you,” Connor’s eyes fired with the idea of having her forever. His brain locked onto it, held it as tightly as he wanted to hold her…
“Tempting.” She sorted her contempt for that answer to her troubles. “But… not right now.” She winced as she tugged at her wrists once more, a slight give, but not freedom, not yet.
“Take my blood and let me feed…” he growled out, sounding more wolf than vampire…
“Not happening, even if I have to stake you to this damn floor myself and wait for your bloodlust to end…” She felt his body move beneath hers, just a twitch, but it fired that need to be free inside of her and she wrenched at her hands and cried out at the pain in her wrist…
“Stop trying to be free of me,” Connor grunted, trying to move, to break free from her bonds… her pain felt like his pain… a stab of guilt, a shot of remorse, and he knew that he was coming out of his own needs and tried to focus on hers.
“Stop trying to eat me then,” she shot back. Feeling his body move again and toying with the idea of locking him back up, and yet she was so close to gaining her freedom, she could feel his grip loosening…
“Victoria…” Connor shook his head. Her scent was all around him, need clawed inside of him…
“Not happening, vampy…” she dug her knees downwards and wrenched hard against his hold…
She felt it suddenly give, felt her wrists break free, and she toppled backwards down his legs, her backside slipping down onto the floor as she gasped a breath and prepared to push up…
But it was too late… Connor’s upper body came upwards like a vampire rising from his coffin in one of those old black and white movies, and she raised her hands, gathered her magic, but his arms were already locking around her waist and hauling her off the floor and onto his lap…
“Connor, don’t make me hurt you…” she rushed out, trying to push off of his chest, trying to scramble back away from him…
~
CHAPTER TEN
~
“Stop, I’ve got this, don’t move, don’t breathe, don’t…” Connor was panting like a wild thing, trying to still the bloodlust inside of him, trying to get a grip on the urge to yank her head back on her neck and feast from her…
He had this, didn’t he?
Connor’s hand fisted her hair once more and he slowly dragged her head back, exposing her neck to his gaze. The hard beat of her pulse was mesmerising him. The sound of her heart pumping her blood through her veins was all that he could hear, and the scent of her around him was intoxicating…
Just a little… just a taste of her and I’ll be done, satisfied…
No, the need to feed is too great, her pull is too strong…
I don’t have this…
Damn it, I don’t have control…
Through the sound of the rushing of her blood in his ears and the pounding of her heart; he could hear her voice calling to his very soul…
“Connor, fight it,” she knew that she still had the chance to hit him once more with her magic, but she wanted him to want not to hurt her…
She wanted to trust him… to know that he wasn’t Vane…
“You smell so damn good,” Connor breathed out. Slowly; he dipped his head towards her neck… breathed her in…
“Connor, I’m your mate…” she offered back, and felt his cheek brush against hers, still, and felt his breath against her skin…
“Just a taste…” he offered back to her.
“You’re not Vane, promise me that you’re not Vane…” she whispered and his ears strained to catch her words. “Don’t be Vane, don’t hurt me, please.” She begged.
It was as if she’d thrown a switch and the lights came back on within him. His mind raced. His body locked up, and his heart ached for her…
“I’m not Vane,” He denied in a rush, easing on the pull of her hair until he was able to unclench his fist. His palm fanned out against the back of her head, and he closed his eyes and pushed back on his needs… “I’m not him.” He whispered against her ear…
“Connor?”
“I’m sorry. I’ve got this. I’m sorry, so damn sorry…” Connor breathed out, over and over, and felt her body melt against his as he wrapped her inside of his arms and held her, gently, so damn gently to him that he could feel every ounce of tension leave her body.
“I’m back. I won’t hurt you. I won’t feed…” He felt the shame run through his veins like the blood that he’d wanted to take from hers.
“Asshole,” she whispered and Connor closed his eyes and savoured the feel of her within his arms.
“Yes, I am.” He agreed and she gave a small chuckle.
“Big one.”
“The biggest.” Connor agreed. “Forgive me.”
“The moment you sign the title to the castle over to me…” she chuckled and he snorted.
“Vulture. But… done.” He offered back.
“You killed Vane for me.” She tried to pull back, wanted to see his face, but he was reluctant to look in her eyes for fear of what he might find there.
“I’ll slay all of your demons if you let me,” Connor let her ease back. His eyes met hers and he breathed easier. There was no trace of fear, disgust, anger, or anything else distasteful towards him within her eyes as she gaze back at him.
“I’ll make a list,” she teased and his eyes narrowed, his head tilted to one side as he took her in, unsure if she was joking or not.
“I’ll… get right on it.” He offered back and she grinned, a big wide grin that shone in her eyes.
“I think there are other things to be getting on with first.”
“Like…?” He hoped…
“Decorating this dungeon if I’m going to be living here,” she informed him and he frowned hard.
“Décor…?” He groaned. “I like my things.”
“And you’ll learn to like new things…” she brightened even more.
“When you say new?”
“M-o-d-e-r-n.”
He groaned again.
“Junk then.”
“Everything was modern once.” She offered back. “Even your old stuff-”
“Antiques,” he offered with a small sneer.
“Frumpy old stuff,” she shrugged and he scowled.
“Can I at least have a room for my… old stuff?”
“Take a wing, I’m not greedy.” She bit down on a snigger when he raised just one eyebrow back at her.
“Gee, thanks.” He grunted. “And about what just happened-”
“You mean the whole – you tried to kill me by bleeding me dry with your bloodlust thing?” She gave him an innocent look.
“Yes. That.” His voice was dry.
“Stuff happens,” she shrugged.
“You’re very forgiving for a-” He had suspicion in his eyes.
“Witch?”
“Woman.”
Vicky grinned then. Connor groaned, sensing there was more.
“That bedroom…” she started and Connor shook his head.
“The magic stays.”
“I’m thinking no,” she offered back.
“I’m thinking yes, it will protect us both-”
“And if you get that bloodlust back one night and decide to drain me of every last drop of my blood?” She looked innocently shocked, and he was positively certain that she wasn’t.
“Fine.” He grumbled. “The magic goes…” he said on a sigh as he rolled his eyes.
“You’re easy to manipulate, I like that.” She chuckled.
“You’re my mate, whom I nearly killed,
I will give you almost anything you want.” He gave her a small smirk.
“Almost?”
“The magic stays until we’ve bonded,” he gave a small shrug. “I want you at my complete and total mercy…” His eyes flared with mischief.
“That’s not it.” She shook her head and eyed him right back. His eyes narrowed, just a little, but there was something there…
“I…” his eyes rolled back in his head and he sighed. “Need for you to trust me. Totally. Completely. To know that I won’t hurt you, and if you’re panicking and zapping me…” he let that roll away.
“I’m not going to panic,” she assured him. “Although I might zap you if I think you’re slacking on the job.” She teased with mischief in her eyes and a wide grin pulling back her lips.
“No magic until we bond.” He shook his head and heard her sigh.
“Fine.” She shrugged again.
“Good.” He pushed up, taking her with him, and her legs wrapped around his hips. He turned them back towards his bedroom.
“Not… so fast.” She slapped her hands down on his shoulders and he pursed his lips.
“It was worth a try.”
~
~
~
“He told you that?” Vicky couldn’t believe it. Didn’t want too.
She’d led Vane away from Natalie on a wild goose chase the moment that the witch had left town. She’d put her on the damn bus herself. She couldn’t believe that all of what they had gone through was for nothing.
Connor handed her the refill in her glass just in time. She put the cut crystal to her lips and didn’t even feel the fire of the Scotch touch her tongue as it shot down the back of her throat and burned a path inside of her chest.
“I really didn’t want to be the messenger on this one, but I felt you needed to know.” Connor took the glass from her hand and she nodded.
“I need to post a message on the pretty – my – kitty website,” she pushed up to her feet and absently looked around her for the laptop that she didn’t have.
Connor stalked towards a large coffee table in front of the couch and reached for the low shelf beneath, taking out a laptop, putting it down on the table and opening it.
“I don’t think I want to know what that website is.” He offered with a small shake of his head.
“It’s a nothing site for cat lovers, but we needed somewhere to contact each other where Vane wouldn’t look.” She joined him, dropping down onto the couch and waiting for him to bring the machine to life…
“Cat lovers of the world unite,” he teased and she frowned hard as she watched his fingers work over the keys.
“Your passwords is; always a bridesmaid?” She shot him a quizzical look.
“It’s… never mind.” Connor winced.
“Go on,” she urged and heard him sigh.
“Everyone has been finding their mates lately-”
“Ha!” She shot him a look of pure amusement.
“Don’t tell Justice,” Connor shook his head.
“That’s Morgan’s alpha wolf, right?”
“Yeah,” Connor looked a little guilty mixed with a lot of cagey, and some downright embarrassment.
“What’s it worth?” She raised her eyebrows at him and he yanked back his head and shot her a look of pure disbelief.
“You really are mercenary,” he chuckled.
“Better believe it, sucker…” she snorted a chuckled. “Ha! Sucker… no pun intended, but I’ll take the points for it anyway.”
He turned the laptop with one hand and snorted.
“Go to your pussy site,” he grumbled, stalking away.
~
CHAPTER ELEVEN
~
Vicky went straight to the site and tapped in her password. There were no new postings in the thread that she had started, and her shoulders dropped. She closed her eyes for one long moment as regret washed through her, and then she grunted in annoyance and leaned over the keys to tap a new posting anyway.
R.I.P Vane. He was a mean and vicious old cat, and it’s true that he lived longer than he should have, but now he is gone, I buried him myself. ISNIP…
“What’s isnip?” She jumped in place. Connor was behind her looking over her shoulder and she hadn’t even noticed him move.
“Geez, I can see what Morgan meant about you looking over her damn shoulder, don’t you know how rude that is?” She shot a glare up at him.
“Yes,” Connor grinned back and watched as she questioned him, looking for some sort of explanation or apology. None came. “What’s isnip?”
“It’s – safe – now – I – promise.” She shrugged. “I told her that would be how she would know that it was from me. We had two codes. S – l – s – s, stay – low – stay – safe, and this one for if Vane… died-”
“You intended to kill him?” Connor asked and she shrugged her shoulders.
“I was hopeful, but it would have been a – last stand – Hail Mary, sort of a thing-”
Connor grunted in annoyance. He didn’t like the sound of that.
If she’d gone up against Vane alone, considering that the man wasn’t alone, then she probably would have died.
“Any nibbles?” he motioned towards the laptop and she shook her head.
“This site is moderated sometimes, and I have to wait for her to log in too.”
“Vicky, she could be-”
“I know, don’t say it again.” She shook her head. She didn’t want to think on it. She didn’t want to believe that Natalie hadn’t made it out of Vane’s clutches. “Let’s just leave the damn thing on any see what happens.”
~
~
~
Connor had made something to eat for them. It was just a sandwich, but he’d practically stood over her while she’d eat most of it.
Her eyes kept flicking to the laptop. At one point; when she’d updated the page and her post had appeared from moderation, she caught her breathe, her heart leapt inside of her, but then she’d realised that it was just her post and not a reply and he’d felt her disappointment.
They sat together like bookends at either end of the couch, talking about everything from the mundane to their childhoods, and he watched and waited as the adrenalin that had been pumping through her body since before he had met her slowly started to ebb away, and she started to truly relax.
Then he cheated – using the most melodic tones that he could muster to sooth her further – he’d told her a long, drawn out story of his history with the pack, and watched her battle to keep her eyes open.
When she’d finally fallen asleep, he’d watched her for a while longer, just taking her in – a mate – his mate – asleep on his couch, in his castle, safe and sound. His to keep for as long as she would have him.
Connor didn’t think that he’d ever tire of watching her sleep, but she was human, and she wasn’t as comfortable all squished up as she would be in his bed. He rose and gently brought her into his arms, cradled her carefully as he walked her upstairs to his bedroom and placed her down in the middle of his bed…
She mewed in her sleep, and he wondered if she was protesting the loss of her magic, but when she didn’t wake, he crawled onto the bed with her and brought her back into the safety of his arms.
~
~
~
“You absolute asshole!”
“And a good morning to you too.” Corner chuckled at the sound of the first words out of her mouth when she’d woken, still in his arms, some six hours later.
He’d been more than happy to count each and every moment with her.
“You brought me to the one damn place where I don’t have my magic.” She groaned, trying to turn and push away from him.
“I brought you to our bedroom,” he teased, and she shot a scowl up at him.
“Not yet it’s not.” She snorted back.
“Just because we haven’t mated yet, doesn’t mean it’s not our bedroom.” He offered ba
ck and she grumbled out something that he couldn’t hear.
“Did you check the message board?” she demanded and Connor winced. “You didn’t check?”
“I’ll do it now.” Connor offered, allowing her to push back out of his arms before he climbed out of the bed.
“I’ll do it,” she started for the door, but he made it there first.
“Don’t make me lock you in,” he teased and watched as her hands went to her hips.
“Lock me in?” She scoffed. “You try that again and the next time I get my magic back you’ll be waiting to poop so you can collect your fangs and poke them back in your damn gums.” She hissed.
“My, have you ever considered a career in poetry? You have a lovely turn of phrase and a way of vividly describing thing.” He offered and she snorted her contempt for him.
“Get out of my way,” she hissed as she dropped her hands to her sides and went to sidestep him.
“Now – now, let’s not make this all about you,” he held up his finger as he stepped into her path and heard her groan.
“I will not be responsible for my actions if you insist on annoying me.” Vicky waved an absent hand in the air, and he snatched it up, brought it to his lips, and planted a small kiss against her knuckles.
His head was down and he regarded her from beneath those dark eyebrows as the trimmed beard on his face brushed against her skin and made her shiver. Then he gave her something of a wickedly – sexy grin, and pulled back up to his normal height.
“Shower while I check, and I’ll make breakfast and bring it to you,” he offered and she scowled some more.
“You like feeding people,” she narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
“I like feeding from people,” he teased, holding up that finger once more and she rolled her eyes, “and you need to keep up your energy levels.”
“So you can feed?” She demanded and he added a wickedly – sexy chuckle to his arsenal.