A Vampire's Saving Embrace

by Darlene Kuncytes

  Abby,

  You once asked me if I ever slept and I told you, rarely. This is one such occasion. Please help yourself to anything you wish. I will see you soon, my pet.

  Desmond

  “Damn,” she muttered as she plopped down in one of the chairs, angry at herself for feeling the way she was feeling.

  This man had her head spinning and she didn’t like it. She muttered a curse at herself and buried her head in her hands, trying to make sense of the last few days. It seemed as if her life was spinning completely out of control and she had absolutely no way to stop it. Yet, there was that tiny part of her brain that screamed out to her that she didn’t want it to stop. Never had she felt more alive than when Desmond held her in his arms, his mouth taking hers. She blushed at the mere thought of what she wanted to do with the gorgeous vampire and dropped her head on her folded arms. Oh, cripes – she silently cried – what had she gotten herself into?

  Marcus had discovered that the demons were planning on striking very soon - knowing that the vampire brothers were harboring their most coveted bounty. And even though Desmond’s name and reputation were common knowledge among the supernatural beings, it was being said that nothing would stop them from attempting to procure their most desired prize - and that the word getting around was that considerable wealth was being offered for the comely fey.

  Enraged, Desmond paced around the library, his body tense. “How the hell did they find out where she was?” He demanded - his hand running through his ebony hair, his jaw twitching dangerously.

  “Take it easy, Des,” Marcus urged, knowing full well what his brother’s anger could do. “We’ll worry about the how later. Right now we need to make sure that we are prepared for an attack.” Desmond turned and looked at him, his sea blue eyes now as dark as storm clouds.

  “You are right.” He conceded with a sigh, his voice tight. “I need you to let the pack know to be even more diligent. The cowards won’t strike during daylight, and I’ll need to rest to be certain that I am at my full strength.”

  Marcus nodded, knowing full well that his brother had spent the last four days and three nights at Abby’s side and that he hadn’t been feeding as he should. From what he had discovered, the demon world was pulling out all the stops to get a hold of the beautiful little fey, and they all needed to be on their guard and at their best.

  “Where will you be?” Marcus asked, a small, somewhat hopeful smile curving his mouth.

  Desmond was about to say his room, but knew that was impossible with Abby staying there. “I’ll be down below, and I suggest that you do the same after you have spoken to Luke.” With that he left the room, the electric current of his anger trailing behind in his wake.

  Chapter 5

  Abby was standing at the stove when she heard the back door open. She spun around, praying that it was Desmond - only to let out a groan of frustration when she found Lucas standing there – her entire body immediately tensing – she turned back to the stove hoping he would just leave.

  “Whatever you’re cooking, it smells damned good,” he said, walking across the room to look over her shoulder.

  “It’s nothing spectacular,” she replied coolly, wishing she knew where Desmond - or even Marcus were, and turned to face him once more, “just chicken and rice with some vegetables.” She narrowed her eyes at him, her mouth set in a tight line – uncomfortable with the mere animal aura he emitted.

  She couldn’t help but feel as if he was just a hairsbreadth away from pouncing on her and ripping her to shreds. She shivered at the thought and watched him warily.

  “Listen, Abby,” Luke said - his lips twisting up into a seemingly apologetic smile. “I know when we first met, I behaved like a complete and total ass.”

  More like a dog in heat, she thought miserably, chewing on her bottom lip as that damn musky scent of his filled the room once again, and she found herself wanting desperately to run and find Desmond.

  “Well, I just wanted to say that I’m really very sorry. I just love pushing Des’s buttons, and I just can’t seem to help myself,” he said with a guilty shrug. “It’s not that often that I get to do it. I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that the guy is about as close to perfect as you can get.” He said the last without a hint of envy -it was from a deep and cherished friendship that Abby couldn’t help but admire, and she felt herself warming up to him a bit. Someone who held a friendship in such high regard couldn’t be all bad – could he? “I really am sorry. I know I went a bit too far – but once I get started, it’s just really hard to stop. “

  She eyed him suspiciously a moment before deciding that he did sound sincere, and there was no mistaking the warmth in his eyes when he spoke of Desmond. “All right,” she finally conceded, “apology accepted.” She took a breath and tried to smile. “Would you care to join me for dinner? It’s ready, and I’m afraid that I’ve made enough to feed a small army.”

  “That is the best offer I’ve gotten in a very long time,” he said, strolling over to the table and sitting down - stretching his long legs out in front of him. “And believe me princess,” he said with a grin. “I could probably eat enough for an army – so consider yourself duly warned.” She made them each a plate and sat down across from him, pouring iced tea. He scooped up a mouthful and groaned, his eyes sparkling happily.

  “Damn – you’re not only drop dead gorgeous - but you can cook,” he said, smiling in appreciation. “There’s not a single member of my pack that can even boil water,” he laughed between mouthfuls and Abby found herself smiling in spite of herself. “Even most of the mates suck at it.” He finished with a rolling of his eyes.

  “Mates?”

  Luke gave her a lopsided grin, his mouth full and nodded. “Wolves mate for life,” he explained, shrugging his shoulders. “Same as bloodsuckers.” He said it with such nonchalance that her mouth fell open.

  Vampires found mates? For life? Just what in the hell could that mean to someone who lived forever? Abby felt a rush of something course through her body and tried to ignore it - but she was finding it impossible- especially after the kiss they had shared. She unconsciously placed her finger against her lips, shivering at the memory of his hot, perfect mouth pressed firmly against hers - his tongue exploring hers with need and desire – the feel of him pressing against her core.

  Desmond’s very presence stirred something in her that she had never experienced before – a longing that was totally foreign to her and her body tingled – causing her to shiver.

  “A few of the guys have found their mates,” he went on – his tone matter of fact, “I, on the other hand have been much more selective.”

  “Are your mates…are they all were… um, wolves too?” She asked, trying desperately to curb her wayward thoughts.

  “Not always,” he gave her a sly wink as if he knew something of great importance. “It just depends. When we meet our mate, we just kind of know. It’s really hard to explain. It’s just a feeling. Although,” he said - laughing good-naturedly. “If this is any indication as to what your culinary skills are - I might just throw caution to the wind and claim you myself - and face the consequences.” He gave her a grin before shoving yet another forkful of chicken into his mouth. “And you don’t have to worry about offending me,” he said with a knowing wink. “We are werewolves – plain and simple. No need to be pc around here.”

  Abby blushed and graced him with an embarrassed smile as she pushed her food around on her plate. She couldn’t help but wonder if what he was saying was the same for vampires. Did a vampire just know when they met their mate? Had Desmond met his? Although the only other person she had ever seen in the house was Marcus, it didn’t mean he didn’t have one somewhere. She bit back the thought and took a sip of her tea – not liking the sinking feeling in her gut that it caused. The vampire was two hundred and fifty years old for God’s sake – and gorgeous. Of course he would have to have met someone by now.

  She had no business wondering wh
at she was wondering. But in typical Abby fashion, the questions just came flying out. “Has Desmond found his mate?”

  Luke burst out laughing, his eyes studying her face. “Are you kidding me?” he sputtered. “The difference with Vamp’s is that not many of them do mate. Eternity is a hell of a long time to be with someone, so they have to be very certain of it. It’s not like there’s a Vampire divorce court or anything –and eternity is a hell of a long time to spend with someone you suddenly decide you can’t stand,” he said with a slight laugh. “They have to be one hundred percent sure. Wolves are different. We live much longer than normal humans, but not forever and we have the deep need to…” he paused, he face turning slightly red, “breed,” he finished - an embarrassed smile crossing his face. “But when a bloodsucker finds their mate, there is nothing that they wouldn’t do for them. It’s some really serious shit. Not that wolves don’t protect their mates, mind you, we would defend our mates with our lives– but with vamps it’s…a bit more…” he paused, seemingly searching for the right word, “intense. From what Marcus has told me it’s like this crazy bond that grows and grows until they are like one. Besides,” he said, shaking his head, “Des has lived like a monk ever since your father was killed.”

  Abby’s mouth dropped open - her breath catching in her throat. “He knew my father?” she choked out, her eyes as wide as saucers. She had just assumed that Desmond had heard of her father – not have actually known him.

  “Sure,” he said, taking another bite of chicken, “didn’t he tell you?”

  “No, he didn’t.” She shook her head in disbelief, trying to swallow this little morsel of information. “How did he know my… father?” Again, the word stuck in her throat like a foreign object. But, then again, she had never met the man, so therefore it was hard to think of her ever having had a father. A dad had just been a fleeting wish she had harbored when she was young – only to be replaced by hard reality. You are better off alone, her mind whispered.

  Luke hesitated, wondering if he was overstepping his bounds. Desmond was a very serious, private man and it had taken him a very long time to gain his trust enough to learn about his past. He didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize the bond the two men had built. After only a moment’s deliberation, he decided that he really liked the beautiful woman sitting across from him and she deserved to know the truth - especially since it was her life that was being held in the balance.

  “Abby, your father was obsessed with ridding the world of demons. He wanted to create a kind of utopia within the supernatural realm. You know, all us supernatural beings living in harmony and all that. It was his obsession, and Des shared that passion with him, as you can see by my being here at all.” When she looked at him questioningly, he gave her a warm smile. “By rights – Weres and Vamps are sworn enemies,” he explained. “But Des never felt that hatred for my kind. He showed us only compassion and friendship. He stood by your father’s side for a lot of years trying to rid it of the evil bastards that insisted that we should all hate and destroy each other. He was your father’s soldier, or assassin – or whatever you want to call it.” He shrugged again. “In a way, I kind of feel that Des thought he was paying some kind of…penance for the lives he had taken when he first became a vampire. The idea of taking a human life ate away at him.” He reached across the table and laid his hand on top of hers. “You have to understand that right after he was turned, there was no other choice. It was a different time. But Des was strong, and he learned very quickly how to control it. Marcus told me that he was determined not to become what he considered a monster.” He shook his head and sighed, awe clearly written across his features. “When your father approached him requesting his help, Des jumped at the chance and he served your father faithfully for a long time – but when he was killed, Des took it hard. He is too honorable a man to accept what he considers defeat. He blamed himself because he wasn’t there to protect him and it became his own personal quest to find and kill the slime that killed your father – to avenge him.” Luke caught and held her gaze, his expression serious. “Des is the noblest man that I have ever known, and he could never let something like that go.”

  “And did he?” she asked, her heart pounding in her chest with such force that she feared it would explode. Her palms felt sweaty and she wiped them on her jeans as a chill ran up her spine.

  Luke stood up and walked over to the stove with his plate. Pointing at the pan, he smiled sheepishly, “Mind if I have some more? I did warn you, you know.”

  “Of course,” she replied. He filled his plate and sat back down. “You didn’t answer me,” she prodded softly, “did he kill the demon that killed my… father?”

  “Hell yes, he did!” He eyed her critically a moment. “Abby, in time you’ll learn that when Des sets his mind on something, neither Heaven or Hell will stop him. He hunted that bastard down and took care of him – but from what I understand, it almost killed him. This was the mother of all demons – and damned powerful from what I understand. Marcus said he came back here near death, and afterward, he just kind of shut himself off from everyone - well, at least until recently.” He gave her a strange smile and shoved another forkful of food into his mouth, groaning appreciatively. “Damn, I think I have actually died and gone to chicken heaven,” he said with a laugh and shoved yet another forkful into his mouth.

  She watched him in silence as he finished eating - her mind a whirlwind of a million different thoughts and questions fluttering around. “How did you meet him?” she finally asked – thinking it was best to try and stay on safer subjects – not ones that made her pulse race and breathing accelerate. She was learning more and more about Desmond- and it only caused that gnawing ache in her to grow. She needed to nip all that in the bud. She could not let the feelings that were creeping up on her take control – she just couldn’t!

  “Well, that’s a whole other story,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “When I first found out what I was, I was…” he hesitated, searching for the right words. “Well, I was reckless, and a complete asshole - and royally pissed off, you could say. I did a lot of really stupid things and pissed off a lot of unsavory characters.”

  He laughed at the memory. “I was out one night at a club frequented by, shall we say, the scum of the earth and I was hell-bent on kicking some ass. I was mad as hell at the world and needed to vent my anger and figured taking out some demon scum would do it. Unfortunately, I was cornered by a few more demons than I could handle and was about to have a blade shoved through my heart when Des showed up. That man of yours saved my sorry ass. I owe him my life.”

  Abby’s mouth fell open at his words: That man of yours? She quickly shoved the thought aside. Things were finally beginning to make sense to her. Desmond felt a responsibility towards her. If he had been that close to her father, why wouldn’t he feel obligated to protect his only child - the last of a Royal bloodline. It was some sort of warped sense of duty – a vampire with a conscience and a need to pay for wrongs he believed he had committed in the past! The thought was completely sobering. It was his honor and sense of duty that drove him and not that he had any feelings for her. And hadn’t Luke said he was noble! Holy Hell!

  “Listen,” Luke said, standing up and taking his plate to the sink, “I’ve been here far too long and have probably said way, way too much. Besides, I need to be making the rounds and making sure everyone is where they should be if there is going to be an attack.”

  “An attack?” She breathed - her body instantly stiffening. Just where in the hell was Desmond?

  Luke walked over to where she sat and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Marcus heard from a very good source that the demons know you’re here and are planning to strike soon, so Des doesn’t want to take any chances once night falls. Those cowards will only attack in the dark - so we are all patrolling the grounds with extra effort. We plan to be prepared.”

  “Is that where Desmond is now?” She asked- her voice laced with pani
c.

  “No, I would guess he and Marcus are below the house in their lairs - resting.” He flashed her a wicked grin - patting her shoulder reassuringly. “Des has been…let’s just say that he’s been a bit pre-occupied the last few days and needs to rest to be at peak form. Not that he couldn’t kick ass completely sleep deprived, mind you - but he doesn’t want to take any chances with your safety.” With that he leaned down and placed a light kiss against her cheek. “Don’t worry Abby, you are safer here than you would be anywhere else. Believe me when I say, Des won’t let anything happen to you - and neither will I.”

  “Thank you, Luke,” she murmured, a wave of emotion washing over her. For all of his faults, this man was willing to stand up beside Desmond to protect her. Why? She couldn’t guess, but this feeling of being looked out for and taken care of was like a soothing embrace that she had never experienced before.

  She really had no family – but now…she pushed the thought aside, not wanting to go down that road. It would be much too easy to get close to these people and consider them family – and that was just not acceptable.

  Luke stood and went to the door, looking back at her with a smile. “Thank you for allowing me to have dinner with you,” he said, his tone soft and sincere. “It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed myself so much. ” With that he gave her a nod and left, leaving Abby to ponder everything he had told her.

  She quickly cleaned up the kitchen and headed back upstairs - fighting the powerful urge to instead head down and seek out the man who lay below - the only man who could instantly calm her with just his presence.

  Abby stood at the large bedroom window - staring out at the fading sun - her thoughts in turmoil. Why hadn’t Desmond told her that he knew her father? Not only knew him - but had stood beside him for years fighting demons! And when Luke had said that Desmond had almost died… she shivered at the thought and wrapped her arms tightly around herself to ward off the chill the very idea brought to her. To picture him fighting against the vile creatures caused her blood to run cold. The black eyes and smell of what she could only describe as death about them – and she shivered again. My God, she wondered -how long had he known her father? And what had being his assassin actually entailed?