9781936653027BorntobeWildArsuaga

by Cynthia Arsuaga

  “Okay, I see I may never win an argument with you.”

  “Probably not.”

  “Yeah, my brother and I learned a long time ago, not to argue with her, and we’re older and bigger.” Jordan laughed, softly.

  “I don’t like the idea. It could be dangerous. If Alina was murdered because she stumbled onto something, you could meet with the same fate by walking into a trap and not know it,” Johnson said.

  “I’d have you Johnson. We don’t need much proof, either a virus sample or documentation showing SGM is perpetrating this. The outcry from the general public will take over and all will be safe in the world again. Case closed.”

  “It’s not that simple Alex,” Martin said. “Wish it were. It’s going to take more than finding evidence. We have to convince everyone up the chain of command all the way to the President all the while keeping the public calm. We can’t have rioting in the streets. This literally could turn into a blood bath if we’re not careful.”

  “Alex, you sure you want to do this. They’re right. This could be dangerous,” Jordan said.

  “I’ll be fine. The trick is to get hired. The rest should be a piece of cake.”

  “Okay, I’ll try and set it up when I go in. I’ll get you an interview today, if I can without raising suspicion. We have a couple of hours to get you prepped,” Johnson said.

  “Prepped? For what?”

  “Mind blocking techniques, new identity, background check, everything you need to know to work at SGM and stay alive.”

  “Alex, I want you to know what we’re allowing you to do is to be kept quiet. This is unorthodox for the Bureau to allow private citizens to assist in a covert operation, especially an unauthorized operation, so if you get into trouble, I can’t guarantee we will be able to help you or even acknowledge you’re with us. I’m allowing this only because of my friendship with your parents and I know I probably couldn’t stop you. You have the same fiery spirit I remember your mother had at your age. She was a little spitfire,” Martin said, grinning and reliving a fond memory by the glint in his eyes.

  Alex gave him her steely, serious look. “I understand and appreciate your comments. My parents trained me well. I’ll stay out of trouble so you won’t have to worry.” She turned her attention to Johnson. “Besides, Johnson here will have my back, right?”

  “If I have to, but you better not do anything stupid like Alina did. I’ve worked hard on this case and I’m not letting a bounty hunter ruin it.”

  Rising from the chair, she closed the distance between them. “Bring it on, pretty boy. I can take you blindfolded and one hand tied behind my back.”

  “We’ll see how tough you are after I screen you.” He leaned into her, within inches, the heat between their bodies radiating into the air around them. His eyes deepened into an icy sapphire blue.

  “Lead the way.”

  “You know, maybe this isn’t such a good idea,” Jordan interjected.

  “Shut up Jordy, pretty boy here has to test his manhood by putting me in my place.”

  “All right, you two, call a truce. Alex, Jordan do you mind waiting outside? I’d like to speak with Agent Johnson privately.”

  They nodded and left the office.

  “Johnson, what the fuck has gotten into you? I’d expect this out of Palmer, but you?”

  “I…I don’t know. That woman gets under my skin. There’s something about her. I instantly felt, like, I don’t know what it was…annoyed, maybe.”

  “Hmm…more like aroused, intoxicated, and stimulated. I was like that with her mother. Katie Carlton could walk into a room and have me so fired up with passion in my head as well as between my legs I couldn’t concentrate. Darn near got myself killed one night not paying attention to what I was doing. So, son I know what the little red-haired spitfire is doing to you.”

  “What happened with you and…?”

  “Nothing. She was married to my friend. We both knew it couldn’t work and wasn’t right. I asked for a transfer and got it. I met my wife shortly after transferring and she helped me take my mind off Katie. You’ll get over it. Women like Katie and Alex are too wild for men like us, Johnson. They need men who can tame their wild side. We’re too by the book. We’re tempted, we want to taste it, but we can’t maintain the pace.”

  Johnson stood blinking at his boss. He never knew this about him. Probably too much information really, but Martin didn’t treat him with disdain, he actually related to him. That’s what it was, why he rode him so hard about his work, he reminded him of himself when he was that age. Hmm, who knew? “Thanks for the insight boss. I’ll think about what you’ve said.” He turned to leave.

  “Johnson,” Martin called out. Johnson stopped in the doorway. “You don’t have to like this assignment, but you are one of my best agents. You’ll do anything to get the bad vamp. But, don’t jeopardize Alex to get what you want. Look out for her.” He paused and made eye contact with Johnson. “Don’t disappoint me, or I’ll have your ass.”

  Johnson gave Martin a slight nod, and exited the office. He would get Alina’s killer and the rogue vamp with the virus. He didn’t like how he had to do it, working with the hell-on-wheels, red-head, but he’d get the job done.

  * * * *

  “You know I still don’t understand why I need a new identity. No one at SGM knows me as Alexandra Carlton.”

  “It’s for the protection of you and your family. It minimizes your chances of being caught, but if you are, your family will remain safe.” Johnson explained, handing her paperwork.

  “Alyson Lansing. Really? And with a ‘y’, but of course. Who came up with this name for me? They could have asked for my opinion at least.”

  “I think it suits you, Aly, with a ‘y’.” Jordan teased.

  “Aly? You used to call me that when I was a little girl.”

  “I know, sis.”

  “Okay Alyson Lansing it is. Now what’s next, Johnson?”

  Johnson snickered. “We don’t have much time left before I have to leave. Meet me for dinner around six-thirty.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “So I can show you Human Resources where you put in your application. You can be in and out before any of the vamps show up.”

  “There are vamps working at SGM? Doing what, trying to figure out a cure for their vampirism?” she asked, snickering.

  “Now that’s funny. Most of the vamps I’ve run into like being vamps. I don’t think they would want to be cured if there were a way to reverse the process. The vamps at SGM I’ve noticed work as bodyguards on the executive level and a few at the top-level lab. There aren’t many, but you know who they are. They try to probe your mind.”

  “Well how fun is this going to be? My skills are rudimentary at best. Are you sure I’ll be safe until you can work with me on the mind-block techniques?”

  “Stay close to me and you’ll be fine.”

  “Yeah, since you let Stefan seduce you so easily. I’m not letting you in there at night without mind protection,” Jordan said.

  “Stefan? You’ve been with a vamp?” Johnson asked.

  Alex glared at Jordan. “How do you think I found out about SGM? He used me, I used him. Mutual exchange of information can be beneficial between consenting adults.”

  “Mutual exchange? Alex, you did a blood exchange? That means you’re bonded. He can track you. I still think this is a bad idea,” Johnson said.

  Alex’s porcelain white skin blushed to a soft shade of red. It never occurred to her that the relationship with Stefan might become a topic of conversation with strangers. For that matter, she never even expected to discuss the relationship with people she did know. Her feelings for him crept up on her and before she knew it, landed a direct hit on her heart, knocking her off-balance. Leaving Virginia was imperative. Tracking Ecaterina was only an excuse, but a damn good one. The idea of falling for a man in such a short period of time, much less a vamp, still left her muddled and confused. Bounty hunters didn’t fall f
or vamps; they hunted them, staked and destroyed them. “No matter what you say, I’m doing this. Can we change the subject?”

  “Stubborn little brat. There’s nothing I can say to talk you out of this, is there?” Jordan asked.

  “No.”

  “I have to get to work. Pleasure meeting you Jordan.” Johnson turned his attention to Alex. “I’ll meet you in the lobby of SGM at six-thirty.”

  Chapter 16

  The metal clicking of the door latch woke Stefan from his nightmarish twilight sleep. How long had it been since he was locked in the brightly lit chamber? Surely no more than one night, maybe two, or even three. He lost track. His hunger was strong, yanking at his innards, the pain almost intolerable. The psycho bitch will pay.

  Upon arriving in Miami, Stefan became shackled again and ushered into a waiting limousine with Ecaterina, Gerry, and another male vampire. The pain from the silver-coated restraints ate into his flesh, blistering his wrists yet again. Fighting against the confinement would have caused more pain so he succumbed to Ecaterina and her minions. Common sense told him he needed to bide his time until the opportunity arose to fight. Now was not the time.

  They’d arrived a few hours before sunrise, to a large complex comprised of two glass and concrete buildings, twenty stories tall with a central atrium entrance between them.

  After clearing security at the rear entrance, the entourage passed down the long sterile white corridors on the lower floors of the south building. Soft lights illuminated overhead. As they approached a door marked 1407, he knew they reached the destination. The pace slowed and stopped in front of the door.

  Stefan’s menacing gaze ran over Ecaterina slowly, inch by inch. He didn’t miss anything and he lingered on her face. His emotionless eyes met her imperious ones. “I thought you wanted my help? Why are you holding me? These walls can’t restrain me Ecaterina.” His voice blared with fire and hate.

  “I don’t think I like you very much Stefan,” she said, sizing him up the same way he had appraised her. “You used to enjoy the rough play and killing. Now I have to use force to convince you to play.” She motioned for the guards. “We’ll see how arrogant you are after a few days without feeding.” Her words were harsh.

  The shackles were removed.

  He surveyed the room. A single mattress cot rested against one wall, a wash basin and toilet on another, and a table and chair off-center of the room comprised the entire room’s furnishings. The walls were silver, including the ceiling, the floor carpeted. His heart slammed hard in his chest.

  “Ah, you see. There is no escape Stefan. The walls are reinforced and sound-proofed. After a few days deprived of blood and sleep, you will come to do Emil’s bidding.” Turning on her heels to depart, she stopped at the door. “And I told you, my name is Cat! I don’t want to tell you again. Address me as anything else and you will be punished.”

  Those were the last words he heard her speak days ago. Time ceased to exist inside the four walls. The lights in the room remained lit with no way to shut them off so couldn’t gauge how long he’d been confined. He forced himself to sleep, but it was fitful. The hunger raged within with the insatiable desire to sink his fangs into flesh overpowered his senses. His brain was aware of the torture his captors put on him, but his body didn’t care. It wanted satisfaction.

  His mind raced with thoughts of Alexandra. They parted under less than ideal circumstances. As the hours and days passed, he yearned for her, for her body, for her blood. His entire being remembered the sweet smell and taste of her. Pain pierced throughout his gums, his fangs ached when they strained to push through for release. The raw need for blood wrenched in his gut. He grew weak, and spent most of his time lying on the cot doubled over in a fetal position. After a period of time, he put up a mental block to prevent Alexandra from hearing any of his anguish because he was unable to control his pain and emotions. Once they had a blood exchange, he had the ability to communicate with her mentally and in his weakened state, the pain might transfer to her.

  Stefan’s thinking clouded as the hours passed and the hunger grew, gnawing endlessly at his gut. He screamed expletives in his native language when his fangs elongated after he rested. He was losing the battle to suppress the surging fire coursing through his veins and had to bite something, anything. Nothing in the room except the pillow and mattress were soft, except for his flesh. He rolled up his sleeve and sank his fangs into his forearm, drawing blood. He drank, relieving the cramping pain briefly. Clarity of thought returned, but was short-lived, buying a few hours of sleep.

  The second clicking of the metal broke through his hunger daze. Was he going insane, hearing noises now? A thud broke the silence in the room. His thoughts were, if this was the psycho bitch walking through the door, he would muster all his remaining strength and attack her. Dying in the process would put him out of his miserable existence if nothing else. His only regret would be not seeing Alexandra one more time.

  He rolled on his side and lifted heavy eyelids. The scent of human blood wafted through the air flaring his nostrils before his eyes focused clearly on the figure slumped on the floor. His primal instincts took over. Without thought of the consequences his actions might bring, he moved with vampire speed and pounced on the human body on the floor. Within seconds his fangs dropped and bit into the soft flesh of the neck of the victim, devouring the life’s essence, the warm elixir nourishing his blood deprived body. He tore into the neck without regard to pleasure or pain to the human, drinking and sucking with such zeal until every last drop exited the female body. The screams were distance white noise in Stefan’s head, to be turned out. His only concern—blood. He released the pale, drained body, falling back on his knees.

  Laughter tickled the hairs on his skin; the pitch in his eardrums vibrated him back to his mental senses. The reality hit him as he watched the last of life’s breath pass from the human female. No, no I didn’t!

  He rose to his feet and cried out a primal growl, shaking the walls of the chamber. “Ahh! What have I done?” His heart raced and his chest heaved. The instant remorse he felt for taking the female’s life cut deep into his soul. A tear of blood trickled down his cheek.

  His eyes opened. Ecaterina stood in the doorway, dressed in black leather skintight pants and bra, and a devilish grin across her lips.

  “You bitch, why have you tortured me? Revenge for me leaving you years ago? Why?”

  “You’ve done exactly what you were meant to do Stefan. You are a natural killer, our new vampire enforcer. You are no longer with Gregori’s family. You will belong to the Blood Family Dragomir. You belong to me.”

  “Never, I choose who I work for and I sure as hell don’t belong to you. Gregori may have a few words to say about this. And as far as you are concerned, I threw you out a long time ago.”

  “Fool. Don’t you get it? I still love you. I never stopped loving you,” she said, closing the distance between them.

  “Stay back Ecaterina. In my current state, I’ll kill you. Don’t think I won’t.”

  “You don’t know what you do to me, Stefan. I’ve missed you baby.” Running long fingers over his silk shirt, she felt erect nipples pressing through the fabric. “You always liked it when we played rough. Remember? I’d tease you and you’d punish me. We’d fuck.” She licked her bottom lip and sucked it in her mouth. Her free hand ran over his burgeoning erection. “Punish me, Stefan. You know you want to. Top me, baby, I’m ready to play and I can tell you are too.”

  He wanted to punish her, not play. The beast in him wanted to be released. By the gods, he wanted release and satisfaction for the torture he had endured. He ordered her to take her leather pants off. Ecaterina grinned and complied without saying a word. She remained standing wearing only a bra and the small triangle of fabric, black and white satin animal print covering her pussy. He inspected her, circling slowly.

  “Drop on all fours bitch and spread your legs.” Silently, she obeyed. He said nothing further, nudging h
er legs apart with his foot. He had every intention to show her rough play and pain for what she’d done to him. His only thoughts were to release the beast within him.

  The sound of his unbuckling belt echoed in the sound-proofed room. With one swift movement he ripped the belt through the loops of his jeans. The whoosh caused Ecaterina to risk a quick glance to the side to see what he did. He straddled her waist, facing backwards, his legs gripping tight against her, and standing upright. Her whole body lurched forward with pain and shock as the first blow from his belt stung her ass cheeks. She clenched her muscles to brace against the pain he inflicted. She gasped as he continued deliberately lashing her. He hit downward, not across, and moved the belt from one buttock to the other. Ecaterina cried out, in a confusion of pain and pleasure. Involuntarily, she rounded her back, and leant forward, anything to escape the cruel blows he delivered.

  Stefan spoke, his voice menacing and cruel. “If you move like that again, you will be punished more. Return to your position, slut.”

  Obediently, Ecaterina sank back down. Satisfaction welled up inside him. His strokes increased with vigor, placing each blow directly across her tender cheeks, now a bright rosy red. Stefan stepped away from her examining the marks carefully, his head cocked to one side. Like examining his photographs, looking for the perfect sunrise at dawn, the colors in perfect harmony with the landscape, he admired his work. What he saw satisfied him.

  He bent down, putting one finger under her chin and tilting her face upward. His cock was hard, and Ecaterina knew what he wanted her to do before he spoke.

  He laid his hand on his hard cock. “You want this, don’t you? Not today. Not ever.”

  Ecaterina’s long fingers ran over his erection through the fabric. He hated this part of the beast—willing to fuck anything when it tasted blood, and demanding satisfaction. The bitch kneeling before him disgusted him, but she held him prisoner. He had to find a way to break free. Whipping her to a bloody pulp wouldn’t afford him the opportunity.