Blood Bond

by Shannon K. Butcher

  The wind was winter cold, but the sky was clear and the sun was warm against her skin. She turned her face up to the heavens and simply breathed. As the minutes ticked by, she warmed and felt an odd kind of fullness just beneath her skin. It was pleasant. Almost a kind of satisfaction.

  She mourned for Ronan because he could never feel what she did now.

  When the sun dipped below the tops of the trees, she went back inside and started her search for Chester Gale. She didn’t generally kill by choice, but for him, she was going to make an exception.

  Buying and selling little girls simply couldn’t go unpunished.

  She was at her laptop with her fingers poised over the keys when the itching started.

  She knew this respite was too good to be true, but the little bit of hope she’d managed to gather was crushed under the demanding heel of the fates.

  It was time to obey.

  “Fuck you,” she whispered.

  A tear slipped down her cheek, but she convinced herself it was squeezed out by the dry winter air, rather than a weak show of frustration.

  Justice didn’t do weakness. She couldn’t afford to.

  “Where now?” she demanded and waited for the compulsion to solidify.

  The fates led her to the warehouse. She walked up and down the aisles until she found what she was looking for.

  Stacked neatly under the pallet rack on the last row was sturdy metal shelving—the kind used to store heavy objects in a garage or workshop. Each one had five shelves six feet wide by two feet deep. A few weeks ago, she’d been compelled to buy every one the big box store had in stock, though she had no idea why.

  Following the strong urging of the fates, she used her forklift to move the shelving up into the back of the semi-trailer she’d stolen. Once there, she began to put the shelving together. It would have been easier to do with help, but Ronan was still out until the sun went down and she was on her own.

  After struggling with the first one, she figured out how to use the heavy corrugated box to prop up the pieces until she could assemble them. A couple of sweaty hours later, she had all the shelves assembled and attached to the walls of the trailer with heavy screws.

  She surveyed her work and waited for the fates to complain. Two rows of shelving lined each long wall of the trailer. She didn’t know what was going to go on them, but she was sure the fates would tell her when they felt like it.

  With her luck, she’d be forced to steal live, poisonous snakes or yellow cake uranium.

  When it was clear that she’d done her job to the satisfaction of the powers that controlled her, she decided to wash off the sweat and grime of her work.

  Justice showered and dressed in a pair of worn blue jeans and a soft flannel shirt in muted green plaid that perfectly matched her eyes. She tucked Reba in the back of her jeans and stepped out of the tiny bathroom, right into Ronan’s arms, colliding hard.

  She was shocked to find him awake before sunset, but even more shocked by how her body lit up and warmed everywhere he touched.

  His long fingers were strong bands around her upper arms. His chest grazed her nipples and made them pucker and lengthen to get closer to him. His thigh slid seamlessly between hers, weakening her knees in a way she’d never felt before—at least not without serious bodily injury involved.

  Her brain swooped inside her skull, and she realized that this must be what it was like to swoon, like some kind of helpless Victorian maiden.

  Fuck that.

  She pushed against him to gain herself a few inches of personal space. His hands remained locked around her arms to steady her, but at least he wasn’t rubbing against her nipples and her mound anymore.

  She wasn’t sure if that was an improvement or not.

  “I thought you were asleep until sunset,” she said in a voice too shaky to be her own.

  “I woke a little early.” His pale blue gaze slid across her face, all slow and sleepy.

  He was too damn beautiful—too damn sexy—for her peace of mind. She didn’t know why he affected her the way he did, making her insides melt and go all tingly, but she wished he’d stop.

  His finger traced her cheek. “You look troubled. Is everything okay?”

  “Fine. You just surprised me. I thought you’d sleep longer.”

  “I was hungry.”

  “For people food?”

  He grinned. “People food? You make me sound like a dog.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “I do, and I refuse to be ashamed of what I am. I need blood, Justice. If you prefer not to see me feed, I understand, but I really have no choice.” He stepped back, shedding some of the languid remains of sleep. “There’s a gerai family not far from here. I’ll go see them, then come back for you.”

  The instant, visceral reaction she had to that statement shocked her.

  “Like hell,” she said, though she wasn’t sure if she was more upset by him leaving her behind or by the idea that he’d take blood from someone else. Maybe some other woman.

  “You want to come with me?” he asked.

  And then she knew the truth, because going along with him didn’t fix the anger simmering in her gut. “I want you to take what you need from me.”

  He went unearthly still. His eyes lit up and cast a hungry glow onto her face. “You’re still healing.”

  “You said even a few drops from me was like gallons from someone else. I don’t see how that much could hurt me.”

  “It wouldn’t. But with you, it’s too easy to get carried away. I crave you, Justice. It’s hard to know when to stop.”

  That shivery feeling in her limbs grew stronger, and she wished for a chair to sink into.

  No man had ever looked at her like Ronan did. No man had ever craved her before—not even for her blood.

  To be wanted like that was a powerful thing. It shimmered through her like magic, giving her strength and stealing it all at the same time.

  There was no way she was letting him drink from someone else. The thought of his lips on the skin of another was abhorrent. It shoved dark urges buried deep inside her to the surface—the kind of urges that left a body count behind.

  She unbuttoned the top button on her shirt and tugged the collar open. “You can have my blood, or none at all.”

  His eyes flared bright. He stepped closer, all lean predator now. His concern for her welfare had disappeared the second she’d bared herself to him.

  The twin scars over her pulse throbbed.

  “You’re playing a dangerous game, Justice.”

  “I’m not playing at all. We had a deal. My blood for your help. Take what you need and do what you promised. Free me from the fates.”

  He lowered his head and pushed back her damp curls. His breath swept across her neck, making her shiver. One strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her tight against his body. The other pushed her head aside, exposing her neck.

  Anticipation shimmered through her, growing hotter and fiercer until she thought she’d go mad. Every second stretched out, long and empty. Then his lips brushed her skin, almost but not quite a kiss.

  In the next instant, there was a sharp sting and a release of pressure as his teeth broke through her skin. That fleeting second of pain dissipated, leaving behind a kind of pleasure she’d never felt before.

  Her veins hummed and pulsed with energy. She felt like she was being caressed from the inside, out, like every part of her was bathing in the sun and stroked by a warm breeze. An intoxicating heat spread through her until her entire body went weak.

  Ronan took her weight easily, holding her up with his strong arms. His lips moved over her skin and his tongue did a sinuous dance that made her dream of feeling the same thing against her nipples.

  The desperate suction slowed until it was a leisurely suckling that was as close to a kiss as she could ever remember coming.

  Too soon, the whole thing was over. She felt the intense flush of magical healing, then after a few mor
e swipes of his tongue, he was done.

  Justice didn’t move. She couldn’t have if she’d tried. Her body was too relaxed and happy to do more than lay limp in his arms while he held her against his hard body.

  He was warm now. Her blood was flowing through him, keeping him all toasty inside.

  The idea was so intimate, she shivered at the power of it.

  Ronan lifted his head and stared down at her. The hunger in his eyes was gone, but that bright glow was still going strong.

  “I like you like this,” he said, “all relaxed and pliant.” His finger traced her brow, her temple, her cheek, then across her mouth.

  Her lips parted, and her tongue darted out to taste his skin. Salt, magic and man. He tasted like her dreams, and she didn’t know if she’d ever get enough.

  He eased them to the floor with his back against the wall and her curled on his lap like a child. He cradled her as if she were as precious as one.

  She’d never been precious to anyone. Important, perhaps. A necessary thing, like a tool or a weapon, but never a valued treasure.

  If he didn’t stop looking at her like that, she was going to start forgetting the way things were and go right along with this fantasy.

  When reality returned, where would that leave her?

  “Close your eyes, sweet,” he said. “Relax and let me inside you.”

  Her pussy clenched at his words, but it wasn’t her body that he was talking about sliding into, it was her mind.

  Justice relaxed completely and let him take what he wanted.

  She felt him there, right behind her eyes. His presence was strong and hot, and completely unmistakable. If she had a thousand vampires in her head, she’d know exactly which one was him. No other man could feel like he did—like he was woven from hopes and dreams and clothed in secret magic.

  He was stronger than he’d ever been before with her. She didn’t know much about what was happening, but she could feel his power throbbing within her, so deep that they were one.

  She needed this—his presence. There were other things she needed, too, but having him within her was now as vital to her as air. She didn’t know how she’d ever survive once he left.

  “Shh,” he said, his voice soothing her along with the stroke of his presence. “There’s nothing to worry about. Everything is fine. Just relax and float. I’ve got you.”

  Relaxing wasn’t her forte, but with Ronan, it was easy. She felt him moving within her and didn’t try to stop him. She let him go where he wanted, seeing her mistakes and her victories alike. She let him see the parts of her that brought her pride and those that made her ashamed. She let him poke that foggy veil hiding her past, even though her head throbbed every time he did.

  She knew he was trying to help free her from the fates, and as in medicine, sometimes the cure was as painful as the disease.

  He pressed harder, and every time he did, she suffered a little more. After a few minutes, she was sweating and shaking from the pain. If he didn’t stop, she was going to puke all over him.

  She opened her mouth to say just that, but before she could, she felt him retreat. That glowing, powerful presence shifted out of her, leaving her feeling lonely, even though their bodies were pressed together.

  She looked up to find him panting. His color was paler than usual, which was saying something. He seemed thinner, almost bony. The hollows under his cheekbones were more pronounced, and he had shadowy circles under his eyes.

  “It didn’t work, did it?” she asked.

  He leaned his head back against the wall in defeat. “I’m sorry. I tried a few things, but none of them worked. There’s definitely a presence inside you, but I couldn’t cage it or pull it into me.”

  She sat up on his lap. “Pull it into you? You were going to free me by taking the fates for yourself? Are you nuts?”

  “I’ve done it before, though only with demons.”

  Her jaw fell open in shock. “You took someone else’s demons into yourself?”

  “It was the only way. Others aren’t as mentally strong as I am. It’s better that I battle these creatures on their behalf.”

  Justice had no words to adequately respond to that. What kind of lunatic let himself be possessed—or whatever the correct term was—to save another?

  “And you thought you could do that with the fates?” she asked, still reeling.

  “It was worth a shot.”

  “Do you have any idea what you could have done to yourself? The fates don’t give a shit about what time of day it is. They’d demand you do what they wanted, whether or not the sun was up. You would have killed yourself.”

  “I would have found a way to defeat them once they were my prisoner.”

  “Your prisoner? What about you being theirs?”

  He gave his head a weak shake. “That wasn’t part of my plan. Not that it matters. I wasn’t strong enough to pull the presence in you out. It’s almost like it’s part of you.”

  “You think I’m doing this to myself?” she asked.

  “No. It’s definitely someone or something else enforcing their will on you, but whatever it is, it’s so deeply entwined within you, there’s no way for me to extract it. Even if it were possible, to do so would probably kill you.”

  Defeat landed heavily over her and shoved the air from her lungs. She struggled under the weight for several seconds before she managed to speak. “So I’m stuck. No cure.”

  “I didn’t say that. I said I can’t pull that presence out of you, but there are other things to try.”

  “Like what?”

  “I could cage it or put it to sleep. Perhaps even kill it.”

  “But if we’re so tightly bound, would that also kill me?”

  He opened one eye, but barely. “I don’t know yet. I ran out of strength before I could try.”

  He really did look wrung out, like a used dish rag, albeit a beautiful one.

  “Take more of my blood.”

  “It’s too soon to try to free you again.”

  “I didn’t mean that. I meant you need to regain your strength. You used it all up and then some.”

  “It’s too soon for that, too.”

  “Bullshit. I feel fine.” She did, but the deeper truth was she wanted to feel his mouth on her skin again, moving as he fed from her. The thrill of it was both erotic and addictive.

  Which only proved just how crazy she was. Who wanted a vampire sucking their blood, regardless of what he called himself?

  “I’ll be fine until we find someone else.”

  She wouldn’t share him. Not like that. At least not yet. She knew she couldn’t tie him to her for the rest of his life, but until she found a way to get over whatever spell he’d put her under, he was stuck with one food group. Her.

  Justice pulled a pocket knife from her jeans and held it against the tingling scars he’d left behind a few weeks ago. “Your way is easier, but we can do it mine if you prefer.”

  His blue eyes lit up and a snarl covered his face. Sharp fangs elongated just behind his lips, gleaming white.

  One second she was sitting between his open thighs, the next, she was lying on the concrete floor with his body covering hers.

  He was stronger than she could have imagined, easily pinning her hands by her ears.

  Reba bit into Justice’s back, but she barely felt it. The hungry look on his face was all-consuming, driving every other thought from her mind.

  “I am not weak,” she snarled.

  “You don’t know what you’re asking of me. You don’t know how hard it is to resist you.”

  She tilted her head in a blatant dare. “Then don’t.”

  She saw the moment she won the battle, but it wasn’t defeat she saw in his expression, but something else. Something wild and untamed. Something hungry.

  “Just remember,” he said as he lowered his sharp teeth to her throat. “You asked for this.”

  Chapter Seven

  Ronan was going to go too far this tim
e. His efforts to free Justice from the presence haunting her had weakened him, leaving him as hungry as he’d been when he’d woken. Her possessive, almost belligerent offer to let him feed was too much temptation to resist.

  If he hadn’t seen in her mind how much she enjoyed him drinking from her, he might have been able to summon his willpower. But he had seen the pleasure his feeding brought her, and that was his undoing.

  He so wanted to make her feel good.

  His body pinned hers to the concrete floor. He wished they were in the van with a cushion beneath her back, but if she was uncomfortable, she wasn’t complaining.

  Her smell was intoxicating. Warm and honeyed, but with a hint of something herbal and clean. Beyond that was the scent of her arousal, so strong he didn’t know how he was going to resist slicing off her jeans and giving her what her body so desperately craved.

  As adept as he was at healing tissue and mending bone, he was even more skilled at making a woman’s flesh obey his commands. He could easily slip into her mind and make her come with a mere thought. Her body would go where he led it, especially once he was buried inside her.

  A raging rush of lust swept through him, so powerful it left him shaking. His cock was hard and straining against his jeans. His skin was acutely sensitive, until even the slight shift of air in the room felt like a caress.

  He had to fill his needs—food and sex. There was no denying both of them. He was already stretched too thin.

  Ronan lifted his head and stared down at her.

  Her shirt was open at the throat, revealing a tempting swath of flesh he wanted to kiss and taste. The swell of her breast peeked out above the green flannel, so soft and round his fingers clenched involuntarily. Her springy black curls were still wet from her shower and spread out around her head as another tactile treat for the senses.

  She opened her eyes to reveal thin slivers of silvery-green behind thick, curling lashes.

  There was want there. Desire. And maybe more than a hint of challenge.

  He felt himself smile at that, so typically Justice. His fangs were still out, and he knew she’d be able to see them peeking out from his lips.

  “What are you waiting for?” she asked. The way her lips moved, it felt like an invitation. They were full and plump and he knew he couldn’t go one more minute without knowing how they felt against his own.