A Thousand Years Dead [Pine Falls 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Ashley Malkin

  “Thank you, Sean, for taking me into your home. We’re mates?” It was a stupid question, but after Aiden’s reaction, she needed to know exactly how he felt about fate matching him with her. Aiden repeated her words verbatim.

  “We are. Aiden knows my cousin, Finn, and sent him here so you would be safe until Jason could come and see you.” He gave her an adorably shy smile. “I haven’t even left your side to tell him he inadvertently sent me my mate. I may have to name our firstborn after him now.”

  She exhaled loudly. She hadn’t known she was holding her breath. “So you’re happy?”

  Aiden again repeated her question.

  “I’m not just happy, I’m thrilled.”

  “This liter of blood should be finished in a minute now, Kaitlyn. I think you should attempt another shift before we give you any more blood.”

  “Thank you for coming, Jason. Where am I?”

  Once Aiden relayed Kaitlyn’s gratefulness and had asked her question, it was Sean who answered. “My home is on the outskirts of Pine Falls, in northern Wyoming.”

  So she hadn’t gotten very far away from them. “What day is it?”

  “It is now six o’clock, Saturday morning. You have nothing to fear from the men who attacked you. Sean and I will guarantee it.” Aiden’s stare was fixed on her as he made the statement sound like a vow.

  Jason reached toward her and she felt a slight sting as he pulled something from her neck. “How do you feel now, Kaitlyn?”

  She stood up on Sean’s solid thighs. Her legs were steady as she balanced easily. The languid and heavy feeling she’d woken with was gone. She shook herself and still remained steady on her feet. She saw a doorway that opened onto a bathroom, and jumping down from Sean’s lap, she padded straight inside.

  Now that her head was no longer feeling fuzzy, she was able to consider the consequences of shifting while still sitting on Sean’s lap. They may be her mates, and a doctor, but they were still strangers. Having never belonged to a pride, she was unaccustomed to displays of public nudity.

  Determined to not come out until she’d successfully shifted, she politely asked Aiden if she could have some clothing and nudged the door closed with her head.

  Chapter 6

  Sean was still staring at the bathroom door twenty minutes after Kaitlyn had closed the door. Even if Aiden hadn’t told them that Kaitlyn had successfully shifted back to her human form, he’d have guessed it when the shower had started ten minutes ago. He was now having a hard time dragging his thoughts from the mental image of his mate standing naked in the shower. He hadn’t seen Kaitlyn in her human skin, but Aiden had described her in detail.

  Aiden entered the bedroom and sat beside him on the bed. “You’re making this all the more difficult for me.” Sean looked at him and raised an eyebrow in question. He’d just been fantasizing about joining Kaitlyn in her shower. “Not that part.” Aiden clarified. “Just the naked and wet Kaitlyn part.”

  “We could both join her in the shower.” Sean had never shared a lover before, but he found he didn’t hate the idea of them both pleasuring Kaitlyn in the shower.

  “I know for a fact that our young mate is far from ready to forgive me for my thoughtless outburst.”

  Sean didn’t like that fact that Aiden had hurt Kaitlyn with his words, but he’d forgiven him now that he’d spent several hours with the vampire. It hadn’t only been his words that had convinced Sean he was sincere. His emotions had been easy to read. He would die for Kaitlyn now and that was exactly how Sean felt.

  “You might want to leave out words like ‘young’ when you talk to her. She’ll think you’re calling her a child.”

  “But…”

  “I know we’re young compared to you, just don’t say it to her. Are you going to tell me what the deal was with the blood transfusion?” Sean’s attention was drawn back to the bathroom door as the shower was turned off.

  “I think I should wait and tell you both. Jason said he’d call us when he’s completed the tests on the blood samples.”

  “I know this is stupid, but I’m really nervous. I’m going to meet my mate. Really meet her, I mean.” He stood up and straightened the creases from his jeans. “Fuck, I should put a shirt on.”

  “She quite liked your muscles.” Sean smiled his thanks at Aiden but still decided to put on a shirt. He didn’t want her thinking he was going to jump her. His cat purred inside him at that thought. He shook his head. He couldn’t even think about mating her until she’d forgiven Aiden. If he started their mating before she’d accepted Aiden as her mate, it would kill them both.

  Aiden’s head whipped sharply around to look at him. Before he could explain the machinations of feline shifter mating rites to Aiden, the bathroom door opened and captured all his attention. The woman who emerged was nothing like the image he’d conjured from Aiden’s description of her. That woman had been beautiful. The woman in front of him now was stunning.

  “Hello, Kaitlyn,” Aiden said. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

  Kaitlyn stared at them both with her dark eyes shining. She was of average height, but that was the only average thing about her. She was golden-skinned and curvy, her small waist accentuating her rounded hips and ample bust. Her dark hair was wet from her shower and fell to just below her shoulders. Her borrowed clothes swam on her, but his mother was a tall woman.

  “Thank you for the clothes.” She looked straight at Sean.

  “They’re my mother’s. As shifters, we have spare clothes all over the place.” Her brow creased as she tilted her head and considered his statement. “So if we’ve run over to another member of the pride’s home we can shift back and not be walking around naked,” he said, clarifying his first statement.

  “Oh, that’s smart,” she said.

  “What does your pride do?” Sean was not a prude when shifting around members of his pride, but he wouldn’t want to be naked while he ate dinner with any of them.

  “I was raised by my dad. We’ve never belonged to a pride. It’s just us.”

  Sean hadn’t met many shifters who weren’t part of a pride, pack, sloth or streak. The ones he had encountered were usually alone because they’d been banished for committing crimes. He noticed Aiden shake his head slightly and took his advice not to accuse her, or her father, of being criminals. He wanted desperately to ask Aiden what he’d just learned from Kaitlyn’s mind, but decided it should wait. “This is very aggravating,” he said to the vampire, certain he could hear him.

  “She is not a criminal. Wait and we will learn the reason.” Sean didn’t look at Aiden, and he hoped his face didn’t show the surprise he felt that the vampire had just spoken into his mind.

  “I must have said something wrong,” Kaitlyn said. She was gazing at each of them in turn. “You’re talking to each other.”

  Sean swallowed and looked at Aiden. “Sean finds it unusual that you were not a member of a pride. I was asking him not to assume either you or your father had ever been banished from one.”

  Sean groaned out loud. Aiden hadn’t really thrown him under a bus, he’d been very diplomatic in the way he relayed his thoughts. But he never would have accused her like that.

  “I didn’t… I don’t think you’re a criminal, Kaitlyn.” Now Aiden groaned.

  Kaitlyn surprised him by laughing. “You two have bonded already, haven’t you? Aiden was trying to save your ass and you just blew it.” Her smile was just gorgeous. Her eyes sparkled with mischief.

  “You’re not going to let us get away with anything, are you? You’re a cheeky little panther.” Sean walked right up to his mate and picked her up by the waist. Her smile disappeared and he scented a hint of fear from her.

  Lifting her so they were eye to eye, he felt his previous anxiety melt away. He was calmed by touching her. “Hello, my mate.” He kissed her tenderly on the lips and let his joy wash through him into her. “I’m so happy to have found you.”

  Aiden had stepped closer to them and
Sean released her to him. Aiden held her by her waist and raised her to his face as Sean just had. “Hello, my precious panther mate.” Their lips met for the lightest of kisses as Sean detected another scent from Aiden. Elation. “I am also very happy to have found you at last.”

  * * * *

  Well, that just sucked. How was she supposed to stay mad at the vampire when he was being so adorable? He’d apologized a couple of times now, and she’d brushed it off. Now she couldn’t. As he held her like this, his face only inches away and his scent betraying his happiness, she was unable to doubt his sincerity.

  “You were just surprised I wasn’t like you?” As she replayed the scene in her mind, she remembered he’d begged her to keep living. Had she honestly been any less shocked that her mate had been a vampire?

  “I am still surprised. But it doesn’t lessen my joy and wonder at having you here in my arms.”

  “I’ll listen to what you have to say. But you hurt me, Aiden.”

  “I spoke foolishly, when I should have been expressing my rage at what had been done to you.”

  He regarded her with his cool, gray eyes. He knew he wasn’t forgiven yet. “Good, you’re not.”

  Aiden had asked for help from a shifter, and they in turn had sent Aiden to Sean. All of the other shifters seemed to trust the vampire, so perhaps he didn’t have a problem with shifters as a race. But she had a problem with his. Aiden drew her close to his body. “What do I do about the vampires?” she said softly.

  She felt Sean press tight against her back, his thickly muscled arms wrapped around her from behind. “We won’t let anything happen to you.” She sighed as her body relaxed into the security of them surrounding her. Her cat luxuriated in the feel of her mates.

  She didn’t know how long they stayed like that. Being surrounded by their scents and bodies had almost put her back to sleep. But the weak winter light filtering into the room announced the sunrise and her blood suddenly chilled.

  * * * *

  Aiden heard the panic in her voice and felt her fear spike.

  “It’s nearly sunrise, Aiden. Are you going to burst into flames, or turn to ash?” she said. She pushed away from his chest and he watched as she checked for any smoke rising from him.

  “So you do like me?”

  “Aiden, seriously. We know nothing about you and your needs. Do you need to be out of the sun?” Sean asked. He pulled Kaitlyn close to his chest and stepped away from Aiden.

  “You both like me?” Their frustrated sighs were his only response and he believed, for the first time, that their mating wasn’t doomed.

  “I don’t have any adverse reaction to sunlight.” He watched their shoulders sag with relief. “Or garlic.” He was pleased to see them both smile.

  Kaitlyn poked him in the stomach with her index finger. “You’ll be sorry for teasing us when we buy you a coffin next Christmas.” Sean laughed, but Aiden’s heart soared. She was thinking about them being together in nearly a year’s time. She had forgiven him. Now he just had to get her to realize she’d forgiven him.

  “Seriously, buddy, we need to have a conversation. Soon. Do you turn into a bat?” Sean mumbled.

  Aiden didn’t answer. He just raised his eyebrows and glowered at them both as they laughed. The fact that he wasn’t a shifter really wasn’t a problem for either of them. Fate had gifted him with a wonderful mate and partner.

  Sean slapped him on the back then swung Kaitlyn around to cradle her in his arms. “I don’t know about you, baby, but I need coffee. And bacon.”

  Aiden shook his head and followed them downstairs to the kitchen. Cats were really an extraordinary race of shifters, shrewd, intelligent, and accepting. But they were now in danger from a predator far more deadly than them. Vampires.

  Chapter 7

  John Taylor paced his bedroom. The blood he’d taken from the young PA had seared as it ran through his veins. It was a heat he’d never felt the like of, and it continued to warm his chilled cells twelve hours later. No blood had ever warmed him before. As well as the heat, he felt invigorated and wildly alive. Another surprise had been the effect on his sex drive. His cock was still hard and leaking.

  He’d spent a thousand dollars already on the escort he’d hired. She was currently sleeping. He’d left her hot cunt only ten minutes ago and was more than ready to wake her for round one hundred and fifty-seven. He couldn’t see himself letting her go home any time soon, either.

  He went to the bed and flipped the woman onto her stomach. She had long black hair, and if her fucked her from behind he could pretend she was the sweet little PA Selwyn had denied him earlier. Pulling up her hips, he spat on her asshole and plunged his cock straight in. She squealed in surprise, but moaned loudly as he started to pump slowly into her.

  This wasn’t Kaitlyn Winter, though. As his orgasm drew close, he remembered his mouth on her skin, the taste of her unique blood flowing into him. He came, and held the whore still as he poured huge amounts of cum into her ass.

  He’d never had orgasms like this in his life. He came so hard his barely-beating heart nearly stopped, the orgasm lasting for nearly five minutes. Once the pleasure finally faded, he pulled his hard cock from the girl’s ass and plunged it into her pussy, his pleasure building again instantly.

  He didn’t know how it was possible, but Kaitlyn’s blood was somehow different. It acted like a drug. After seven hundred years, he had found a high, and if it ever wore off, he knew he’d move heaven and earth to feel like this again.

  Chapter 8

  Sean and Kaitlyn had both been surprised when Aiden had told them he ate food. Apparently he could eat and drink like they did, he just didn’t need to. It was a matter of choice, not survival, as it was for humans and shifters.

  They were all eating the breakfast of eggs and bacon he’d had cooked when Doc returned from town. He didn’t return alone. Sean rose to see who the other truck belonged to. His Alpha, Caleb Mabry, and his brothers Lachlan and Prescott exited their truck and followed Doc up to the house.

  “Doc has brought my Alpha and his brothers with him,” Sean said. Kaitlyn rose, and looked ready to run.

  “Kaitlyn?” Sean couldn’t understand what she was scared of.

  “I’ve never met an Alpha before. Do I bow or something?”

  Sean went to laugh, but Aiden glared at him and he managed to stop himself in time. He then noticed the fear in her scent and sent Aiden a mental thank-you.

  “No, Kaitlyn. Just don’t challenge him to a fight, or he’ll have to accept it and try to kill you. Other than that, you just act normally.”

  “Because you think I’d normally challenge people to a fight?” She put her hands on her hips, her eyes sparking with tiny amber lights. Aiden slapped the side of his face and shook his head.

  “Of course not.” Sean stopped talking and turned around at the sound of chuckling behind him. His Alpha and his brothers all stood with their arms folded over their chests. Doc was the one laughing.

  “Good to know I’m not the only one able to piss off a new mate.” He went to the pot of coffee and poured himself a cup before sitting calmly at the table. “We need to discuss a few things regarding Kaitlyn.”

  “Still want to wax lyrical on the joys of finding a mate, Caleb?” Prescott asked. Caleb snarled at his younger brother and Sean tried not to be distracted.

  “I didn’t mean it like that, Kaitlyn,” Sean said. He took a step toward his mate. Aiden picked her up by the waist and walked to the table before taking a seat beside Doc and settling Kaitlyn on his lap.

  “Your attempt at humor seems to have backfired, cat,” Aiden said, kissing the top of Kaitlyn’s head. “Perhaps sincere reassurance would have served our mate better.”

  Sean found himself the target of everyone’s glares. He held his hands up in surrender and moved to sit beside Kaitlyn. “I’m sorry, baby. I forgot you didn’t belong to a leap and that meeting an Alpha would be a big deal for you.” He took her hand and brought it to his
lips.

  She didn’t snatch it away, so he kissed her palm and took a little nip of her delicately scented skin before introducing her to their guests. “Kaitlyn Winter, I’d like you to meet Caleb Mabry, my Alpha, and his brothers, Lachlan and Prescott.”

  “It’s good to meet you, Kaitlyn,” Caleb said. He pushed Prescott out the door with one shove, and came to sit opposite them at the table.

  “Real mature, your Alpha-ness,” Prescott said, as he came back into the kitchen and helped himself to coffee. Kaitlyn gave a little snort as she stifled a giggle.

  “How are you feeling now, Kaitlyn?” Lachlan said. He snatched the coffee from Prescott’s hand and came to sit next to Caleb.

  “I’m feeling much better, just a little tired. Thank you.”

  “I called Caleb as I wanted him here to discuss the results of your blood work,” Doc said. “I hope that’s okay with you, Kaitlyn?”

  “It’s fine. I have nothing to hide. I’ve never even been sick before.”

  “That’s not unusual for shifters. Is it, Doc?” Prescott asked. He moved to lean against the wall behind Caleb, his eyes darting regularly to the view of the grounds out the kitchen windows.

  As a fellow enforcer, Sean knew he took the role of protecting their Alpha, and their pack, seriously. Despite any roughhousing the Mabry brothers engaged in, they were close, and would fight to the death to protect each other.

  “No it’s not unusual, but your blood panel is, Kaitlyn.”

  Sean felt her squeeze his hand tight as she tensed. Aiden pulled her tighter against him and kissed her hair.

  “I think Aiden should probably explain this to you, as he was the one who suspected it. I was simply the one who confirmed it.” Doc sipped his coffee and waited for Aiden.

  “This has to do with you giving her Aiden’s blood, doesn’t it?” Sean saw the horrified look on Kaitlyn’s face and knew he’d said the wrong thing again. “Sorry, Aiden.”