With each new victim came cell memory for the short time their blood flowed. It was what enabled vampires to see the memories of their victims. Without human blood a vampire would be rendered completely emotionless, mindless killers. That was why they were so dangerous when starved. It was in a human’s best interest to feed a vamp’s emotions. Especially the emotion of compassion. It was why his vampires treated the humans so compassionately. Their thoughts, their cell memory was innocent and pure. It kept his men even-tempered and grounded.
Tavish took Jarrod by the arm. Jarrod didn’t resist or struggle, but Tavish heard him sob once then quiet. When they landed over the wall, Tavish released Jarrod, thrusting him from him. He stumbled but recovered quickly. Most ice dwellers were sure footed, for survival reasons.
“You’re free to leave,” Tavish said.
Jarrod looked surprised then suspicious. “Just like that?”
“Just like that.” Tavish was no longer smiling. He kept his expression blank. He could hear Druid’s approach. “There are creatures in this world crueler than myself or my men. But if you don’t want my protection, then I won’t give it. Just remember, the choice is yours. Either way you’ll live with the consequences. How long you live is up to you.”
“Oh no,” Jarrod whispered. “Oh—no.”
Tavish knew Druid was directly behind him. Jarrod was watching the animal, wide-eyed and horror-stricken, past his shoulder. The animal wouldn’t attack just yet. He would wait to see if this was a human that was being introduced, or was one for feeding on. A noise caught Jarrod’s attention and Tavish thought the man might faint when Lucile made her presence known. Lovel stalked into the small clearing followed by Rhino. All of the Anivamps wore their white eyes. Their fangs had grown and looked impressive.
“Well?” Tavish said.
The pounding of Jarrod’s heart filled Tavish’s ears. Tears now ran in rivers down the man’s pale face. He had his mouth open, but no sound emerged for long moments. He just kept turning around and around as the creatures stalked him. Druid growled when Tavish made no attempt to introduce them and no warning growl was returned in challenge. Lovel had his lips pulled back and his teeth so exposed he looked like he was all fangs. Lucile beat on her chest. The echoing pound of Jarrod’s heartbeat almost matched the intensity of the huge beast. Rhino must have been rolling in dirt because when he snorted, dust rolled from his nose making it look like he could breathe fire.
“No,” Jarrod wept.
“No what?” Tavish asked. “No you don’t want to leave? No you don’t want me to stay?”
“Don’t—leave—me.”
“Don’t think for a second you won’t be cast out if I hear you have disobeyed me again.”
“I won’t,” Jarrod whispered. His entire body was racked with quivers. Tavish was surprised he was still able to stand.
“I won’t what?” Tavish said.
Jarrod lifted his face and met Tavish’s gaze. Defeat was written all over him as the Anivamps closed in. “I won’t disobey you again, Master. Please help me.”
Satisfied, Tavish gripped Jarrod and took to the sky. He viciously sank his fangs into Jarrod’s neck. Jarrod whimpered, but there was no fight in him. Every frightening image Tavish brought from his memories was embedded into Jarrod’s mind. Tavish wouldn’t have a man near him who might sneak up behind his back. He wanted Jarrod too terrified to try anything. Never again would Jarrod tell his little cub she should be dead.
Tavish didn’t kill him, but he took a great deal of his blood. There was a certain taste that flavored blood when a victim was terrified. Normally Tavish wasn’t fond of it. But as he sucked harder he found enjoyment this time. The only reason he hadn’t left Jarrod to fend for himself was because of Mercy. He knew there was no way Jarrod would turn her against him. He also knew Mercy would be heartbroken if Tavish killed him. But the words Jarrod had used with her enraged Tavish.
How dare the man tell his Mercy she should be dead? She was too good to be related to this bastard. Senseless killing of human toward human was reprehensible. Didn’t they realize they needed one another? Especially now, in this era, to survive? When a vampire killed a human, it was for food. They tried not to kill humans otherwise. Once a human was gone there would be no more blood from it, ever. When a vampire killed a vampire, it was for the preservation of food. Humans killed humans from cruelty. They fed their own dark sides.
Each drop of Jarrod’s blood grew sweeter with Tavish’s victory. Jarrod slumped in his arms. There was no resistance left, and at that moment Tavish planted an image so horrifying into Jarrod’s thoughts of what would happen if he disobeyed, he would have many a sleepless night. Tavish would remove the image only if and when he was satisfied of Jarrod’s humble obedience. When he finished, he brought Jarrod to Caine and dumped him on a bed.
“Don’t give him anything but plain water when he wakes,” Tavish ordered. “I want him to recover on his own. Clean the wound but keep it uncovered. Every time he looks into a mirror I want him reminded of our meeting.”
Caine smiled wryly. “I suppose he’ll wake screaming.”
“You can remind him he’s lucky to wake at all.” Tavish left.
Chapter 8
Mercy was pacing Tavish’s room. After she had calmed down, she returned to the hall to try and once more reason with her stubborn cousin. No one at the table would answer her questions. Tanya sat grinning at her, Tate looked uncomfortable. When she noted both Tavish and Jarrod were gone Mercy was livid. She remembered Tavish’s threat of reprimand and wondered just what that entailed. Mercy thought her heart would fall to her feet when Tavish swaggered into the bedroom looking very satisfied. Mercy raced to him.
“What did you do with him?” she whispered in terror.
“With who?” he asked innocently. “Oh, you mean Jarrod?”
“Yes,” she practically howled.
“I showed him around. Let him get to know the perimeters. The boundaries.”
“Where is he?” Mercy asked suspiciously. She felt herself pale. “Oh no, Tavish, not the Anivamps.”
“Let’s just say he won’t be too eager to be leaving. In all fairness, I gave him a choice.”
“Some choice,” she muttered.
Tavish scowled. “I thought you liked being here, with me. No one has abused you. I would never hurt you. Jarrod never should have spoken to you like that. He’s lucky to be alive after his words of treason.”
Mercy relaxed realizing Tavish was being protective. She realized she had hurt Tavish’s feelings. She didn’t want that. Tavish was right; Jarrod should have kept his opinions to himself. He was her cousin after all. He should care for her at least a little. That he hadn’t cared about her emotions had hurt. “Is Jarrod okay?”
“He’ll be fine. We got to know one another,” Tavish said then smiled so sinisterly Mercy repressed a shudder.
Mercy knew exactly what he meant. She went and sat on the bed. She knew Jarrod was more than likely sucked close to death and no doubt treated to a few images he would rather forget. She hoped Tavish hadn’t scared him stupid. Jarrod was a follower. He would have followed her father into death. Either Tavish had terrified him into hiding the moment he appeared or Jarrod would be wandering after Tavish singing his praises. One never knew with Jarrod.
Tavish came and sat beside her on the bed. He stroked back a lock of her hair. “Do you like being with me even a little?”
Mercy was surprised he would even ask. She thought for sure he knew she loved him. She felt contrite—she had hurt him and she felt horrible. You could only truly hurt someone if they cared for you. Her heart filled with joy; he must love her at least a little.
“I love being here with you.” She lifted her hand and fingered his hair.
Tavish leaned closer and kissed her. He tasted like the fine wine he had let her try. His private stock was filled with all kinds of bottles. He had thousands of bottles of wines and hard liquors in a basement that ran the length of the
house. Mercy had loved the fireball. She had loved tasting it on his lips. Tavish knew she hated the flavor of blood on him. He must have swished his mouth out.
When Tavish fondled her breasts she moved closer. She knew he had satisfied his blood craving, but she hoped he wasn’t too gorged to take from her and share more of his memories. Through him, she was treated to fascinating sites. Beautiful stone mountains called pyramids reached to the blue sky. Humans dwelling in houses and skyscrapers. Sunrises and sunsets off every coast. History was a fascinating subject and she couldn’t get enough of his knowledge.
It was so interesting to learn of ancestors who lived in the sunshine. What she wouldn’t give to ride a creature called a horse or a camel. Elephants and mammoths were a marvel. Creatures so different and yet so much alike. Like humans and vampires. Amazing wonders had belonged to a world above ground, surrounded in warmth.
“Teach me more,” she whispered.
Tavish chuckled. “So you can live vicariously through me?”
“Show me the coliseum again, please. With the chariots and men fighting lions. Show me the beautiful gowns women wore to castle balls. The dances, oh Tavish, show me the dances. And then sing me to sleep. Your voice is breathtaking.”
He grinned at her cockily and she knew he had forgiven her for hurting him. “I’ll show you what I can as quickly as I can. Later tonight while you sleep you can dream of the places slower. All you need to do is give yourself to me. I can make certain the images are planted. It will be like you went there with me.”
“I would like that. I want to be with you.” When his memories came, it was as though she was there. He would wrap her in his arms and point out beautiful images, much more clear than picture books. Tavish had many books she had looked through. None were as impressive as his memories.
“What else would you like?”
Mercy wouldn’t ask to see Jarrod. The man had to obey the laws to live, or choose not to and die. Mercy wanted to live. After so many restrictions, she didn’t care about the cost. She had already paid the price with twenty-two years of her life. Yes, she had been loved, but there was so much more to existing amidst words. She wanted a child or children. Tavish would take care of them long after she was dust in a grave. That thought made her frown.
“What is it?” Tavish asked, crease lines furrowed his brow in a way she loved.
“When I die, make sure my children and their children and theirs are looked after. It will be a comforting thought to know when the time comes something, even a small part of me, remains with you.”
“I’ll watch out for them like I watch over you.”
“Have you chosen two men for me yet?” she asked.
Mercy didn’t care who they were, she had asked Tavish to choose, she was in no hurry. She would think of Tavish any time any man touched her. She already chose to retain those memories. Kia was hopelessly in love with her two breeder men and Ryker. All the women were enamored with Tate. The vampires took care of their charges. Love was a free spirit in Tavish’s coven.
Tavish frowned. “No, not yet.”
It appeared to Mercy he was in no hurry either. The thought made her happy. She would eventually like a child, but maybe not yet. “Then tonight I’m all yours?”
“Yes.”
Mercy was laid back into a mountain of satiny pillows. Tavish fisted her teddy and tugged it slowly from her, ripping it. Mercy squealed; she had been fond of the garment. Then chuckled when Tavish said he had something even sexier for her to wear. Or not wear. Most of the women remained clothed, if you could call it that, in the coven. All except the pregnant women who wore a low riding loin cloth. Tavish wanted to easily see their progress. The women didn’t mind because the human men were forbidden to touch them and vampires were forbidden to drink from them and it could get too hot.
“Is it lonely being a vampire?” Mercy asked.
“Is it lonely being human?” he countered. “We all eventually have loved ones taken from us. My kind have more loss because we live longer. But we also get to love more. I weigh the love against the death. My life has been enriched with both human and vampire. If I had lived my normal lifespan as a human we would have never met. Who would have saved you?”
“Was I born for you?”
“Or was I born for you?”
It was a good question. “If I were to bite you, would you bleed?”
“Yes, but the blood would have been my last meal.”
“I’m guessing Jarrod runs through your veins,” she said a bit distastefully.
Tavish chuckled. “Yes.”
“What about sex, Tavish? Whose fluid ends up inside me?”
“The fluid is mine, produced with the help of the blood. But there are no viable sperm.”
“Sperm?”
“It’s what decides the sex of a baby. Tadpole-like things that swim to your…ugh, I can see you wondering what the hell tadpoles are,” Tavish grumbled.
“Why can’t the humans here read? I’ve seen stacks of your books. My mother taught me some simple spelling, I’m not very good at it; you know that. In my defense, there wasn’t much to write on in an ice cave, but so many here have no idea what a book is. Humans here can’t count. I asked one mother how many children she had and she lifted four fingers as they raced around her. She had no concept of the word four. I can count. We counted days, minutes and seconds. It’s like vampires are on the highest level of the food chain, intelligent, and we are grouped with the cows and pigs. Even the bugs that feed off us seem ranked higher.
“I love to share your memories, but you’ve taught me so much. So much about my kind before all this happened. You said once the ice age is over, we will go back to being somewhat of the way we were. Won’t you teach us independence and how to cope until the world changes? Or will we be animals to you? Will you rule the world, Tavish? You and your coven of men? Will you grow in number until you’re in the thousands? Millions? Feeding off us while we serve you?”
Tavish sighed and sounded exasperated. He muttered something under his breath about being more careful. “If I swear to answer your questions tomorrow, can we do something else? My cock is killing me.”
Mercy reached down and wrapped her hand around him. Tavish groaned. She began sliding her hand up and down his hot arousal. She realized he didn’t have to answer for anything. His words made her understand how important she was to him. She had been gifted with so much more than his other humans. Knowledge was a reward and he shared his with her.
When he kissed her, he licked at her tongue. Tavish sank an eager finger into her warm heat and Mercy jumped, not ready for him, releasing him. Her insides were still dry and his quick action caught her unaware, it had hurt a bit. Her teeth accidently nipped Tavish’s tongue. For a second she tasted the metallic of blood. Mercy grimaced knowing it was Jarrod’s blood. She pushed away from Tavish.
“I can’t,” she said. She saw Tavish’s disappointment. “My cousin’s blood is in you. I’ve known him forever. It wouldn’t be right. I would feel…soiled.”
Tavish lay back and groaned. “I won’t drink from him anymore. Never again.”
“Promise?”
Tavish squeezed her hand around his erection once more. He was huge and hot. “Do I feel like I’m joking?”
“I’m sorry. But to have you in me down there would be uncomfortable. I could rub you. That wouldn’t release any fluid in me.”
“I have an idea.”
Mercy squealed when he turned to straddle her face and she found his cock at her mouth. “But,” she sputtered.
“You want more memories. I want release.”
His erection was pushed past her lips. Mercy settled her hands onto his firm ass. She wasn’t worried about this; this was Tavish’s body, not Jarrod’s. When Tavish tasted her pussy she stiffened then settled. Why not let him satisfy her? His lips were warm and soft, not overly demanding to the point she thought he would eat her. Her mouth worked him in return. His long length tasted un
iquely of Tavish. She liked the feeling of taking him so deep she gasped for breath. It made her concentrate on him alone.
Tavish found her clit and sucked and licked until she writhed under him. The pleasure of her arousal was high. Even though she had never been with another lover, she guessed Tavish was an expert after centuries of practice. She groaned when his teeth grazed her nub. His tongue dipped into her and lapped at her in sides. Mercy’s eyes squeezed shut when he pushed his finger up into her behind. He hadn’t done that before. He was gentle and coaxing. She could hear the few short words he whispered of how good she felt. She was curious and as he moved in and out of her she decided she liked the feeling.
With her first orgasm Tavish sank his fangs into her thigh. She squeezed her fingers harder onto his ass. Mercy tried to cry out but the sound was muffled. Her blood flowed into his mouth and his memories filled her. She loved this part. His mind joined with hers. It was like a visual caress.
Mercy relaxed as she was taken on a memory voyage. Beautiful white capped mountains rose high in a distance. They looked deliciously topped with frothy cream that was served some nights at dinner over strawberries. Next, an astounding canyon came to mind with furry four-legged creatures holding humans and packs on their backs descending lower. It reeked of ancientness. Mercy could smell the air, taste the breeze. Faster and faster came the amazing and exciting images. Vaguely she was aware when Tavish’s cock was gone from her mouth, but he still sucked from her and warm wet fluid slipped across her neck. Suddenly she was in an ice cavern and she wondered if Tavish would show her how he saved her.
A harsh memory abruptly assaulted her and Mercy screamed when she saw a woman being pushed into a gorge. The woman’s arms spiraled backwards as she fell, slow motion, forty feet to her death. Her face lifted to reveal her terror. Her mouth opened in a desperate scream. Her small body smashed onto a jagged ledge, bounced then settled.
The Brethren Of Tavish [Vampire Coven Book 1] Page 11