All Others (Vampire Assassin League Book 27)

by Jackie Ivie

  “Oh. I am something much better, hon.”

  She lifted her head. His heart seized up. Inability to breathe followed an instant later. Tessa had fangs. Real fangs! Sharp as hell fangs! Oh, shit! Shit! Alarm bells were sounding through his brain, taking his ability to think to a skull-splitting ache. His body didn’t get the same message, however. Everything throughout his limbs tensed. Primed. Afire with anticipation.

  Of something too vast to contemplate.

  “I am a vampire, love.”

  “Uh...”

  The word was garbled. Indistinct. Rough. She licked the span of teeth between her fangs and then gave him an air kiss. That sent the sensation of eagerness to fever pitch. The urge was primal. Intense. Immediate. Desire licked at his thighs. Grabbed his loins. Sent a solid throb of ache through his entire groin area.

  And then she bit him.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “Well. Well. Look who’s here! Queen of the Dark. Finally!”

  The words came through a haze of existence. Cameron would have stumbled if he was walking. He wasn’t. He was being carried across one of Tessa’s shoulders. She wasn’t walking, either. At least, he didn’t sense footsteps. She was probably flying.

  And why not?

  Nothing else in this dreamscape made sense. Why wouldn’t she be flying? Oh. That must be truly difficult. With him on one shoulder and part of the hollow log atop her other one. The load had to be staggering. That bore thinking on, too. When his brain returned to functioning capability.

  Maybe he should phrase that differently. Not when but if his brain functioning capability returned. From wherever it had gone.

  “And look there, Tassy. We can start a bonfire. She brought a log.”

  “Not with this wood, you don’t.”

  Tessa answered. Cam would have forced his chin up or swiveled his head, but nothing worked. He had never felt this exhausted. Ever. He’d done marathons, triathlons, and obstacle courses all over the country. He’d even done the North Slope 12k Hard Body event in Colorado. Not just the spring event. He’d completed the grueling winter version, too. Twice. Took second place last year. He had the awards and badges to prove all of it. But this exhaustion was different. It was both mental and physical. He knew how debilitating either condition was. He’d never experienced both at the same time. It was paralyzing.

  “Are you Len?” Tessa asked.

  “Yep. Leonard Griggins. At your service. And this is Tassanee, my fiancée.”

  “My. My. What a lovely woman. I wonder what she sees in you.”

  “Ha-ha. Very funny. So. Tell me. This, the new guy?”

  “Actually, I enjoy hefting strange men through the bayou. I do it all the time.”

  “Aren’t we testy this evening.”

  New guy?

  Those words limped through Cam’s head. They might mean something. He wished his mind would work. He felt like a toddler in need of a nap. Probably resembled one. This dream just kept getting weirder and weirder. He assigned this aberration in the fabric of reality to a dream. It was the best option. He had four of them. Being in the midst of a dream was the best. He’d decided that as this gorgeous superwoman did something magical to his neck. She’d taken her time. Sent his entire being into a space-altering realm. A vista of lavender-shaded wonder had opened before him. Beckoned him. He’d balked momentarily. Questioned things. Came up with, and gone through, the four options facing him. But then he’d succumbed.

  That’s why he wasn’t toting her. Or the chunk of hollow log she had on her other shoulder. At least he thought that was the view when she’d hefted him. His head had lolled to one side, but he’d caught a glimpse of her load. Wow. Tessa Queen wasn’t just the most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen. She possessed superhuman strength, a body that should be immortalized in statuary, a glance that stopped hearts, screaming-hot vibes that came with every touch...

  And that was before he factored in what she could do with those lips of hers!

  His body would have shuddered with remembered ecstasy if he wasn’t semi-paralyzed. Tessa Queen was the embodiment of his dream woman. He didn’t think he possessed enough imagination to conjure her.

  But it fit.

  Because he was dreaming.

  That really was the best option, although a psychotic episode came in a close second. That would be a shame. He couldn’t go insane. He had bills to pay. His condo mortgage payment. Utilities. Three more years of student debt for his doctorate. He had a class to prepare for. Experiments to conduct. He had perishables in his refrigerator. An upcoming appointment with his dentist. Insanity wasn’t a viable option.

  Oh.

  Good.

  His brain was starting to work again.

  Third option? He was dead. If that was the case, he’d have all the insanity issues, and then he had to add in the mess his death would leave for his next of kin – whoever that was. He had a trust set up, and an executor named. Unfortunately that had been his great-aunt, and she’d died over the summer. He hadn’t assigned a new one yet. Talk about a probate nightmare. Then again, he might not have anything left once the student debt got settled and lawyers paid.

  The fourth option was beyond consideration. It would require a paradigm shift beyond his capability. Because this could be real. Tessa Queen could be a vampire. A real one. And the reason he was so weak was because she’d taken his blood. She’d almost drained him. And he’d just allowed it.

  Yeah. Right, Cameron.

  The truth was he’d been a willing participant. He’d enjoyed every moment. Longed for more. In fact, he remembered begging for it. He had to take it another step, however. If this was real...and Tessa Queen was a vampire. What did that make him?

  Okay.

  That did it. He had to stop thinking. He had nothing but conjecture. The facts were elusive and opaque when he could find them. And his brain hurt. Besides, the as-yet-unseen man started speaking again, interrupting any train of thought.

  “You need help, Miss Tessa?”

  Help? With what? Toting him?

  Cameron sent the message for his back to stiffen. It didn’t work. His body wasn’t responding. He might as well be overcooked spaghetti bathed in scented warm liquid. He was used to being described as a hard man. Hard in mind. Hard in body. He’d gained more than one interested look when working out. To be so ignominiously handled by a woman any other man would be hard for? Well. This was thoroughly embarrassing. And totally wondrous.

  How was that even possible?

  Maybe he’d rather be dead.

  Tessa shifted him, smacking his abs against her shoulder and his head against her backside. And wow. She had a really nice—

  “Depends. You changed yet?” she spoke, interrupting his thoughts.

  “Nope.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m saving it for the honeymoon. We’ve got it all planned. We’re looking at something like your bedroom suites. Any of them. You have spectacular décor, if a bit redundant. Dark wood four-poster beds. Purplish, dusk-colored walls. Carpets. Canopy. Hmm. Sumptuous bedding. Sound system. Lots of candlelight. Heavy kissing—”

  “You’re no help.”

  Tessa interrupted. That was a shame. The descriptions sent a tingle of sensation through Cameron’s back. That could be a really good sign.

  “Depends on who comes calling. Having somebody who can answer doors at the Dark Plantation might be a plus. During daylight hours, I mean.”

  “I have servants. And nobody ever comes calling.”

  “I have a sneaky suspicion that is about to change.”

  “Because of you?”

  “Nope. Because mating has that effect. Trust me. Besides, Tassanee is a full associate. Trained in Cambodian martial arts called Bokator. She’ll more than compensate for any of my shortcomings.”

  Wait a minute. Did somebody just say...mating?

  Mating.

  Hmm.

  That word had meaning attached to it. If Cam’s cerebrum was wor
king properly he’d pin it down without this kind of effort. The word meant something. All kinds of things. Being friends. Buddies. No. Wait. There was something dark and mysterious about it, too. Animalistic. Wild. Exciting. Mating also meant to join. Fit together. Mesh.

  Copulate.

  Oh hell.

  His body didn’t have any trouble deciphering that. All kinds of warmth sparked into being and then spread. It emanated from his chest, radiating outward. His upper body got a good dose first. His legs were a bit behind, because his groin started drawing up heat and converting it. Man! This was incredible. He hadn’t had a wet-dream since college. And nothing this realistic.

  He heard drumming from somewhere. His heart found the beat and throbbed into rhythm with it. There was a distinct echo. It was a fraction of a second behind as if the drummer pounded away in a reverberation chamber or used some bass speakers with heavy wattage.

  But this was terrible. Badly timed. Ridiculously choreographed. He was draped limply over a goddess’s shoulders. The only good part was that his belly was against her skin. His groin wasn’t in direct contact. She might not know how she affected him. And besides all that, they had an audience.

  “So...does any of this mean you need help?”

  “No. Not—just no. I’ll call if I do.”

  The husky undertone of Tessa’s voice sent another burst of heat through Cam’s chest. That one didn’t reach his legs, either. Maybe she did sense his arousal. And damn. That didn’t sound remotely bad.

  “We’ll just...be around then. Any suggestions?”

  “Stay out of the back wing.”

  They moved. Rapidly. Flew through a blur of dark-toned rooms. He couldn’t tell furnishings. Not from this angle. But the floors looked like they’d been constructed of dark wood. Rugs interspersed the path. They looked expensive. Thick. And patterned with symbols. The drum sound got stronger. Thicker. Heavier.

  He sure hoped the back wing was where the bedroom suites were located.

  Wait.

  This was getting a little too wild. Over-the-top crazy. Cameron Preston had never been wild and crazy. He’d missed out on a lot. That much was obvious. Maybe he should go with his second option, insanity. Because anything else might stop it.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Cameron was heavier than he looked. So was the log. Tessa turned sideways at the door to her suite to fit, taking the man in first. There was an overstuffed leather-covered chaise-lounge at the far wall. The chair faced a span of velour drapery that opened and closed remotely. The drapes concealed her balcony. From there she could view acres of foliage-covered, pristine swampland. She knew. She’d done it often enough. Tessa’s legs quivered as she set him on the chaise. It wasn’t just from exertion. His nearness did all kinds of things to her.

  Especially now. With a vampiric aura. That Cam didn’t even know he possessed.

  She’d drained a lot of his fluid. She’d had to. It was the only way to guarantee control. She might have overdone it, though. Cam slumped, his upper torso atop the upraised end of the chaise while lengthy legs sprawled over the side. He was awake. His heart had been thumping in rhythm to the drums. Tessa loved drums. She’d set up a sound system to make certain a concert of deep throbbing beats, body-swaying snare drumming, and the sharp quick staccato of cymbals carried through her halls. Every night. All night. They sent throbs of sound now. The floorboards beneath her feet vibrated with each beat.

  His heartbeat wasn’t why she knew of his wakefulness, however. It was because she looked.

  Oh. My. My. My.

  Her mate was so handsome! Tall. Extremely lean and muscular. Masculine. Vampirism had honed the combination into something that demanded notice, stirred desires, sparked flame. His eyes had been a light green shade. With a gray tone. They’d been striking before. Now, they appeared lit from within, causing the gray-green to shimmer and change. Like a shaft of sunlight on a pond. She didn’t dare look into them for long. It was too intense an experience. It tied her innards into knots. Made her hands alternately cold and then hot. Sent little quakes through her limbs. Dried her throat making it difficult to swallow.

  Tessa settled the log into a corner, pulled a strip of wood from it. Crossed to her bed next to lift the mattress. She placed the wood shard beside the sachet packet containing dirt from her own changing. He watched her the entire time. She didn’t check. She could feel his regard. Unblinking. Intent.

  She stood. Inhaled a deep breath. Looked down at herself. A lock of matted hair slid over her shoulder. Her nose wrinkled. She was a mess. She needed a shower. Change of attire. The beautiful gown she’d worn to the Stephano wedding was ruined. Wrinkled. Stained. The slit had torn from knee level to upper thigh. And she’d lost her shoes.

  She turned about. Cameron hadn’t moved much. He’d folded his arms. His eyebrows were lifted. His cheeks sucked in. Fang tips peeked through his lips. Her heart stuttered as she made eye contact. A shot of weakness hit her knees. She swayed before catching a stumble with a hand to a bedpost. Tessa swallowed. Found her voice.

  “Are...you all right?” she asked.

  He regarded her without changing one bit of his expression. A shiver raced along her arms and legs. Her nipples tightened. The tremor radiated through her lower belly. Reached her upper thighs. Centered in her loins. Oh! My! This was exciting!

  “Cameron?”

  “It’s Cam. And no. I am not all right.”

  Her shoulders slumped. “You’re not?”

  “Why should I be? I just got carried like a side of beef. Through a swamp. By a woman.”

  “I couldn’t leave you there!”

  “Look. Tessa. My ass is not the only thing that has been upended. My dignity took a major hit, too. Okay?”

  “It did?”

  “And then some. I mean, maybe if something made sense. Somewhere. Anywhere! I can’t even find a baseline to begin data gathering, let alone analyzing it. I’ve never felt like this. I can hardly lift my own head. Why the heck is that? And don’t give me the vampire spiel again, okay? I’m not overly-imaginative. Despite what my colleagues think. I’ve had contact with ghosts. That means I believe in them. Is that so odd?”

  She shook her head. Her canines tingled. Elongated. Each breath caught.

  “You asked if I’m all right. Well. No. I’m in a supremely sensual environment with the sexiest, most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen, and—argh! Listen to me! I can’t even control my tongue.”

  Her lips twitched.

  “What did you do to me? Slip me some psychedelic drug? Maybe a little truth serum?”

  “Uh. No.”

  “Maybe you should leave until I get my hard-on under control. Oh. Shit.”

  He threw his head back. The pillow stopped him from falling off the opposite side of the chaise. It didn’t do a thing to alter the view. His clothing was plastered to him, defining hard pecs, washboard abs, and he hadn’t been exaggerating. He was definitely hard. Ready. He started speaking without looking in her direction.

  “I hope you forgive me, Tessa. I have never been this uh...forward. And we just met. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

  “You want to take a shower?” she asked.

  His head jerked up. His eyes captured her. They darkened as she watched, becoming a deep gray-green. Totally fascinating. Completely hypnotic. Her entire frame lurched in his direction.

  “With you?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  “Now?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is it big enough?”

  “Oh. Yes. Definitely.”

  He considered her for long moments. The drumming intensified. The air grew heavy. Moist. Heated. His eyes got even darker. And then he smiled.

  ~ ~ ~

  She didn’t have a shower. She had a playpen with rock walls, slate floor, lighting that ebbed and sharpened in rhythm to the drumbeats, and a showerhead that sent warm water onto the scene like some kind of misty waterfall. His dignity took another hit when he realized he
didn’t have the strength to stand. He’d tried. His legs had crumpled. It hadn’t been a problem. She’d simply hugged him to her, smashing those unbelievable breasts into his chest, and the next thing he knew he was here, propped against a wall, held in place by her exquisite body. Cam shook as she raked fingers first through his hair, and then his shirt, shredding the material into rag status. And shit. His eyes saw them. His mind registered them. His intellect fought it. But it was a fact. She had fangs.

  Really sharp. Incredibly white. Fangs.

  Shreds of fabric hit the floor. Slapped against his ankles. His mind registered the potential for a clogged drain. The rest of him didn’t care. Because she raked her fingernails down his chest, opening wounds that stung and then thrilled. And then she launched upward, meshed her lips to his, and gave him a kiss that sent them both airborne.

  His head bumped a water jet. He barely felt it. His entire existence was filled with throbs of sound. Pulse-pounding need. Unbelievable want. Tessa broke the kiss, shoved the mass of her hair off her shoulder and tilted her head, giving him access to the perfect line of her neck. Cam didn’t even question it. It was beyond inevitable. It was necessary. He licked the spot. One of her veins thumped against his tongue. Again and again. Tempting. Toying. Demanding. Cam opened his mouth. Bit her.

  Tasted.

  Started sucking.

  And the world went crazy.

  Light flashed through the enclosure, spiking electric-like charges off his skin. They sizzled before dissipating, and each one carried ecstasy. If he’d had less control, he’d have lost it right then. As it was, Cam had to lock every muscle against an onslaught of pleasure beyond any imagining. He tensed as it shoved its way into him, demanding release. He shook with holding it back. Tessa shook with him. The shower rocked about them.

  And then he sensed it. Raw. And quick. And hard.

  His strength was returning.

  Renewed energy thrust through his veins, pumped there with each heartbeat. It grabbed the emotions already rioting within him. Enflamed them. Hotter. Higher. Power added to the sense of need hammering through him. And that slammed right into the rigid hold he’d put on it.