by Unknown
“It’s good he’s up and moving around. I’m not at all surprised about the changes in him. He was born with all the knowledge of our race. Transformation alone changes people. With Carissa—a Guardian who’s already done the Crossover—it was even stronger.” He grabbed her wrist, drew her close, and kissed her. “You need to be fed upon,” he said in a statement, not a question.
She nodded and then exhaled. “Yes.”
Dimitri glanced up and around. “Come on.”
He kept hold of her hand, pulling her into a back room she had seen before but had never gone inside, the gym’s large shower room. The area was open with a half-wall in front and the entrance to the left. Eight showerheads lined the wall with one big column fixture in the middle, pouring a waterfall from the top.
Dimitri turned all the faucets on. Steam quickly filled the room. When he came back out, he was naked. The sight of his strong, aroused body had hers quickly coming alive.
“Take your clothes off,” he said.
Claudia’s hands shook as she undressed. She put everything on a bench and reached for the hand he offered. Dimitri walked backwards into the spraying water.
The shower felt heavenly. Heat beat over her head, on her back, over her breasts, and nipples, which quickly became overly sensitive. Claudia closed her eyes, tossed her head back, and enjoyed.
She gasped when his hand cupped between her legs, squeezed her mounds, and his lips kissed at her throat. She moved her hands up his arms to his neck, and he picked her up, cradling her ass in his hands.
She didn’t hesitate in wrapping her legs around his waist. He took advantage of the angle and lowered her onto his cock, filling her slow and easy. She took each solid, thick inch, one slow push at a time, into her body, losing her sanity. He stole her breath away. He rocked inside her and kissed the column of her throat until she thought she was going to die with his teasing.
“Please,” she begged pitifully.
He growled against her and struck. His fangs went deep into her throat as he pounded his cock in and out. She climaxed the second he bit her, holding on tight as he moved.
Oh, it felt good. Better than the first, second, or even that fast third time. With his hands on her ass, his cock surging into her pussy, and his mouth sucking, drinking her blood, Claudia felt the second wave of orgasm quickly approaching.
She held on, dug her nails into his back, and pressed her heels into his ass. Dimitri moaned against her throat, pulling even harder.
“Yes,” she moaned, grinding herself as much as she could against him with each thrust. “Don’t stop.”
He licked, closing the bite. “Never,” he promised in a grunt.
The pinnacle hit; she screamed. Pleasure washed over her like the water splashing on her head and back. She came, and she came hard yet was still aware. Dimitri swelled inside her. His fangs sank into his own lip, and he kissed her. His hips slammed into her, and his body stiffened, his balls convulsed to pump his seed. His hot cum gushed into her as she tasted his blood. Claudia closed her eyes and sucked on his lip, taking his blood into her mouth in greedy gulps.
He shivered, and she tightened her hold on him. With great reluctance, the kiss ended, but not the embrace. Dimitri held her closer, resting his face in the crook of her neck.
“Will it always be like this?” she asked, breathing hard and heavy.
“God, I hope so,” he answered, breathing the same way.
Chapter Eight
Rage sat at his desk, his hand up to his chin, his fingers drumming across his lips. He stared at the picture on the computer screen of his laptop. Standing on the other side of the desk, the two humans told him all they knew of Renzo’s plans.
None of it was pretty.
One part was that Renzo wanted Julian Marino dead and made plans to trap and kill him. That wasn’t really a big surprise. Payback is what Renzo called it, for the death of Serina. He refused to accept the simple fact that he had caused her death. He had forced the girl into labor and then left her to bleed to death. Renzo didn’t know, and would never find out from him, that Serina had another daughter. Twins. Rage planned on making sure the second baby was kept a secret. He owed his sister that much for the part he’d played in taking her back to Renzo. The guilt over how Renzo treated her and how he let her die weighed heavily upon Rage’s shoulders. At the time, he thought what he was doing was right. He believed she should be back with her family, not living as a slave to a vampire. Once he learned more about the bloodmates, and what they needed and received from a bonding—well, the story told by Renzo was all a big lie. Bullshit in fact. They needed a vampire to live. To keep them apart meant their death, plain and simple. Each time Rage saw Renzo, he saw more of the madness taking over. If he’d doubted it, Renzo provided proof when Renzo called the baby Serina.
Denver knew something. He knew how to contact them, Rage was sure. “Have Denver contact me. I need to talk to him as soon as possible.”
The men nodded and left. Rage stood up, closed his laptop, and slipped it into his bag before heading for the special room. At the open door, he stared at the creation he’d made. The special chains no longer held the same appeal for him as when he’d started the project. He no longer wanted to chain his pet. To do that would mean to break the sprit within her, and he hated the thought of doing that. Yes, he wanted her, but not like that. He refused to become what his father was, a monster. Even with the things he’d already done, he didn’t think it was too late to change.
Without saying a word he turned, going back to his desk. He packed everything important into the one bag. Slinging it over his shoulder, he glanced around at the place he’d claimed for his own. Nowhere was ever a home to him. Places like this were just a spot to rest his head for a short time. The time there had come to an end.
Taking the stairs two at a time, he went up and stopped when one of the human men came up to him.
“Denver will call you for a meeting.”
“Good. Burn the house.” Rage walked past him, out into the night.
He got into his car and had cleared the driveway when the house blew up; thanks to all the explosives he had all throughout the house. The explosion would’ve killed the human, along with the breeds who were inside. Rage didn’t care. He knew what he needed to do, knew who to trust, and any man coming from Renzo wasn’t one to trust or a loss to humanity.
Getting rid of the house didn’t bother him in the least. He had another place to go; one Renzo had no clue still existed. As a child, it was a place Rage had called home.
His cell vibrated against his chest. Rage reached into the top inside pocket of his coat, flipped the cell open, and put it up to his ear. “Yeah.”
“Heard you want to meet.” Denver’s voice held uncertainly. “Why?”
“I think it’s time for skeletons to start coming out of the closet—brother.” The other end became deathly quiet. “Meet me in one hour at the cemetery where Serina died. We need to talk. Now.”
“I’ll think up an excuse to leave and get one of the breeds to take me to town. I’ll be there.”
* * * *
“Your job will be to convince the Guardians that I’m on their side now and that I’ll help in any way I can to bring Renzo down,” Rage told Denver.
He could still see the shock on Denver’s face from discovering they were indeed brothers and the anger when he filled him in on the details. He could also see the distrust. Denver was shocked as to Rage’s parentage, but in an odd way, he didn’t really look surprised. Denver, like Rage and Serina, had known for a long time that Renzo had been in love with Rage’s mother. He and Denver traded facts, matched dates, and Denver was convinced—of that. He still needed convincing of Rage’s change of sides in Renzo’s insane war.
“They might believe it more if I could tell them why you’re willing to do it,” Denver told him.
“This is something I need to do. He lied to me, Denver, just like he lied to you about Serina and what it meant to
be a bloodmate, and he used the way the man I believed was my father treated me to convince me all vampires needed to be killed. What he did to Serina and stealing that baby is twisted. If I hadn’t left before…” He let the sentence trail off and drew a deep breath. “I saw then how crazy he is, and I did nothing. Now I’m doing something. Returning that baby is a first step in the right direction.”
Denver pointed out, “One good deed can’t erase a fucking barrel full of shit.”
“I know, I know, but give me time, and I’ll fix it. I’ll get the baby to you, but you go with them, taking the blame for her being gone. I’ll stay and help them anyway I can from the inside to bring him down.”
“You should just go with us and help the Guardians fight him.”
Rage shook his head. “He plans on killing Julian, and he’ll want that baby back. I’ve got to stay to make sure he doesn’t get the chance to follow through with his plans.”
He just didn’t have a clue how. The others wouldn’t know he wasn’t done with Renzo yet was the real reason he wouldn’t leave. He needed to keep up the ruse that he was on Renzo’s side until he was ready to bring him down his own way. He did, however, convince Denver to agree to take the baby. Now he just needed to get his plan in action.
* * * *
“I can’t believe how hungry I am.” Claudia sat at the small table in the kitchen of the main house. She’d planned on coming up and just having a sandwich, but Corbin insisted on fixing her something, and she sat stuffing her face.
Corbin stood at the stove, preparing another egg omelet, toast, and more sausages for her. He smiled at her as he put her second plate in front of her, picked up her empty glass, and filled it up again with juice.
“Oh, I can,” Corbin said, going back to the stove and bringing out a large pan from the oven with three huge roasts cooking in it. “Bonded bloodmates, I’ve learned, tend to eat like crazy for the first few days, until their bodies get regulated. Also, you’ll eat like crazy if you get pregnant. Tempest used to eat me out of house and home, when she was carrying Lucan.”
Claudia stuffed her mouth as she watched and listened to the human.
He was strange, but had a kindness about him, which made one want to sit in the kitchen and watch him work all day and night. He wasn’t as tall as the vamps. Corbin maybe stood about six feet, but she thought more like five-eight. He had short brown hair and dressed always in slacks, crisp white shirts, and loafers on his feet. He nearly always had an apron over his clothes. He had such kind eyes, anyone instantly felt at ease in his company.
“So does everyone know that I’m bonded?” she asked, wiping her mouth and picking up her glass.
“Well, when you started to purge, and Shadow saw him kissing you…” he turned his head towards her and smiled, “…pretty much.”
Her face heated up.
“But I’ve learned from Ambrose it’s a real good thing for Dimitri. He’s been alone for a very long time. A strong fighter needs someone special just for him.”
“From what I’ve seen, they all need one.” Corbin nodded while he rubbed something on the meat and put it back in the oven. “They’re all lonely.”
He grabbed a towel from the rack, wiped his hands, and walked over to the table. Sitting down across from her, he said, “They all are. I think this whole house is lonely. The girls are doing what they can to brighten it up, but they are just as worried as the rest.”
“They want to be bonded.”
He nodded. “I’ve never heard of a Guardian bonding before, but I could understand why they would want to be. Everyone wants someone special to love.”
“Are you looking for someone?”
“You know I’ve sort of given up on me.” He smiled quickly and stood back up, taking her plate over to the sink. “Right now I’m more concerned with Lucian, Tempest, and Julian. Fate hasn’t exactly dished them out a fair life.”
“And this war isn’t easy either.”
“We all do what we can for the ones we love. Now is there anything else I can get you?”
Claudia smiled, shaking her head. “No, thank you. That breakfast was great. I can see why Ambrose put you in charge of the house. You’re a great cook.”
Corbin chuckled. “Believe it or not, Julian taught me how to do a few tricks in the kitchen.”
“You think he’ll be okay? Maybe find another bloodmate?”
Corbin shrugged, leaning back against the counter. “I don’t think he’s going to look for a very long time. His sole purpose right now is getting his daughter back and raising the twins after he does.”
“I have faith that Dimitri and Carissa will get the baby back.”
“So do I.”
She pushed herself away from the table and stood up. “I better get back to the clinic. Ivy is teaching me how to be a nurse, and I still have a lot to learn.”
Corbin gave her another smile. “If you get hungry again you know where to find me.”
“Thank you.”
She left the kitchen, went down to the underground, and was heading for the clinic when voices ahead stopping her.
“Ambrose, he isn’t going to be able to keep up.” Dimitri’s voice carried softly in the dimly lit hallway. Claudia pressed herself back against the wall so as not to disturb them, but she felt guilty for eavesdropping. “Just the basics I put him through wore his ass out. Basics, as in what the children begin with when they first arrive.”
“You can’t offer him the Crossover,” Carissa said. “His father will use it against us to get what he wants.”
“I have to agree with her.” Dimitri sighed. “Crossover for Julian would be a mistake. He’s a first-born. If by chance he wants to go back to that life, he won’t be able to. I don’t think he understands that.”
“We can’t overlook his request.” Ambrose stated.
“To hell with the request!” Carissa’s voice got louder. “We will get her back for him.”
“Ambrose, he can’t keep up,” Dimitri repeated. “Request or not, you have to take into account his Noble status. If it was any other first born Nobel asking to become a Guardian would you let him?”
“You risk a lot by even thinking about offering it to him,” Carissa added.
“Julian isn’t his father,” Ambrose stated.
“He’s his blood.” Dimitri’s voice rose. “His father will burn us when he finds out his only son and heir has turned.”
“You need to stop this now,” Carissa said. “Julian isn’t strong enough, and his grief over the loss of Serina holds him back.”
“Then we need to give him the tools he needs to keep up.” Ambrose’s voice chilled, holding more authority than friendship. “And you show him how to use his grief to strengthen him and his training.”
“Ambrose,” Carissa sounded angry, but was cut off from saying more.
“I’ve made my mind up. We do this at the end of the month.”
Someone walked away. Claudia pressed herself closer to the wall, deeper into the shadows, holding her breath.
Carissa sighed. “I don’t like this, Dimitri.”
“We don’t have a choice,” Dimitri stated. “He’s the elder. We’re going to have to do as he wishes even if we don’t like it.”
“Still it doesn’t mean that I can’t give voice to how much of a mistake it is.”
“Look at it this way; you can beat the shit out of Julian if you want.”
Claudia heard another set of feet leaving, but not the third.
“You can come out now.”
Claudia closed her eyes, bit her lip, and inwardly groaned. Dimitri knew she was there, but that shouldn’t have been much of surprise to her. They were bonded now. He was going to know when she was near, and she would know where he was too.
“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, coming out of her hiding place to face him. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
He took hold of her hand, drew her closer, and wrapped his arms around her body. Claudia closed her eye
s, sighing with pleasure at his embrace.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Good. Corbin just fed me.” She pulled out of his arms and looked up at him. “Are you going to do that thing for Julian?”
He brushed his knuckles across her cheek before moving out of the embrace to lean back against the wall across from her. “Ambrose wants us to.”
“But you don’t.”
“It isn’t up to me. Ambrose rules down here. Julian isn’t strong enough to be one of us or go out there to hunt for his daughter.” His statement had her looking back up at him. “But what he really doesn’t understand is he won’t be strong enough afterwards if he goes through with it either. Look at Lucan. His early transition sent him in a Crossover. Crossovers takes time; time Julian doesn’t want to take.”
After his transition and Crossover, Lucan was still too weak to get out of bed. If that gave her any insight as to what a Crossover was like, then yeah Julian wouldn’t be ready to go after his daughter if it happened anytime soon.
“But hey,” he gave her a big smile, his dark eyes lighting up, “let’s not think about all that shit right now. Let’s, I don’t know, do something else.”
“Hey, mate!” Shadow came running up to them, breathing hard. “Been looking for you and Carissa. Got another message and this one is going to blow your world away.”
Dimitri cast Claudia a look, but she smiled. “Don’t worry. I need to go check in at the clinic. We can do something later.”
Dimitri snatched her hand quickly before she took too many steps away from him. He pulled her close, lowered his head, and kissed her. “Later.”
* * * *
Dimitri watched her go, wishing like hell he could take her to his room for the rest of the night. So this is what being bonded feels like.
Shadow chuckled. “You got it bad, mate.”
Dimitri tore his eyes from the sight of Claudia only after she turned the corner. He looked at Shadow with a glare. “What’s the message?”