by Mina Carter
"Well, I'm glad I found you again, Hope Gabriel," he says, pulling me against his chest. "After that night my father decided to try and write me out of my inheritance. But fuck him, I'll find a loophole. At least, I hope I do. Tomorrow's problem," he says, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
I let myself enjoy this moment in his arms, knowing I won't have many more before I leave with the boys and he has to marry a decent woman to give him heirs.
Not for the first time I wonder if I should tell him the truth that he doesn't need an heir, because he already has two.
Chapter Four
Eric
I wake up expecting to have Hope in my arms, but they're empty. I feel around the bed and realize she's gone and the sheets are cold. She must have snuck out during the night because she was here when I fell asleep.
Last night had been so fucking amazing. I don't know if I'll ever get enough of that woman. At least now she knows the truth about the night we were together. I wanted to see her and I would have if I'd known her last name or had been smart enough to get her phone number. At least I've been given this second chance with her.
Hell, I know we can't be together. She wants enough money to get out of this town and I'm stuck here, taking over for my father. I also know that when it comes down to it, in a few months I may have to suck it up and marry a shifter, because despite how much I loathe the responsibility, I don't intend to be the one who lets a dynasty that's lasted hundreds of years die out.
Continuing the bloodline is why I have to find an appropriate mate to ensure the Coughlin reign continues. Another shifter family is preferred, regardless of the animal of their house. The lion will always be dominant in heirs. Mating with humans is trickier. Some may provide adequate heirs but it's impossible to know in advance since the children won't be able to shift until years later when they reach puberty. Modern DNA testing done by our own specialized scientists may be able to predict, but it's still iffy at best.
Over the last week I think I've met with every type of shifter ever made, including a fucking squirrel woman. Courtney is from a panther pride, about as close a mate as possible since lionesses are extinct. She's beautiful, smart, and classy. I couldn't ask for a better woman to help me rule and give me strong and powerful heirs. Yet, not a single part of me is sexually attracted to her. Whenever I try to think about fucking Courtney my thoughts instantly go instead to a gorgeous redhead.
I've showered and dressed heading to my father's office to start sorting through today's problems, trying to figure out how to do the impossible which is to make everyone happy when Marjorie stops me in the hallway. I can tell by the usually cheerful woman's frown that something must be seriously wrong.
"Everything okay?" I ask.
"Your Grace, I'm sorry to bother you, but I thought you'd want to know that Ms. Gabriel is ill. I think we may need to call the doctor."
Fuck! I knew her blood count was low. Damn it! I should've called him yesterday. Is this why she left my bed during the night? Because she was sick? Why didn't she fucking tell me?
I pull out my cell phone and summon our on-call doctor while heading to the other side of the house to see her.
"One of his nurses said he'll be here within the hour," I tell Marjorie when I disconnect the call. "I need you to let Ryan know so he’ll go ahead and clear him at the gate to get through security as soon as possible."
I knock on Hope's door and even though she doesn't answer, I go on in. From the doorway I can see her delicate body trembling beneath a mountain of blankets. Moving closer, I notice the wastebasket beside the bed, making me think she's been sick on her stomach. That assumption is confirmed when she leans over and starts dry heaving into the container.
Seeing the usually vibrant woman like this makes me feel about two inches tall. I feel so damn helpless and don't know what the fuck to do for her besides wait for the doctor. I'm almost certain this is something more than anemia.
I cancel all of my morning conference calls with various districts to hear what Dr. Falls, a werehawk, says is wrong with Hope, and ask him what the hell he's gonna do for her. I watch him poke and prod her, even though she doesn't open her eyes or say a word the entire time. Finally he walks into the hallway and waits for me to close her bedroom door.
"So? Has she got the flu or something? Why is she throwing up and shaking?"
"Isn't it obvious?" he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.
"If it was would I fucking ask you?" I growl.
"Sorry," he says, holding up his hands in front of him. "I just thought that with the marks on her neck..."
"Anemia causes vomiting?" I ask in confusion.
"No, although she is also very anemic. I've got a bag of blood hooked up to her IV and will give her one more before I leave. The vomiting and trembling are symptoms of withdrawal."
"Withdrawal?" I ask and as soon as the word leaves my mouth it hits me. She's received so much fucking vampire venom that now she's actually addicted to the shit. "So, what? We wait a few days for it to work its way out of her system?" I ask.
"Usually that would be the case, but just based on the sheer number of fresh bite wounds she has, and the severity of her condition, it might take weeks for all of her symptoms to pass."
"Weeks?" I exclaim in disbelief. I'm supposed to just stand by and watch her suffer for that long? And her boys...they won't understand why she's so sick.
"Yeah, if she goes cold turkey." He nods. "But to be honest, I'm not entirely sure she would survive the dehydration for that length of time."
"She-she might not survive?" I ask, my body sags with the weight of those words, requiring me to lean against the wall to hold myself up.
"More than five or six days and her kidneys will likely shut down."
I can't believe I'm standing here with this man while he talks about how Hope will die in a few days.
"That's why I would strongly suggest that we gradually wean her off. Give her body time to acclimate to the steady reduction of venom over time, say over the course of maybe four or five weeks."
"And...what is her chance of recovery with that method?"
"Extremely good. It'll take time but I think it's very likely that she'll eventually lose the dependency without putting stress on her body."
"Thank God," I exclaim on an exhale. "So what do we need to do?"
"Oh, well, that's going to be the easy part once she receives the two bags of blood," he says with a smile. "Just find a vampire to bite her."
…
Hope
Even though my head feels a little foggy, I’m truly happy, free from worries or concerns for the first time in my life.
"I've never been to the beach before," I tell Eric who's sitting in a lounge chair under the big umbrella with me. The man is absolutely gorgeous wearing only red boardshorts to show off his smooth sculpted chest and dark sunglasses to cover his bright blue eyes.
"Really, never?" he responds in surprise, and I shake my head since his sexiness has taken all my words. "Well, I'm glad we were able to get away. The boys seem to be having fun." He gestures out into the surf where Riley and Noah are jumping the waves.
They also look like they’re in heaven, playing and untroubled like children should be. Ones that don't have to worry about if we'll have any fruit or vegetables to eat this week or if Santa Claus will visit them this year. Suddenly I remember I didn't put sunscreen on them. I'm a horrible mother.
"Where's the sunblock?" I ask, looking down beside the chairs and coming up empty. In fact, the entire beach is deserted except for us four.
"Didn't think to bring it. They'll be fine," Eric assures me, reaching for my hand that's closest to him.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. And I've got a surprise for you," he says, distracting me from my worry.
"What's that?" I ask unable to help my smile. When he pulls out a small black box I suck in a deep breath, wondering if it's what I think it is.
"Hope, I love you and I'm s
o sorry I wasn't around for you and the boys all those years, but I plan to make it up to you for the rest of your life. Will you let me be your husband and their father?"
"Yes!" I exclaim as tears run freely down my cheeks. Still holding my hand Eric removes the ring from the box and slides it on my finger. The single, sparkling round diamond ring fits perfectly.
I watch as Eric's lips press a kiss to the top of my hand before turning it over and biting into the flesh on my wrist.
"Ah!" I cry out at the sharp, stinging pierce. "What did you do that for?" I ask indignantly. But then the pain turns to pleasure, causing heat to gather and pulse between my thighs. "Oh God, yes!" I scream when the first wave of ecstasy causes the delicious tightening in my pussy. Too late. I realize I'm having a full blown orgasm in public in broad daylight.
When I blink my eyes open though I'm in a softly lit room and a big, blond man, or vampire rather, is drinking from my wrist. That's when I realize I'd been dreaming. I should've known it was too good to be true.
"Sleeping Beauty's awake," the somewhat familiar looking stranger says after pulling his fangs from my wrist. He tilts his head to the side while he thoroughly examines me. "Although, she's more of an Ariel, don't you think? The Little Mermaid was always my fav." He then winks at me.
Eric shoves the vamp out of the way to come closer to me. "Hope! Thank, God. How are you feeling?" he asks.
"Why was this strange dude sucking on me?" I ask him.
"Because those fucking vampires pumped too much venom into you and now you're an addict."
"An addict? I'm not an addict!" I exclaim.
"Admitting you have a problem and are powerless against it is the first step of the VA program, you know Venomholics Anonymous?" the blond vampire pops his head in my line of sight again.
"You can leave now on your own volition," Eric says through clenched teeth to him. "Or I can make you."
"Ungrateful little shit," the vampire mutters right before I hear the door open. "Good thing she's hot or you'd be kissing my ass goodbye. And I bet you a fucking grand that by the end of the week you’ll be begging me to make you come, King Cunt!"
Eric shakes his head in aggravation at the other man’s words and swipes a hand through his hair.
"Where's Riley and Noah? How long have I been asleep?" I ask, sitting up straight in the bed. Not the guest bed, but Eric's I notice when I glance around.
"They're fine. You've just been out for a day. We told them you were tired and catching up on your sleep, then we kept them busy playing hide and seek."
"Oh, good." I blow out my breath and relax back down. "We? You played hide and seek?" I ask unable to help my smile.
"I had to. Marjorie and Charles looked in every single closet and room in the house and couldn't find them. The boys discovered the bookcase, which was the first place I thought to look."
"Oh." How ironic my boys would hide where they were conceived.
"Do you feel okay?" he asks, looking me over.
"Yeah, I'm great."
"Heath gave you a little of his blood to help with the healing before he released the venom."
"Heath?" I ask. "The blond vampire that was just in here sucking on me?"
"Yeah."
"Friend of yours?"
"No, not really anymore. We used to be, but...until today we haven't spoken in a few years."
"Why not?"
"Long story, I'll tell you another time. Now, are you hungry? Should I get Marjorie to bring you some dinner?"
"Um, yeah that would be awesome," I respond since my stomach is growling and feels sunken in like I haven't had anything in days. I kind of want to milk this whole deal with Nurse Eric, too.
He picks up the landline phone next to the bed and dials a series of number before making the request. "Can I get you anything else?" he asks, looking down at me with worried eyes after putting the phone back in the cradle.
"I think I could use a shower and brush my teeth," I tell him with a wince at the acidic nastiness in my mouth. "Then I'll go check on the boys before I eat."
"They're already asleep. It's ten-thirty."
"Oh. I hope they didn't protest going to bed too much for Marjorie."
"I put them to bed and they didn't complain at all. They passed right out."
"You put them to bed?" I ask in surprise.
"Yeah."
"Thanks. And I mean for everything, Eric."
"It's nothing. I'm just glad you're feeling better. Heath's agreed to stick around as a venom donor until you can wean off of it. The doctor gave us a schedule with more bites initially and gradually reducing them."
"Well, that's nice of him," I say.
Asking a vampire to drink from someone is not really considered a hardship. But will it be weird for Eric to watch me come undone by some other man's mouth? And sweet, sweet Jesus, the thought of him witnessing such an act has me dripping wet. It might also have something to do with the fact that the vampire is a good-looking son of a bitch. He's slightly leaner and taller than Eric, and if I remember correctly, has milk chocolate eyes.
"Now that Heath's seen you I'm sure he'll be volunteering for his own selfish reasons, trying to get in your panties."
"You're the only one I want in my panties," I assure him. Oh yes, I want Eric in my panties while the vampire, Heath drinks from me.
"Good. And as soon as I know you're healthy again I'll rid you of your panties every chance I get."
"I can't wait," I tell him, deciding to hold off on sharing my erotic request with him until later.
Chapter Five
Eric
I've got my phone on mute while I listen to three other people argue. Apparently a weredog's transformation was captured on video and has been posted online for the world to see. I hate the fucking Internet.
Unmuting the conference call, I interrupt to ask, "How long has the footage been up?"
"Three hours," Donald, a were-grizzly bear and informant on the east coast, tells me.
"Then hang the fuck up and call Mark to take the shit down." In two seconds our go-to IT guy will take care of the problem, and the exposure will hopefully be minimal.
"Fine," he snaps and everyone disconnects without another word.
I need help. Every day there are so many fucking problems from one end of the world to another that I can’t handle them all. Maybe it’s time for the underworld to organize teams of investigators to help solve crimes, like tracking down the human that are killing shifters. Of course that makes me think of Hope, how she’d been going to school to be a forensic crime scene examiner before she became pregnant. Maybe she could offer some advice. What the hell am I thinking? She’ll be gone soon. I shove that depressing thought aside.
I’ve also been considering letting our society elect representatives from districts. The idea of a constitutional monarchy rather than an absolute sounds like the perfect solution. It works well enough for some of the human societies. I bark out a laugh imagining my father rolling over in his grave when I only just consider the idea of giving up some of our bloodline’s power.
I spin my desk chair around to face the computer monitor and check the morning emails, still thinking about the possibility of elections, a constitution and parliament. And great, there's only one hundred and eighty-four new messages. I'll be done in no time. I run my fingers through my hair and grab a handful of it, wanting to literally yank it out by the roots rather than deal with this shit. A knock on the office door comes as a welcome distraction.
"Come in," I yell.
I'm not expecting to see Hope, but she's a very happy surprise. Especially when she shuts and locks the door behind her.
"Hey," I say in greeting.
"Hey."
"Are you okay? Is everything all right?" I can't help but worry incessantly about her now after seeing her so sick.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she says as she comes closer. She's still in her pajamas, a light blue tank top with no bra and matching plaid shorts. I've seen
women in thousand dollar lingerie that are not nearly as sexy as the woman in front of me. "I thought you might could use a mid-morning pick me up."
"I could definitely use a...pick me up," I reply, unable to help my smile when she comes around to my side of the big oak desk.
Spinning my chair to face her, Hope climbs on my lap, holding onto my shoulders when her lips meet mine. All the muscles in my body instantly relax as I inhale her delectable raspberry scent and lose myself in her eager kiss.
"My job here is done," she jokes, rocking her ass over my hard on.
"I bet I can think of another job for you," I tell her. My hands slide underneath her tank to peel it over her head and off, so I can get my mouth on her perfect tits. Her back arches when I run my tongue over one of her nipples.
"Is it a job that utilizes my...incredible sword swallowing talent?" she whispers against my ear, following it up with a swirling lick inside of it that makes my whole body shudder.
"Fuck yes it does."
Climbing off my lap she goes down to her knees between my legs without any hesitation. I groan when she unzips and then reaches inside to free my cock from the confines of my dress pants and boxer-briefs. I curse when my entire hard length disappears all the way down her throat. Every. Single. Fucking. Inch.
As if that wasn't enough to unravel me, she starts moaning, causing humming vibrations along my shaft like she's enjoying the fuck out of herself. That's when I realize one of her hands is between her legs.
I have to lean forward to get a better view, and...oh fuck. Seeing her topless with her hand stuffed down the front of her shorts is almost enough to make me blow my load right then and there. Her mouth feels so damn good that I try and hold off a little longer.
Hope's moans become more urgent and I watch as her eyes close and her body shakes with her orgasm, her mouth still full of my cock. When there's a knock on the door I'm ready to murder whoever is on the other side.
"Go the fuck away!" I yell and I can't hold off any longer. With a growling curse, I reach for her head to hold her mouth all the way to my body. Her cheeks hollow from the force of her suction, and it feels fucking amazing. I'm getting hard again just thinking about my next blowjob and she hasn't even swallowed the last drop of cum from this one.