Dark Mate (MATE series)

by Kristen, Natalie

  “Amelia Jones has identified you as the vampire who turned her,” Bryn confirmed.

  After a pause, she said, “We work closely with the NMPD. A few nights ago, Jett received a call from the NMPD. One of their officers had disappeared without a trace on her way home from work. No trace,” she emphasized the last two words. “Police officers and Enforcers combed the area and the Enforcers picked up her scent. Apparently, she entered an empty house at the corner of the street, and poof! She was no more,” Bryn gestured dramatically.

  “No scent, no trace. Only a Master vampire could do that.” She leaned her elbows on the table, eyeing him closely. “You're a wanted vamp, Gabriel King. A smart rogue like you would remain in hiding, biding your time, plotting more violence and mayhem. So why did you take that nice police officer?”

  Gabriel scrubbed one hand across his face. What could he say?

  Finally, he said, “She's my mate.”

  “Your mate?”

  “Yes,” he answered gruffly.

  Bryn's expression softened a little.

  Gabriel clenched his fists and leaned forward. “I've answered your questions. Now answer mine. Where is Eva?”

  “Eva Stone...” Bryn swallowed and glanced at Scott nervously. At a nod, she sucked in a breath and said, “She's missing. We were watching Eva's apartment, waiting for you to show up. When we stormed the premises, Vonetta Imotez teleported Eva away. Our Enforcers lost her trace.” Bryn shook her head angrily. “Vonetta Imotez is not a Master vampire. I don't understand how we could have lost her. I misted after her myself.” Her fist landed on the table. “Why...”

  “Vonetta is not an ordinary vampire, like you,” Gabriel said, staring straight at Bryn. “She's a hybrid, half vampire, half succubus. And she will drain Eva.”

  He stood up to his full height. “I need to find her.”

  “Sit down, Gabriel.”

  “No! I need to go to her!”

  Gabriel felt a hand on his arm as Scott moved in to restrain him.

  Scott tried to force Gabriel down, but Gabriel wouldn't budge. Bryn had jumped up and was speaking rapidly into her watch.

  Gabriel caught a slight movement at the corner of his eye. Without hesitation, Gabriel whirled round and slammed his fists into Scott's jaw.

  Scott reared back, and socked him hard in the nose. Blood spurted down his face and Gabriel roared. He picked up the table and smashed it over Scott's head. Splinters rained down on the werebear's massive shoulders, but Scott continued charging at him.

  Gabriel leaped up and sunk his fangs into Scott's shoulder. The Enforcer fought back, twisting round to grab Gabriel by the collar.

  Gabriel felt the silver cuffs burn into his flesh, draining his powers, but he fought against the pain.

  If he had to kill them all to get out, he would.

  No one kept him from his Eva.

  He glanced up and saw that Bryn's gun was trained on him.

  Gabriel moved even before he heard the first shot.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The door slammed wide open as Bryn squeezed off another shot. Gabriel jerked out of the way, feeling the bullet nick his ear. There was two silver bullets in the wall behind him.

  “Uncuff him.”

  Scott and Bryn shouted in protest, “Jett!”

  The Head Enforcer strode into the room, his expression grim. “Can you locate Eva Stone?” he asked Gabriel point blank.

  Gabriel met Jett's stern, angry eyes and saw that the human was trying his best to reign in his temper and his frustration. Time was running out. A human police officer was held hostage by a dangerous rogue paranormal, and the chances of her being found alive was diminishing as the seconds ticked by.

  “Yes. She is my mate,” Gabriel answered frankly.

  “You know Vonetta Imotez?”

  “Yes.” Gabriel closed his eyes briefly. “She was my betrothed, when...we were both human.”

  “She's not human now,” Jett said, his lips twisting. “But she sure has taken a lot of humans and paranormals.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She's been linked to a series of murders in the city. The victims were all found naked and completely drained in their beds. But they all died with a smile on their faces. We knew a succubus was at work, a vampiric one. Vonetta Imotez, or Madam Von as she's known to her clients, is at the top of our list of suspects. But she's good at keeping herself hidden. Real good.”

  The news shook Gabriel to the core. “It's my fault...” he whispered. “She did what she had to do, to survive.”

  Jett snorted. “Do you really think that? I have demons, succubi, incubi, vampires, all kinds of blood-sucking paranormals in my Enforcement Unit. They do what they have to do to survive, but they don't kill. They take what they need, no more. Vonetta takes what she wants. There's a big difference.”

  Jett turned and saw Bryn glaring at him. “What?” he frowned.

  “You never briefed us about your number one suspect.”

  “Only a small team of elite Enforcers were given access to that list. Those are very dangerous rogues, Bryn, and I don't want to run the risk of some reckless rookies going after these dangerous elements on their own,” Jett said quickly.

  “Reckless rookies,” Bryn deadpanned, her eyes narrowing.

  Jett wisely decided not to respond. Instead, he turned to Gabriel and snapped, “Can you mist my Enforcers to where Eva is?”

  “No.”

  Jett raised a brow.

  “I go alone.”

  “We are not letting you walk free, vampire,” Jett answered.

  “I have to go alone, if Eva is to live. If Vonetta senses an ambush, she will kill Eva on the spot. I won't risk Eva's life,” he said firmly.

  “Jett, don't believe him. He's a lying, murdering rogue!” Scott rushed forward. “He hurt my cousin's mate!”

  Jett turned his appraising, astute eyes on Gabriel. “Yes. You did take Levi's mate, and hurt and humiliated her for shits and giggles. Perhaps I should have let Levi kill you to avenge his mate, instead of sending Bryn in to stop him...”

  “Let me save Eva. And I will return. You have my word. Just let me save Eva, and Levi can have my head.”

  Jett exhaled a long breath, and glanced at Scott.

  As soon as Jett's eyes left him, Gabriel made his move.

  The silver cuffs slowed him down and weakened him, but he was still incredibly fast. In a blink, he had looped his cuffs around Bryn's neck, and was pressing her against him. The silver burned against her neck, and she gasped, but he didn't loosen his hold.

  Jett and Scott had their guns out. “Let her go, Gabriel,” Jett said, his voice flat.

  Gabriel looked straight at Jett. “Wouldn't you do anything to save her? You wouldn't let her die, would you? If she got hurt because of you...” Gabriel let his voice trail off. It gave him no pleasure to hurt the feisty female vampire, who was struggling valiantly against him. But she was no match for him. She was a young vampire, so the silver would burn and weaken her far more than him. He knew that it must be excruciating for her to have the silver against her bare skin, but not once did she cry out.

  Jett's gun was steady in his hands, but Gabriel could tell that he was barely breathing.

  “I don't want to hurt her, but I will if I have to,” Gabriel said to Jett in a low voice. “I know you can't bear to see her hurt.” Gabriel tightened his grip on Bryn and smiled, letting the human know that he wouldn't hesitate to carry out his threat.

  Gabriel could kill his precious little vampire in a heartbeat.

  “How would you feel if you saw her die?” Gabriel said, his eyes locked on Jett.

  “Let her go,” Jett repeated through gritted teeth.

  “Uncuff me. Let me save Eva.”

  Jett's eyes never left Gabriel. He turned his head slightly to issue the order to Scott, “Release him.”

  “But...”

  Jett's voice was very quiet, but his command was clear. “Now.”

&nb
sp; Scott holstered his gun with a scowl, and stalked angrily towards Gabriel. Bryn had gone very still, but Gabriel wasn't taking any chances. He would only let her go when his cuffs fell away from his wrists.

  Once Scott unlocked his silver cuffs, Gabriel gave Jett a curt nod. “You kept your word, human. I'll keep mine. I will return.”

  Jett snarled and lunged forward to grab Bryn.

  Gabriel released her into Jett's arms and misted away.

  Gabriel sped through the city, reaching for Eva with his mind. He could sense her, feel her pain, anger and confusion, and feel every hammering beat of her heart. She was so near. He just had to connect with her mind and her heart...

  Eva, where are you?

  He could almost reach her.

  I will find you, Eva!

  Then he saw her face.

  Just for an instant. He saw her wide gray eyes and her pale, quivering face. Her braid had come undone, her red hair loose and wild around her. Her lips were moving, as though she was trying to say something, to speak to him across that vast distance.

  There was just the briefest flicker of fear before everything went blank again.

  He had sensed her, connected with her, but just as quickly, she had closed her mind and her heart and blocked him, as if she didn't want him to find her. Why wouldn't she want to be found? She had to know that Vonetta would kill her. She was afraid, but her fear wasn't for herself. She feared for him, for his life.

  Eva was trying to protect him by blocking him.

  The realization smashed into him like a wrecking ball. His concentration slipped and he half materialized in the middle of the highway, right in the path of a blaring eighteen wheeler. He pulled back into mist just in time and the truck roared away.

  Eva cared for him.

  “I can't be with you, Gabriel.”

  No, no, she was wrong. She could be with him. He would make it right. He would make everything right, for her, for them.

  Gabriel turned his thoughts forcefully to Vonetta. He had tasted her blood. He would be able to reach her.

  As soon as he focused on Vonetta, he heard a derisive laughter in his head.

  Come to me, Gabriel.

  I'm waiting for you.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Eva felt her cheek pressing against a cold surface. She blinked hard to focus her blurry vision. Every muscle in her body protested as she tried to push herself up. As she became aware of her surroundings, she realized that she was lying on a tabletop. In a panic, she scrambled off the polished black marble top and backed into the wall.

  Hyperventilating, Eva pressed her back against the wall and squinted in the dim, flickering light. There was a long dining table in the middle of the room, and she saw two golden goblets and a thick red candle on the table. The candle flame danced wildly even though the air was completely still. It threw its eerie red light across the room, creating shadows and scuttling figures. Eva's eyes darted to and fro, trying to follow every movement, real or imaginary. But there was no one in the room with her. It looked like she was alone, at least for now.

  The scent of blood hung heavy in the air and the black walls seemed to close in on her, making it difficult to breathe.

  With her back still against the wall, she scanned the room quickly, trying to find a door or a window. But the entire room was made up of an endless expanse of black walls. There was no door, no exit, no visible means of escape.

  Her fingers scrabbled desperately around her wrist, and she felt a long, ridged scar encircling her wrist.

  With a gasp, she jerked her hand up, wincing as she examined the scar on her wrist. It looked like someone had slit her wrist just recently and her wound had been roughly and forcibly seared shut.

  Cradling her shaking hand close to her body, she stared at the long marble table. The table legs looked like they were fashioned out of pure gold. Golden claws glinted at the end of the table legs, and the black marble top had streaks of red running across the entire surface. The sinewy red lines seemed to thrum and throb, like hundreds of veins.

  Warily, Eva inched towards the table and peered into the goblets. One was empty, but one was filled with a deep red liquid.

  Eva reeled back, and stared at the badly healed scar on her wrist in horror. Making a small, strangled sound at the back of her throat, she backed away from the table.

  “What is this?” she whispered. “What do you want?” The echo of her whisper carried around the cavernous room, mocking her, taunting her.

  Was she supposed to drink her own blood?

  Was this some sort of sick joke, some perverted entertainment?

  Eva walked slowly round the table, glaring at the shadows and the silent, black walls. “Show yourself,” she hissed. “Come out and face me, Vonetta! What is this place? Why have you taken me here?”

  Eva held her breath and waited. All she heard was her own thunderous heartbeat.

  Slowly, Eva ran her hands along the wall, feeling her way around the room. There had to be a door hidden somewhere. She just had to find it. If she couldn't see it, perhaps she could feel it. She just needed to feel the tiniest crack or unevenness in the wall. There had to be an opening.

  She scanned the high, dark ceiling and the polished tiles on the floor. How did she get here? And more importantly, how would she get out?

  Eva aimed a kick at the wall and scowled. A couple more kicks and punches were launched against the wall, but she made not a dent. Eva rubbed her knuckles and huffed. Panting, she blinked at the blood red flame and the illuminated goblet in front of it.

  On a whim, on instinct, she snatched up the goblet and hurled the contents over the flame.

  There was a loud whoosh as the flame flared up, sizzling and crackling. Tongues of fire snaked out to devour every drop of the spilled blood. The flames swirled and spiraled across the table, consuming the blood in a frenzy. The blood seemed to be feeding the fire, letting it burn brighter, higher, hotter, until the whole tabletop was covered with leaping flames. Shadows danced and writhed in the middle of the flames, as the dark flames reached out for Eva with greedy, grasping fingers.

  Eva staggered away, dropping the empty goblet on the floor with a clatter. She raised her arms to shield her face from the raging inferno. The savage flames towered above her, swaying and twisting with a strange, terrible grace and beauty. In the heart of the fire, she thought she saw eyes. The eyes blinked and vanished, just as the fire whipped down towards her.

  “No!' She screamed, batting away the shooting flames with her bare hands. “No!”

  But as the flames touched her, she felt a searing cold rush from the surface of her skin down to her marrow.

  Tongues of fire licked at her, chasing her as she scrabbled across the room. Eva screamed and shivered from the icy chill of their touch. “Stop! Get away from me!”

  Cold, brittle laughter reverberated round the room.

  With a hiss, a svelte figure stepped out gracefully from the flames, and the fire died altogether. There was not a single drop of blood on the table. The flames had consumed all that spilled blood cleanly, completely.

  Vonetta Imotez stood smiling at Eva, her eyes and skin still glowing like embers.

  “You!” Eva spat. “You took my blood!”

  “Yes...” Vonetta laughed and licked her lips. “Your blood is...exquisite, and so familiar. It tastes of...him.”

  Eva gulped.

  “I can taste Gabriel in you,” Vonetta drawled, circling her slowly. “I love the taste of a Master vampire. A vampire at the apex of the food chain...”

  “You're a vampire yourself.” Eva shook her head. “Why would you prey on your own kind? I didn't think that...”

  “Oh, I am a vampire.” Vonetta smiled. “But I am also a succubus.”

  Eva fought to keep her face impassive as she stared into Vonetta's glittering red eyes. Vonetta Imotez was a beautiful woman, and it wasn't hard to imagine men falling like flies into her bed. No male would be able to resist her allure. Not e
ven Gabriel King, she thought bitterly.

  And why would Gabriel resist her? He had been searching for her his whole life. He would take her in a heartbeat. She had seen him take Vonetta into his arms. He was going to kiss her, yet...she knew, she just knew that he wouldn't. There was something in his voice, in the way he held himself and her...

  “Once upon a time, I was a normal human woman. Just like you.” Vonetta waved a hand. “I became what I am, because of what a vampire and a demon did to me. But really, it was all because of him.” Her eyes flashed with pain and anger. “He thought he was being noble and righteous. He wanted to be a hero and save the world. He was a fool. A selfish, thoughtless fool!”

  Eva caught the slight quaver in her voice. “Gabriel...” she said softly.

  “Yes. Gabriel. Gabriel King.” Vonetta snarled his name. “I knew he was looking for me, but I had no use for him then. So I watched him, but I kept myself hidden from him. But now,” she laughed. “Now, Gabriel King is a powerful Master vampire. Taking his blood and his body will be...richly rewarding.” Her fangs gleamed. “I will drain him. Slowly, satisfyingly. He owes me.”

  “He...he loves you!” Eva blurted out, even though the words pained her.

  Vonetta arched a brow at her. “Oh?”

  “He...he's been trying to find you. He wanted me to look for you! All this time, he...”

  “Is that what you think?” Vonetta took a step closer to Eva. “Is that what you truly think, Eva?”

  “I...” Eva stuttered and swallowed.

  Vonetta straightened up and smirked. “I thought so.”

  “He will come for you,” Eva said without conviction.

  “No, he will come for you,” Vonetta corrected with a slow smile. “You. Not me.”

  Eva shook her head. “I don't...”

  “Please. Don't play coy. You know, don't you?” There was a strange glint in Vonetta's eyes.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You know that you're his mate. Gabriel King will come for you.”

  “I...I don't want to be his mate.”

  Vonetta smiled indulgently, but her eyes were sharp and shrewd. “Oh? Really?”