Pete’s features darkened. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She nodded and looked away. “Well, pretty sure.”
“I see.” Pete nodded solemnly, and his mouth set in a grim line. “Life is full of surprises, isn’t it?”
Marianna glanced at Pete, and her heart broke at the anger and frustration stamped into his features. She didn’t need her Amoveo powers to know how upset he was. She couldn’t blame him. His whole life got fucked ten ways from Sunday because of her.
He probably hated her for dragging him into the crazy nightmare, and she couldn’t blame him.
“I’m sorry, Pete.” Marianna stood and put the fishing pole down as she struggled to keep the tears from coming. “You don’t deserve this, and I can tell that you don’t want any part of it. You are not Amoveo, and I won’t let you get hurt because of Artimus or any others. You can have your life back.”
She ran blindly out of the tent and toward the shore. She slipped on the ice as the tears streamed down her cheeks, and the bitter cold stung her face, cruelly adding to her torment. The wind howled in her ears, and she could hear Pete calling, but another sound stopped her dead in her tracks. She was about ten feet from the shore when she heard a groaning and creaking noise. Marianna looked down and panicked as she realized that the ice was cracking.
“Marianna,” Pete bellowed. “Don’t move.”
Pete’s voice was the last thing she heard as she fell through the ice and into the frigid waters beneath.
Bitter cold. Darkness. Silence.
She tried to swim, but her arms and legs felt heavy and cumbersome. If she’d had her abilities, she could’ve visualized herself out of the water, but not anymore. Panic welled as she tried to climb from under the ice, but it was no use. Just when she thought death would claim her, one strong hand grabbed hers and pulled.
She broke through the surface, gasping for precious air, as Pete dragged her onto the ice. On his belly, he yanked her by both arms and pulled her to the safety of the shore. Pete’s concerned expression was the last thing she saw before darkness closed in a second time.
***
Marianna sighed contentedly and snuggled into the warm, hard body wrapped around her—and then she froze.
What the hell?
Her heart raced as she struggled to get her bearings. The last thing she remembered was that Pete had pulled her out of the lake. She definitely wasn’t cold anymore, but she was naked… in bed… with Pete… who was also naked.
Her eyes flew open, and she sat straight up in bed, clutching the covers over her bare breasts. Pete lay next to her, his hands folded behind his head, wearing that cocky grin and nothing else.
“What the hell is going on?” she sputtered. She looked out the window and noticed the sun was setting. “How long have I been in bed? Why am I naked? How did I get naked, and why the hell are you naked in bed with me?”
“Number one. You almost drowned and have been asleep for the last few hours.” He adjusted the blankets, but Marianna smacked his hand away, which only made him smile. “Number two. I got you naked, and only peeked once, okay, maybe twice,” he added quickly. “It was a tough job, but someone had to do it, and Tramp still hasn’t come back.”
Marianna wanted to punch him.
“And number three. I’m naked in bed with you because using my body heat was the fastest way to warm you up, especially since you’d passed out.” He put one hand over his heart. “I promise I was a perfect gentleman the entire time, and believe me, it wasn’t easy.”
“Really?” she replied coolly.
“Yes, really.” His heated gaze skimmed over her barely covered body. “You have no idea what you do to me, do you?”
Before she could answer him, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and grabbed his jeans off the floor. She looked away as he stood and stepped into them, but not before catching a glimpse of his perfectly formed ass.
“You are goddamn crazy, do you know that?” He glowered as he threw on the discarded flannel shirt. Marianna wasn’t sure if she was rendered speechless by his outburst or the sight of him as he dressed. “You hop out of moving vehicles. You run half-cocked onto a frozen lake you’re unfamiliar with, and you make assumptions about me that are dead fucking wrong.”
Marianna hopped off the bed while attempting to keep the sheet wrapped around her naked body. However, she wasn’t doing a good job, and Pete didn’t miss it.
“If you ask me, you deserve a good talking to.” He stalked toward her, and his voice dropped low. “Bears in the wild, real bears? They’re unpredictable. In fact, all those Hollywood animal trainers hate working with bears because they never know when they’ll freak out and do something nuts.” He zeroed in on her intently. Marianna backed up slowly, until she backed right into the wall, and had nowhere else to go. “You may not have your Amoveo abilities, sweetheart, but you’ve still got the bear in you.”
“I scared you?” she whispered as some of the pieces started coming together. “That’s why you’re angry.”
“You scared the shit out of me.” The heat from his body wafted over her in erotic waves, and the dark, five o’clock shadow flickered as his jaw clenched. “But that’s not the worst part.” He placed both hands on the wall on either side of her and leaned close, trapping her, caging her. “The worst part is you drawing conclusions and telling me how I feel instead of taking the time to ask me.”
“So tell me,” she whispered. Marianna clutched the sheet tighter. Her heart thudded in her chest as he inched his lips closer to hers. “Start talking.”
“No more talking,” he murmured.
She nodded agreement as his mouth crashed onto hers with a groan of pleasure. Stark need clawed at her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. Marianna hardly noticed as the sheet fell away and left her naked in his arms once again. Her breast crushed against the hot skin of his chest. He kissed her desperately as he pulled his shirt off and tossed it onto the floor.
His hands slid down her sides, swept over her hips, and cupped her ass. In one swift motion, he scooped her up and pinned her against the wall as she wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to him for dear life. He trailed kisses down her throat, along her collarbone, and finally, took one nipple in his mouth and suckled, sending white-hot pleasure to her core. Marianna ran her fingers through his hair with both hands and held him, urging him on.
“Pete,” she murmured. Deep carnal need swamped her, and pleasure fogged her mind as he suckled her almost to the brink of orgasm. She tugged on his hair and urged him to look at her.
Pete lifted his head and smiled, still holding her firmly against the wall. “What do you want me to do, Marianna?” he whispered seductively, as his nimble fingers found their way to her slick folds and the sensitive nub within. He brushed his thumb ever so lightly over the swollen flesh, while holding her heavy-lidded gaze with his. “Tell me,” he murmured between kisses, nibbling her lips. “Tell me what you want.”
What did she want? Him. All she wanted was him. Every. Wicked. Inch.
A loud pounding on the front door cut through the haze of lust. Both were breathing heavily, and Marianna was locked in Pete’s embrace. They stopped and listened again. The look on Pete’s face matched her what-the-hell feeling perfectly.
The pounding, more insistent this time, came again.
Pete let Marianna down gently and kissed her forehead. “I’m going to shoot that fucking dog,” he said between heavy breaths.
This time the pounding was accompanied by a muffled voice. Any humor in Pete’s expression vanished in a blink. He threw the sheet at Marianna and grabbed his gun from under one of the pillows on the bed.
“Stay here. I don’t care what you hear, don’t you dare come out unless I call you. Got it?”
Marianna nodded and wrapped the sheet around her as Pete cracked open the bedroom door and peered around the edge. Gun drawn, muscles straining, he inched his way across the liv
ing room, but saw her peeking from behind the door and waved at her to get back. Reluctantly, she shut the door and waited. Silence ticked by, and just when Marianna thought she’d scream from the suspense, she heard Pete’s voice.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
Marianna swung the bedroom door open to find Pete holding a gun on Olivia. Her friend stood in the open doorway with snow falling behind her and a look of annoyance. “Would you tell your boyfriend to get his gun out of my face and invite me in already?”
“What the hell are you doing here?” He kept his gun trained on Olivia, but glanced back at Marianna. “What the hell is she doing here?” He looked outside at the undisturbed and carless driveway. “How the hell did you get here?” He tightened his grip on the gun. “Someone better give me some answers, or I’m going to start shooting. I didn’t think you were Amoveo.”
“I’m not.” Olivia sighed. She turned her big green eyes to Marianna. “Would you please explain before he shoots me and puts holes in my favorite suit. I just got this at Bergdorf’s.”
Marianna held the sheet around her and eased up to Pete, who was wound tighter than she’d ever seen him. She placed a reassuring hand on his arm. “She’s not going to hurt me or you.”
“If she’s not Amoveo, then how did she get here?” The muscles in his chest flexed and strained as he continued to keep the gun pointed at Olivia. “There’s no car.”
“Oh, for christsake,” Olivia said with exasperation. “I’m a vampire. I flew—really fast. Can I come in now?”
“A vampire?” He looked at Marianna for reassurance. “There are vampires too? Jesus Christ.”
“Yup. Vampires. Demons. Angels. Witches. Fairies. Werewolves. Shifters and all kinds of creatures.” Olivia ticked off the supernatural beings with her well-manicured fingers. “I’m a vampire. Now quit acting like such a baby, and let me in. If I’d wanted to drink your blood and kill you, I could’ve done it ages ago.” She glanced at his gun. “By the way, unless those are silver bullets, shooting me will only piss me off and ruin my suit.”
“Son of a bitch.” Pete dropped his gun to his side and shook his head in disbelief. “I am gonna kick Dante’s ass for not telling me.”
“Sucks—not being told the whole truth, doesn’t it?” Marianna smiled, but he didn’t find the humor in it. “Oh, relax. Olivia and I have known each other for years. Can you invite my friend in please? The door is wide open, and this place is freezing.” She shivered and rubbed at the gooseflesh on her arms.
“Fine.” He waved the gun. “You’re invited in… or whatever.”
“Thank you,” Olivia said as she stepped inside and closed the door. “Looks like I interrupted something.”
She smiled knowingly at Marianna, who blushed down to her toenails, and glanced at Pete, who was shirtless, barefoot, and clad only in his unbuttoned jeans. He didn’t seem embarrassed, and Marianna thought that he could’ve been buck naked, and it wouldn’t have fazed him. He was completely focused on Olivia.
“Sorry for barging in on the two of you like this but I was worried about Marianna. I tried telepathy with you but got nothing, and on top of that, your energy signature was gone.” She shrugged and sat gracefully on the couch with her legs crossed. “So here I am… but it looks like I worried for no reason. It would seem that you’re safe and in very capable hands.”
“I used a binding powder to keep the Purists from getting their hands on her,” Pete blurted out. He kept his distance and grabbed a log for the fireplace, but kept one watchful eye on Olivia. “Her energy signature is hidden, so how is it that you could find her?”
“I drank her blood.” Olivia’s green eyes glittered.
“What?” Pete shoved another log onto the fire, sending sparks flying. “You drank her blood?” His furious eyes landed on Marianna. “You let her drink your blood?”
“Easy there, big guy.” Olivia raised her hands in a truce. “I did it once and only so I could find her in case of an emergency. After we taste someone’s blood, we can find them no matter where they are.” She glanced at Marianna and lowered her voice. “But it’s actually a big no-no that I drank her blood, so I’d be really psyched if we could keep this between us.”
“Why is it a no-no?” Pete gave Marianna that scolding look as he brushed past her to the bedroom, presumably to get more clothes. “Do I even want to know the answer?”
“Shifters and vampires have had a delicate relationship. Part of the agreement between the Presidium and the Council is that there’s no bloodsucking.” Marianna shouted after him. “They don’t suck our blood, and we don’t stake them into extinction.”
“What the hell is the Presidium?” Pete shouted from the bedroom.
“Vampire government,” Olivia shouted back and winked at Marianna. “They’re no fun at all. Very stuffy—they wouldn’t like it if they found out I think their rules can be broken under certain circumstances.”
“And by the way,” Marianna continued. “The reason I was hanging out at Olivia’s club so much was because most Amoveo wouldn’t choose to go there. Olivia and her coven run it, and the Amoveo steer clear of vampire-run establishments.”
“Well, that didn’t last long, now did it?” Pete came out of the bedroom fully dressed, but looking no less tense. “Hayden got over it—so he could get to you.”
“Our races keep the peace, and usually we stick to our own little supernatural corners of the world, but I agree with Marianna, sometimes we need to shake things up. Actually, Amoveo blood tastes kind of funky. Some vamps think that it gives them a burst of extra power, but I didn’t find that to be the case.” She smiled at Pete, baring her fangs. “Then again, it was only a taste. I wanted her to have an additional measure of protection when the Purists started causing trouble. I’m glad I did.” She turned her attention back to Marianna. “I was really worried about you, although, I will admit that it took me a bit longer than normal to find you.”
“I knew there was something weird about you,” Pete said and narrowed his eyes. Marianna watched him study Olivia, sizing her up all over again. “I just couldn’t put my finger on it.”
“Yeah?” Olivia scoffed and ran a hand through her long red curls. “Well, that makes us even because I think there’s something weird about you too.”
Pete crossed his arms over his chest and made a sound of derision. “Like what?”
“I’m not sure.” She cocked her head and studied him intently. “But I can tell you’re not a plain, old human. I’d have to taste your blood to be absolutely certain, but if I had to guess, I’d say you’ve got some demon or warlock in your blood.”
“This is fucking crazy,” Pete seethed. He stalked to the kitchen and grabbed his coat off the hook. “You are not tasting my blood, and I’m not some demon or warlock.”
“Where are you going?” Marianna called after him.
“We’re almost out of wood for the fire.” He yanked on his hat and gloves but didn’t spare a glance at Olivia. “I’m going to chop some more so we don’t freeze to death.”
Then without another word, he was out the back door and into the winter night.
“That boy has some issues,” Olivia muttered. “Hey, are you going to put on some clothes or what?”
Marianna had totally forgotten that she was walking around clad only in the bedsheet. She ran into the bedroom, threw on the first thing she found, and quickly joined her friend by the fire.
“So he’s your mate.” Olivia stated. “He’s a human—well, he’s not just human because he dampens his energy signature and shields his feelings from me, by the way. You’re totally hot for him, and he’s got a serious hard-on for you.” She looked at Marianna with confusion. “I don’t get it. What’s the problem?”
“The Purists will kill him if they find out that he’s my mate. In fact, Artimus tried to get to him in the dream realm, and he definitely suspects something.”
“Oh, that.” Olivia twisted a long lock of red hair around her
finger and winked. “I’ve got a hunch that Mr. Hottie can take care of himself.”
“It’s not just that.” Marianna shook her head and let out a growl of frustration. “He’d be giving up his regular human life if he gets mixed up with me.”
“He’d be giving up his life?” She lowered her voice and leveled a serious gaze at her friend. “Or you’re giving up yours?” Marianna opened her mouth to argue, but shut it quickly. “That’s what I thought. I have a funny feeling that you’re also worried about giving up your life and forfeiting the future you were expecting.”
Olivia wrapped her cool fingers around Marianna’s and squeezed. “How are you doing without your powers, by the way? How is it—living like a human?” Sadness flickered over her alabaster complexion. “I can barely remember.”
“It’s okay,” Marianna shrugged and fought the tears. “It would be nice to walk these woods in my clan form, and I’m not crazy about being cold as often as I am.” She laughed and shook her head. “Actually, the only thing that I really miss is the telepathy, but being with Pete has made it easier. I’ve never been this close with someone without touching our minds.” Her lips curved. “Figuring him out is… seductive.”
“Marianna.” Olivia smiled wistfully. “I have one simple question. Do you love him? Forget all the predestined mate crap, and answer the question.”
Marianna knew the answer. Deep down she’d known it from the beginning.
“Yes.” She nodded. Her smile faltered, and she looked Olivia in the eye. “But I’m scared.” She sniffled. “I’m scared of needing him and terrified by the idea of losing him.”
“Give yourself, and him, a break, and go with the flow while you’re up here away from the rest of the world.” Her brow furrowed. “How long are you going to be up here anyway?”
“Probably a few weeks at least,” she said wearily. “Ever since the Council dissolved and the Purists declared war on our people, anyone who didn’t publicly declare a side is fair game.” Marianna folded her feet under her and leaned on the back of the couch. “Artimus is recruiting everyone he can, and he’s not taking no for an answer.”
Undone (The Amoveo Legend) Page 10