by Jessica Lee
A groan sounded from behind her, grabbing her attention.
“Oh God, Christian,” she called out, pissed with herself for not checking on him sooner. She hurried to his side, shoved the exam table out of the way to make more room, and knelt. Alex jerked her hoodie from over her head, folded it, and pressed it to his wound.
“Hey there,” she said, and with her free hand smoothed the hair away from his eyes. “Can you hear me?”
Christian cleared his throat, reached over, and covered her hand where she applied pressure to his chest. “Yeah,” he croaked.
“That was very brave, jumping Enrique like you did,” she whispered.
He blinked up at her as if trying to bring her into focus. “I don’t know,” he said, his voice raspy. “One little knife wound, and I’m out.”
“Hey, getting stabbed is no walk in the park. It wasn’t that long ago I was in your situation, and I was out for hours.”
“But you’re a woman,” he said.
“Excuse me?” She snatched her hands free. “Don’t tell me you’re a male chauvinist pig?”
Christian grinned and started to laugh but the sound died a quick death as he wrapped his arms around his chest. “Oh, fuck.” He grimaced. “Don’t make me laugh.”
“Then don’t be a pig.” She couldn’t help but allow a small chuckle of her own to escape. “No. I’m sorry.” Alex applied more pressure to his wound. “We need to get you out of here and fed.”
“Markus!” Alex twisted and glanced over her shoulder. “Where is everyone?”
“We’re here.” Elle appeared, followed by Arran and Kenric. “Hey.” Her sister darted to her side.
“I didn’t know you were out there,” Alex said. “I thought you were staying behind with Emily, making sure Eve stayed put?”
“No one was going to keep me home while you were putting your life on the line,” she said. “I was watching the exit and caught one of the bastards trying to get away.”
“I’m glad you’re here. We need to get Christian back to the mansion,” Alex said, watching as the male’s blood began to soak through the thick cotton. “He took a blade pretty deep to his chest.”
“Hey there, tough guy.” Elle smiled down at the redhead. “Didn’t anyone teach you to duck?”
“Ha ha,” he rasped. “How about teaching your sister to stay away from bad guys, and maybe I won’t have to jump in front of a dagger next time.” He coughed.
“Okay, okay,” Alex said. “That’s enough for now.” She looked up and made a quick scan of the room, the absence of one warrior echoing inside her. “Where’s Markus?”
About that time, Guerin and Markus appeared, both looking pretty satisfied with whatever they’d accomplished. “Jean-Claude’s men report they’ve cleaned up the other males Enrique’s buyer hired, and I took care of the one who tried to escape,” Guerin reported.
Markus looked over at Kenric. “Did you stop Dominic?”
“If you’re referring to the male dressed like he was ready for the red carpet? Yes.” He nodded. “Elle spotted him slipping out and dropped him in his tracks before I got there. But she did give me the honor of dusting him off.” Kenric smiled.
“Great,” Alex said. “Since everyone is accounted for, how about we get Christian out of here before he requires a complete transfusion?”
“Good idea,” Elle added as her mate closed in, and she took her place beside Alex.
Alex drew close to the fallen vampire, ready to move Christian’s upper body on to her lap in preparation of phasing him back to the mansion, when Markus tapped her shoulder. “I got him.”
“That’s okay,” she said. “I can do this. It’s the least I can do.”
“Let me, Alexandria,” he commanded. “I owe him this.” His voice dipped low, the sincerity palpable in his tone.
Glancing over her shoulder, Alex met his unwavering gaze. “All right,” she said, and rose.
Markus assumed her position near Christian’s head.
“You don’t owe me a damn thing,” the redhead whispered.
“Shut up and drink.” Markus lifted his wrist to his mouth, bit down, and then presented his arm to other male. Blood welled at the points where his fangs pierced the flesh. “You’re going to need your strength for the trip.”
“You know, you’re really not my type,” Christian muttered, looking up at Markus.
“You’re so full of shit.” Markus grunted. “And by the way, not in your wildest fucking dreams.”
Christian snorted, then drew his upper lip back, exposing his fangs, and latched onto Markus’s wrists. Mesmerized, Alex watched as the fierce male offered himself freely to his fallen comrade. Mere weeks ago, everyone would have laid odds that Markus would have walked away without giving a rat’s ass if Christian had received help or not. But this Markus… Something inside her stomach fluttered at the sight of him on his knees feeding the injured male. This was the Markus she’d met in the basement of his cabin. The Markus who had made her care.
Too much.
…
At least a half hour had passed before Alex and the rest of the Enclave arrived back at the mansion. Alex stood in the center of the living room and watched as Kenric, Guerin, and Michael assisted Christian up the stairs. That left her, Markus, Arran, and Elle alone to stare at one another. And every thump of boots ascending to the second floor seemed to thicken the room’s tension.
Arran was the first to clear his throat. “Let’s go up, too,” the blond warrior said to his mate. “There are a few more hours before dawn.”
“And what do you suggest we do with that time?” Elle rewarded him with a smile that relayed she knew exactly what he had in mind.
He sauntered over to her and slid an arm around her shoulders. “I have a few ideas.”
“I’m sure you do,” Elle said, leaning into him as if she were molding into a custom-made glove.
A pang of jealousy twisted Alex’s midsection. She didn’t begrudge her sister’s happiness. It wasn’t that. The twinge inside stemmed from fear. She was so damn afraid of becoming that vulnerable. Because there was only one man who’d ever fractured her facade. Only one man she’d ever wanted to allow inside.
“Oh my God,” Alex said and sighed. “Enough already. Please take it upstairs.”
Elle laughed, but her humor faded as her inspection wandered from Alex to the other large male in the room. Markus looked even more uncomfortable than she felt. She shifted her attention back to Alex and asked, “Are you sure?”
Alex nodded. “Yeah. You two go ahead and enjoy your downtime.” She gave her sister the best warm smile she could muster. “You deserve it.”
Her sister cupped her face. “You were awesome tonight,” she said.
“Yes, she was!” Eve appeared at the lower landing of the staircase. She brushed past Arran and Elle as they proceeded toward the second floor. “Guerin filled me in upstairs while they were working on Christian.” She strode over to Alex. “I can’t believe what you did for me. I’ll never forget this.” Eve shook her head, reached out, and clasped Alex’s upper arms. “I’ve never had anyone in my life—a true friend—until I met you. Thank you, Alex.” Eve pulled her in for a hug.
“I consider you more than a friend, Eve,” Alex managed to get out past the thick lump in her throat. “You’re very much like a sister to me. Like Elle, I’d do anything for you.”
“Same here,” Eve whispered. “You name it.”
Alex stepped back, her heart swelling. She hadn’t been sure if it would ever be possible, but she fit in here. This was her home and her family. The Enclave was where she belonged.
“You know what you can do for me?” Alex smiled up at her, blinking back the tears threatening to spill.
“What’s that?” Eve released her and propped her hands on her hips.
“Don’t ever change,” she said. “Stay safe and happy with that mate of yours.”
“Well, that I can easily and wholeheartedly agree to.”
“Good.” Alex crossed her arms.
“Eve,” Kenric called, descending the staircase.
The tall blue-eyed female glanced over her shoulder at her father.
“Would you mind giving Guerin a hand upstairs?” Kenric stepped from the landing and faced them. “I need to talk to Markus.”
The other male warrior turned his attention to the Enclave’s master and sauntered closer.
“Sure.” Eve nodded. “We’ll talk more later,” she said to Alex, then ambled toward the staircase.
“Excuse us,” Kenric said and started for the door to the library. Markus glanced her way, but without a word, followed the commander into the other room.
What would he do now? Alex made her way to the kitchen in desperate need of a drink. Except alcohol wouldn’t help to relieve her stress, so instead, she settled for coffee. Scanning the counter, she spotted a full carafe. Thank God, Michael had brewed a pot.
Would Markus stay with the Enclave? That is, if Kenric wanted him to remain with the team. Did she want him to stay? Alex grabbed a mug and poured a cup of the java, watching as the black liquid whirled inside the ceramic. The image was similar to the way her stomach felt at the thought of Markus walking away. She replaced the carafe onto the hot plate with a clank of glass to metal. Closing her eyes, she gripped the granite counter. Dammit. She couldn’t stand the thought of never seeing him again.
Too much had happened tonight. Her emotions were all over the place. Maybe it was a post-traumatic thing from her close call with death and from what she’d recalled about Markus and Enrique’s past.
She hadn’t remembered that detail.
Not until tonight when Enrique had made his crude comment about their former sexual connection. Closing her eyes, she was mentally transported back to her small room inside Marguerite’s lair. Enrique is standing in the doorway, a coy smile on his face as he speaks with Markus. His insinuations are clear as to what he expects from the former warrior. And if Markus didn’t fulfill his duties in every way, Enrique would go to Marguerite and inform their Mistress of Markus’s desire for Alex.
She and Markus would have both died in that hellhole if he hadn’t gone along with Enrique’s demands. Alex swallowed hard, pushing past the dry knot in her throat at the thought of what Markus had suffered. What he’d sacrificed for her. Yes, he’d turned her against her will and had manipulated her mind. But in a sense, wasn’t that what Marguerite had done to him: taken what he believed was the last shred of his humanity? For months, the domineering female vampire had violated his mind and his body. And later, Enrique had done the same with his ultimatum. So in the end, who had been the one to actually suffer more under Marguerite’s hand?
Opening her eyes, she gripped the cup and took a long swallow of the hot liquid.
She’d been so damn hurt and angry after he’d restored her memories. However, at the time, she’d refused to take a closer look at why her rage had burned so hot. Yes, she had every reason to be mad at him. He’d hidden what he’d done to her. But what she’d felt had been different.
Her feelings for him ran too deep. She’d been so furious with Markus because, despite the pain he’d caused her, she couldn’t make herself stop loving him. The bottom of her mug hit the granite with a hard clank. The words repeated inside her head like a scratched vinyl record caught in a loop: I love him.
The decisions he’d made after he’d turned her had all been an attempt to keep her alive. He, too, had been a victim of Marguerite. He’d been lost to the power of her will.
Tightening her grip on her mug, Alex’s decision became clear. She couldn’t allow him to leave.
Not until they’d had a chance to talk.
And there was no time like the present.
Seconds later, she found herself outside the library door. Lifting her hand to knock, she noticed the door stood ajar, and Markus’s deep voice carried through the opening.
“I can’t stay here, Kenric.”
“Why? The Enclave needs you, Markus.”
“You know why,” Markus snapped. “You have your mate at your side. You can touch her, hold her. Lie beside her through the day and inhale her scent until it drives you mad with lust. And you love every minute of it because you know she’s all yours.” She pressed her cheek against the doorjamb, needing the support. “But imagine trying to exist every night in the same house with the female who’s marked your soul but you can’t have her. Can’t go anywhere near her.”
“You’re talking about Alex?”
“Yeah. Who else?”
A loud bang sounded as if he’d slammed his fist into a wall. She jumped.
“I’m so fucking in love with her.” He groaned, and Alex had no idea how she still remained standing since she’d forgotten how to breathe. How to tell her heart to beat.
“Problem is,” he continued, “I’m the one who took and then restored her memories, and now she hates my guts. But she deserved to know the truth. It was a risk I had to take. She had to know everything before I allowed her any closer.”
A warm wet trail ran down Alex’s cheeks, yet she didn’t remember beginning to cry. He knew returning her memories would make her pull away from him, but he’d done it anyway.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Markus needed to stop the flow of self-pity pouring out of his mouth like a damn tidal wave. Since when had he become a male ruled by his emotions? Whoever had flipped the damn switch on his emo side needed to be castrated.
“But with time…” Kenric said. And there it was. A lame attempt at trying to make him feel better.
“It’s not just that,” Markus said. “There are other things. Information came to light tonight that I’d hoped she’d never recall. But Enrique ran his mouth and made sure she remembered.”
“About what? Anything I can do to help?”
“Thanks. But no. I’d rather not get into it. I just know the info has added insult to injury between the two of us.” Markus scrubbed his palms over the rough feel of his late-day stubble. “There’s no alternative other than to get the hell away from here and out of her face. I’ll be doing us both a favor.”
“Okay. If you’re sure there’s no other way,” Kenric said, leaning both hands onto the back of the thick leather love seat. “But I want you to know that during these last few days you’ve proven yourself not just to me, but to everyone else. It’ll be a hard hit to the Enclave, personally and professionally, to lose you again.”
Damn. This sucked bigger than hell. In more ways than one. But Alexandria had to despise him more than ever after what she’d heard, and then witnessed when he’d taken out Enrique. He was a killer. Dealing out death was what he’d been trained to do and what he did best. How could she even begin to get past it all and think of him as mate material?
“I’m sorry,” Markus said. “But I’m—”
A knock sounded at the door, cutting off the rest of his sentence. The library’s door eased open, and the last person he expected to see appeared.
“Hey there,” Alexandria said. “Sorry for the interruption.” She looked at Markus, then her gaze shifted to Kenric. “But would you mind giving me a few minutes alone with Markus? We really need to talk.”
She still wore the simple white tank top and jeans from earlier, her hair cascading around her shoulders. Her clothing wasn’t anything extraordinary, yet she stunned him. She was everything he wanted. But the last thing he could ever have.
“Sure, Alex.” Kenric nodded and, looking at Markus, said, “We can finish later.”
“Yeah,” Markus said, unable to pull his attention away from Alexandria.
Kenric brushed past Alexandria, and the door clicked shut.
Running her hand along the back of one of the chairs, Alexandria edged closer. Unable to stand the tension choking him like a noose, Markus spoke first.
“I’ve got a damn good idea of what you’re going to say.”
She drew to a halt, leaving a few feet between them, her hand
curling into a fist. “Is that so?”
“You want to be sure I know exactly how you feel. So go ahead. Get it out there. Draw your line as to how it’s going to be around here.” Markus crossed his arms over his chest. “But you can relax, I’m—”
Before he could finish, Alexandria was next to him, clasping his face, lacing her fingers into his hair, pulling his head toward hers. His mind whirled in an attempt to comprehend what the hell was happening. Her lips touched his, and his nerve endings sparked, sucking the breath from his lungs. But she was there, capturing his exhale. She moaned and deepened their connection, nearly short-circuiting his brain before breaking the seal on their kiss.
“There,” she whispered against his lips. “That’s much better.”
His shaft went rock-hard. Markus groaned and reflex had him circling her arms with his hands and yanking her body next to him, sealing his mouth to hers once more.
Closer.
He rocked his hips into hers.
Dammit all to hell! He wanted her.
Here.
Now.
He needed to feel more of her. Markus released her biceps and roamed upward until he could thread his fingers into her hair. His cock bucked at the sensation. So damn soft, silky. Shit. He wanted to inhale the sweet scent he knew clung to the strands.
Breaking away from her lips, he breathed deeply and opened his eyes. Maybe it was the shot of cool air to his head that roused his conscience? Or maybe it was the expression on Alexandria’s face? The one that resembled a woman who wanted to give herself to a man. More than likely, the latter had shocked his brain—the gray matter residing inside his skull, not his pants—back into reality.
“Wait!” he muttered.
But Alexandria wasn’t listening. Her delicate hands were at work, attempting to shove the leather jacket off his shoulders.
This shouldn’t be happening. “Vixen…” He clasped her hands and pushed them away. “Wait,” he commanded, but he couldn’t bring himself to let her go.
“Haven’t we waited long enough?” Her eyes flashed.