The Protectors: The Blood Bar Chronicles, Book 2

by Chellie Edwards

  “What do you mean ‘our kinds’? Are you saying you’re one of them? A shifter?” Arielle asked.

  Malachi gave a deep laugh and shook his head.”Xander de Rista would love to hear you say that. No, I’m something else entirely; I’m the most pitiable of creatures.” He fixed his gaze on her, needing to see her reaction as he revealed himself. “I am a cursed merman.”

  He could understand how she must feel when Arielle started to laugh and shook her head.”A merman? You expect me to believe that? It’s absurd.” she said. “Malachi, we just spent the past twenty-four hours almost completely naked. I think I would have noticed a tail at some point.”

  “I don’t have a tail anymore. I told you I was cursed.” He sighed again. “My mother was a mermaid princess who fell in love with a human lord centuries ago. She would come to the surface near his home every night, and he would come to the beach and spend the night with her. In time she went to my grandfather and asked to become human so she could be with her love. He didn’t want to lose his beloved daughter, so he came to a compromise with her: she could have legs on land and retain her tail so she could stay in touch with her undersea family too.

  “My parents were so happy together, loved each other with immeasurable passion, and I was the result of their union— unique, as I was part of two worlds. For a while it was doubtful I would survive. Eventually my mother traded her immortality to give me the ability to breathe on land and in sea as I struggled in both atmospheres. It broke my grandfather’s heart to make her human, but my father swore she would never come to harm as long as he lived, and so Grandfather granted their request and saved my life.” Pain was shadowing Malachi’s eyes as he spoke, and he paused for a moment, before continuing.

  “We were happy, for a while at least. Then my father’s father became jealous of the life his son had and of the beauty who slept by his side. He concocted some lie about my father wanting to overthrow him and take power over the land and persuaded a vampire king to loan him the services of one of his people. The vampire from the bar tonight was that vampire, and he attacked my father one night when he was defenseless, killing him instantly and leaving my mother unprotected from the carnal desires of her father in-law. I was thrown into the sea as she was dragged away, and I could hear her screams as he debased her over and over.”

  The touch of Arielle’s hand made him look down, and he covered it with his own. “My grandfather took me deep into the ocean and raised me, training me how to survive as a merman, and when I was old enough, he told me the story of what had happened to my parents. Merpeople are very emotional creatures, and anger and vengeance swelled within me until I couldn’t bear it anymore. Under a moonless sky, I left the waves and went to pay my other grandfather a visit. I walked into his bedchamber and drove him to madness with the siren song before I took his own sword and cut off his manhood, leaving him to die in his own blood. However, on the way back out I was cornered by the vampire, and he bit me. Obviously I didn’t die, but he was poisoned by my blood, though his bite did weaken me, and I collapsed on the shore. I was losing so much blood and with it my ability to breathe on land. In the darkest depths through a magic pearl, my grandfather saw humans coming to get me. As I had committed an abhorrent crime against the laws of our kind, he couldn’t bring me back to our people. All he could do was summon the sea witch who agreed to save my life, at a price. She cursed me to be of both worlds but belong to neither. I wouldn’t have a tail, so couldn’t be with my grandfather anymore, yet couldn’t live on shore without drowning in the air.”

  “But you are on land now,” Arielle said. “You’re breathing fine.”

  “As she understood my reasons for my actions, the sea witch made one allowance in her curse. She decreed that I could live on land for twenty-four hours every ten years. During that time I would be just like any mortal man, yet would have the power of the siren song to draw women to my bed.” He looked at Arielle. “That’s why I was there last night, to live my day. And as always I sent out my song, but you, Arielle, you were immune to it. I don’t know why or how, but you were, and that changed everything for me. I now understand the true meaning of the curse. It wasn’t about being separated from the worlds that gave me life. My true suffering would come from never being with the woman I was always destined to love.” He touched her skin softly. “You would haunt my dreams for all my endless life. and I would have to live with the agony of never touching you again.”

  “I’ll wait for you,” Arielle said quickly, her hand covering his, and her eyes searching his face. “I can come back in ten years, and we’ll be together again.”

  Malachi shook his head. “You can’t put your life on hold like that. I won’t let you. Arielle, you’re a woman so full of love and passion that it needs to be expressed, not hidden away, and I couldn’t condemn you to the jealousy that would consume me, thinking of the other men who could give you themselves every night. Ten years is a lifetime to be celibate for. No, you have to live your life, and I want you to make it a good one. I want to be walking on land one day and see your great, great, great-granddaughter smiling the smile that you gave me last night.” He traced his finger over her lips. “I’ll never forget you.” He moved in to kiss her, and Arielle closed her eyes as he advanced on her, but his lips never touched hers , and as she opened her eyes again, she was horrified to see him slump from the wall.

  The last light of the day waned into darkness. His time was over. He had purposely walked too far from his boat, his sanctuary, his lifeline, to die on land rather than face life without her.

  “No, Malachi, don’t do this!” she pleaded with him as she saw him struggling to breathe. Tears were stinging her eyes and soaking her cheeks as she tried to haul him up to his feet. “You can’t end things this way. I won’t let you make this choice for us.”

  “Too late,” he whispered with obvious difficulty. “Ari…I love you…” His body collapsed to the pavement again, and his breath stilled.

  Arielle could see his skin taking on a pale pallor, and as raindrops started to fall on his body, she threw off her jacket and knelt down beside him,”No!” She began CPR, forcing air into his lungs and then linking her hands to pump his chest. “If you’re part human, then this has got to be good enough,” she said aloud as she carried out the procedure she only half knew. Over and over she breathed into him, her lips longing to feel his caress again, but he was turning to stone, cold stillness overcoming the hot passion he had exuded only hours before. Anger swelled inside her, and forming her fingers into a tight fist, Arielle drew back and hit him hard in the center of his chest. “You bastard, don’t leave me!”

  ***

  From cold darkness like the depths of the Caspian Sea, Malachi felt himself being pulled back, and the first thing he was aware of was his body rising from the ground and a gasp of air being sucked into his lungs. Rain fell on his face, and above him, stars glinted in the night sky. It didn’t make sense. Was he dreaming? But then he saw Arielle’s face, her tears for him glittering on her cheeks. Reaching to touch her sure his hand would slip through the memory, he was stunned, when he met her warm flesh. He brought her head down so he could kiss her with a ferocity that he couldn’t contain. She had brought him to life: he was breathing on land. “I love you. I love you,” he repeated over and over as he covered her face with kisses.

  Moments later, the pair of them were running hand in-hand to the docks where his boat was still moored. As he kicked off his shoes, Malachi smiled at Arielle, who seemed to understand what he was going to do. She kissed him again and giggled slightly as he ran to the edge of the pier and dived into the black depths. For a minute there was no sign of him, but then suddenly he broke through the surface of the water. Flipping in a perfect roll before her, he saw Arielle’s delight to see his beautiful, strong, green-blue tail covered in scales like sequins sparkling in the moonlight before he sank under the water again. His curse was lifted. He could live in both worlds again, and it was a life that he
fully intended to share with Arielle forever.

  The End

  BIOGRAPHY

  Chellie Edwards is happily married woman from the North East of England who has always had a love affair with romance stories. Passions of hers include music, theatre, movies and other pursuits that can make her spirits soar.

  “Breaking the Surface” is her first time at being a published author and she dedicates the book to her ever suffering husband, and sounding board, Mark, her best friends Sarah, Jazz and Jo and the incomparable company of her UCW girlies, without whom none of this would be possible and her mind would still be relatively innocent!

  To Stop A War

  Raven McAllan

  To my crit group members. Ladies, you rock!

  CHAPTER ONE

  Ehrst waited in the shadows, hidden from view, and watched the women. Idly he regarded the laughing, chatting, and drinking. He stood, his body angled to better see what happened if his quarry should change her modus operandi.

  A hard male body pressed tightly up against his back. He felt the rasp of something graze over his neck.

  “You stick those fangs into me, and I’ll get out the garlic and cross,” Ehrst said softly; the warning in his voice clear.

  The laugh he got back, equally as quiet, was dark, hinting at all manner of promises to come. “How about I stick something else into you?”

  Ehrst turned and pulled the body close into him for a deep, hard, tongue-twisting kiss, which was returned with fervor. “Anytime, vamp. Anytime. Welcome back, Derrom. It’s been much too long since I felt you inside me.” Eight months. Eight desperate, lonely, worrying months, while Derrom went about his own vampire business. Ehrst yearned for him while he watched as humans plotted against humans, and he did his best to foil them. It seemed wherever Ehrst looked he couldn’t find the common thread he needed to stop a war. A war, in his estimation, getting ever nearer.

  Derrom’s reply was a squeeze of his ass and a hug to take the breath out of him. “One day, I’ll get you and make you mine. Not just for one day either.”

  “I’ll always be yours,” Ehrst said solemnly. “Just not vampire-ish, thank you.”

  There was a theatrical sigh from Derrom.

  “Now tell me what you are really looking at.”

  Ehrst nodded toward a Barbie look-alike. “Her. In here for the past three nights. Sits alone, reads that damned e-book, scribbles in a notebook; but I’d bet your teeth in me, she’s not commenting on what she’s reading. Only drinks one glass of Chenin and a soda water. Has a small steak and salad, medium rare, and pulls a face at the blood. And doesn’t touch the steak, just eats the salad. She cuts the steak up into tiny pieces, I guess to make it seem as if she’s eaten some, and looks like she’s gonna gag as she does it. Hell, she asked for a vegetarian option the first night she showed up, and was told it was meat or, well, meat and all medium rare. Come to think of it, she went sort of pale.”

  Derrom sniggered. “Turns her nose up at blood? In here?”

  Ehrst laughed. “Yeah, and I’m sure I know her from somewhere; I’ve searched my mind and don’t know where. No matter. It will come to me.”

  “Well before ‘it’ comes to you, you going to come to me? For me?”

  “Oh, yeah, let’s go.” Uncaring who saw, he threw his arm around Derrom and planted a kiss on his lush mouth. Derrom returned the favor and let himself be led through a small door at the back. Before Ehrst shut the door behind them, he turned for one last quick look around. The woman had moved. She was now sitting with the giggling group of women who had made themselves comfortable on the other side of the room. He didn’t envy anyone who had to sort that lot out later. He stiffened as he saw Malachi, a merman, making his presence known. If Malachi gave his siren song to the women, there would be even more trouble. All those horny, got-to-climax women! He was glad he wasn’t going to be around to get pounced upon.

  Halfway up the narrow flight of stairs, which lead off at an angle from the door, Ehrst felt something hard and downright throbbing pressed against his ass. Even through several layers of clothes, he could feel the power.

  Not in me yet, but sod it, why not? “Okay, vamp,” he muttered. “Here and now.”

  His answer was a quick laugh, a moan, and his trousers pulled down around his ankles. All before anyone could say, “fuck me,” he was being fucked. Derrom’s cock was wet, primed, and pushing. Sometimes having a vamp such as Derrom as a partner was useful—no need to hunt for the lube; Derrom made enough for both of them. Ehrst was receiving all he wanted.

  “Christ, Derrom, that is so fucking good.” Ehrst’s skin tingled. Darts of pleasure suffused his body, each stab made his breath hitch. “Deeper, harder, more…ahh…” Ehrst’s voice trailed off as he felt his lover balls-deep inside him. Derrom was using his hands on Ehrst’s cock, milking him as he gripped onto the edge of the stair. Ehrst’s knees rested against the soft carpeting. Thank God for forethought. Carpet burn was bad enough, but splinters would be worse.

  “It is good fucking; now if only you’d let me do a little graze. “ Each word was punctuated by a thrust. Derrom ran his tongue over Ehrst’s neck, in a simple arousing swipe. Then Ehrst felt Derrom’s teeth slide across his soft skin. “Yes? Just one, eh?” Derrom spoke softly, his voice wheedling.

  “Nope, no, gracias, nothing doing, nada, not now.” Ehrst found it hard to get the words out. He knew how difficult it was for Derrom to sheath his vampire side and not to sink his fangs farther into Ehrst and turn him.

  “Maybe sometime?” It was almost a plea.

  “Stop bloody talking and just fuck.” He felt that sexy fang run over his neck, that hint of something Derrom wanted, but wouldn’t take.

  There was a gasp.

  Both men turned, but Derrom spoke. “Well, Barbie, come to play?”

  Thwack!

  Ehrst saw the missile—otherwise known as a lady’s handbag—just before it hit Derrom hard on his bare ass.

  “Argh!” Derrom howled; Ehrst watched, fascinated, as it seemed the impact was the catalyst for increased action. It felt to Ehrst that Derrom’s balls just about hit his tonsils. He surged deep and hard inside Ehrst and came with a roar. It was enough for Ehrst. He felt Derrom’s fingers tighten around his over-ready cock, and he came into those clever hands.

  ***

  Octavia stood, unable to tear her eyes away, as the activity in front of her had her flustered and incredibly aroused. Woman, you’ve been celibate far too long. Why else would the sight of two hot males going at it hammer and tongs make you wet? There is no way either of them is going to break off and ask you to participate—Hold on! “What did you say?”

  “’Hello, Barbie’?”

  “I heard that, you moron. No, afterward.” She hesitated. Go for it. I’m always saying I’m in a rut, bored, and in a dry spell. Well now’s my chance to break the drought. “After that. And do not call me Barbie.”

  The man at the back grinned at her. Very wolfishly. Shit, he had fangs! She shook her head. Fangs, for fuck’s sake, and it’s not April Fools’ Day or Halloween. She didn’t think she’d seen any adverts for a costume party Just another weirdo. Why do I always get them?

  “Want to join?” the weirdo was asking. “Be the sandwich filling?”

  Did she? Hell yes! Maybe. But… “Um, well…”

  “It’s not Mastermind or University Challenge here .If you’re in, get that sweet clit in front of Ehrst and let him taste. If not” —those damned fangs showed again—”go before I bite.”

  Argh. Right it’s over to me, then. Decision time, do I, or don’t I, want to jump out of the rut I’m in? The bloody man had uncoupled, but he was still big and hard. If she hadn’t seen and heard him cry out as he came, bollocks-deep in his partner a few minutes before, she’d have sworn he hadn’t come for a month; his cock seemed so eager to play. The other man—Ehrst—seemed in the same condition.

  Hold on! She looked closer, damning the fact her lenses seemed fogged. Could you even get
fogged contact lenses? She didn’t think it was possible, but her eyes were definitely cloudy. Yup, it’s Ehrst. Well, that’s convenient, except is it politic to fuck with the target? Bugger it, there’s no contest.

  “Um, the girls I was sitting with,” she said slowly, her mind racing over several possible forthcoming scenarios, all X-rated. “They think I’ve just gone to the loo.” After all, that’s what she had meant to do. The meeting, brilliant though it was, had been a genuine accident.

  “I’ll get a message to them,” Ehrst said, staring at her intently.

  She raised an eyebrow. “Like that?” She looked pointedly at his state of dress, or rather, undress.

  “Later.”

  “Maybe you need to pull your trousers up first,” Octavia remarked. “Anyway, that’s rude. They were nice enough to let me sit with them, rather than be a billy-no-mates.”

  “Yeah, well, little Barbie…”

  “Tavvy,” she said impatiently. “I answer to Tavvy.”

  “Well then, Tavvy, and you think it wasn’t rude to pile in here and watch us fuck? I mean, not that we are averse to an audience, but a wee bit of notice is good.”

  Her lips quivered as she dropped her eyes to his seemingly eager cock.