“Drink, damn it!”
“What the hell is going on here?”
Dylan ignored the angry, female voice and focused on forcing his blood down Maria’s throat. Finally, after a few tries, she began to drink enough that he looked up to see who held the gun pressed against his back.
The woman looked exactly as he imagined Maria would in a few years. Not only was she beautiful, but she was furious as hell.
“I’m guessing you are Maria’s mother.”
“And I’m guessing you are the man who killed my daughter.”
“She’s not dead. Yet. And you can thank James for her dire predicament.” He tried to remain calm. All that mattered was that Maria had now latched her lips onto his wrist and was suckling like a newborn babe.
“What happened to my little girl?”
Dylan growled. “I don’t really know. I just know that James, the dead vampire over there, was stalking your daughter. He had more than her death in mind.”
The woman glanced over at the James and frowned. “He was the man I wanted Maria to meet. I had high hopes for them. But why do you keep calling him James?”
Maria’s mother kept her gun trained on him, but he could tell her entire focus was on her daughter. She must have realized he was giving her life. Otherwise, he was sure she’d have pulled the trigger by now.
“Who are you? “
“Dylan McKnight. I’m a private investigator and your daughter’s neighbor. How did you find us, and how did you get here?”
The woman lowered the gun and crouched next to them. She rubbed her forehead, and frowned. “I don’t remember much. I just remember the very helpful man who offered to help bring my daughter back home.”
Dylan bit back what he wanted to say. James had probably used magic on the family to keep them from knowing what he was doing. He’d used them to find out more about Maria, and then he’d tracked her down.
“Can you dispose of the body while I finish giving Maria the blood she needs to become vampire? With her last breath, she asked that I not let her die. I’m sure you have powers like her and know that I’m telling the truth.”
“Yes. I guess as soon as you killed…James…and broke his spell, I recovered my senses enough to feel she was in danger. I used most of my magic getting here, but I have enough left to dispose of the vampire.”
“When you’re finished, can you please bring my knife up to her apartment? I want her comfortable when she wakes from the transformation.”
“You have a lot of explaining to do, young man.”
Dylan winced. He was not only a lot older than her, but he wasn’t the one who had done anything wrong. Other than sleeping with her daughter and taking her blood without permission.
“Here.” She took off her dark blue cape and draped it around her daughter.
“Thanks. What should I call you?”
“Mom?” She gave him a look he didn’t even want to try to interpret.
“Do you know how to undo the spell James had started on her blood?”
“I’ll take care of it, but I’ll need a place to crash until I recover enough strength to transport myself back home.”
“I’m sure Maria will want you to stay with her.”
“Get her out of here.” Maria’s mother turned her back and began to chant.
Dylan didn’t need to be told twice.
Chapter Four
Maria awoke slowly. She felt weird. All her senses were more alert, and she could hear the heartbeats of the people in the room with her.
Memory flooded back. Brett trying to kill her, the fight between him and Dylan, and then Dylan giving her his blood to transform her into a vampire. Relief that she wasn’t dead coursed through her body. Thank the goddess he’d listened to her. There were a lot of things she needed to do now that she was still alive. First was to learn how to use and control her powers. She didn’t even know what powers she had.
At least she knew she could add vampirism to the list. The scent of Dylan’s blood called to her, and she licked her lips. As soon as she realized the other person in the room was her mother, Maria’s eyes flew open, and she glanced around.
“So you’re saying that Brett used magic that made me think one thing while he did another? That he also messed with your mind? What was he? Some kind of supervampire?”
“I think someone taught him some powerful magic. Or perhaps he’d had that before he became vampire. Either way, it doesn’t matter since he’s dead now. There are loose ends to tie up, but none of them concern me right now.”
Dylan looked over and saw her watching them. A look of happiness appeared on his face before he quickly masked it. He walked to the bed and sat beside her. “Good, you’re awake. How do you feel now?”
“Like death warmed over?” It came out like a croak, but at least she still had her voice.
“Don’t worry, you’ll heal quickly. I fed while your mother watched you, and I can give you more blood. I bet you’re starving.”
“How will I feed? From your wrist?”
Dylan shook his head. “I want you to feed from my neck. You’ll get richer blood more quickly that way.”
Maria looked shyly at her mother. Why she was shy was beyond her, but she hadn’t had time to get used to having these vampiric abilities, and already Dylan wanted her to feed. What if the taste and scent of blood made her sick?
“Do we need to have sex while I feed?”
Dylan shook his head a little too quickly, and her gaze flew to her mother again.
“Replenish more of the blood you lost, and then we can catch up on everything.”
“Like how you got here and what you’re doing here?”
Her mother nodded and turned to look out the window. “And how I let you down and led the devil to your doorstep.”
Maria reached for her, but her mother walked out of the room before she could say anything. When she could no longer prolong it, Maria turned to Dylan and looked up at him. “What do I do?”
He tapped a finger against his carotid. “You bite me here and drink my blood. Just think about food, and I’m sure your fangs will elongate. It takes some time to learn to control your vampire instincts, but I’m sure you’ll pick it up quickly enough.”
“No sex?”
Dylan shook his head.
“Okay.” She sighed and watched as he lay down on the bed next to her and stretched out.
He was right. Soon enough, her fangs dipped down past her lip. The sound of his blood pumping through his body fueled her hunger. She licked her lips then lowered her mouth to his neck.
She opened her mouth wide and sank her fangs into him. Dylan cried out, but the sound wasn’t one of pain. She wondered if he felt the same sexual rush she’d felt when he’d fed from her.
His blood was thick, rich, and tasted metallic and sweet at the same time. It wasn’t a great taste, but neither was it horrible either.
Maria drank from him and wondered if he was as aroused as her.
“We need to talk.” He sighed and closed his eyes.
When she thought she’d taken enough blood, she licked at the wound and kissed it before releasing him.
“What do you want to talk about?”
She looked into his dark eyes and melted against him. She kissed him long and deep, until he broke the kiss and pulled away.
“No.” He sighed again and pushed up to a sitting position.
“What?” Maria copied his movements. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want you to think you owe me something. I don’t want you to feel as if we belong together because I turned you.”
“I felt this way before you turned me.”
“No.” He shook his head.
“I’ve wanted you since I first saw you. Even knowing about all those other women didn’t stop my desire. Now that I know why you had sex with them—”
“Wait. What do you mean why I had sex with them?”
“The endorphins and the super charged bloo
d.”
“Where did you get that idea from?”
“Brett told me all about it. I just had a taste of your blood. Let’s have sex so I can drink your blood while you orgasm. Maybe it will give me enough strength to go out there and face my mother.”
“That’s not a wise idea. James almost killed you.”
“James?”
“See. We need to talk.”
“Not yet.” She pressed him down on the bed and straddled him. She brushed her hair back and rubbed her naked body over his clothed one.
“Maria.”
Ignoring him, she reached for his pants and unzipped them. She pulled out his semi-hard penis and eagerly stroked it. She wasn’t surprised when he grabbed onto her waist and rolled her on her back. This time she planned to make love to him until he couldn’t leave her bed. Tomorrow they could talk.
* * * * *
Maria traced her fingers around the border on the Moon card. A week had passed, and with Dylan’s help, it had been easy to learn the tricks of being a vampire. She wondered if he returned her feelings.
Warm kisses were pressed on the back of her neck. She smiled and leaned into the caress. “Mmm.”
“What are you doing?” Dylan’s breath tickled her neck as he leaned over her and looked down at the card. “You’re still playing with that thing?”
“That thing is what brought us together.”
Dylan shook his head.
“No. I’m right and you know it. If the mail hadn’t been mixed up, you’d have never known about my stalker and ended up fucking me senseless and leaving me alone to be kidnapped.”
Dylan winced. “You really know where to hit a guy.”
“You saved me!”
“After it was too late.”
She sighed and tucked the card in her journal, then slipped it into her nightstand drawer before turning to face Dylan. “You can beat yourself up over it forever, but things worked out for the best.”
Dylan shook his head. “You say that, but you lost your life.”
“And you gave me a new one.”
“You should have had a choice in the matter.” He sighed and pulled away. “It’s too late, but I can still keep from doing too much damage.”
“What do you mean?” She sensed his withdrawal even before he pulled his hands free.
“I might be your creator, but I won’t hold any power over you. You’re free to come and go as you please. Free to live your life however you want. I will not use my claim to you.”
“What?” She grabbed onto his chin and forced him to meet her gaze. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I release you from any binds you think I might have over you.”
“You’re releasing me?” She waited until he nodded. “Just like that?” He nodded again. “You’re a fucking bastard!”
Using all the anger coursing through her, she slapped the idiot across the face.
“I deserved that.” Dylan moved his jaw. At least her superhuman strength came in handy for something.
More anger at his acceptance flooded her. “I can’t believe you.”
“I’m sorry.” He looked down at her hand as she clenched it at her side. “Although there will always be a connection between us, you are free to do as you wish.”
“With whomever I wish, right?” She studied him closely and hoped she didn’t misinterpret the flush of anger he quickly hid.
His lips thinned as he nodded again. He turned his back to her and went to get out of the bed.
“Don’t I get a say in any of this?”
He froze and turned back to look at her. “I thought you said it already.” He rubbed his jaw.
“No. I gave you what you deserved.” She put her hand on his shoulder and tried to urge him to turn around and face her. When he refused to budge, she growled and climbed off the bed, skirted around it, and straddled his lap.
He sat stiffly at first, and then his hands settled on her waist. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to show you what I want.” She slid her hands up his neck and fisted them in his hair. She moved his head so she could look into his sexy eyes. “I want you, Dylan. Maybe the vampire bit bothered me before, but I’m over that now.”
“Only because the choice was taken from you.”
“You aren’t the one who drained my blood. You are the one who gave me blood and life. Do you know how many bargains I made with the goddess? How many things I promised to do if she let me live?”
He didn’t answer.
“I wanted to live, even at the cost of becoming vampire. I hold no anger against you. My only anger is that you think you can toss me aside like your other women.” She slid closer so that her lace-covered pussy pressed against his erection. “There will be no other women from now on.”
His eyes clouded in confusion then cleared as the corners of his mouth twitched. “What are you saying?”
“I’m trying to get it through your darn stupid stubborn alpha head that you’re mine and no one else’s. I’m yours and no one else’s. The Moon card brought us together, and our love will keep us together.”
“How can you be sure it’s love?”
“Dylan, why are you doing this? Why are you driving me insane? I love you. I know you love me. I don’t understand why you think dumping me is the right thing to do. You want to break my heart?” When he went to speak, she shook her head. “No. I don’t want to hear any more stupid words from you. If you don’t love me, will your erection away.”
She reached between them and wrapped her fingers around his hard length. “I mean, attraction is one thing, but if just any woman will do, then why are you still sitting here.”
“You’re sitting on me.”
Maria smacked her forehead against his then winced as pain radiated from the point of contact. “Ow. Shit. You do have bricks for a brain.”
Dylan laughed. In one smooth motion, he switched their positions and pressed her into the bed. “If you want to be mine, it will be on my terms.”
She held her breath and looked into his dark blue eyes.
“I want you when I want you, where I want you, when I want you, no questions asked.”
A shiver raced up her spine as his eyes darkened. Moisture dripped from her pussy, soaking her skimpy lace thong. If those were his terms, she’d take them.
“Reach your arms over your head.”
Maria reached back until her hands hit the headboard.
“You will hold on to that headboard or I’ll stop.” Before she could open her mouth, he added, “No talking. Not with your mouth or your attempts at mental telepathy.”
Hot damn.
Author Bio
Michelle Hasker has been writing with the pursuit of publication for three years. Her first manuscript submitted to an epublisher was accepted in 2006, and she’s been writing for epublishers ever since.
She is a member of Romance Writers of America and the Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter of RWA, as well as Authors of Erotic Romance and The Daughters of Circe.
Michelle loves vampires and things that go bump in the night, so it’s no wonder her creations are truly paranormal. While most people only dream of finding love, Michelle’s characters find it, but in the most unexpected places.
Her stories are dreams and fantasies that she provides in the hopes of giving her readers a good, satisfying read.
Michelle’s website is www.michellehasker.com. She also loves to hear from readers. You can contact her from her website or her blog: http://michellehasker.blogspot.com
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