by Ravyn Wilde
A few things were obvious, like the physical space restriction. But he knew that just like Vlad, Ronnie didn’t have to worry about the sun. She’d been a vampire for about a hundred years. Too little time had passed for that ability.
As if Vlad were reading his mind, he continued, “In a mate bond, the connection isn’t just through the blood. Ronnie believes that a vampire true bond somehow ties the souls together. It could explain why more than a few hundred feet can’t physically separate us from each other. When Nicole becomes a vampire, her strength and skills will be based on your vampiric maturity. She will be able to go into the sun just as you do now. Whatever gifts she’s blessed with, they will be there from the beginning. They probably won’t be the same gifts you have, but they will be the gifts of a centuries-old vampire.”
Carefully, Zane ran one finger down Nicole’s bruised cheek, wondering what form her gifts would take.
Vlad sighed. “Before you have her experiment with those gifts, it might be a good idea to take her someplace less populated. A newly turned vampire true mate came close to flooding an entire city when he couldn’t figure out how to shut off the rain he’d created.”
In the throes of mating fever, Zane had been concentrating on just one of the benefits of tying Nicole to him for eternity—unending time to explore her luscious body. Instead of reviewing a list of sexual positions that went on for…well…forever, he should have focused on the changes that were about to consume their lives. How he handled the next few days would be critical. Nicole didn’t know she was his mate. That she would soon become a vampire as well. Discovering she would be reborn as an elder put a unique spin on things. She would be his equal. A true partner. Zane couldn’t wait for their new life to start.
When the car pulled in front of his home, he blinked.
“I need to touch her, Zane. Ronnie felt it would be better for your mate if she slept through the drive back to your house. So I ensured she did. Let me wake her for you.”
Zane sighed. He didn’t want anyone messing with his mate’s mind. He’d been concerned that she hadn’t regained consciousness before they’d left Jackson’s compound or during the ride home. If he’d known about this before, he’d have stopped Vlad. It was too late to argue now.
After allowing Vlad to press his finger to Nicole’s temple, Zane waited for Nicky to open her eyes before extracting himself from the backseat. Held in his arms, she jerked, frantically glancing around. Igor, Vlad and Veronica had already walked down to Nicky’s house, where they’d stay until the mating fever had run its course. “We’re home. I’ve got you.”
Sighing, she moved her hands around his neck and hung on tight. “Thank you for saving me. What happened to that homicidal idiot, Mikey?”
“He won’t ever hurt you again. We’ll talk about it later. Right now I want to take care of you for a bit. Just relax.”
When she’d been unconscious, the urge to claim her had been a dull ache. Now that she was awake, the compulsion to mate hammered in his mind and body. With her in his arms, every step bumped the mating fever up a notch. By the time he made it to the front door, he had to hide the fact that he was panting.
“I need a bath,” Nicky sighed. The whisper of sound teased his flesh and Zane shuddered in reaction.
Zane knew she really didn’t need one. He’d cleansed her body with vampiric powers. But the warm water would comfort her.
Nicky felt Zane’s muscles tense as they stepped inside his house. Her body clenched in sympathy, echoing his arousal. Instead of hours, it seemed as if she hadn’t seen him for days. Hadn’t kissed him or ran her hands through his wild mane of dark hair. Hadn’t gripped his ass in both hands as he plunged his cock into her wet—
Zane stumbled and came to a stop. “God, Nicky! Don’t torture me like that!”
Grinning unrepentantly into chocolate eyes, she shrugged her shoulders. “Sorry. I forgot.” Only she wasn’t sorry. And she definitely hadn’t forgotten about their mental connection. If she didn’t concentrate on Zane, her mind kept flashing back to Mikey. To the pain he’d caused her and the promised deeds he’d left undone.
“He can’t hurt you, Nicky. He can’t hurt anybody.”
As he’d done earlier, Zane was reading her thoughts. All her thoughts—not just the erotic ones. Before she could decide how she felt about that, she realized she was also reading his. “Mikey’s dead.”
“Yeah.”
Nicky frowned, thinking. Letting out a small gust of air, she nodded. “I can live with that. What about JJ?”
“A friend of mine is looking for him while I help you recuperate.”
Blushing at the heated promise in Zane’s throaty whisper and the intense hunger in his eyes, she averted her gaze. She felt uncomfortable reading his mind, so she didn’t try.
When she caught sight of the living room they were standing in, she sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh my God. This place is gorgeous!”
She’d never been in his house. There’d never been a reason before and they just seemed to spend all their time at her place. That had definitely been a mistake.
Swiveling to take it all in, her eyes darted from the oversized floor-to-ceiling fireplace to the large bank of windows on the other side of the room. A weighty, dark-oak mantel filled with impressive art glass broke up the mottled brown-and-beige surface of the fireplace. Spread across the floor was a massive, deep-brown sectional. It was large enough to allow five adults to stretch out and rest their weary heads on a multitude of bright red pillows.
Her eyes tracked a plush red and brown rug as it drew her gaze over the highly polished, dark-wood floor to the expanse of red-curtained windows.
“In the daytime you can see sweeping, uninterrupted vistas of the Cascade Mountains.” Zane started walking down a hall to the right of the fireplace.
Sighing, Nicky decided that anyone sitting in that room would get whiplash trying to decide whether to focus on the fantastic view or the fireplace.
Zane paused at a large door, flicked his wrist and the door opened. Nicole smiled. She never got tired of watching him do that.
Holding Nicky in his arms was both heaven and hell. It was heaven because he could hold her safe…and hell because his body reacted in a very primitive manner to every sigh from her sweet lips. Each small movement inflamed his need to claim her. To mark her as his. To turn her.
How could he do this to her without some warning of how her life would change?
“Nicky.” Zane groaned as she pulled her attention away from his bedroom and turned in his arms. The motion pressed her unbound breasts against his naked chest. The thin fabric of the t-shirt failed to protect him from her soft warmth. “We have to talk.”
She whimpered when he gently set her down and made himself step away. Her eyes widened and she moved to trace the cut on his chest. “It’s nothing. Just a small scratch, sweetheart.” And it was just a scratch. Now. His vampiric healing had miraculously knit his flesh back together. Definitely a bonus when he thought of turning Nicole. The beating she had taken would have already healed. Not that he ever wanted her to go through something like that again. Vlad’s comments about Ronnie having been taken from him a couple times after they’d mated haunted him.
Shaking his head, he forced the fear away. He’d have to deal with those thoughts soon enough.
Backing toward the bathroom with the intent of taking care of Nicole, he watched her face as she followed him. Once she’d crossed the threshold she stopped, letting out a soft exclamation of delight. Zane grinned.
He reached for a bottle of lavender oil to pour into the large whirlpool tub. He’d expected this reaction to his favorite room in the house. Modern showers were great—but there was nothing more relaxing than a bathtub full of fragrant bubbles. And so he’d made sure his bathtub was more like a small swimming pool.
A flick of his fingers brought the granite gas fireplace roaring to life. A second motion ignited the dozen candles, their soft glow reflecting on the choc
olate-colored walls and in the large mirror above the sink. This room with its dark earth tones and lush ferns always felt like a luxurious haven to him. He was pleased Nicole liked it as well.
While she stepped into the small room holding the toilet and closed the door, he set out plush bath towels then took bottled water from the small refrigerator hidden in the wall paneling. Its confines also hid a small supply of blood. But he wouldn’t need any tonight, as he’d take his nourishment from Nicole’s vein. That thought sent lust surging through his body.
To still his rampaging erection, he concentrated on each task, forcing himself to consider what Nicole had been through and what it might mean. Had Mikey’s attempted rape and physical abuse traumatized her to the extent that she wouldn’t want him to touch her? Did she need time alone? He could read her mind to find the answers, but even that act seemed like a breach of privacy to him. He didn’t want to frighten her or cause her any distress.
A small distance would kill him, but he would give her whatever she needed. When she walked back into the room he could smell the hint of mint mouthwash on her breath. “I’ll leave you—”
“Don’t.” Her answer was swift. “If you leave I’ll have to think about what happened. I’m not ready for that.” Before he could respond, Nicky stripped off her clothes and stepped into the tub. The fire and candlelight lovingly caressed her pale flesh. She held her hand out to him. “Join me. Please.” With hooded eyes, he watched her throat work as she swallowed. “I need you.”
Zane didn’t require a second invitation. Toeing off his shoes, he stripped out of his jeans and underwear in one quick move then stepped into the granite bathtub. After sinking into the water, he pulled Nicole between his legs. The strong hold he had on his patience nearly snapped as the globes of her ass pillowed his straining erection.
Gritting his teeth, he concentrated on doing what he’d promised. Taking care of Nicole. He created a mental list to help him through the next few minutes. Hair, body—explain that she’s going to become a vampire—then sex. He picked up the spray nozzle attached to the faucet and gently started shampooing her hair. Shared a vision with her of how he planned to personally inspect and clean every inch of her flesh.
Moaning, she arched into his touch. “Oh, dear God that feels wonderful.”
Zane couldn’t help but agree. Every movement she made brought her wet flesh in contact with some part of his body. The explanation of what this night would entail had better come first. “Nicky, sweetheart. I have to talk to you about something.”
She stiffened in his arms. “I don’t want to talk about the kidnapping now, Zane. Please.”
“It’s not the kidnapping we have to discuss,” he murmured. Rinsing her long curls, he thought about how to approach the subject. Lathering her back with soap, he vigilantly inspected her for injuries. Every bruise and cut was seared into his memory. Mike had taken her because of him.
Nicole turned to face him. “Don’t, Zane. Don’t think of him. I’m fine. He didn’t cause any lasting damage. I may have a few nightmares, but I’ll get over this. You came to my rescue.” She leaned in to kiss him. And he wrapped his arms around her and poured his soul into the kiss.
Soapy hands explored, each teasing the other. Their skin flushed with eager anticipation. He lost track of his mental list of should dos and primal urges took over, shattering his best intentions. He wanted to talk to her, to explain. But his body had other ideas. So he used his mind to share with her his emotions, his great need for her. The love he felt and how everything would work out between them.
It wasn’t as if she had a choice anyway. They’d die without each other.
She caught that thought, going rigid in his embrace. With their growing mental connection, it was getting harder to keep things from her. Very soon it would be next to impossible without a great deal of concentration. Something the growing mating fever made impossible. She pulled away and met his gaze. “Zane?”
Sighing, he reached up to run a thumb over her lips and along her bruised cheek. “You are mine, Nicole. In very rare instances, a vampire can form what is called a true bond. We have done so. Our souls have united. Tonight, I will make you a vampire.” He waited for her to say something. Anything.
He felt her tentative touch in his mind and opened to her. Let her see what this would mean. That they would die without being bound by blood as well as by their souls.
Quietly she studied him. “So we’re together because of the ruby, it somehow forced us to form this connection?”
She’d gotten more from his mind than he’d intended to share.
Zane vehemently denied her conclusion. “No. No, Nicky. My friend Vlad told me the stone doesn’t make the connection, it increases it. Speeding up the process that might have taken weeks and making it stronger. It didn’t decide our fate. We’d have bonded eventually as our souls recognized each other. It’s why I haven’t been able to think of anything but you. Haven’t wanted to be anywhere but by your side. Something else you need to know—if I’d been mortal, if I’d been given a choice—I would have chosen you as my mate. Never have I felt…”
What? How could he describe something he couldn’t find the words for? Love? It was such a mortal word for his emotions. It didn’t describe how he could spend hours just watching her sleep. This was something that consumed his every moment. Every thought.
“Oh Zane!” She leaned into him. Kissing him with her mind open, sharing her emotions with him as he’d unintentionally projected his own thoughts.
Breaking the kiss, he had to be sure. Had to hear the words. “Then you don’t mind becoming a vampire?”
Nicky wrinkled her nose. “The whole drinking blood thing is a little offsetting. But I have to say an eternity with you might make up for it.”
“Ah sweetheart, you have no idea how wrong that statement is. You think the sex was great before. And don’t deny it—I’ve been in your mind enough to know that you think we’re fantastic together. But just wait, baby. True-bond sex will rock your world.”
Laughing, Nicky poked him in the ribs. “Then start rocking, big guy.”
Her words released the tension he’d held in his soul. The fear she wouldn’t accept this. That tight knot unraveled but he refused to let her rush him. When his hands had washed away every trace of her ordeal, he stood with her in his arms. He chose to dry every inch of her flesh with the towels instead of simply waving his hand. Her tugs on his hair and her impatient plea told him his mate wasn’t happy with his attention to detail.
Using his lips and tongue to trace every inch of her body, finally he turned her to face the mirror. After arranging her hands on the counter, he skimmed his own down the plane of her back, over her magnificent ass. He couldn’t wait any longer. Taking his shaft in his hand, he teased her folds. Felt her body’s moisture envelope him. Angling her hips upward, she stood on her toes. Zane slowly pushed the head of his cock into her clenching warmth. “God that feels wonderful!”
It was his last, semi-coherent thought. He became an animal, unable to sink deep enough. To plunge in and out of his mate fast enough. A small part of his mind ensured her cries were screams of ecstasy, not pain. Saliva surged into his mouth, his skin felt tight. Heat moved in his veins and his gums ached with the sudden press of his fangs. Releasing the inner beast he’d kept chained, he used his hands, his mouth and teeth and cock—every inch of his body to claim parts of her. Sinking his fangs into her neck, he drank her blood. Eyes wide, he watched everything in the mirror.
Nicole was magnificent. Head thrown back in the throes of passion, her blue gaze hooded. With his mouth fastened to her neck, he became fascinated with the sight of her blood-flushed breasts, bouncing to the rhythm he set with his hips.
Wrapping one arm around her, he palmed one large globe and tweaked her nipple. She shattered around him, her tight sheath milking his cock. Zane released her vein to roar in ecstasy.
It wasn’t enough. He wanted her mouth on him. On his flesh.
Taking his blood and making it part of her. Not yet. First he wanted to give her more. After all, he’d promised wild vampire sex and he was determined to deliver. Withdrawing from her, he quickly guided her from the bathroom to his bed, pulling back the black-satin comforter to expose the soft Egyptian-cotton sheets. There he arranged her as he’d seen her in his fantasies. Long, black hair spread on his white pillow.
Feasting on her flesh, he bit and licked his way over every luscious inch of her. She cried out at the first press of his mouth on her sex. The sound melting into a slow, sultry moan as his tongue played with her tender folds. He was merciless in his demands— wanting to hear her scream from the pleasure he gave her. She was his. For now and all eternity they were bound as one. Burrowing his tongue deeper between her soft thighs, he reveled in the sharp twist of his hair as she grabbed his head and held him to her, trembling as he stroked her toward release.
“Oh my God,” she whispered tightly, panting. “Oh Zane…yes…”
Driving her up, letting her crest and fall, he started over again, gorging on her cream as he’d filled his veins with her blood—until he couldn’t take it anymore.
Rising up, he took a knife from the bedside table and sliced a thin trail of red across his chest. Pulling her into his arms, he guided her mouth to his flesh and willed her to lick and suck. Through their mental bond he ensured that her urgency, her soul-deep need, mirrored his own. He saw the hunger in her eyes, felt the wild craving grow with every taste of his blood. Hearing the truth of her yearning in her throaty moans, he’d make sure she always had an open vein to feed from.
Until…eventually…her teeth were sharp enough she could take what she needed from him without help.
Living in the sensual fog of Zane’s making, Nicky lost track of time. She thought maybe several days had passed since he’d sequestered them in his bedroom. Opening her eyes, she decided she could finally breathe without wanting to physically attack Zane.