She tried to pull out of Julian’s grasp, but he merely jerked her forward and lifted her into his arms. She kicked her feet and wiggled, hoping he might drop her and she could make a run for it. But he hissed at her, baring his fangs.
“Stop this instant! Just because I can’t drain you doesn’t mean Aiden won’t. Maybe you should keep that in mind as you try to fight us off.”
Daniela grew still. He was right and she knew it. Not only were they stronger, but they could kill her within a mere minute or two. No matter what happened, she had to stay alive. There was a small life growing inside her, a tiny person dependent on her for his, or her, survival. She might not have asked for the baby, but she couldn’t let any harm come to it.
She buried her head against Julian’s chest and cried. She had no idea what was going to happen to her now. It seemed that Aiden wanted to take care of her, but at what price? She knew she couldn’t share his bed. He wasn’t unattractive. But his looks didn’t matter. He wasn’t Hayden.
They climbed the graceful main staircase to the third floor. At the end of the hall was an opulent set of double doors. A brass plate on the wall read Grant. She assumed these were Aiden’s rooms.
Julian set her down and opened the doors. He herded her inside, closing the doors behind them. She looked around, taking everything in. The carpet was plush beneath her feet. Even though it was summer, a fire roared in the large stone fireplace. A green velvet sofa faced it, flanked by navy and green striped Queen Anne chairs. The mahogany coffee table had intricate scrollwork on the legs and edges. A matching sofa table was behind the soft looking sofa, and a dragonfly Tiffany lamp sat on top.
The door directly in front of them was open, and Daniela glimpsed what she assumed was Aiden’s office. A large, cherry desk dominated the room with an equally large leather chair behind it. Two wingback chairs sat across the way, and a set of bookshelves lined the far wall.
There were three other doors, and she assumed they were bedrooms. The suite was far grander than she could have dreamed. It was like having an apartment inside a home, minus the kitchen. She wondered if she would be confined to this space like she had her last, or, as Aiden’s future bride, would she be allowed certain freedoms?
The doors opened behind them and the man himself walked in. She took a moment to study him. He was tall, just as tall as Hayden. His skin was pale, his eyes an icy blue. Jet-black hair hung past his shoulders, long and straight. He had a broad forehead, expressive eyes, and a large nose. His lips were full, with his bottom lip being just a smidge larger than his top. There was a cleft in his chin that she would have found sexy under different circumstances.
“What do you think of your new home?” he asked her.
“Your suite is lovely,” she answered honestly.
“Not mine. Ours.”
She took a breath to steady her nerves.
“Your things will, of course, be brought here,” Aiden said.
“From my home?” she asked in surprise.
He frowned. “No, from your other suite.”
She glanced at Julian, who had the grace to blush.
“I don’t really have anything except two nightgowns.”
Aiden hissed at Julian. “Do you mean to tell me that my bride has been wearing nothing but those silk nighties you’re so fond of? You will outfit her immediately.”
Julian bowed his head. “Of course. I’ll see to it right away.”
“And when you return, we’ll discuss how my bride managed to be locked in the dungeon and then given to a werewolf.” There was murder in his eyes.
Julian glanced at Daniela before leaving.
Aiden moved closer. “Would you like to see your room?”
“My room?”
He reached out and took her hand in his. She found his touch to be just as cool as Julian’s, and she fought the urge to jerk her hand away. Looking up into his eyes, she felt her heart pounding in fear, fear of the unknown. What was to become of her?
“I thought you might like a little time to get to know me before moving into my room. I want you to trust me, Daniela, to learn that I won’t hurt you. Whatever you want, all you have to do is ask for it. I want to make you happy.”
“Then let me go to Hayden.”
He hissed at her. “Never say that name to me!”
Daniela flinched. She’d known he wouldn’t be happy with her request, but she hadn’t expected such a reaction from him. Surely he knew what her heart desired. Why would he think she’d want to be held captive in the mansion when she could be with Hayden and be free? True, she’d have to live with him and be part of his pack, but she’d have the freedom to come and go as she pleased.
“Come. I’ll show you your room. And then we can get to know one another a little better. Perhaps watch a movie, if you’d like.”
She looked around. “You have a TV?”
He grinned. “It’s in my bedroom. But I promise to be a gentleman if you’d like to join me.”
She was hesitant to accept, but he seemed sincere. So far, other than keeping her from Hayden, he’d treated her kindly, even if he had been behind her kidnapping. And even then, he’d never said she could go with her mate. He’d signed the agreement with Hayden before Daniela had even entered the mansion. Maybe if she cut her hair off and dyed it another color he’d let her go. Hadn’t they said he had a thing for dark hair?
Aiden led her to the room just to the right of his office. He opened the door and ushered her inside. Her jaw nearly dropped. A four-poster bed sat in the middle of the room, draped in sheer panels. A small antique desk and matching chair were set up in front of a window on the far side of the room. A dresser and armoire were on the far right wall. At the foot of the bed was a small loveseat and coffee table. On the wall near the door was a small entertainment center, but it was bare. Was this where her TV had come from?
There were two doors on the left wall. She opened the first and was pleasantly surprised by a large walk-in closet. The second door opened to a pretty bathroom. The floor was made of pink Italian marble, with a matching shower and sink. She was a little disappointed that there wasn’t a tub, but she could live without one.
“If you ever want to soak, you’re more than welcome to use my bathroom,” Aiden said, obviously reading her mind.
“Thank you, but I’m sure the shower will be fine.”
He gave her a regal nod. “Julian will bring your things shortly and put them away for you.”
“Don’t you hire people for that?” she asked in surprise.
He grinned. “Yes, but Julian is being punished. You should’ve had a wonderful wardrobe the moment you stepped foot in the mansion. Instead, I learn that you’re left in the dungeon for a solid day without food and water, then given to that werewolf as a plaything. You should’ve been brought here immediately. I had thought my trackers to be more competent. It seems I was wrong not to follow up with them. I’d thought they were preparing you before bringing you to me.”
“You really sent someone looking for someone with black hair?”
“Your hair color is a plus. I sent them looking for a woman who carried herself well, smiled often, and had a kind heart.”
“They could tell all that by looking at me?” she asked, skeptical.
He laughed. “No, they could tell all that by watching you for the past month. You were taken that night to be mine because I’d specifically asked for you. They’d brought me photos, told me how you feed the stray cat in your apartment parking lot, take time to feed the poor at the soup kitchen every month… need I go on?”
“You really wanted me? I wasn’t just some random woman you picked up off the street that night?”
He tenderly caressed her cheek. “No, my dear. You were far from random. How it is the imbeciles thought I’d want you put in the dungeon is beyond me. And I can’t even begin to guess at what Julian was thinking.”
At least she knew he wasn’t going to kill her first chance he got. If she was truly
selected to be his, then he would take care of her while she was here. She just had to hold out hope that Hayden would find a way to free her. She didn’t want to become a vampire. But she knew there was no point in fighting against them. They were far too strong for that.
“Come. I have a large selection of movies in my room. You can pick anything you’d like. And if you don’t find something of interest, we can see what’s on pay-per-view.”
“You have cable?”
He laughed. “Of course I do. Once the TV is returned to your room, you will as well. The DVDs that were taken to you before can be stored in the bottom of your entertainment center.”
“You sent those things to me?”
“Julian mentioned you were bored. I wanted to pull you away from the werewolf immediately, but Julian had given his word.”
“But if he gave his word…”
“Why didn’t I let you go?”
She nodded.
“I couldn’t. When you entered the room, I wanted to rip you away from his side. You were supposed to be mine and instead you were marked as his. The fates don’t always know what they’re doing. Just because you were marked didn’t mean you had to remain by his side. You belonged with me.”
“But the marks prove…”
He placed a finger over her lips, silencing her. “They prove nothing. They prove your chemistry was right and nothing more. I’ve lived for hundreds of years, and during that time I’ve had dealings with werewolves. Many times an alpha will lose his mate, and almost immediately, he finds another woman to keep his home. Don’t think you’re irreplaceable.”
He had to be wrong. Hayden would never replace her. He’d never move on so carelessly. She knew he’d come for her. He had to.
“Maybe the werewolves you knew before were different. Did you ever think Hayden might not be like that?”
“And what makes you so certain your precious mate is so different?”
“Because he hadn’t had a serious relationship until now. He’s waited for me. Hayden believes I’m his mate, the one woman destined to be with him. If you think he’s going to give up on me, then you’re going to be disappointed.”
Aiden sighed. “You’re hoping he’ll come for you, aren’t you?”
“How did you…”
“Come. We’ll go sit and talk. There are things you need to know.”
She followed him out of the bedroom and into the living room. They sat on the sofa, their legs nearly touching. She didn’t know what he had to tell her, but she had a feeling it wasn’t good. Was there a reason Hayden couldn’t, or wouldn’t come for her?
“You know that Hayden came here of his own free will, that he signed an agreement. What you don’t know are the stipulations in that agreement.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
“When Hayden came here, he was injected with a neurotransmitter that prevents him from shifting as long as he’s on the grounds. The moment he crosses the border of my land, the second his foot touches my grass, he’ll be unable to shift into a wolf. If he comes for you, he’d have to do it as a man. And as a man, he’s at a severe disadvantage.”
“But… he won’t leave me. I know he won’t.”
“Then he’ll die. My guards have been ordered to keep him off the grounds at all costs. If he fights them, they’ll fight back. And I’m sure you noticed they aren’t exactly small men. If he comes at night, I have vampires who patrol the grounds.”
“Do you honestly think he’d come at night, knowing all of you would be awake?”
He grinned. “Probably not. But he has to realize that if he did succeed in getting you out of here during the day, once I woke I would come for you -- and I wouldn’t come alone.”
“Why me, Aiden? There are so many other women out there. Why not pick one of them? Please let me go.”
“You’re special, Daniela. I knew you were the one the moment I saw you. No other woman has ever called to me the way you do. You’ll stay here by my side and be my wife. And once your baby is born, I’ll turn you so we may be together forever.”
If she weren’t so scared and worried, she might have been flattered.
“Perhaps you wouldn’t be so ready to run away if you knew a little more about me.”
“I know you killed the last woman you kept.”
He reached over and took her hand in his. “Her name was Rachel, and she was part of the harem we keep here. I’d kept her for a few weeks, but things weren’t going as planned.”
“Was she in my room?”
“No. No one has ever used that room before. I’ve never taken any of the harem girls to my bed. I’ve always used a separate suite with them, one on the second floor. But when I heard you’d been brought here, after discovering Julian had allowed you to be bedded by that mongrel and intended for you to leave here, I relinquished the suite to someone else. I knew I would no longer need it because you were going to remain here by my side.”
She looked at him in surprise. “You were going to be faithful to me?”
“I still am, even if you aren’t in my bed yet. I’ll have to feed, that I can’t avoid, but I’ll take no pleasure from it.”
“Do you mean to tell me that you only feed when you…”
He laughed. “No. I mean, yes, in the past I fed during sex. But it doesn’t have to be that way. I can simply bite their neck or wrist to get the nourishment I need.”
“And that’s what you plan on doing now?” she asked.
“Yes. Until you allow me to feed from you.”
“And when you turn me?”
“Then we’ll feed together. Or if you prefer, I’ll have the blood drawn and poured into a glass for you.”
She frowned. “If that’s an option, then why not do that now?”
His thumb caressed her palm. “Is that what you’d like for me to do?”
“I honestly don’t care. I’m not going to be your wife. Hayden will come for me.”
Aiden studied her a moment. “Your werewolf doesn’t worry me. I’m nearly six hundred years old. I was born in 1482 in England. My father was a favorite of the king, and we wanted for nothing. It was in 1512 that I made a mistake. Today you’d call me a ladies’ man -- if you’re being polite, anyway -- but I chased anything in a skirt. On a cold rainy night in October, I cornered the wrong woman. When I tried to take advantage, she attacked.
“The next time I opened my eyes, I was no longer human. My life was over and I had nowhere to go. What little money I had in my pocket didn’t last long, but it was enough to get me out of the area. I moved to the country and went into hiding.
“The first werewolf I met was in the early 1600s. There was a young woman I was enamored of, and I was trying to convince her to run away with me. She knew what I was and accepted me regardless. But I had competition. A young man she’d known all her life wanted her hand in marriage. He claimed she was his mate. One night, she confessed to me he was a werewolf and to be considered as his mate was an honor. She explained how it worked and then told me she was going to accept his offer. I was heartbroken.
“They married a week later. I didn’t attend, but I heard it was a beautiful ceremony. The marriage didn’t last long though. The woman went into the woods to gather flowers one day and was attacked by a wild animal. I found her, dying. I begged her to let me turn her, but she refused. She breathed her last breath in my arms. Two weeks later, her alpha was married to another woman.”
Daniela shook her head. “Hayden isn’t like that.”
“Maybe not. But it doesn’t matter. The only way he’s taking you out of here is if he starts a war, one he won’t win. I told you he can’t shift here -- there’s no way he would survive such an attack.”
She tensed. “He told me he would trade his life for mine. Hayden will do anything to free me, I know it. Please. Please, Aiden. Let me go.”
He caressed her cheek. “There are many things I would do for you, anything you asked of me. Anything but that. Did you
know that, since the 1600s, I’ve never once been tempted to take a wife? I’ve had men search for one periodically over the years, but you’re the first woman I’ve ever wanted to tie myself to for the rest of my existence. Doesn’t that tell you anything?”
“I’m sorry, really I am. Maybe if I’d met you before Hayden, or maybe if I’d never met him at all things would be different. But I did meet him, and we were together. I’m his mate, his other half, and I feel that pull just as much as he does. I’m drawn to him, and I want to be with him.”
“Time. You need time.”
Aiden stood. His gaze caressed her face, and he helped her to her feet. He nudged her toward the room on the left.
“Go pick a movie. I think we’ve done enough talking for one night. While you’re making your selection, I’ll see what’s keeping Julian.”
Daniela nodded and moved away from him. Fighting tears, she crossed the room and crossed the threshold to his bedroom. If Hayden couldn’t come to her, she’d have to find a way to go to him. How else was she going to tell him how much she cared about him? That she thought she might be falling in love with him.
Chapter Six
Hayden stared at the mansion and shook the gate. If only he’d been able to shift, then he could’ve saved Daniela. He could only imagine what Aiden had planned for her. The thought of the vampire’s hands on her made him sick, and he wanted to howl in outrage.
The two guards who had dumped him off the grounds crossed their arms and stared him down. It was obvious they weren’t leaving until he did. But how could he leave his mate behind? His gaze roamed the grounds and strayed back to the mansion. He knew where she’d be kept -- in Aiden’s private quarters. It would be next to impossible to get there on his own.
Backing away from the gate, he turned and walked away. If he wanted Daniela back, he’d need the help of the pack. He hated to drag them into this, knew they wouldn’t all make it out alive if they had to go up against the vampires, but he and Daniela shared a sacred bond, one he couldn’t ignore. Maybe if they attacked during the day they could avoid the bloodsuckers, but then they would only come after his mate later that night after they woke. There had to be something he could do. He knew his pack was no match for the nest. For one, while there were two wolves for every vampire, they were still at a disadvantage. As fast and strong as the vamps were, it would easily take three or four wolves to take down just one of them. There had to be something he could do.
Belonging to Hayden (Tales of Moonspell 1) Page 5