by Ariel Marie
“Is there anything I can do?” She watched nervously as he leaned against the wall.
He shook his head. “It’ll stop soon. His fist is as hard as it looks,” he laughed.
“What are they doing to him?”
“They have him secured on the gurney now and they will start transfusing him. They have to get the blood into him and hope it will bring him out of the blood lust.”
“So he’ll be okay?” Her breath caught in her throat as she waited for an answer.
“He has to be,” Teague sighed as he released his nose, wiping it a couple more times with the cloth. “He’s the toughest vampire I know. If anyone can break through this, he can.”
“Will he turn, um…” she paused, unsure if she could even say the word.
“Rogue?” he finished. “I don’t know. I pray to the Gods above he doesn’t.”
She let loose of the breath she held, leaning against the opposite wall. “Is he in pain?”
“Nothing he can’t handle,” Teague’s eyes, so much like Toma’s gazed at her. A brief emotion passed through his eyes as he glanced back at the door. “Here, follow me.”
He motioned for her to follow him as he pushed off the wall.
She trailed him down the hallway and into the neighboring room. He flipped the light switch, bathing the room in a soft light. The room held a few scattered computer stations, a couch, and an oversized recliner. She took in a wall with dark window drapes that stood out as odd. She watched as he walked over to the curtains, pushing a button. A soft winding noise filled the air as the curtains separated showcasing a large tinted window. Teague motioned for her to come close to the window.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she made her way to the window, not knowing what to expect. Tears poured down her cheeks as her eyes rested on a shirtless Toma strapped down to a table. A couple of the vampire physicians that the king had called on were in the room with him. Wires and tubes ran from him. Nicu and Adrian each stood on one side of Toma holding him still as he continued to struggle against the restraints.
“You can stay in here to keep an eye on him. I’ll have Tabitha send some food down for you,” Teague said from the doorway. She nodded her head before turning her eyes back to watch her mate.
28
~Toma~
“Welcome back to the land of the living,” Nicu said as he released Toma from the restraints. He sat up grimacing, rubbing his wrist as he looked at his older brother.
“How long have I been out?”
“A week and a half,” Nicu said, folding his arms across his chest. “How do you feel?”
“Like shit,” he said, his heart pounded in his chest at the thought that he may have failed them both. “Where are Nadira and Anika?”
“They are both safe. Nadira is with Cooper. He hasn’t let her out of his sight since we brought you all home.”
“Anika?” he asked, his heart stuttered a few beats, thinking of his mate.
“We wouldn’t allow her to come in here,” Nicu waved his hand around the room. “You weren’t stable and we weren’t sure if you would go rogue or not.”
“Thank you,” Toma said relief filling his chest. He prayed that Anika had not seen him while he had been consumed by the blood lust. He had vague memories of things that had transpired while he was under Xalak’s control and none of them were pretty.
He always knew that he could count on his brother and just knowing that Nicu and everyone else had been there for her when he couldn’t be, meant the world to him.
“She means the world to me.” He got up to shake his brother’s hand but Nicu pulled him in for a tight brotherly hug.
“Anytime, I’m just glad we were able to get you back,” Nicu’s voice was gruff as he pulled back.
“All of these emotions are enough to make me vomit,” Teague joked from the door. He and Adrian rushed into the room, hugging and slapping Toma on the back. “Next time any of you are captured, can you please make sure it’s by a band of sexy nymphs?”
“Shut up Teague,” Toma said, grimacing. He hoped for all of their sakes that no one would get captured after this.
“Good to have you back,” Adrian said smiling, ignoring Teague’s joke. “We need to get you caught up on everything.”
“Sure,” he said looking around at his brothers. “But first, I need to speak to Anika.”
“Of course,” Nicu said. “But before you do, you may want to shower first.”
* * *
~Anika~
Anika’s eyes flew open as something in the observation room woke her from her slumber. It had been over a week and a half since Toma and Nadira was brought home. The doctors had said that he would not be turning rogue. He had to wake up from the coma like state that he had drifted off into on his own. They had explained to her that this was natural for a vampire who was severely injured to drift off into this state in order to heal. That had been a few days ago.
She had taken up residence in the observation room next to where Toma was being kept. Tabitha continued to send food down to her so that she would have some nourishment. Each member of the Olaru family would come down and check in on her while she waited for Toma to wake up.
She would spend hours, just watching him through the observation room as medical personnel came and went, doing their jobs. His brothers promised that Toma would not remain alone in the room and that one of them would always be there.
They each took turns staying by his side. Each brother, both parents and even members of their unit would come and sit with him. They didn’t want him waking alone and didn’t want to risk her safety in the room, so she remained in the observation room day and night.
She finally was beginning to feel safe knowing that Nicu had killed Xalak. She knew the necromancer could no longer hurt her. Nightmares from her time in captivity still plagued her dreams and would cause her to wake up screaming, but tonight was different.
She turned over on the couch where she had taken to sleeping. Pulling the covers off her face, she peered around the room. The lamp on the side table gave off enough light for her to see the tall figure standing in the doorway. A gasp escaped her. She would know that figure anywhere!
“Toma!” she cried out, scrambling off of the couch as he strode into the room scooping her up in his arms and crushing his mouth to hers. She gripped him tight as he ravished her mouth. Tears flowed down her face. He was finally awake.
“I’m sorry,” he said pulling back. “I’m sorry for everything. For not telling you that you were my mate, for trying to keep what we had a secret—”
“It’s okay,” she said half laughing and half crying, gripping his face in her hands.
“It’s not okay,” he said fiercely with a scowl. “I love you,” he said looking deep into her eyes. His face softened and she knew he meant every word he said. Her heart was pounding so hard she was sure it would thump its way out of her chest.
“I love you too,” she whispered softly to him, not breaking eye contact. He ran his hands through her hair, grasping the back of her neck.
“You’re mine,” he growled softly. She could see his fangs peeking under his lip. “And I don’t give a damn about the council.”
“Make me yours,” she said as he backed her towards the couch.
The glint in his eyes caused a shiver to slide down her spine. He gripped the bottom of her shirt pulling it over her head. Her nipples instantly hardened, aching as her bra rubbed against the tips.
She leaned into him, nipping the base of his neck eliciting a growl from him. She breathed in his scent, taking in the aroma of fresh cedar wood and eucalyptus. She ran her hands up his solid chest, stepping closer to him. Her hands gripped his hair as he nuzzled the crook of her neck. His hard erection strained through his jeans, pressing against her stomach. She gasped as he in turn nipped her. His hands traveled up her back, undoing her bra, releasing her heavy mounds.
They continued to undress each other, sharing tender kisses in betwe
en the removal of each item. He gently laid her down on the couch, and settled himself in between her legs. She sighed, loving the feel of him on top of her. She couldn’t keep her hands off of him, running her fingertips through his hair.
“This will hurt for a quick second,” he murmured, brushing her hair away from her neck.
“Will I turn into a vampire?” she asked, watching him shake his head.
“No,” he said. “But once you start taking blood from me, your aging will slow down. You will be able to live a long life with me.”
“Forever?”
“Yes,” he breathed. “I have to ask, are you sure? Your family will age and eventually die before you.”
She stared up into his ice blue eyes, witnessing love for her and even vulnerability. Toma, this big strong vampire, was scared that she wouldn’t want to take the ultimate step with him. She knew he was laying his cards on the table and was going against what his society called for.
Just for her.
She knew that forever would never be enough with him.
Her decision was easy enough to make. She slowly turned her head, presenting her neck to him, giving him her trust and love. She heard a quick intake of breath from Toma before he settled more into her. She could feel his hardness press against her moistened core as she held her breath in anticipation.
He slowly licked her neck, eliciting a moan from her as her pussy muscles began to pulsate. She felt a sharp sting as his fangs pierced her skin at the same time his cock invaded her slick core. She gasped as he pushed fully into her as he drank from her artery. His hands tightened in her hair, holding her in place as his hips began to move.
The sensation of his thrusts inside of her while he suckled from her neck was just too overwhelming. Her muscles tightened causing her to cry out as one of the strongest orgasms she had ever had, slammed into her. She wrapped her legs around his waist as she rode out the waves of her orgasm.
Tears flowed from her eyes, as he licked her neck again. His now crimson eyes locked on her. She watched him slowly bring his wrist to his mouth. He pierced his own artery, placing his wrist to her lips gently. Without hesitation or breaking eye contact she placed her lips over the puncture site on his wrist, immediately tasting the warm coppery fluid.
Calmness settled over her as she continued to drink from her mate. They continued to stare into each other’s eyes until he pulled his wrist from her mouth, licking his own puncture wounds closed. His hips began moving again as he crushed his mouth to hers.
He grabbed her wrist pinning her hands above her head as he pushed deeper inside of her. He shifted pushing her legs wide causing him to delve deeper into her. She gasped as he quickened his pace causing her to cry out in ecstasy.
“Anika,” he gasped into her ear. “You are mine for eternity.”
“And you are mine,” she responded automatically. “Forever.”
Their hearts joined as one, both beating to the same rhythm, as fate smiled down upon them, linking them together for all eternity.
29
~Nicu~
“What is the plan?” Adrian asked as they stormed out of the king’s office. They had just left a meeting with their father who was being stubborn as hell and pissing Nicu off. They had been discussing the latest news pertaining to Rowena Frost.
“We’re going to go ahead and beef up security around mother and father. I don’t care what father says. Rowena is going to come after them. They are the reason she was imprisoned,” Nicu snapped. “Teague, I’m going to need you to take a trip.”
“Not a problem,” Teague nodded.
“I have an idea and I need you to go speak with one of our allies who we haven’t had to call on for a while,” Nicu said. “Someone who will want to see Rowena dead as much as we do.”
His patience was running on the thin side. The king was refusing all of his suggestions of keeping him and their mother safe. He was refusing to let them put them somewhere else until they could hunt the witch down.
The necromancers were in an uproar about the death of their prince. King Sodan had declared war officially on the vampires and had put a bounty on Nicu’s head for killing Xalak.
“We are going to continue to do our job. The Dark Shadows will continue to fight against rogues, necromancers and versi.” He paused outside his office, turning to his brothers. “We have a new target on our radar and she’s one of the most powerful witches ever. We need to get a handle on her. Now. There is no telling what she will get into.”
“No one has seen her in over five hundred years,” Adrian said. “There is no telling what she looks like now. We can’t even question the guards from the prison since Xalak killed them all.”
“I’m sure we can ask one person who will listen to us and tell us what we want,” Teague said as they walked into the room. He shut the door and looked at his brothers.
“Who?” Nicu and Adrian asked at the same time.
“Our mother.”
* * *
Teague
The Dark Shadows 3
Coming Soon
Sneak Peek
Teague
The Dark Shadows 3
by Ariel Marie
Teague
Chapter One
Never in all of his four hundred years, would Teague Olaru had thought that his brother would trust him on an ambassador mission. Not just any mission, but a mission to speak with one of the most revered vampire allies, the valkyries.
Alone.
As the youngest son of Vladimir Olaru, the vampire king, Teague has fought right alongside his older brothers as members of the Dark Shadows, vampire warriors that have sworn to give their lives to protect the vampire nation.
He had been waiting for the chance to be able to show them that he could be taken seriously and maybe one day fulfill his dream to lead his own team of vampire warriors. That day was now here. Currently, he was meeting with his brothers Nicu, Toma and Adrian in Nicu’s office.
“Aven has agreed to help with your passage to Aphadore,” Nicu said, speaking of the strong fae, who has helped them several times in their fight against the necromancers.
Nicu, the eldest of the Olaru offspring and commander of the Dark Shadows, sat back in his chair and crossed his feet on top of his desk. His notorious scowl was in place. “You will meet with Queen Sira. I trust that you will be on your best behavior.”
Teague tried to hold back rolling his eyes, but he failed. “Of course, do you think I would fuck this up? I know how important this is.”
“It’s not that I think you will fuck it up. I just want to make sure that you are taking this seriously,” Nicu snapped, his unwavering ice blue eyes stared across the room at Teague.
He bit his tongue to hold back the response he wanted to say, but he didn’t want to chance Nicu changing his mind and giving the assignment to his other brother Adrian. He knew right now that Nicu wouldn’t be sending Toma on a mission to another realm since Toma just completed the mating bond with his fated mate, Anika, a couple of weeks ago.
He still couldn’t believe that Toma had kept Anika being his mate a secret for years. It wasn’t until the necromancers, vampires’ mortal enemies, had turned their attention on Anika that Toma had lost his control.
The necromancers had reappeared suddenly a few months ago after disappearing a half a century ago. They have been on a mission to destroy the vampires with a vengeance. Until recently, it was unknown why the necromancers were after their sister Nadira. It wasn’t until the necromancers captured Anika, that they learned that Xalak, the son of the necromancer king, was after Nadira’s memories.
Teague laughed on the inside. He guessed Toma keeping his love for Anika a secret was no worse than him teaching their baby sister, Nadira, to fight. His brothers almost tore him a new one after Nadira showcased her fighting skills in order to save her mate Cooper.
Teague had thought he would have to take a stake to his own heart, at the look on Nicu’s face when Nadira showed up o
n the battlefield brandishing the twin swords that Teague had bought her. In the end, it had worked out, Nadira had helped save not only the life of her mate, Cooper, but that of her best friend Anika, also.
“You’re sending him alone?” Toma asked from his corner of the office.
“Sira will be a little more welcoming if only one of us went to see her. If I send a group, she may take it as a threat,” Nicu answered. “You have to remember, men are rare in Aphadore.”
“We need her on our side,” Adrian added from the couch. “Once she hears that Rowena has been freed, she won’t hesitate to honor the long standing agreement between vampires and valkyries.”
“Men are rare?” Teague asked confused, finding all of his brothers turning to stare at him. How can there be a realm with only women. Really? This mission was turning out to sound better than he could have imagined.
“Please tell me you know something about our ally?” Adrian groaned, his head falling back on the couch.
“Of course I do,” Teague rushed. He made a mental note to rush to the royal library once he left this meeting. His knowledge of the valkyries consisted almost nothing.
“Valkyries are one of the most fiercest warriors in history.” Toma said, his eyes narrowed on Teague. “It is said that they answer directly to the God Adros, the God of all deities.”
“I can handle this,” Teague said, a smile spreading across his face as he looked around his brothers. “You know the ladies love me.”
“Well, I’m glad that you seem to have a way with the ladies,” Nicu said wryly. “But I’m going to tell you this once. Your hands are to remain to yourself.”
“Why?” he asked confused. Nicu had never got involved with his private life before.
“These warriors are all virgins.”