Masters of the Hunt: Fated and Forbidden

by Sarra Cannon

  He raked his hand through his short dark hair. “I tried to tell her that it would fade with time and that the vampire felt nothing for her. She didn’t – couldn’t – believe me. When the vampires eventually left she became withdrawn and depressed. Two weeks later she took her own life.”

  “Oh Neil.” Maria squeezed his arm. “I’m so sorry.”

  She hesitated. “I’m surprised you don’t hate them.”

  He shrugged. “I did. For years I couldn’t stand their kind or how they treated the humans. But then Val saved my life and I realized that they’re similar to us in that there are good ones and bad ones, you know?”

  Maria grunted. “Val and Eone are the only good vampires I’ve met and it might be a stretch to call them good.”

  “Yeah.” Neil agreed. “Anyway, as grateful as I am to Val for saving my life we need to keep Abigail away from him when we reach Karna. She deserves the chance to realize that what she feels for him is just because he’s feeding from her.”

  “And if it isn’t?” Maria asked softly.

  “It is.” Neil replied firmly.

  — —

  “If he keeps touching you, I’ll kill him.”

  Val’s voice drifted out of the darkness and Abby raised her head from where it rested on his chest. She had been listening to the steady beat of his heart and marveling between the differences in the mythical vampires of her world and the reality of vampires in this one.

  “You’re overreacting.”

  He sat up in the bed and ran a hand through his long hair. “No, I’m not.”

  “Yes you are.” She sat up beside him and tucked the covers around her naked body. “And keep your voice down please.”

  They had found lodging for the night in a house that was surprisingly large. Nearly everyone had claimed their own room and shortly after dinner Abby had retired to her room, using a headache as an excuse. She had found Val waiting for her in her room as she knew she would.

  “He touches you constantly and he gives me this look like he has won you in a game of barnen.” Val’s hands were rolling into fists and she rubbed his back lightly.

  “David and I are friends, nothing more.”

  He gave her a wry look. “David wants between your legs, Abigail. Do not pretend otherwise.”

  She sighed. What Val was saying was true and she had no idea how to deal with it. In her world, men weren’t attracted to her double-wide ass. She had slept with exactly one person before Val, and it had only happened because both she and her best friend Carl had been drunk. Her cheeks burned and her pulse increased at the memory of the next morning. Carl had woken up, taken one look at her, and skedaddled his ass out of her apartment as fast as he could. He had refused to take any of her calls after that, and she had mourned the loss of their friendship more than the loss of her virginity.

  Darkness crossed Val’s face and he pushed her on to her back on the bed. He covered her soft curves with his broad body and rested his hand on her hip. He threaded the fingers of his other hand through her dark hair and held it tightly.

  “You’re blushing. And I can hear your pulse increasing.” He leaned down and sniffed her pulse at the base of her neck.

  He looked up at her and her breath caught in her throat at the look of anger in his eyes. “Have you let the boy between your thighs, little dove? Has he dared to touch what belongs to me?”

  He reached between her thighs and cupped her possessively as his thumb parted her labia and found her clit. He stroked it roughly and brushed his mouth across her trembling lips.

  “I would hear the truth from you, little dove. But I should warn you that if I find out you’ve let him kiss you, allowed him to put his fingers or his cock inside of you,” he slid his finger into her tight cunt and grinned with satisfaction at her soft moan of submission, “I really will kill him - very slowly and very painfully.”

  “He hasn’t done any of those things.”

  “But you want him to.” His voice was dangerously soft.

  She shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

  He thumbed her clit in approval and she arched her hips against him.

  “Then why do you blush? Why is your pulse thudding so heavily?” He murmured into her ear.

  “I was remembering something from my past.”

  “What?” He rubbed her clit again and she moaned a little and dug her nails into his broad arm.

  “Nothing I want to talk about.”

  He frowned. “There are to be no secrets between us. Remember, little dove? Tell me what the memory was.”

  She snorted angrily and pushed his arm away before sitting up. His gaze drifted down to her naked breasts and she smacked him on the chest before yanking the sheet up.

  “That’s bullshit, Val, and you know it. I don’t know anything about you. Every time I’ve asked, you distract me.”

  He arched his eyebrows at her uncharacteristic anger and leaned back against the headboard. “Ask me anything you want, Abigail.”

  “When did you become a vampire?”

  “I was turned 524 years ago.”

  “How old were you when you died?”

  He frowned. “I was thirty-five but I didn’t die, Abigail. I was turned before I could die.”

  She nodded. “Sorry. In my world, vampires are considered undead.”

  He laughed. “Right, Neil told me. We have no heartbeat and no soul. Our skin is cold as ice and we always kill the humans we feed from. Your world is very dreary, little dove.”

  “It isn’t!” She pursed her lips. “Can you eat real food?”

  He nodded and she cocked her head at him. “I’ve never seen you eat or drink anything but blood.”

  “Not true. You’ve watched me eat your sweet pussy.” He grinned at the hot blush that rose in her cheeks and he reached out and traced her soft skin. “Your cream tastes nearly as good as your blood, little dove.”

  “Stop distracting me.” She pushed his hand away and he took her hand and held it firmly.

  “Some vampires eat quite a bit of food even though it provides no nutrition for us. But many of us find it difficult to abandon that which made us human.”

  “So you’ll die without blood?”

  “Eventually. It would take months though. The humans have experimented on us in the past, and I believe the longest a vampire lived without blood was nine months.”

  She gave him a horrified look. “They experimented on vampires?”

  “Yes.” He didn’t seem bothered by it.

  “Why?”

  “Two hundred years ago there were many more of us. We weren’t particularly kind to the humans. I suppose they believe they were justified in their experimentation on us.”

  “Are there not as many of you now?” She asked curiously.

  “No. There was a sickness among us about a hundred and twenty years ago. It killed many of my kind.”

  “A sickness? I thought you were immortal. What type of sickness could kill you?”

  He shrugged carelessly but she thought she saw a hint of pain in his eyes. “I don’t know.”

  “How did you survive it?”

  “Some of us were immune. We did tests, tried to figure out what it was that made some vampires immune, but we never discovered what it was. We did, however, realize that the blood of the immune helped heal those who were sick.”

  She paused and then decided to ask the question. “Did you lose anyone special to you?”

  “No.”

  He was lying, she could see it in his eyes, but she let it go. “How many humans have you killed?”

  “Many. But they were all trying to kill me.” He said honestly. “Does that bother you?”

  “A little.”

  “I would never hurt you, little dove.” He squeezed her hand.

  “I know. Why did you leave your own kind for the humans?”

  “What memory were you thinking of earlier?” He countered.

  She looked down at their clasped hands. “I was r
emembering the first guy I slept with.”

  “Were you in love with him?”

  She shook her head as Violet flew in through the slightly-open bedroom window. She flew to Abby and landed on her shoulder, winding her cold body into Abby’s hair before kissing her lightly on the side of the neck.

  Abby smiled. “I was starting to worry about you, Violet. Where have you been, little one?”

  Violet yawned and shrugged before sitting cross-legged on Abigail’s shoulder. She leaned against her throat and stuck her tongue out at Val.

  “Watch it, bug. I hear pixie blood is very sweet tasting.” He growled playfully.

  Violet rolled her eyes as Abby squeezed his hand. “Don’t say things like that to her.”

  “Tell me about him.” He prompted.

  “His name was Carl. He was my best friend. One night we both ended up drunk and we slept together. In the morning, when he woke up in my bed, he was horrified by what he had done. He left and refused to speak to me ever again.”

  “He was a fool.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t blame him.”

  “Tell me about your other lovers.” The thought of other men touching her filled him with a strange rage but he wanted to know everything there was about Abigail.

  She blushed. “There weren’t any others.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Her blush brightened. “I mean that before you, Carl was the only man I’d slept with.”

  “Why?”

  She gave him a strange look. “Why? Well, because look at me, Val. I’m ugly. Even if I wasn’t fat, I’m too pale, my nose is too big and my hair is too frizzy. Men aren’t attracted to me. I honestly have no idea why David is.”

  He stared at her and realized she believed what she was saying. His chest tightened painfully and he reached out and gripped her chin firmly. “He’s attracted to you for the same reasons that I am. You’re gorgeous and sweet and way too kind-hearted for your own good.”

  “You want me because of my blood.” She whispered. “Don’t lie to me, Val.”

  He shifted closer to her and cupped her face. “Your blood is very appealing to me, little dove, but it is not just that. You have become,” he hesitated, “important to me. It is not just your blood that calls to me but everything about you.”

  His eyes skimmed over her face before he stared steadily at her. “Do you believe me?”

  She looked down at the bed covers. “I don’t know.”

  “Then let me show you once more.” He whispered. He kissed her soft mouth and then stared at Violet still wrapped in Abby’s hair.

  “Go on, bug.”

  She huffed at him before kissing Abby’s throat again. As she untangled herself from the long dark strands, Abby reached up and gently stroked her back with one finger.

  “Good night, little one.”

  Violet flew to the basket on the far dresser. Abigail had fashioned a bed for her in the basket and without looking at either of them, the pixie burrowed deep under the layers of fabric until she was completely hidden within them.

  Val pulled the bed covers down, baring Abigail’s breasts to his hot gaze. He dipped his head and trailed a blazing hot path down her chest before cupping one breast and capturing her nipple between his lips. He licked and sucked lightly on it until it hardened in his mouth and Abigail’s hands were tangled in his long hair.

  “Lie back, little dove.” He whispered.

  Her body throbbing with need, Abby lay back against the pillows as Val kissed his way down her body. He dipped his tongue into her navel, circled it with his tongue and then blew lightly on her damp skin.

  She moaned softly and put her arm over her mouth to dampen the noise as he shifted until he was stretched out between her legs.

  “So sweet.” He murmured before he nibbled lightly on her dripping cunt. She ground her hips against his face as his tongue probed between her lips to find her swollen clit. He licked it with rough strokes until her ample hips were rising up from the bed and her hand was clutching frantically at the back of his head.

  “Come for me, little dove.” He whispered before sucking her clit into his mouth. With a muffled shout, she did what he asked, her hand leaving the back of his head to clench tightly around the bed covers. As her orgasm rushed through her, she felt the sharp sting of his fangs on her inner thigh.

  He suckled on her skin, drinking her blood as her climax roared through her. Only when she had collapsed weakly on the bed, her arm falling away from her mouth and her breasts heaving as she struggled to pull in air, did he stop drinking.

  He positioned himself over her and entered her dripping cunt with one smooth stroke. She arched beneath him, taking him deep inside of her, and he groaned his approval when her pussy muscles rippled around his thick cock.

  “Open your eyes, little dove.” He demanded.

  Her eyelids fluttered open and he smiled down at her. “That’s right, my love. Look at me and watch what you do to me.”

  He thrust in and out of her. Her cunt gripped him greedily, sucking at his cock and refusing to let go when he tried to retreat. He moaned with pleasure and she slapped her hand over his mouth. He licked the palm of her hand, making her shudder against him, before beginning to plunge in and out. The smooth tightness of her cunt, the way it clung wetly to him, brought him quickly to the edge and with a loud groan he thrust deeply and climaxed inside of her.

  Panting lightly, he rolled off of her and collapsed on his back beside her. After a few minutes he turned on his side. When she didn’t turn so that he could spoon her, he reached out and lifted her, moving her easily into the position he wanted her in.

  Although she had seen Val’s strength multiple times, Abigail was still surprised whenever he moved her two hundred pound plus body like she weighed no more than a feather. As he threw his leg over her hip and his hand cupped her breast, she tried to squirm away.

  Val growled under his breath and pulled her even closer. “Where are you going?”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” She grumbled. “You know I need space to sleep.”

  He laughed softly and kissed the back of her neck. “I’m leaving soon to go on watch with Eone. Indulge me until then.”

  She sighed and relaxed against him. “Will you come back before you go to your daysleep?”

  He nodded. “Yes, little dove. I’ll see you in a few hours. Go to sleep, Abigail.”

  Chapter 9

  “Abby will you take a walk with me?”

  She smiled at David before glancing quickly at the wagon. After a long day of traveling, they had been unable to find shelter and were once more camping in the open. It was almost twilight, Val would be awake soon and looking for her.

  “Right now, David?”

  He nodded. “Please? I wish to speak with you in private.”

  She pressed her lips together and then nodded. “Just a quick walk, okay? I need to help Maria with dinner.”

  He smiled and tried to take her hand as they walked deeper into the woods. She folded her arms across her torso, ignoring the disappointed look he gave her.

  “You’ve done very well in denying the leech, Abby. I want you to know how proud I am of you.”

  “Thank you.” She muttered. She looked down at the ground. She hated lying and was horrible at it. If she looked David in the eye, he would see the truth in her face.

  “I know it hasn’t been easy, not with that asshole leech staring at you all the time but—”

  “Don’t call him an asshole, David.” She said softly. “He’s saved all of our lives.”

  He snorted angrily. “He almost killed you by drinking too much of your blood after you offered to save his miserable life. And trust me, if push came to shove, he’d abandon our asses.”

  “Did he abandon you at the village? Neil said if it hadn’t been for him and Eone, none of you would have survived. Remember?”

  He stopped suddenly and took her arms. “Why do you defend him, Abby?”

  He
tilted her chin up and stared into her face. “Why are you so quick to…”

  He trailed off, his ruddy face paling at the look on her face. “Oh my God.”

  “David I—”

  “You’ve been letting him feed from you.” He whispered. “Haven’t you?”

  “That’s none of your business, David.”

  He surprised her by grabbing her hair and yanking her head back. She gave a soft cry of pain as he searched her throat for the tell-tale marks.

  “Where is he biting you?” He snarled.

  “Let me go!” She punched at him and he grabbed her wrists with one hand and ground the thin bones together.

  She cried out with pain again as he tore at the neckline of her t-shirt. He sucked in his breath at the lightly-bruised bite marks on the soft meat of her shoulder and cursed vehemently before shoving her away.

  She stumbled and nearly fell before rubbing her wrists and glaring at him. “You’re a dickhead, David.”

  “Yeah, well you’re nothing but a dirty leech whore. I should have known you—”

  She slapped him as hard as she could across the face and his head rocked back. He cupped his cheek, staring in disbelief at her. She turned to run as he lunged for her, her scream cut off by his hard hand clamping across her mouth.

  “I thought you were different, Abigail.” He whispered into her ear. He turned her around and stared into her frightened eyes as he tightened his arm around her waist. “I was falling in love with you. Did you know that? I was so amazed by your ability to resist him, so impressed by your strength, that I actually thought I was in love with you.”

  She made a muffled sound against his palm and tried to pull away.

  “Shh, don’t do that. I should have known better than to think you were strong. The ones that come from your world are always so weak. They never survive long in our world.”

  He lowered her to the ground and straddled her before putting his thick hands around her throat. “You lied to me, Abigail. I could forgive you for submitting to the leech but not for lying to me.”

  “You don’t have to do this, David.” She begged softly as tears began to leak from her eyes.

  “I do, Abby.” He whispered soothingly. “It’s for your own good. It’s better for you to be dead then to be with him.”