by TJ Michaels
“Huh? You mean Ralen shared you with…”
“Something like that, dear. The Serati women have always bonded those who are called to protect us. I am bonded to both Ralen and Jaidyn, meaning we’ve shared blood and the ‘zing thing’, as you call it, is there between the three of us. However, I am married only to Ralen.”
“Well, this just gets better and better,” Carin muttered.
“Well, don’t get any ideas. Bix may be like a son to me and an adopted Serati, but he will not share you with anyone for any reason. Not even Alaan.”
“Between Bix and my job I don’t think I’d have time to dally. Besides, nothing beats my lab,” Carin exclaimed on the way through the laboratory door. She’d given Bix a list of what she needed the day she told the Council she would help them. By the end of the week they’d procured everything she asked for, and then some. Everything was set up in a state-of-the-art sterile environment up on the fourth floor. The first time she’d seen the huge all-white room her breath caught in her throat at how closely it resembled the space at her job. Well, her soon-to-be former job. She’d agreed to stay on with V.C.O.E. and help with their research. In fact, she was going to be a project coordinator, a consultant for the pharma and biotech facilities owned by the Clans around the world.
“Now,” Carin explained as she readied slides, documents and examples to show Alaana. “Vampire strength comes from a naturally occurring extra chromosome passed from vamp parents to their children. There are no genetic anomalies in the vampire DNA sequence, hence no disease in vampires or their children. I’m not a vamp child, but when Bix’s blood and semen was introduced to my human cells in a large enough quantity, my cell walls broke down long enough for the DNA to be altered. The vamp DNA then instructed my cells to repair themselves immediately to keep from being damaged. As a result, the cells were changed and I began to exhibit natural vampire traits, with the exception of the need for blood. Vampire cells divide fifty times faster than a normal human. Your metabolism is also faster. Now, because the vamp DNA altered mine, my cells act just like yours. So, healing occurs faster and I also have an increased need for protein to keep up with my new metabolism.”
“But the vampire DNA does not become your DNA. How is it that human mates not only exhibit vampire traits, but do not get sick or age as they normally would?”
“Good question. The vamp DNA actually seeks out and repairs defective human cells. The DNA is not replaced with yours, but modified and in many cases, perfected.”
“But what does all this have to do with Sidheon?”
“When I took vampire cells and introduced Sidheon’s serum to them, it was obvious the cell was destroyed, but I didn’t know why. In a nutshell, Sidheon has found a way to somewhat undo the coding of vampire DNA.”
“What exactly are you saying, Carin?” Alaana asked. Her face was pale and her mouth pinched tight. The woman knew bad news was coming and Carin didn’t particularly want to deliver it.
“I’m saying Sidheon has found a way to destroy vampirism. Notice, I said destroy, not reverse or for lack of better words, cure. His serum doesn’t turn vampires into humans sans vampire traits. He basically damages the vampire DNA, but instead of the cell remaining intact, it is totally destroyed.”
Carin saw understanding dawn in the Matriarch’s eyes, but the woman’s brow was tightly knit as if she had trouble fathoming what was being said. “Okay,” Carin continued, “it’s like this. A real vampire unused to walking in the daylight might develop a bad rash or a burn from bright, direct sun exposure until he can control the allergy, right? No blowing up, no death or frying to a crisp. Well, picture one of the recent vampire movies where the vampire is exposed to the sun and literally disintegrates into a pile of ash. Then take a look at what Sidheon’s serum does.”
She put a skin sample taken from Bix’s arm on a slide, introduced the rogue’s serum, and placed it under the microscope. She motioned Alaana forward to take a look, then stepped back.
What the Elder saw made her draw back, her mouth tilted down and drawn into a tight line. When she spoke, her voice was full of fury. “That son of a bitch. I hope my sons kick his ass into a million pieces.”
When Carin removed the slide from the microscope, the tiny skin sample was black as charcoal. The cloth she used to clean the slide held nothing but ash.
* * *
Armed to the teeth and on high alert, every Full Seeker, Beta Seeker, and Iudex Judge on the property streamed into the command and surveillance center in the middle of the estate. Those still en route were conferenced in and the security plans for the duration of the Elders and clan members’ stay were laid out in detail.
The perimeter defenses, security and alarms were all controlled from this building. In the central communications hub, huge screens imbedded in the walls showed every angle of both the inside and outside of the property, except for the Council Chambers and the private apartments of the residents. Complete with state-of-the-art, military grade computing systems and satellite imaging capability, vampire law enforcement could survey almost anyone and anything from this facility. The estate could also be transformed into a stronghold if they were to ever be discovered and subsequently hunted.
Deep in the middle of the command center was the Seeker’s private domain—several conference rooms surrounded by floor to ceiling glass. For today’s gathering, the glass walls became solid white and soundproof at the click of a button.
As Alaan pointed out strategic points for emergency protocol on one of the large screens, Bix’s thoughts turned to his woman, as seemed to be the norm these days. It had taken Carin a whole hour to get him to donate some of his skin and blood to use as test samples when what he’d really wanted was some early morning pussy. But her eagerness to get to her martial arts and weapons training, and work up in her new labs all but spilled out of her. He’d finally relented so they could both begin their day.
Everyone was in place when the first clan members arrived. Bix made his way down to the main house and waited just off the huge half-circle driveway on the sprawling front porch with the Council, scores of Elders and Liaisons who’d landed ahead of their clan members. They represented every territory and country where vampires lived all over the world.
Bix and Alaan looked at each other and groaned out loud when a convoy of bright silver Hummer H3s stopped at the double iron gates to request entry. Glad Carin was up in her labs, Bix radioed down to the gate and granted entrance to the Clan Hatsept members.
The two Seekers growled in unison, “Damned pimps.”
Chapter Fifteen
The Council, Elders and clan members were briefed by Bix, Alaan and Carin in a series of meetings. All week, Carin had fallen into bed exhausted, asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Bix was thoroughly frustrated. The only thing that should have her too tired to move was making love with him.
By the end of the week all talks were concluded and a strategy for flushing out Sidheon was decided on. The next evening the Council chambers were cleared out and transformed into a tropical paradise. Quite a feat in the middle of winter in Montana’s Rocky Mountains.
A thick red carpet graced the center of the floor, creating a plush pathway to the steps of the Council’s dais. The large half-moon table, covered with a luxurious dark gray jacquard tablecloth, held the Council’s feast. Tables set up against just about every inch of the walls were covered with wines, punches, roasted and grilled beef and buffalo steaks, all kinds of fowl, and even lamb. A host of fresh salads, greens and fruit were sliced, diced and displayed to perfection. Even strawberries and honey melons, which were out of season, had been flown in for the event. The spread was quite impressive. Even if vampires had been incapable of eating food, the decadent chocolate silk mousse, kiwi tarts, rum cakes and sugared fruits were tempting enough to make anyone eat his fill anyway and deal with the consequences later.
A slew of sensuously dressed women from every Clan descended the curved double staircases for the festivities. B
ut Bix only had eyes for one.
He spotted Carin the moment she appeared at the top of the left staircase. After his mouth stopped watering, he would have to remember to thank Alaana and her Serati Clan sisters for helping Carin find something to wear.
The spaghetti straps of the beaded royal blue A-line dress set off Carin’s cinnamon skin and showed off her strong physique. A single sparkling blue sapphire pendant hung around her neck and teased the top of the vee of the lush valley between her breasts. Matching studs sparkled on her dainty earlobes. Her hair was down tonight and fell in a riot of soft curls and twists that teased her shoulders. Accentuating her flat stomach and the flare of her curvy hips, the dress floated to her knees in a wisp of chiffon silk. But what did him in were her shoes. Strappy high-heeled sandals tied up her ankles with royal blue ribbon highlighted sexy, shapely, strong legs. And held him there. Dayum!
Tameth walked by her side in a sophisticated black and silver affair. Cut low in the back, it allowed her exotic olive skin to peek through a thick fall of jet-black hair. Alaan watched intently while everyone close by watched Alaan watching Tameth. Once at the bottom of the stairs, Tameth eyed him boldly from head to toe. Bix grinned when his friend’s brow knit in a fierce scowl. When Alaan stalked away grumbling about women showing too much skin, Bix almost laughed outright. Then Carin was there.
His hackles rose when he noticed his eyes weren’t the only ones following his dark-skinned beauty down those damned steps. Every unmated male vamp eyeballed his woman. He met her at the bottom of the staircase along with a dozen other males, all holding out a hand to help her down the last step.
Shouldering the poachers out of the way, Bix snaked an arm around her waist and hauled her up against his side. He snarled from one vamp to the next, fangs bared. A direct challenge to any who dared dispute his claim.
“Bix, cut it out,” she hissed. The woman tried to suppress a smile at his possessiveness but did a piss-poor job of it.
“You’re supposed to be good tonight, Bix, so stop scaring the straights.”
Was that a chuckle he heard trickling down the bond?
“Mine,” he growled into her thoughts.
“Yours? Well, maybe. Maybe not,” she teased. Easing away, Carin looked back at him over her shoulder, eyes sparkling with mischief. The woman left him standing there and slipped away to the high dais to greet Alaana. Her hips swayed sensuously and her delicious ass winked at him as she went.
“Damned woman,” he muttered to himself.
“Amen,” Alaan grumbled, returning silently to Bix’s side.
* * *
Carin was amused at her current conversation. These boys were fine as hell with some serious pick-up lines. All of them looked related to the vamp who’d pissed Bix off when the Council had come to see her. Every one of their heads was stark white, some straight, some curly, some loc’d. The thick burgundy drapes were pulled back to allow the moonlight to glow through the crystal floor-to-ceiling windows along one whole wall of the ballroom. The lunar beams cast a bluish sheen on their gorgeous heads, surrounding them with the illusion of faerie dust. Too self-assured by half, their athletic, muscular bodies and devilish good looks ran the gamut from ruggedly handsome to male model chic. All were dressed to the nines in classic black. None of them bothered to sheathe their fangs. Of course she wasn’t interested, but any woman worth her salt would flirt at least a little bit under such yummy circumstances.
“You are a beautiful woman with a body made for hot, sweaty sex. If you’re good, perhaps I’ll take you to mate,” said one Armani-clad Hatsept.
“Or perhaps you will partner me. My cock is much more decadent than my cousin here. Besides, he already has three mates.” This from a vamp with such a thick head of hair she was almost jealous. Damn, a woman would kill for hair like that.
“Yes, but my tongue is more talented,” said yet another gorgeous white-loc’d vamp, “so may I have this dance?”
Before Carin could open her mouth to turn them down tactfully, her arm was wrapped around a tense, bulging forearm. She didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. She’d recognize that soul-stirring growl anywhere.
“This woman is taken, Hatsept.”
“Says who?” challenged all three b-e-a-utiful vamps.
“Says me. Keep fucking with my woman and I’ll stomp a mud hole in your pasty-faced ass.”
“Bix, don’t you dare start a fight,” Carin demanded with an exasperated, there’s-too-much-testosterone-in-the-room sigh. But Bix didn’t seem to be listening. When his and the bad boys’ fangs extended to movie-like proportions, she pinched him hard on the inside of his biceps and scowled for all she was worth.
“Damn it, Bix, I mean it. You start a fight and I’m outta here. Now let’s dance.” In the end, she had to grab a good chunk of his ass to get his attention. He turned on her with a snarl. Did she care? Not bloody likely.
“You snarling at me? Don’t make me kick your ass up in here, Jon Bixler.” She was royally bluffing and inwardly relieved when a thoroughly amused smile spread across his face.
“Damn, boys, my woman has more balls than all three of you.” He laughed, took her by the waist and led her onto the dance floor.
The music was hip and loud, just the way she liked it. And tonight was for getting her groove on. Carin hadn’t had this much fun in ages, but she was a new woman—energized, sexy, full of passion. A new zest for life, rather than fear of death, expressed itself in her movements to the funky beat of the music. She placed her hand on Bix’s chest and traced a line about his body as she danced around him. Finally, she settled with her back to his and bent her knees to the beat, sliding her body up and down and back and forth against his. She danced with Bix until a light sheen of sweat covered her arms and put a shine on the skin underneath her sapphire jewels at the vee of her breasts, tempting her lover’s eyes to stray to the tease of cleavage.
Oh, this was soooo much fun. Then the lights dimmed and a slow song began. The words were sensual, the beat sultry. Bix moved in close. She looked up into his beautiful gray eyes and gulped. A heady combination of love and lust stared back at her. The pit of her belly danced wildly. Oh goodness. She was in trouble.
It started tame enough when Bix pulled her close and placed a chaste kiss on the side of her temple, which barely reached his shoulder. But then he dipped his head again, this time blatantly inhaling the scent of her hair. His arms tightened around her body and one strong hand dipped low to graze the globe of her left cheek, sending a sizzle down her ass. The other hand discreetly played with the side of her breast. She couldn’t keep her breathing even.
“Kiss me, Bix,” she whispered fiercely, tilting her head up with eyes closed. She knew he’d give her what she asked for. No need to look. Just feel. Bix would take care of her. She felt his mouth move towards her, but he didn’t meet her lips. Instead he tipped her chin up more and licked the side of her neck, from her pulse point up to her ear.
The intense answering ripple in her womb almost made her forget to erect a psychic shield.
“Oh damn, that was nasty. Do it again.”
Bix gave her another hot swipe of his wet tongue along her sensitive skin. She shivered as her head fell back. Her skin felt much too tight and her body grew hotter by the second. She barely registered the crooning of the music in the background as she reached into his tailored jacket, grabbed two fists full of his shirt and held on under a sensual assault that almost bent her over backward. Moisture gathered at the entrance of her channel and even she could smell her arousal waft up from between her thighs. Finally, he captured her lips. Bix started growling again, but for a whole new set of reasons, all of which she agreed with wholeheartedly.
“I can smell you, baby. Makes me want to go down on my knees and bury my head under your dress right here in the middle of this dance floor.”
Lord knows she wanted nothing more than to find a dark corner, flip up her skirt and let him have at it. A primal need rose up in h
er, a need for him to take her. To make her his in every way. Forever. Her kneecaps quivered and she spoke to them. Don’t you dare dump me on my ass. Stand firm, girl, stand firm.
“Firm? I’ve got something firm for you, baby,” Bix whispered into her head and pressed his long, swollen ridge of flesh firmly against her belly.
Her shield dropped like a stone. Bix, along with a horde of other horny vamps, heard her telepathic scream. “Oh, Bix, I’m yours, baby. Please… Oh God, bite me.”
He looked directly into her eyes, fangs clearly visible. “Are you sure, Carin? There’s no going back if we do this.”
She rubbed feverishly against him, trying to do her best to look like she was still dancing rather than humping against his leg. “Yes, I’m sure, Bix. I’m yours, and you’re mine. I can’t imagine being with anyone else or sharing you with anyone else. Ever.”
“The mating is to bind you to me, not the other way around,” Bix said firmly, all smug Seeker confidence.
Alpha to the bone, arrogant and self-assured. And right now, she didn’t give a rat’s ass. “So you say, damn it. You’re mine.”
She knew she could be a stubborn bitch on wheels, but this man was going to be wholly and completely hers and love it. Even if she had to kill him. Her breathing hitched with anticipation as he lowered his head to the sweet pulse on her neck. She could feel his fangs aching fiercely, his need to bite so strong, her gums tingled. So powerful it burned from where his mouth touched her down to the little hairs on her toes. He rubbed his incisors against her tender skin.
A sharp voice cut through the fog of lust and need.
“Bix and Carin, please join me on the dais.” Alaana Serati stood there, calling to them. “And no necking on the dance floor for you two. We will do this according to tradition.” Then she smiled at Bix’s grimace at having his love play interrupted.
“Damn, her timing sucks,” Carin growled into his chest.