Candy protested, “You’ve only arrived. We haven’t had a chance to get to know you better.” She licked her lips as her gaze wandered along Rathe’s muscular body, focusing on his crotch.
Glaring at his wife, Jeremy made to tell her to stop when his daughter and her husband stood. “Sherry?” She ignored him and took her husband’s hand in hers. They left the club. That’s when he saw the bouncers watching Rathe and Mariah.
“Sorry, but we have to leave.” Mariah took Rona’s arm, pulling her closer. “Now!”
“Oh! Let’s go, David.” Roma pulled her husband to her.
“What the hell?” Candy jumped to her feet, thrusting her hands onto her hips. “We invited you to come here with us, and you ditch us? You, snotty bitches! Mariah, you’re the worst! You and your boyfriend think you’re too good to drink with us, don’t you?” With every word, Candy’s voice rose, bringing the bouncers together as they watched them.
Jeremy tried to calm her down. “Candy, relax. We don’t want to get thrown out, do we?”
“You always take that bitch’s side! You never defend me,” she screamed at him.
“Is there a problem here, folks?” A huge bouncer asked as he and three others spread out in a defensive line.
Mariah smiled and shook her head. “No, sir.” Her eyes faintly glowed. “We were just leaving.”
Candy snarled, “Yeah, there’s the problem.” She pointed at Mariah. “That uppity bitch is ruining our evening!”
Jumping to his feet, Jeremy tried to defuse the situation. “It’s just a misunderstanding, that’s all. Candy, shut up and relax,” he growled at her.
She took in a deep breath to scream at him when the bouncer ordered, “Ma’am, calm your shit down.” To Mariah, he nodded toward the doors. “You, folks, take off.”
“Thank you.” She pulled Rona and David with her. Rathe trailed behind them, warily watching the bouncers. Rathe glanced back at him and his wife. His eyes, cold as the graveyard at midnight, bore into him.
Had he really seen fangs?
Naw, it must have been the lights, Jeremy decided. There were no such things as vampires.
He realized Candy was screaming at him, calling him worthless and accusing him of having no balls. Having had this done to him many times before, he waited for her to tire herself out when he saw the ‘Manager’s’ door open and a man, dressed in a dark, expensive suit, exit it. Wearing a pleasant smile, the man crossed the dance floor, walking toward them. She went quiet when the bouncers stepped aside for him.
“Have we a problem here?” He appeared amused, rather than pissed off at her tantrum.
“Yes, we do. They,” she stabbed a finger at the bouncers, “let that bitch and her friends leave without apologizing to me for ruining my evening!”
Taking her hand in his, the man bent and placed a kiss on her knuckles. When he straightened, he smiled at her. “I am Reggie Maine, manager of The Inferno. Let’s speak privately in my office, shall we?”
Miffed, she shrugged. “Sure, why not. Jeremy, stay here,” she ordered as she left with Maine.
The bouncers exchanged knowing grins and left him. Sitting in his chair, wanting to crawl under the table and hide, he noticed Mariah had left her coat behind. Grabbing it, he shoved the exit door open and burst outside, searching for her.
Disheartened to see the SUV gone, he walked a ways and by chance glanced in the alleyway. He nearly tripped over his feet when he Rathe had her pressed against the building, her legs wrapped around his hips. His large hands cupped her ass as he kissed her hungrily. Down her throat, he molded his lips against her skin. Jeremy stood there, rooted to the spot, unable to move, astonished to see her so wild and intoxicatingly aroused. When the man drew back and opened his mouth, fangs flashed in the red neon lights illuminating the club’s signs.
Not thinking, Jeremy shouted at Rathe, “Get the hell off Mariah, you monster!”
Rathe snarled at him. Red hot flames rippled in his dark eyes. Mariah's eyes had changed, glowing eerily as the vampire set her down on her feet and pushed her behind him.
“Can I help you?” Rathe asked softly, arching his dark eyebrow.
“Uh,” He held out her coat, hoping she took it so he could pull her away from the vampire. “Mariah, you left it inside.”
She cautiously stepped around Rathe and reached for it. “Thank-you.”
When she had a hold of it, Jeremy grabbed her hand, yanking her toward him. Rathe lunged forward, growling. She stopped Rathe short when she placed her hand on his chest.
Afraid for her and himself, Jeremy clutched her hand tight. “Don’t touch him! He’s a freaking vampire!”
Laughter bubbled forth from her, startling him. “Really, Jeremy, you’ve seen too many horror movies. Vampires don’t exist,” she said, exchanging an amused smile with Rathe.
Had he just imagined fangs? Shit, was he losing his mind? Driven mad by the woman he married? Finally cracking under her nagging and unhappiness?
“I-I thought I saw … never mind.” He glared at Rathe. “You hurt her, I’ll hunt you down. Understand?”
Unimpressed, Rathe replied, “You’d better see to your wife, Mr. Waters. She doesn’t seem the type to like being left unattended.”
Frustrated, Jeremy glanced back at the club when a blast of wind hit him. Turning back to see the cause, he found them gone.
His gut clenched. He knew he had seen fangs.
“How did you get involved with vampires, Mariah Jordan?”
Chapter Twelve
Standing on the rooftop of the building across The Inferno, Rathe watched the human, resisting the sympathy he felt for Jeremy Waters.
She shrugged on her coat. “We need to head back to my house. Rona and David were pretty shaken-looking when they left.”
He nodded. “Yeah, we’d best. Why didn’t those ghouls attack us?”
“I ordered them not to.”
“How?”
“Don’t know how, I just did it. God, that was close though. I thought for sure that crazy bitch’s screaming would have tipped off the vamp sitting in the Manager’s office.”
“Why did Water choose that nasty creature over you, I’ll never understand.”
“I’m just glad he did, because I never would have met you.” She smiled at him as she curved her slender hand along his cheek.
Taking her hand in his, he kissed her palm. “Let’s go before I finish what I’d started down in the alley.”
“Promises, promises.”
Lifting her into his arms, he flew upward and headed across the lake. Closer they came to Mariah’s house, he noticed there was a cabin a good distance from it, set back from the beach.
“Whose cabin is that?”
“That’s my guest house. Why?”
Changing course, he landed on the beach and set her down.
“Rathe, why are we here? We need to go to the house.”
“Faeroes says everything is under control. Your friends arrived safely.” He leaned down to kiss her, denied when she retreated.
“Rathe, we don’t have time for this. Jarrod is on his way.”
Taking her hands in his, he drew in a deep breath and let it out unsteadily. “Mariah, you are strong, but in order to fight Jarrod, you need your full strength. Vampire strength.”
“What are you suggesting?” Her eyes narrowed at him.
“You need to break the spell completely. He will not stop until he has you and your daughter. Your souls are at risk.”
She sighed. “Nothing more than concern for my soul, huh?”
Tenderly, he rubbed his knuckles along her soft cheek. “You know I care for you.”
“Do you?”
Cupping her face between his hands, he leaned down, staring into her eyes. “Aye, I do.” Slow, languid, they kissed, giving and taking.
Drawing back, he led her into the cabin. Inside, there was a queen-size bed, placed near the rock-faced fireplace. He concentrated on the firewood set in the fireplace
and flames ignited, burning, promptly warming the cold room. Waving his hand, he lit the white candles set around the one-room cabin.
Mariah took off her coat, tossing it on a chair. Drew her gun out of her waistband and set it on the small table. Pulling his shirt off, he watched her as she watched him as they disrobed. Sliding his fingers through her silky hair, he seized hold her and gently drew her head backward, exposing her throat for his exploration. Desire swirled hot and sweet. Molding his lips along the slim line of her tempting neck, he made his way toward the fluttering pulse. A little moan escaped her lips. Savage need arose in him, but he clamped it down, needing to give her one last chance to change her mind, praying she wouldn’t.
He drew back. “If you want to wait, or do not want to become a full vampire, we can stop now.”
A serene smile curved her mouth, her beautiful eyes sparkling in the candlelight. “For the first time in my life, I know who I am. With you, I am whole. I am vampire.”
Her words sealed their fate.
He swept her into his arms, striding to the awaiting bed and laid her down. Gazing possessively the pale curves of her luscious body, he fought to bring the raging fire under control. He almost won until she reached out and trailed her hand up his thigh and around to his buttock, pulling him down to her. She growled deep in her throat as her hands urged him on. Sliding between her shapely legs, Rathe grinned when she gasped as he thrust inside her. Sinking deeper into her heat, closing his eyes at the rapture of her soft muscles gripping him, she held him a willing hostage. Building the friction, enjoying the feel of her surrounding him, fueling his desire. He bent his head and captured a ripe, rosy nipple, hard and inviting, and suckled her as she arched into him, meeting his thrusts eagerly.
But it was not enough, not near enough to satisfy either of them. Tilting her head, she exposed her throat to him. Rathe yanked her hard to him and sank his fangs into her throat. Hot blood gushed into his mouth. Her fingers clawed his ass, bringing him harder inside her.
“Mariah, feed.” He extended his fingernail into a claw and pierced his throat, slashing it.
Without hesitation, she drank his blood. Swelling harder, he moved, stoking their passion to dangerous heights. Bittersweet pleasure exploded, and as one, they found release. Sated and winded, he levered his arms, moving part of his weight off her, startled to see her skin flushed, beading with sweat. Scrambling to sit, he pulled her across his lap, holding her close. She screamed. Tears of red blood trickled out the corners of her tightly squeezed eyelids.
“Stay with me, baby. Focus on me. Open your eyes, Mariah,” he ordered as her entire body shook violently in his arms. It was as if the vampire in her was fighting the protection spell.
Who would be the victor? Would she keep her soul?
The medallion grew hot, burning him.
“Ouch!” Taking hold the chain above the medallion, he watched as the runes shifted, changing until none remained and the black wolves had completely emerged to stand guard the cross.
Her body went lax in his arms. No sign of life. For a long, terrible moment, he thought she’d died when she jerked in his arms and her eyes flew open. She gasped and he saw her fangs had dropped.
Mariah was vampire!
Breathing hard, she wearily dropped her head in the curve of his shoulder. Her voice was raspy as she said with a small smile, “Well, at least I won’t have to ever go through that again.”
“Woman, you scared the hell out of me!”
He was about to say more when she kissed him, her fingers tangling in his hair. Reluctantly, Rathe pulled back. “Why don’t you try and get some rest while you can.”
Stretching out on her side, she snuggled her backside against him. He curled protectively around her and held her as she closed her eyes.
✝✝✝
“Mariah, come to me. If you do not, this is just a taste of what refusing me feels like!”
Excruciating pain exploded inside her skull. Yanking out of Rathe’s arms, she fell hard onto the floor, screaming as she clutched her head. Out of the awful pain, the green-eyed vampire’s voice broke past it.
“Mariah, do not look at Rathe. Blank your mind. Protect him and those you love. You have the power to stop him. You are Aidan’s daughter and have his strength. You are Maria’s child, and you possess her gift to enter people’s minds. Use them to fight Jarrod. Strike back!”
Slapping her hands on the floor, she felt her fangs lengthen as she traced Jarrod through the pain he inflicted on her and followed it back to his mind. It took her a second to realize she was seeing through his eyes. He stood in an elegantly-decorated bedroom, beside a pearl-white coffin, heavy gold trim. Pushing outside his mind, she drew back her fist and imagined herself punching him hard in the face. To her surprise, Jarrod jetted across the room. Not wasting time to figure out how she did it, she leapt on top of him and thrust her hands inside his skull and squeezed his brain.
Jarrod screamed, clutching his head.
“I am not yours,” she yelled at him. “Leave us alone, or I’ll hunt you down and slay you as should have been years ago!” Withdrawing her hands, she slammed shut the barriers in her mind, blocking her uncle out. Shocked at what she’d done, she sensed the other’s return.
Or had he ever left her?
“You are stronger than I dared hope,” he said, cautious and impressed.
“Are you my enemy or an ally?” she asked, prepared to deflect another attack.
“Mariah, I am not your enemy. You need to leave the lake house. I will do my best to deter Jarrod, but he is determined to make you and Kai Damned. If he succeeds, the humans and the Borne will fall to his new regime. Resist him!”
With determined resolve, she looked straight at Rathe, who watched her with shock and wariness. “We must leave here. Now!”
“There’s nowhere left for us to run to anymore. We must make a stand.”
“Fine. Then you’d better give me a crash course on how to be a vampire because my uncle is pissed, and he’s coming to make me and my child pay for defying him!”
“What just happened to you?”
Grim, she told him, except the part of her guardian angel. She kept quiet on him.
“Damn!” He leapt off the bed. “You already know about crosses, Holy water, and why we use swords.” They hurried to dress. “Our greatest weapons lie in training, something which you have little time to learn, so stick with the gun.” He took her gun, checked the clip, and handed to her. She placed it at her back and dropped her coat, hiding the gun.
“What about stakes through the heart?” She asked as he pulled her long hair out of her coat. Smiling her thanks, her heart skipped a beat when he tenderly brushed his fingertips down her cheek.
“A wooden stake, inlaid with silver, driven through the heart will slow the demon down, but the head must be parted from the body to separate the will from the Damned. Fire or Holy water destroys the body and erases evidence the demon vamp existed.”
“I’ll need a sword.”
“Why?”
“So I can make sure the vamp I kill stays dead, that’s why.”
“I will protect you.”
Mariah placed her hands on his chest, feeling the heavy thump-thump of his heart beating under her palms. “Think strategically. Jarrod will use his vampires to divert you, to separate us. Remember, Damned he is, but a Slayer Jarrod will always be.”
Rathe stared at her. Finally, he took her hand in his and led her outside. “We can transform into any creature we want to become. We have our favorites, something we are akin to. Mine is the wolf. Shape-shifting is relatively easy. Look into my mind and watch me as I change. What do you wish to become?”
“Wolf. Is it too difficult for my first time?”
Black eyes glittered with power. “Follow me.”
He showed her a picture of a reddish-black wolf with amethyst eyes. Walking her through the process, she could feel her body contorting; hair grew long and thick on her arms and t
orso as the woman shifted into wolf. When she stood on four legs instead of two, she realized she had actually done it, had really shape-shifted! Taking a step forward, she fell, her tail throwing her off balance. Shoving her back legs, she stood unsteadily.
Rathe had transformed into an enormous black wolf and nuzzled her. “Mariah, your tail is your balance. Use it to help you walk.”
She took a tentative step forward, then another. Rathe stayed by her side. Feeling the frozen ground beneath her padded paws, she sniffed the air, smelling the dry, dusty scent of snow. The wind held mysterious scents, fascinating her by the newness of it all. She tried to laugh, the sound came out as a bark and a growl mingled.
Rathe shook his head at her. “Let’s run.”
After several tries, she managed to run without tripping. They loped down the sandy beach, enjoying the cold, crisp air. She nipped playfully at Rathe, who jumped out of the way. As they rounded the corner, the lake house came into view. Yellow lights shone brightly through the wide windows. Rathe stopped and looked at her.
“Follow me as I shift back to human form.”
She did as he instructed, and they shifted back into their natural state. Rathe drew her to him as his warm mouth swooped down, claiming hers in a knee-weakening kiss.
Reluctant to end the delicious kiss, she drew back. “We’d better head inside and make plans what we should do next.”
Sighing, he agreed. “Jarrod won’t be coming alone either.”
As they neared the house, the dogs raced toward them. Bear wiggled joyfully around her, demanding she pet him. Mariah went down on her knees to hug him. She laughed as her wolf exposed her white teeth in her version of a grin. Shooing the dogs off, she took Rathe’s hand in hers, following them back to the house. Enjoying the quiet stillness, giant snowflakes fell in earnest, blanketing the pine-needle strewn ground.
Rathe was reaching for the doorknob when the door swung wide open. Kai squealed, hugging her tight. “We've been waiting hours and hours for you, two, to get here,” her daughter said with all the drama only a teen could create. Before she could say a word, her daughter asked, “Mom, is it true? Are we vampires, only like sleepers?”
Whisper to Me (Borne Vampires Book 1) Page 19