Eternal Breath of Darkness

by Candice Stauffer

  “I am.” Haden knelt down next to Caylee and leaned down near her ear. He lowered his voice to a deep, hypnotic tone. “There is no pain—I’ll not allow it to touch you. There is no fear—I forbid it to enter your mind. I’m here with you to protect and to heal you.”

  Nikolas took Brianna’s hand and brought it to his mouth. “I will miss you.”

  “No.” Brianna couldn’t see him, but she lifted her face as if to look up at him. Deep in her heart she knew he was saying goodbye. She started to reach up but then folded her hands behind her back. She wished she could see him. She knew he was facing danger and that he wasn’t sure he would survive.

  Nikolas bent his head to whisper in her ear. “I love it when you touch me.” He reached behind her and took her hands, and then he brought them to his face. “I’ve waited to meet you for a very, very long time. I will always be missing you.” He bent down and kissed her ear. “Miss me, little one.”

  Brianna wrapped her arms around him. “I already do,” she whispered against his chest.

  Demetri, in the form of the dragon, stepped out of a cloud of smoke. His gaze moved over the crowd and then settled onto Brianna. Grinning, he walked toward them.

  Nikolas led Brianna to Joseph. “Keep her close to you until my brother is done with Caylee.”

  “I will.” Joseph nodded.

  Nikolas handed Joseph his keys. “Take them to my place and keep them there tonight.” He bent down and gently, softly kissed the top of Brianna’s head. “You will be safe.” It was the hardest thing he’d ever done, but he walked away from her, blocked her from his mind, and took the form of his dragon. Using an ancient spell Nikolas instantly transported himself and Demetri to another time and realm.

  ***

  Haden knelt down and picked Caylee up in his arms. He cradled her close, and his heart pounded, pumping adrenaline through his body as his wings briefly shimmered and then solidified.

  Caylee opened her eyes and stared up at Haden. “Help me.”

  “No.” Haden knew she was asking him to kill her. “You’re not leaving me.”

  “Don’t make me live like this.” She was gasping, eternal death taking a hold of her flesh and her soul.

  “You will not die.” Dark, limitless power surged from Haden’s body and filled hers. “Breathe for me, Caylee.” Staking his claim on her, he violently shoved the spirit of eternal death out of her body.

  Caylee’s throat opened, and a breath was forced into her lungs. She automatically released it and took another. Her body was too damaged and weak to survive, but it didn’t have a choice. It obeyed Haden’s powerful command. Her heart stuttered as she took another breath. Within seconds she was breathing easier, and her heart began beating in a strong, steady rhythm. “What are you doing? It’s too late. Haden, please, let me die.”

  “I will never allow you to leave me.” Haden took to the sky, and they dissolved into a black mist.

  In a matter of seconds, Haden was carrying Caylee through Nikolas’ house. The house was dark and cold, but he knew her eyes would be super-sensitive to light. He waved a hand, causing a fire to ignite in the fireplace.

  Startled, Caylee shrieked and buried her face against his chest to shield her eyes. She wept so hard her body trembled.

  “Keep your eyes closed, little love,” he whispered as he slowly lowered her onto the bed.

  “Please, Haden. I can feel death in my blood. I don’t want to live like this. Please, Haden, I want to die.” Her voice was hoarse and desperate. “I can’t live like this.” Her hand trembled as she grabbed at his shirt, but she was too weak to take a hold of it.

  Devastated, he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “You’re my life. I need you more than I need my next breath. I’m not leaving you, little love. You will not die.” He gently lowered her hand. “I love you.”

  His soul filled up with rage. The transformation was happening so quickly. She looked so very pitiful. Her flesh was pale. Her face was gaunt, and her body was far too thin. Her flesh was filled with infection. It was hot to the touch. There wasn’t an inch of her flesh spared. She had dozens of burn-like wounds. Her body was so ravaged by the tainted blood that her organs had already started to decay.

  Sensing his rage, she tried to open her eyes, but the light from the fire hurt them. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get her vision to focus. She just wanted to die. She needed to convince him to save her, to kill her. Breathing heavily, she tried to speak, but she had no voice.

  Listening to the steady rhythm of Haden’s pulse, Caylee’s heart raced. Her stomach clenched as fangs exploded in her mouth and pierced the inside of her cheek. She wanted his blood. She needed his blood. She would do anything to taste his blood. “No!” She leapt from the bed and backed up against the dresser. Eyes wild and glassy, her gaze darted around. “Haden, you need to leave me.” She felt intense fear, hunger, and lust for his blood.

  He advanced slowly, cautiously. “You need to be calm.” She was in a dangerous state; he wasn’t worried about his safety, but if she attacked him she could easily harm herself and their daughter. “Don’t be afraid.”

  She turned away from him and looked at her reflection in a mirror. She looked wild and downright hideous. She looked like death. “You said you would do it.” Her vision grew darker, and a terrible buzzing filled her head. She was felt so weak and faint. “Why won’t you help me die?”

  Standing behind her, he wrapped his arms around her and held her upright. Meeting her gaze in the mirror, he slowly leaned near her ear to breathe in the scent of her body. It was a mistake. She reeked of vampire. “How could you ask such a ridiculous question?” His voice was low, angry growl.

  She turned around to argue with him, but instead she nestled her face against his chest. His heartbeat was strong against her cheek. Instinctively, she knew his blood offered her nearly limitless power and immortality. His blood promised to satisfy the hunger that burned in her.

  Leading her by the hand to the bed, he sat and pulled her down on her lap, and then he cradled her in his arms as if she were an infant. He opened his shirt. “Take my blood.” He held her face against his chest. “Trust me—it will destroy the vampire’s blood. You’ll never hunger for blood again. You and our daughter need my blood to survive the night.”

  Gently caressing her back, he whispered soothing words, his hands and words working magic, calming her. She tilted her head to look up at him. She knew in her heart he would never allow her to die. His resolve, as usual, was unshakable. He would force her to take his blood if it proved necessary. When he leaned down to take possession of her lips, her sharp, elongated fangs pierced his lip.

  Some small part of her brain was telling her that she should be repulsed by it, but moaning, she savored a drop of his blood on the tip of her tongue for an instant, and then she was attacked by a violent lust for blood. Her body trembled as she greedily sucked on his lip.

  “Do it now.” He tilted his head back to expose his neck and chest. “Take my blood,” he whispered between clenched teeth. He made sure it was a command she wouldn’t have the strength to defy. Her fangs punctured deep into his flesh. A low, menacing growl of warning escaped his throat as he wrapped his fingers around her neck. A swift and violent force of rage raced through his veins.

  The walls and floors trembled. His body shook as he struggled to subdue the urge to snap her neck. He felt power leaving his body. He felt it strengthening her. He snarled, baring his teeth. His blood was sustaining her life, the life of a vampire. The thought of it was entirely unacceptable. He needed to stop her. She was his enemy. Her life meant nothing compared to his. His fingers tightened around her neck.

  An instant before he took her life, he was reminded of his love for her. His grip loosened a bit. She had freed him from his dark nature long ago. He was a demon, a dragon. A feared warrior with no one willing to love him. Now, he was the man she loved. He smiled as she continued to feed. He was the man who loved her. He wasn’
t a slave to his dark nature. He was a willing servant of his love for her. He would do anything for her. He would give her anything.

  In a tender display of affection, he started to caress the nape of her neck with his fingertips. Despite learning the truth of his identity, she loved him deeply and completely. Loving her was always against his nature, but since the day they met he’d loved her far more than his own life. Her love was the most amazing treasure he could’ve ever been given. He would forever cherish and protect it. He was a fortunate man. Too few would ever experience such a powerful connection with another.

  When Caylee stopped feeding, Haden cradled her as he stood up, and then he slowly lowered her onto the bed. She looked so much better. He was incredibly relieved that his powerful blood had instantly, completely healed her. “You’ve no reason to be afraid.” He feathered kisses along her chin and then kissed her lips. “There is one more thing we must do.”

  She didn’t know what he was talking about. She was fairly certain by the serious look in his eyes that she wasn’t going to like it, but it didn’t matter. How could she not trust him with her life? Before she could even think to question him about it, he was kissing her into a mind-blowing state of ignorant bliss.

  Terror rose swiftly when she realized he was suffocating her. She opened her eyes and met his black, icy gaze. Frantically writhing, she tried fight him, kicking her legs and swinging her arms wildly. But it was no use. He was too strong. He held her firmly, his grip like steel. Her heart slammed against her chest, struggling to beat. He was killing her. Suddenly, peace washed over her. No matter the situation, she trusted him to do what was best for her. He was setting her spirit free. Why would she fight him now? Her body went limp and completely still. Her mind was numb, a strange fog shrouding it, as she accepted his gift of mercy and closed her eyes.

  When he was certain her heart was no longer beating, he was incredibly relieved. Taking a life had never been more difficult. He knew it needed to be done, but he’d almost failed to complete the act. I give you my immortal breath. He breathed into her, filling her lungs, her body. You belong to me, as I belong to you. Her heart stuttered irregularly for a few seconds and then started to beat regularly. You are my heart and my soul. Startled, she opened eyes and looked up at him. I will never leave you or betray you, Caylee. I will protect you with my last breath. I vow to love and cherish you with every fiber of my being for eternity.

  Rendered speechless, she stared up at him for several moments. Never had she hoped to find a love like his. As a young child she craved love but was surround by hatred. She always hid in the darkest corner of her father’s home, alone and shivering from fear, hoping to escape his cruelty. Reaching up, she touched the tears streaming down Haden’s face. She would never be alone again. She would never live in fear again. She would very likely be forced to face the cruelty of hatred in future, but she would always be embraced and protected by Haden’s undying love for her.

  * * *

  “Where did he take her?” Mia asked

  Joseph glanced at Mia. “We’re going to meet up with them right now.”

  Mia grabbed his arm. “I’m not going to ask how the hell you guys have wings or how the other guy turned into a dragon, but is she okay?”

  “Yes.” Joseph led Mia and Brianna across the parking lot toward Nikolas’ car.

  Just before they reached the car Joseph stopped. He felt the unmistakable presence of a strong male predator. A lycan. He reached out with his mind and discovered that there was more than one. It was pack of more than thirty. He looked at Mia. The pack was there to take her. Her mate, the alpha male, was there to claim her.

  Surrounded by his pack, Eli crouched low to ground as he watched from the shadows. Mia belonged to him. The union had been arranged long before her birth, and he’d been searching for her ever since the night her parents were murdered by vampires. He would’ve never found her if the vampire hadn’t tried to take Haden’s mate. Lycans and demons generally tolerated each other, but they never formed friendship though they fought side-by-side in many battles against vampires and other dark creatures that murdered mankind.

  Eli knew very little about Joseph, but he knew the demon wielded great power and strength. Getting Mia away from Joseph wouldn’t be easy. There would be many casualties, but Eli was willing to pay any price to take possession of his mate.

  Want a peek at what happens next?

  Here’s a preview of Exquisite Breath of Darkness

  ~ One ~

  “C’MON, MIA. YOU pinky promised. How can I take you at your word if you go back on it? Do it for me. Do it for us.”

  “No.”

  “What future will we have if I can’t trust you? Just take one itsy bitsy taste.”

  “Never.”

  Reaching out as if to grab her, Joseph took a step closer. Mia swore under her breath and took two steps back.

  “Stay away from me with that slimy thing.” She had to find a way to make him forget it, because there was no way she could overpower or outrun him. “It’s not happening.”

  “I’ll make it super-easy for you. Just put the tip of it in your mouth.”

  “Forget it! If you want to torture someone, find someone else to suck on it.” Frowning, she stared down at the abominable weapon clutched in his fist, and then she looked up to meet his gaze. “I’m serious, Joseph. Put the damn thing away. I can’t believe you’re even touching it. I sure as hell don’t want the nasty thing in my mouth.”

  “There’s nothing nasty about it,” he said. “It’s a magnificent, delicious gift from Mother Nature. And I’ve even heard it’s good for your immune system.”

  “That … that thing is not a gift.” Her entire body shuddering in disgust, she pointed at it. “That is a grotesque example of Mother Nature’s sick, twisted sense of humor.” Pleased with her definition of it, she smiled. “And Mother Nature can kiss my ass. I don’t want it.”

  He stared at her as if he were considering her words. Behind her back, she crossed her fingers. Then he smiled that sexy, naughty smile of his and opened his big, fat mouth to crush all hope of him being anything other than the wicked demon he was. “Do I get to watch?”

  “I don’t get it. I’m actually shocked. I shouldn’t be shocked. But I am.” She took a step toward him because she needed to get closer to rip him apart. Realizing too late she was doing exactly what he wanted her to do, she pounced on him, but he had her on her back, his muscular thighs straddling her belly, before she had any chance of inflicting a single wound on him.

  “Be a big girl and open your mouth wide, Mia.”

  “Get it out of my face!” She tried to smack it away but he moved it out of her reach. “It’s … ugh. Gross. It’s wet. Damn it, Joseph. Stop laughing at me. This is not funny.” Gagging and spitting, she wiped her tongue with the back of her hand. “It dripped in my mouth.” Stomach churning, bile rising in her throat, she continued to gag and spit.

  “Then you know how yummy it is.”

  “It’s gross. I’m going to puke.” Closing her eyes and shaking her head back and forth, she dug her fingernails into his thighs.

  “A promise is a promise. I ate yours, and now you’re going to eat mine. Open wide.” She couldn’t believe he had the nerve to rub the nasty, stinky thing across her lips. “Just put the tip of it in your mouth.”

  Covering her mouth, she turned her head to the side. “Get it the hell away from me, Joseph! I’m going to puke all over you! I’m serious! It smells like rotten ass!”

  “I’m tempted to ask, but I am not sure I want to know where you’ve been sniffing around,” he teased. “I just might get jealous.”

  “Touch me with that thing once more, and I’m going to bite you.” Baring her teeth to reveal her determination, she glared up at him. “Hard. Real hard. And it’s going to hurt like hell.”

  “I hope you do, and I hope it does.” He laughed out loud. “Say it again. I love it when you talk dirty to me.”

  Inf
uriated by his taunting, she started bucking and thrashing around, wilding flailing her arms and legs. Eventually she managed to get out from between his thighs, but it wasn’t much of a victory at all because he managed to out-maneuver her and get his body between her thighs. “Calm down, Mia. You’re going to get another rug burn if you don’t stop throwing a temper tantrum,” he warned. “And then I’m going to feel guilty. And a guilty conscience can be damaging to man’s soul. Don’t you care about the well-being of my self-esteem?”

  “Nope. Not even a little bit.” She knew only one thing had any real hope of stopping him, but it was the one thing she couldn’t force herself to do. How did women force themselves to cry? If only she knew how. “Why should I give a damn about your feelings? You don’t care about mine.” Changing tactics, she pulled her legs up and pressed her six-inch stiletto heels against his chest to push him back as she struggled to wiggle out from beneath him. “Get off!”

  “Damn, Mia.” Grinning, he bent his head to look down heels digging into his chest. “You’re one flexible woman. I like it. Flexible is good. Real good.”

  “I’m going to kill you, Joseph. I’m not kidding. If you don’t get off me right now I’m going to kill you.”

  “Stop acting like an overly dramatic, hormonal female. There’s no reason for you to get all worked up.” He pulled her legs down and straddled her belly again. “I’m doing this for your own good. You’re going to fall in love with it. Just one more teeny tiny taste, and you’ll be addicted forever. Now stop clenching your jaw and open your mouth.”

  When he put it too close to her mouth she covered her mouth with her left hand. “You’re too heavy. I can’t breathe. Get off.”

  “Not until you wrap your lips around it.” He pulled her hand away from her mouth, so she covered it with her other hand.

  “Knock it off, Joseph.” She smacked his hand when he reached for her hand again. “It isn’t happening.” Somehow he’d managed to get both of her hands in one of his and held them above her head. “It’s too … oh, damn it. Why can’t you just understand that it’s too much? I can’t do it. Please, just get it away from me. ”