They walked down a few white corridors that had the same black marble flooring and expensive artwork perfectly spaced along the walls. Wall sconces and track lighting gave soft white light off. The feel was beautiful, and if she wasn’t marching to her probable death, she might have been more impressed. Large double doors stopped their forward momentum. Alex gave her one more look that told her loads. Keep it together and don’t piss them off. Right. She nodded her understanding. A message passed between him and Nick before he opened the doors and walked into the room beyond.
The room was white, go figure. Black and white marble tiles made intricate patterns on the floor. Long tables had been set up in what she assumed was the ballroom. Five vamps sat along the tables, all wearing matching robes, sitting on chairs more like thrones than a normal dining room chair. All of them sat still as statues, staring at her with blank expressions. Great, the welcoming committee wasn’t all that welcoming.
She could feel the power ebbing and flowing across her skin. This group of bloodsuckers had enough power to destroy her where she stood. Three of the group were males, all similar in looks and builds. Brown hair, dark eyes, pale skin. The other two members were golden goddesses. Blonde hair, light eyes, skin like cream. The robes put the whole thing over the edge. It was like sitting down to watch a D&D competition. Everyone dressed to play a role. She snickered before she could catch herself. Alex turned to her and winked before turning to face the Council.
Chapter 11
The male sitting in the middle turned his gaze to Alex and gave a nod in greeting. He didn’t even acknowledge Willie or Nick, who stood to her other side. Just another indication of Alex’s standing in the vampy community.
“We will discuss Stephen first before moving our talks to the hybrid.” The male’s voice was low, just above a whisper, and smooth as silk. A slight accent gave an exotic twist to the words.
Alex nodded his understanding and turned to Nick. This had been discussed on the way. Nick would do as much of the talking as possible to give him added credibility in front of the Council. Willie was to keep her trap shut. She hadn’t done a great job of that so far.
“Stephen sent a couple of males to kidnap me. He had heard from someone that I was assigned to his interrogation. According to one of the males, I was drugged but escaped from them. Since then Stephen or one of his get destroyed my house, attacked me, and left a dead human in my vehicle. The attack was meant to kill me. The body was a warning.”
“If he found out you were assigned to him, then the information must have come from someone close to this Council,” one of the females stated. Her voice was childlike and lilting. “Is that what you are implying, Nickola?”
“I am just reporting the information the male told me. As of yet I have been unable to find Stephen to bring him in as requested.”
“Hmmm. Where is the male that gave you this information?” another male member asked.
“He was dispatched after speaking with me.” Nick turned a fraction of an inch and cocked a brow at Willie. Oops.
“We would have liked speaking with him, but no matter. We will assign two assassins to assist you in capturing Stephen. He must be brought in front of us, especially if he is sending others to attack our employees.” The head male leaned back in his throne. “Now, tell me of the female here.”
Nick cleared his voice and took a step forward. In doing so, he placed himself slightly in front of her. She felt a shock run through her. He was protecting her. “This is Willimena Krenshaw. She saved my life after finding me drugged and vulnerable in the streets.”
“Yes, yes. We know who she is. We want to know how she is what she is. We have heard for years about a female vampire with shifter abilities. We were unaware of her living in our district. Otherwise we would have sent someone to collect her for questioning long ago.” The female that spoke sneered at Willie as she looked her up and down. “I’m not particularly impressed with her. Perhaps the reports were exaggerated. I would like to see her tested.”
A low rumble of agreement echoed through the chamber as more Council members nodded. Testing didn’t sound so bad to Willie. She could prove that she had both sides if her scent wasn’t enough for them.
“There will be no testing.” Alex’s voice boomed in the room. “She would not survive that. She is weaker than a full vampire although she is stronger than most shifters. She also exists on both blood and human food.”
“I’m sorry, Alex, but you are not part of this Council. We will determine the course of action against this thing without your input,” the sneering female answered.
“Wait. What is this testing?” Confusion and anger warred in Willie’s body. She didn’t like not knowing what was being discussed.
Alex turned to her with something close to exacerbation. “They want to test you against other vampires to see your strength level. The same is done with any vampire that has an unknown creator. You would be tested on all aspects of vampirism. You will not survive.”
“Fuck I won’t.” She glared at Alex and cringed at the inhalations that she heard. Stupid, she thought, you are so stupid. She turned to the Council. “Sorry. I don’t mean any disrespect. If I can be tested and pass, what will happen to me?”
“If you pass, then you are free to go and we will vouch for your vampire nature to anyone who questions it,” one of the males answered.
“You won’t survive it. Willie, listen to me. They will cut off a limb to watch it regenerate. Do you have that property in your vampire arsenal?” Alex asked and nodded grimly when the blood drained from Willie’s face. He turned to the Council again. “She is only partially vampire. Testing her will cause her death, and I won’t allow that. Let me suggest something different. A unique method to deal with this unique creature. In exchange for her agreement to be studied, I offer to be her mentor. I would take her into my fold like a wayward turn and claim her as my get.”
“Hmm. That might suffice. Our collective concern is that she could create more like herself. We don’t want to pollute our species with more of her weaknesses. If you are willing to claim her and watch over her, then we are in agreement that she may live.” The leader turned to stare at Willie. “You will not be allowed to live if you disobey vampire rules from this day forward. Your transgressions will be documented, but we will treat you as if you were left after being turned. The rules you broke prior to today will be forgiven.”
Willie turned to Alex and then Nick. She was surprised by the rage gleaming in Nick’s eyes. A thought skated across her mind. “What does claiming mean? I know what that entails with shifters. How would this mentoring program change my day-to-day existence?”
The Council male answered her again as she watched pain and regret move across Nick’s face. “You will be expected to live with or near your mentor. You will share blood today in front of the Council to seal his claim to you and your agreement to be his get. Beyond that, we have no rules, but your mentor might.”
She gasped when understanding hit. She would belong to Alex if he claimed her. She would be living with him or at least would have to move closer to him. Nick’s response made more sense. She turned to Alex and swallowed her fear. “If I bite you, the possibility is there that I could claim you as my mate. The hormones are already being produced in my body and being released in my saliva. My body might not be able to control the process, especially with Nick so close. You understand what that will mean, right? I can’t be without my mate. My cougar will go insane and so will I if you leave.”
“No.” The growl didn’t sound human. She turned to find Nick’s fists clenched and rage burning bright in his eyes. His body shook with a slight tremble. Raw emotions rolled off him in waves. “You will not claim him. You’re mine.”
Alex chuckled. “Then perhaps you should become her mentor?”
Nick turned to the Council. Willie could see the struggle he waged to get his emotions under control before addressing the panel. “I would enter myself as a mentor for Willie. I have en
ough standing in the community to be a mentor. I understand fully my responsibilities to her.”
“Well, it would seem the female may choose, then, between you.” The Council member chuckled and turned to Willie. “You are a lucky female to have two such as these offering to take you under their wings. You will chose one now and claim him so we can conclude our business.”
“I choose Nick, then, as my mentor.” There was no contest between them. She knew who she would claim. It had been written in the stars and pushing against her every cell from the moment she first met him. Her cougar was already pacing, purring and yowling like a cat in heat. She understood that she would have a mate in a few moments and was pushing as hard as she could against Willie’s mind. Panic surfaced as she contemplated claiming him in front of these vampires. Without sex, she was uncertain to her reaction to being claimed. She knew from stories that a shifter could lose their human form if the claiming wasn’t intimate enough. With a sigh, she turned to the two men.
“Alex, you know you are a manipulative bastard.” She grinned, but the smile slid quickly from her lips. “When I bite Nick, my kitty could come out to play. I’ve waited too long to claim him, and without sex, my shift might be triggered.”
“Then we shall protect you and your cougar.” He smiled knowingly. “There are rooms here where you may stay for the day if that is your wish.”
She shook her head at him and turned to Nick. She smiled and reached out for his hand. She stepped into his arms and looked up into his eyes. They glowed green, shining with an emotion so close to love it terrified her. She tilted her head to the side giving him access to her neck in invitation and acceptance. She wasn’t going to fight fate. She was a bitch but knew what she was doing. Willie was going to be Nick’s in the eyes of his species, and he would be hers in the eyes of all of her sides.
Her eyes slid closed when Nick’s head bent toward hers. Strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her against his body. His breath skated across her skin and raised goose bumps down her arms. Heat gathered in her belly and a rush of wetness drenched her panties. Her embarrassment was fleeting. All thought fled her head when his lips touched her throat. His whispered words flowed across her skin. “I love you, Willie. You will be mine for all eternity, and I will be yours.”
Before she could respond, a sharp, quick pain shot through her system. It was chased immediately by the most sensual heat she had ever felt. Liquid lust flowed through her body, pooling in the apex of her thighs. Her pussy clenched and heated. With the first draw of blood from the puncture wound at her neck, she felt a climax build. With the second slow suckling against her skin, her orgasm exploded. A moan escaped her lips as she melted against his body. She shivered when his tongue swiped over the punctures, sealing them.
Her eyes opened slowly to find Nick smiling a wicked grin. He winked at her and tilted his head offering his neck to her. Hunger raced through her, drawing her canines from her gums. She wanted to taste him on her tongue. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her lips.
“You will be mine, and I will be yours,” she whispered against his skin. Not as eloquent as his statement, but she meant every word. She gave him a quick press of her lips before opening her mouth and placing her teeth against his skin. She bit slowly, savoring the feel of his skin giving way to her, allowing her to penetrate him.
She meant to only taste him, but once her lips sealed around his neck and the first drops of his blood touched her tongue, she was lost. The taste of him was exotic, rich, and exhilarating. Her cougar roared forward, pushing hard against her thoughts. The mental struggle elongated her canines further, embedding them further in his neck. Nick took a gasping breath and clutched her closer to his body. She took a tentative pull against his neck, suckling lightly at the puncture marks, and purred deeply. The first swallow filled something in her soul that had been empty and destitute for her entire life. A place deep inside her psyche filled and became whole, twining itself around her soul. She felt the beginnings of the mating connect between their minds, a tickling inside her thoughts. The second swallow calmed her cougar. The third aroused her to explosive levels again.
“You need to unwrap yourself from him before you do something you will regret.” Alex’s softly spoken words pulled her from the sexual haze. She pulled her teeth away from Nick’s neck and sealed the wound with a slow lick. She hummed in appreciation and licked her lips, catching every last drop of his essence. She realized that she had her legs wrapped around his waist and her hips were moving against his sizable cock in a universally known grind. She opened her eyes and found everyone with a knowing smirk on their lips. Oops. Stupid mating instincts.
Nick chuckled. All signs of anger and concern were gone. In their place was need and raw, unadulterated passion. She buried her face in his neck and grimaced with embarrassment. She felt him wrap his hands around her ass, and he carried her from the room. Laughter and snickering chased them down the hall. His whisper blew across her ear, “We can stay here for a while. I have the need to be fully marked by you, and we can’t do that in front of the Council.”
Chapter 12
Nick carried her down a hallway, following a silent-footed servant. They climbed a set of stairs and were directed into one of the first doors. The servant smiled, nodded, and closed the door behind Nick as he stood looking over the furnishings. A very Victorian bedroom was in front of him. A large bed, dressers, dressing table, and bedside tables were covered in gold and looked very fragile. The warm body still wrapped around him wiggled a little, and he released her so she could stand. His body was still humming with the near climax he had in the Council chambers. Having her teeth embedded in his skin, drinking of his blood, had catapulted him to near ecstasy. It had taken every ounce of willpower to keep from stripping her right there and taking her in front of the Council.
“Well, now what?” Willie’s voice was breathy and slightly shaky. She looked around the room and put a few steps between them. Nervousness radiated off of her in waves.
He wanted to pull her into his arms again to feel her against him. He wanted to have her at his neck, sipping from him. He needed to be buried balls-deep inside her. He could feel some sort of connection between them. It was elusive when he concentrated on it, but it was there still.
“Now, we finish what we started.” He stalked toward her and stopped in his tracks when she turned amber eyes to him. She was partially shifted, or at least enough to change her eyes to a gorgeous cat eye. Her pupils were oval now instead of round. “Mmm, I see your kitty is happy to see me. Your eyes are gorgeous when she is peeking out.”
* * * *
Willie covered her face and turned to hide the change. Shit. She didn’t even know she was close enough to shifting that her eyes had changed. Her cougar was actually quiet, waiting to finish the claiming. A firm hand wrapped around her arm, turning her. She glanced up into Nick’s eyes and relaxed. He wasn’t disgusted. He was grinning at her.
“Please don’t hide from me. You’re beautiful like this.” He pulled her into his chest, and she went willingly. She loved the solid feel of his arms around her. He bent down and captured her lips, slowly delving into her mouth for a soul-scorching kiss. One of his hands slid down her back and cupped her ass, pulling her closer to his body. She loved the feel of his hard cock against her belly. She ached to have him inside her.
He moved them toward the bed, stopping in the middle of the floor to deepen their kiss. When her breathing became ragged, he released her mouth and kissed down her neck. He groaned as he leaned back far enough to get his hands on the hem of her shirt. “I’m not going to stop this time, Willie. I’m going to be inside you, moving and coming. I so need to feel you around me.”
His hands pushed her shirt up off her arms. Deft fingers unhooked her bra and slid the straps off her arms, adding it the pile of clothing on the floor. He slid his palms down her sides and pushed her pants and panties down her hips. His eyes almost burned her with the
intensity of his gaze as he watched his hands move over her body. She felt naked in both body and soul under his gaze. She’d never experienced someone looking at her with reverence. It brought a blush to her skin, flushing her a light pink. His eyes traveled back to her face and caught her gaze and held it as he slowly stripped off his own clothes, dropping them onto the floor.
She reached for him, resenting the space between them. She needed to feel his skin against hers almost more than she needed oxygen. She slid her hands around his waist and pulled their bodies together. With a few steps backward, she found the edge of the bed. She pulled him with her as she dropped back onto the mattress. A quick flip had him under her. She grinned at the look of surprise on his face.
“I’m too impatient for foreplay.” She bent forward and kissed him with every ounce of her need. She could taste her own blood still on his tongue, and it made her almost lose her grip on her cougar. She needed to finish the mating, needed his seed hot and sticky inside her body. A growl bubbled up from her chest, and she nipped him on the chin. “I hope you didn’t want slow and sweet because I just can’t handle that this time.”
Before he could answer her, she shifted her lower body and captured the tip of his cock within her folds. She watched his eyes open with surprise as she slid smoothly down his shaft. A gasp of wonder whispered over her lips as she took him to the hilt within her body. He fit her perfectly, stroking those hidden places that only a cock could reach. She savored the feel of him stretching her before she started moving. The rhythm she used would bring them both to the edge too fast, but she needed the release so badly. Nick’s hands clasped her hips and helped her move on his shaft.
“I need something. I need to bite you again,” she moaned. She moved on his cock faster, pushing down on him with each slide. She needed him further inside, buried deeply in her body and soul.
Half in Love [Willie Krenshaw] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 13