by Nikki Landis
“Aren’t you going to tell her she needs to keep it down?”
Damian snorted. “Hell no. Are you single, necromancer?”
Vincent glared at both of us. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
“I see the answer is yes. If you had a woman in your life, you’d know how dangerous it is to suggest anything to them they don’t want to do. And for the record, don’t presume to tell Cassie a damn thing.”
“Why not?” I asked, wondering what he meant.
“Because you have a temper,” he replied smoothly, tugging on my hand as we picked up the pace.
Anger spiked in my veins and I narrowed my eyes. “What the –”
“I see what you mean,” Vincent interrupted, nodding to Damian. “Duly noted. She’s a little firecracker.”
“That’s most women,” Damian added dryly.
Rolling my eyes, I decided to ignore them both. Mumbling under my breath, I slipped from his arms and stomped ahead. “They’re rats and it’s gross.”
‘Cassie, don’t go too far ahead without –’
‘Too late.’
A figure stood in front of me, and from the threatening way she stood, this wasn’t good. She wasn’t human. I could sense her powerful aura instantly. Damian reached for my hand and tugged my body back out of harm’s way as he bolted forward. His cold demeanor and locked jaw meant this immortal was nothing but trouble. We moved through a gap in the tunnel wall and ended up in a domed room with an iron grating above our heads. Moonlight filtered down through the metal bars and left an odd pattern on everyone’s faces.
The immortal followed us as Damian spun and faced her, his body angled ahead of mine in a protective stance.
“Isn’t this a lovely surprise? I didn’t think we’d meet again so soon, Damian.” Her gaze swept over our entwined hands as he grabbed my waist and held tight. She sneered as their eyes met. “And to think I was in your bed only days ago. How quickly you turn to other entertainment.”
Stiffening, my hand released Damian’s without delay. What the actual fuck?
“Vega,” he greeted tersely.
“Not going to deny it? How delightful.”
The day I met Dmitri was the same day Damian disappeared for hours without an explanation. I knew his brother had been the cause, but I’d never been told what happened. Damian showed up covered in blood and weakened, angry and refusing to answer any questions.
Was he with Vega during that time?
Damian didn’t acknowledge the questions in my head as his attention remained on Vega. “Do you ever tire of causing trouble?” He pushed me behind him as the necromancer moved forward next to his side. Both men created a barrier between me and the vampire bitch.
“Tsk, tsk. That’s far less amenable than last time we met.”
Damian growled a warning. “Leave. Don’t force me to destroy you.”
She laughed, one hand posing on her curvaceous hip. With dark red lips and raven hair, she was a dangerous beauty. “Let’s not do this, darling. The past is the past. Haven’t you missed me?”
Feeling my power rising to the surface of my skin, I fought against the urge to zap her with everything I had and knock her down an arrogant notch.
‘Stand down, Cassie. She wants you to react.’
‘Did you sleep with her when Dmitri came that day?’
A few agonizing seconds stole my breath until he answered. ‘I was caught in her clutches and had to be creative to escape and return to you. So yes, in a way, but not as you think.’
What the hell did that mean?
‘I didn’t fuck her.’
‘Did you kiss her?’
‘No.’
Tears tried to surface as relief coursed through my veins and I was able to suck in a ragged breath. ‘Damian.’
‘Not now, precious. I must stay focused so that we survive.’
Vega began to chuckle, the sound more like a demented cackle. “You’ve bonded to this little witch. Dmitri was right.”
“It’s none of your concern.”
Vega pierced me with a deadly glare that twisted into a sardonic smile. “We shall see, my love. You can’t keep her hidden forever.”
With a snarl Damian bolted forward as Vega transformed into her hideous true form, flying up and away from us with startling speed. Her leathery black wings blended into the dark tunnels as she flew from the room, a small squeaking sound the only noise of her departure.
Slightly shaken, I blinked when Damian pulled me into his arms.
“Don’t worry. I can take care of Vega.”
Lifting my head, I placed a palm against his handsome chiseled cheek. He was so perfect, like a marble stature. The pale skin was as smooth as glass. “She’s dangerous.”
The corners of his lips lifted into a confident grin. “So am I.”
Chapter 4
Damian pulled me into his chest as we stayed perfectly still in the shadows. I sensed he was anxious and didn’t say a word, keeping my cheek pressed to the leather of his jacket. The night was too quiet. Even the leaves refused to rustle in the subtle wind. Only seconds ago, we left the underground tunnels of the Rockcastle dungeons. His body was tense beneath my fingertips as I waited for him to move.
“Your heart is beating so fast any supernatural for miles will hear it.” His tone was amused but I sensed an undercurrent of concern.
“It’s been a long night,” I reminded him, my head slightly dizzy. “I wish these symptoms would go away.”
‘We both know they’re not as long as your soul is held captive.’
The reminder only made me feel worse.
‘That’s not my intent.’ He walked forward a few steps and reached for my hand again, his possessive hold the same as it had been for the last few hours. “Why don’t we find a place to rest for a few minutes?”
“Are you suggesting we find one or do you know where we can find shelter? It’s starting to rain.” Vincent glared up at the sky as round, fat drops began to trickle down from above.
“I have a small house nearby. It’s spelled against intruders and should provide adequate shelter until the rain stops.”
“I thought as much,” Vincent grumbled under his breath.
Damian seemed too preoccupied to argue with the necromancer.
‘Is everything alright?’
‘Why wouldn’t it be?’ I detected the sarcasm and knew what he meant.
‘Forget about me for now. What else is bothering you?’
Damian spun, practically smashing me up against the tree next us. ‘Roman has yet to show his face. Same with my brother.’
‘Does that explain your foul mood?’
Growling, his fangs lowered as he fought for control over his glamour. It flickered a few times as he hissed, holding my upper arms too tightly as I felt agony cross the barrier of our bond. ‘You’re in too much danger. I don’t like it.’
Leaning in, I kissed him with all the passion I felt. ‘You’re the reason I’m still alive. We’ll figure it out, Damian.’
‘No,’ he yelled in my head, and then a little calmer, ‘no.’
Deciding not to comment further, I walked beside him until we entered the edge of a tightly grouped section of trees. Before I knew what was happening, Damian had grabbed Vincent’s arm. We ran through miles of forest in only minutes. Everything sped by in a confusing blur. At the edge of a clearing we stopped, pausing to check the perimeter.
Vincent bent at the waist, moaning lightly as he turned his head and vomited into the grass.
“Weakling,” I teased, thankful for my bond with Damian.
“We can’t all have vampire blood in our veins,” he replied with sarcasm, wiping his mouth.
True. I was the lucky one.
A house loomed ahead, seemingly empty, planted in the middle of nowhere.
“Come, Cassie, I want to show you something.” Damian led me up the wide steps onto a covered porch and then through the front door, pausing on the threshold as he held
up a hand to Vincent. “Don’t step in the house,” he warned.
Stupidly, I completely missed what he meant. My gaze swept the comfortable furnishings and old paintings as I approached him, lifting a foot to step over the doorway and into his arms when I was thrust backward. Wobbling, I caught myself before falling and stood upright. “Damian, open the door.”
“No.”
“You tricked me!” I yelled, pacing the floor in indignation. “That’s not fair.”
“Yes,” he admitted openly, not issuing any kind of apology.
Furious, I could hardly speak. “Let me out of here, Damian.”
Vincent stepped forward but Damian held up a hand. “You want to earn my trust? Help me find and defeat my brother and I will see you are compensated.”
“I don’t need money,” Vincent spat, insulted.
“You need connections. I am Nosferatu, blood of the First. As my ally you gain much more than wealth.”
Vincent whistled low. “Nosferatu? Damn, Damian. I didn’t realize these were Rockcastle lands.”
“Weren’t you aware when they captured you? I told you my name when we met.”
“I didn’t make the connection.” Vincent rubbed the back of his neck as he smiled a sheepish grin. “I was a little drunk when I first arrived,” he admitted, “and it was dark.”
While they were having that conversation, I tried to seek the ancestors and use my magic. Nothing happened.
Frustrated, I turned an accusatory glare on Damian. “This place is spelled.”
“It is,” he confirmed without remorse, “to keep any supernatural from using their abilities. It’s a neutral location. A safe space,” he emphasized. “No one can harm you.”
I didn’t care if he thought it was safe. This was ridiculous. “Damian,” I warned, my temper flaring, “let me out this minute. I’m not kidding.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
If looks could kill, I would have taken the bloodsucker out. Alright, he wouldn’t actually die but I’d enjoy inflicting a tremendous amount of pain.
“You crazy vampire. She’s going to kick your ass with magic later.”
Vincent wasn’t wrong. “That’s a guarantee.”
“A guarantee you will survive to seek your wrath upon me. I accept the consequences. What I do not accept is your death. Roman and Dmitri are mine. Vega is too great a threat to allow you joining us. I will seek vengeance in your name, Cassie. This is my final word on the subject.”
Damn vampire and his sense of honor. It took a moment for his words to sink in.
“Damian, this is suicide. You’ll be destroyed. I can help. It’s foolish not to let me.”
“No, I disagree. You’re vulnerable and continue to weaken. We need the rest of the Cosan to take you into the fade and retrieve your essence. I must deal with my brother’s betrayal and treachery without you.”
There was a small bit of logic to that plan, but I still hated him for it. He took my choice away. It wasn’t right.
‘There’s only twenty-two hours left before you perish. I will not watch you die. Your Cosan will carry out the plan and you will do as you must.’
‘Damian . . . what if you are exsanguinated?’ I’d seen vampires drained of all blood before. They were left brittle and little more than corpses.
How could I leave him with only a necromancer for help?
“Cassie, listen to me.”
Tears filled my eyes as he closed the door and left Vincent on the front porch. Turning, he placed his palms against my cheeks, lowering his head to place a sweet but sensual kiss to my lips.
‘You must accept this. Our paths must take the natural course they were always meant to travel.’
I didn’t agree. He was sanctioned as part of my Cosan. He wasn’t supposed to leave my side. ‘And if this means it’s the last moment that we ever see one another?’
He swallowed hard. ‘Then you should know how I truly feel.’
Confused, I frowned as he lifted one of my hands and placed two fingers against his temple. “This won’t work. The room is –”
“Our bond makes it possible,” he whispered, cutting me off as the green of his eyes began to swirl, deepening to a darker shade of emerald.
The ground beneath my feet disappeared as a dark void swallowed us whole. A massive beast of a heart squatted in the corner and pulsed, throbbing with red flames and crimson blood as it dripped and clung to the organ. Veins thrummed in a precise rhythm as I watched, coating the outside. Blackened bits and pieces of tissue covered most of the surface, connected to the walls of his chest. It was grotesquely beautiful.
‘A vampire’s heart is a dark place, mostly empty of feelings and connection. It’s a void that is never truly filled. Rarely, extremely rarely, we find a true mate with the magic to change that.’
Stunned, I watched the black and red colors swirl around the crimson organ, beating in time with my own heart.
“Damian?” I choked, tears spilling down and over my cheeks.
The raw emotions were so strong I could swear I felt how powerful his feelings had become.
“I don’t know what love is, my Cassie. I wasn’t prepared for you walking into my life and changing everything,” he responded, his voice deep and raspy, “but if this is love, I embrace it.”
When his lips met mine, I felt the earth beneath us rumble and quake as if it sensed the intensity of our emotions and the importance of this moment. A burst of heat flooded my veins in a mini explosion of desire, passion, and raw need. We tore the clothes from one another as Damian moved us across the room, falling down on a bed covered with multiple furs of differing shades – brown, black, gray, white. Luxuriant and soft, I barely noticed how cushioned my backside was before Damian’s lips were exploring every square inch of my exposed skin.
The memory of the vision I had that first time I punched Damian at Howe Manor appeared as I gasped, knowing Damian placed it there.
‘That wasn’t the true vision. I altered it. Afraid you would hate me if you saw the real passion that we were meant to show one another, I let your mind see a variation.’
‘You altered it? What was the vision?’ I moaned as he nipped lightly with his teeth, drawing one of my nipples into his mouth. The nub puckered as he switched to the other breast and my back arched as he lavished more attention one each one with his skilled tongue.
‘This moment on the furs when I make love to you and confess a vampire’s cold dead heart has been snared and resurrected by a beautiful witch.’
“Oh, Damian,” I breathed, “how could I not love you too?”
‘The Succubus spell. Tell me you had sex with me because you wanted it and not just because you needed it.’
I found it endearing and sweet that he needed the confirmation. “In the dungeon it was both, but now . . . it’s because I want you, nothing more.”
‘Cassie, I want you more.’
I lifted my hands as they traveled along the sculpted muscles of his arms, tracing his biceps, chest, and stomach as they plunged down into the perfect v-shaped juncture of his hips.
“Cassie,” he groaned aloud. “Fuck, your touch turns me on.” His lips met mine in a hungry kiss and I was unable to answer. His body covered mine as he rolled his hips, increasing my desire. Two fingers slid between my folds and found how ready I was for him to enter me. A hiss escaped as he rubbed the crown of his cock along my sex, leaning back momentarily before he slid inside with ease.
I cried out with the connection, running my fingers up the solid planes of his chiseled abs as he moved his hips. Each thrust was perfection. My heart raced as we worked up a sweat and clung to one another, whispering sweet words of affection.
Vampires weren’t creatures capable of such intimacy, but Damian was the exception to the rule. ‘My beautiful witch.’
He lowered his head and sank his fangs into my neck, plunging faster as our bodies met in frenzied need. Skin to skin, our arousal climbed to dizzying heights. I
came with his name on my tongue, yelling and calling out with all the emotion in my heart.
Sadness engulfed my senses in response, and I knew it was his emotions that had taken over.
“Forgive me, Cassie,” he whispered aloud before taking longer pulls from my veins as my vision began to fade. He was draining me low enough on purpose, making sure I couldn’t resist when he left. ‘I love you, precious.’
I woke up sometime after he left, naked and covered by the heavy soft furs. A fire was flickering in the hearth as I sat up and bundled one of the furs around my body while I walked across the room to the single plush couch directly across the fireplace. Gazing into the flames, I was lost in thought.
I love you, precious.
He said the words because he knew how much they meant to my human heart. Damian was an immortal, a monster, a being that didn’t rely on feelings or emotions. Yet, he embraced the change within his own body. All for me.
I couldn’t let him take on Roman and Dmitri, Vega and the vampire council with only Vincent to help. As soon as I left the fade I would return to Romania. I could only hope I wouldn’t be too late.
Hours seemed to have sped by but in reality, I knew it had to be close to two or three a.m. The ripples of energy under my skin were proof that my powers were trying to manifest. Staying confined in this house would only make my body restless but I didn’t tell Damian or let on that I would suffer. He made the choice that kept me the safest, at least in his opinion, and I hadn’t had the heart to argue anymore about it.
The events of the last couple of hours were a shock to my system. Looking down, I pinched my arm in an effort to believe this was real and not a dream. Damian’s confession and transparency literally knocked me off my feet. I never would have imagined such a deeply sensual and caring man lingered in the dark heart of a vampire. He was the last one of my Cosan that I expected to feel the way he did, and my own heart soared with the knowledge.
Until I remembered he may never return.
Tears filled my eyes as I thought of his sacrifice and willingness to end Dmitri and Roman nearly on his own. I was so afraid for him. My vampire was at a disadvantage. Vincent’s full powers were a mystery. I wondered if Damian could sense that he would be helpful and that was why he offered the necromancer a place at his side. It was possible.