"Any particular group?"
"With Vee and his cronies. He keeps her in the lifestyle of her choosing she gives him blood. It seems to have worked out for both of them. Why do you want to know?"
Roman told them what Bethany had revealed.
"How did she know Bethany was at your place? No one knew she was back in the city,” Niko said.
"It was over twenty years ago. It was around the time she cornered Rosalind in the park,” Darius realized.
"She went after both of them."
"To hurt us."
Roman swore viciously. “It worked. It kept Bethany and me apart for twenty years."
"Her attack moved Rosalind out of the mansion,” Darius added. It was all coming together. Every point led right to Marsha. Every bad moment, she had orchestrated. “We need to know what she is up to."
"Finding her will be hard.” Niko drank from his glass.
"Not for Will,” Roman put in. “He is well trained in retrieving hard to find products."
"Where is he?"
Niko closed his eyes and groaned. “In the living room with your women."
Darius rolled his eyes. “I should have known. He has been haunting this place for a week. Wherever Rosalind is Will would have to be close by."
"How do you handle it?” Roman asked.
Darius looked at his friend. “Knowing that Rosalind loves me keeps me from killing the mortal.” He shrugged.
"He loves her."
"And he knows what I would do to him if he ever hurt her."
The door slammed open as Rosalind and Bethany entered the men's sanctuary. “Darius, a party without us.” She sat in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Darius moaned at the feel of her body. His hand clasped her hip to keep her anchored to him. “Not a party."
"Will says he can have the bitch here in an hour."
Roman stood. “He left already?"
Bethany grabbed his arm before he could chase after the mortal. “Have patience, dear. The bitch will be here in an hour like Rosalind says."
"But?"
Bethany looked at him. He was teeming with unspent anger. “Are you questioning your Queen?” she challenged.
Roman's training had him stopping instantly. He looked at Rosalind. “I would never question your word.” He bowed his head in respect.
"Roman, don't start treating me like that. It makes me feel as if we are no longer friends."
Darius pulled her impossibly closer to him. “He treats me like that all the time."
"But you know he is your friend. I can't tell the difference yet."
Roman kneeled at her side. Bethany stood proudly behind him. “What difference?"
"Sometimes you speak with no respect at all to Darius and others you talk to him as if..."
"As if he controlled the lives of every vampire on this world,” Roman informed her softly. “Just as you now do.” Looking to Darius for permission, he picked up her hand. “You are the Queen of an entire race, with the respect of its entire people. You are also friend to those who would die for you. That is a heavy responsibility, which you get to share with Darius.
"Give it time, my Queen, my friend and you will learn the difference. There will be a time when you will have no choice but to act as Queen first and friend second. Just as Niko, Bethany, and I will have to be soldiers first and friends second."
Rosalind crossed her eyes at him, sticking her tongue out for good measure. “As long as you are my friend I can work around the rest,” she muttered.
"Your face is going to get stuck like that one day.” Roman laughed when she did it again.
Sixteen
Rosalind stood in the middle of the steel dome. Sweat sprinkled her skin as she held the wall of fire at bay. It stood seven feet high and encircled her. She had been training nonstop for three weeks with Niko and Bethany. Three weeks of failure and success, with lack of privacy. Her family was so afraid to leave her alone, she knew they had scheduled who would be with her and when. Never mind that she could now control her power when touching other people. It was only when her anger got out of hand that she caught things on fire.
But any vampire with that elemental power had the same problem when they were training. The only difference was she could topple the entire city with one of her temper tantrums. It wasn't her fault they would not give her the privacy she so desperately needed right now.
Darius spent most of his time searching for vampire traitors. The only time he came home was to feed her. It was discovered that though his replicated blood kept her stronger longer it did not satisfy her thirst like the real thing. Now, until she had complete control over her heat, he fed her nightly.
Not that feeding time wasn't fun. It always ended in the best sex she had ever had. If it only didn't feel like he was coming home to feed the dog, she wouldn't be so annoyed with him.
Today she planned to do something about it. On her Queenly order she had gotten Darius to train with her alone. She had ordered no disruptions unless the city was about to fall. Since Roman could handle everything else, Darius had agreed to it.
"Rosalind!” Darius yelled from the other side of the fire.
She opened a window through the fire so he could see her. “Yes, dear?” she asked politely.
Darius winced at her oh-so-polite tone. Whenever she used that tone he knew the shit was about to hit the fan. It also meant he was going to be apologizing for something he could not help doing. “What I do is for your own protection,” he explained.
"My protection.” She laughed. The past three weeks had more than proved she could protect herself. The only problem was her refusal to use such power as a deadly weapon.
Darius walked straight to her, knowing she would widen the opening so that he could walk through unscathed. When the wall closed behind him he hesitated. Maybe he had misjudged how angry she was. Usually she did not close his escape route.
Rosalind sat down in the dirt. “I am not angry, Darius. I am hurt."
"I am sorry, but I need to find every vampire and mortal who had a hand in the legend. I don't want them to get to you.” He kneeled in front of her so that he could look her in the eyes.
"Darius,” she huffed in aggravation. “You have always taken your duties seriously. But I am your Mate, not the family dog."
"Family dog?"
"When do you come home, Darius?” she asked him quietly.
Darius thought for a moment, not liking where her thoughts were going. “Every night."
She pushed on. “When do you come home, Darius?"
Darius sat next to her. “Rosalind."
A tear finally fell. Damn, she was getting tired of crying. “When do you..."
"When I know you need to feed,” he answered harshly. He stood, pulling at his hair, trying to think of a way to make her feel better.
"I am not a dog!” she screamed at him. “You can't just feed me and be on your way. You can't just think of some convenient thing to say to make me stay still. You can't..."
"I am your King. I can do what I want!” he yelled at her.
Shock had her wall falling into the ground. They were surrounded by the steel dome, with the top open for the smoke to escape. She could see the stars if she wanted from this steel cage they had made for her. “You are not my King. You are my Chosen."
"I am looking out for your safety."
"How can anyone hurt me when all of you treat me like a bomb about to explode? None of you will leave me alone. I have not had a moment to myself since I was mortal."
"What do you want from me?"
Rosalind turned away from him, unsure of what she really wanted. Anger burned inside her. Every little thing has made her mad lately. She couldn't look at him without wanting to hurt him. Rosalind covered her mouth in shock, helpless to stop the tears from escaping.
She walked away. She needed to put space between her and her Chosen, for his safety. Why would she want to willingly hurt him? He had saved her.
Then he abandoned you. Marcus stood in front of her, blocking her escape.
"You are doing this, aren't you?” she accused.
Doing what? His voice was cold. Dead to her ears. He was empty of emotion.
She turned to Darius, praying he wasn't close. He was right behind her. Confusion was written in his eyes. “Rosalind?” He moved his hand to her shoulder.
She jumped away. “Don't touch me!"
"Baby.” He flinched at the fear in her voice.
"He is here,” she warned him. “Marcus is back."
There is nothing he can do.
Rosalind backed away, putting more space between her and the man she loved. The man she was compelled to hurt. She looked at the spirit. “How are you making me think like this?"
"What is he making you do, baby?” Darius stood where he was, watching as Rosalind moved further and further away from him.
She ignored him and spoke to Marcus aloud so that Darius could understand what was happening. “I have never wanted to hurt him. You are influencing my mind. How?"
Darius felt the presence of madness, of something evil, coming for Rosalind. Even dead, Marcus could still influence her.
I only show you what you want. His voice was now soft.
"I don't want to hurt him."
Rosalind watched in horror as he moved to Darius, walking around him. So close she could see Darius’ hair move with the wind of the spirit's earthly movement. “Get away from him!” She pushed her hand up. Fire shot out, aimed straight for Darius’ heart. “No!” she moved with the wind, pushing him to the ground, then took the fire back into herself.
Rosalind fell to her knees next to Darius. Pain radiated from her back. Her body burned from drawing the fire back into her unwilling body. It was always easier to bring it forth. Taking it back at such speed was dangerous, and weakening for her.
Darius was at her side instantly. He shredded the blackened shirt from her back and watched as her skin slowly pulled into itself. Her touch absorbed the burned flesh and left her with new smooth skin. “Rosalind?” He held her close as she shivered with aftershocks from the burns.
Her eyes opened but she couldn't focus. Her head hurt from the pain. She closed her eyes again, searching for her Link with Darius.. Only with Darius were her shields at their best. “I let him in,” she admitted.
Darius breathed in relief. He wiped her brow. She was so hot her skin glowed. “What?"
"My anger. My confusion. I let myself become weak. My walls weren't strong enough to keep him out."
"Baby, you didn't know you had to keep him out.” He defended her actions.
"I know you only want to protect me, Darius. I could never hate you for that."
Darius laughed. “Your anger was enough, little one. I should have realized what I was doing. Our Link should have been enough warning that something wasn't right between us."
Rosalind sat up, circling her legs around his waist. He held her still with his arms wrapped tightly around her. “Well, you did say we would start fighting again."
Darius looked into her eyes. They were rimmed with red. He could feel her shivering. “Baby, it's okay,” he whispered softly.
Rosalind laid her head in the crook of his neck, letting the shakes take her body. Her nerves were shot from the energy it took to keep the fire from him. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to,” she murmured through her tears.
Darius held her tightly. He needed his own assurance that she was okay. “Think of it as another bump in the road for us, honey."
She laughed. “When do we get to the smooth sailing?"
"You don't want to be bored.” He rubbed her back. His hand moved up and down in a soothing motion. Darius sat where he was, content to let her use his body for her comfort. Whatever she wanted, he provided.
"Darius?"
"Yeah, babe."
"You didn't really mean that ‘I'm your King, I do what I want’ thing, did you?"
Darius groaned. Sometimes he forgot whom he was talking to. “Not when it comes to you."
She licked his neck. “Because I would really hate to have to pull the ‘I'm your mate and I control the gates to paradise’ thing on you."
Darius stilled in fright. “I would definitely not want you to close that pearly gate on me.” He pulled her from his arms so that he could look at her eyes. These days she didn't tell him when she was hungry. Always testing her limits, she waited until near impossible moment before giving in. When she opened her eyes they glowed back at him. “Rosalind, you need to feed.” He coached her by tilting his neck.
She shook her head. Instead she pulled his arm between them so that she had his wrist. Darius didn't care where on him she bit as long as she stayed healthy. “I want it to be about more than feeding, Darius. I want to make love with you without having to feed all the time."
Darius closed his hand around her slim one. “Rosalind, with us it is all about love. Feeding you is an honor I will always do. Do you know what it is for a male to know he in the only one his Chosen will ever feed from? It is an honor only given between the most trustworthy of mates. Some Couples don't start until they have been together for centuries."
"Bethany says Roman already practices it. He won't let her around the neck of any male. His jealousy can't take the stress.” She rolled her eyes. For the strictest of men he could wig out about the weirdest things.
Darius completely understood his friend's reasoning. “How would you feel if I fed from a female?"
Fire flared in her eyes. “Don't even go there,” she warned.
Through the fire he saw her desire. Tightening his hold on her, he laid them out on the ground. His hard body covered her pliant one. Pushing his wrist to her, he nodded. “Feed."
Rosalind opened her legs so that his lower body fell into the opening he made. She moaned at the feel of his jean clad shaft rubbing against her. Never taking her eyes off of him, she kissed his wrist before imbedding her teeth into his skin.
Darius’ fangs fell as he hissed. Always her bite made him hunger for her and the feel of her body submissive beneath his. Begging for his touch. She bit harder, causing him to laugh. “Oops, should have kept that one under wraps.” He smiled into her eyes.
His blood filled her aching body. The energy it took to heal herself always leeched away her strength. She pulled at his blood, sucking at his flesh until she knew her mark would remain. Whenever she bit him she left the bruise behind. Her way of marking the territory.
"Don't think I don't know that either, woman. Do you have any idea how many times the guys laugh at me?"
Rosalind released him, leaving a gentle kiss in her wake. “That is why Bethany is doing the same thing to Roman now."
"Right now?” he questioned with a look of horror. “I don't need to know when those two are fucking. That is just weird."
Rosalind pulled him down until he was inches away from her. “Let me help you forget,” she whispered seductively.
Darius fell to her lips like a man dying of thirst. She opened to his tongue. Her fangs sharpened as he thrust past. They danced the dance. Tongues entwined and they moaned in unison.
Rosalind reached between them and unfastened his jeans until her hand could reach inside. Her fist wrapped around his engorged shaft. Small pumps had him biting at her lip.
Darius lifted himself with his hands. He kept his chest clear of her so he could see her hand pumping him furiously, despite the jeans in her way. “Damn it, Rosalind,” he groaned, his eyes tightly closed as he fought his coming orgasm. She squeezed harder with each pump until he had no choice but to roll away from her.
Rosalind wasn't going to let him go. Before he could move she had him forced to the ground, using rings of fire to secure him. She knew her fire could never hurt him. Not when she had her control and her shields protected by him.
Darius felt her power in the fire. Never had anyone thought like Rosalind. Who would think to use such a dangerous element as fire to secure her victi
m?
"That is why I am the Queen.” She laughed at him.
To her shock she was on her stomach with Darius pinning her down. His voice rasped in her ear. His free hand reached into her pants from behind and dipped into her already soaked pussy. “And that is why I am King,” he whispered huskily.
Rosalind screamed her delight to the stars. She lifted her body off of the ground so he had no problems getting her jeans down her legs. Her lace underwear ripped in his enthusiasm to get to the prize of her body.
Forcing her to kneel with her chest kissing the ground, he dragged his tongue down the length of her spine, sending goose bumps across her exposed skin. When he finally had her on her back he knelt between her open legs. Her wet lips glistened in welcome.
He dived in without mercy. His tongue thrust into her in fast hard strokes. She writhed beneath him, a scream tearing from her throat. “Darius!” Her body arched off of the ground. He held her captive by shear force of his own will.
Rosalind begged for the mercy he would not give. He tortured her with unending pleasure. His tongue dug deep into her slit. Caressing her clit with his thumb, he pumped faster until he tasted her cream. It only whet his appetite for more. Only her juices satisfied his hunger.
Darius had to force himself to leave her weeping pussy. But there was still more of this woman that needed exploring. He trailed small kisses up her stomach, leaving a wet trail to her heaving breasts. He licked her nipples, tasting the salty tang of her labors. “You taste like the sweetest cream,” he whispered over her quivering flesh.
Rosalind nodded incoherently as he spoke. Why was he talking? It wasn't like she actually understood a word coming from those lips. She scratched at his shoulders but he would not leave her breast. “Darius."
Darius squeezed her tits in regret. Dragging himself over her body he looked into her eyes. “Yes?"
Rosalind purred as she felt his naked erection grazing her entrance. She twisted her hips to get him closer. She could just feel the head at her opening but he did nothing to enter her. “Please.” She tightened her hold on his shoulders until she could smell his blood. She pulled her hand away and saw the blood on her fingertips. Bringing it to her lips, she slowly sucked the red liquid down her throat. When she removed her fingers they were clean of blood.
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