Bound to Fear

by Nina Croft

  Sisters of the Moon Series

  (Short Story)

  Bound to Fear

  by

  Nina Croft

  Bound to Fear

  By Nina Croft

  Copyright 2012 Nina Croft

  Smashwords Edition

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.

  ****

  Cover design by Fantasia Frog Designs

  Table of Contents

  Title page

  Bound to Fear

  Preview ~ Bound to Night

  Bound to Fear

  “I’m fine,” Maria muttered. She was tired of saying the words. No one believed her anyway.

  “No, you’re not,” Sebastian replied. “And we can’t help you if you won’t open up to us.”

  Maria ground her teeth. “I don’t need help.”

  “You wake every night screaming.”

  Heat flushed her face. Trust Sebastian to know everything that went on in his pack. She wandered over to the edge of the rooftop and peered over the low wall at the city far below. Up here, far above the bustle of people, was the only place she felt safe. She missed the forest.

  A few weeks ago, the same group who had captured and tortured Maria, had destroyed the pack’s house. Jack, the leader of the local vampires, had offered them sanctuary in London, and until Sebastian was sure they were safe, here they would stay.

  “You need to face your fears—banish them,” Sebastian said, dragging her from her thoughts.

  The ever present despair rose up inside her, and she swung around to face him. “How can I, when the thing I fear most is myself?” She took a deep breath. “Every night, I dream I’m back in that cell. But it’s not the pain of torture I fear. In my dreams, I’m broken. I tell them anything they want to know.” She blinked away her tears. “In my dreams, I’m weak.”

  “But you weren’t weak. You told them nothing.”

  “Only because Anya got me out of there.” She bit her lip until she tasted blood. “If they’d kept me any longer….”

  “You would have died first.”

  “I want to believe that, but I just don’t know.” She looked away, not wanting to see his pity.

  “I’ve decided to split the pack,” Sebastian said.

  Maria frowned at the change of subject. “Why?”

  “We’re getting too big. I’ve already sent Connor up north to look for new hunting grounds. I’d like you to go south to Cornwall.”

  “Sure—no problem.”

  She tried to sound enthusiastic, but knew she’d failed when he shook his head. But it wasn’t only fear that plagued her right now. Lately, she’d found enthusiasm beyond her. She’d seen it happen to others of their kind, as they grew older.

  She knew Sebastian had as well.

  “You’re one of the bravest people I know,” he said. “Find some way to prove it to yourself, and move on.”

  His words lingered in her mind through the long day, and an idea slowly took form.

  Could she do it, and if she could—would it work?

  Sebastian had known her for over fifty years. He knew what she feared. Her “little vampire phobia” as he called it.

  Hardly little.

  But perhaps Sebastian was right. Maybe, if she faced her oldest fear, then she could put this new one behind her. She would have to wait until nightfall, and if she was going to do this then she needed to do it properly. So, who was the biggest, baddest vampire of them all? Maybe not the strongest—that would be Jack—but definitely the meanest.

  A shudder ran down her spine. She’d rather be tortured.

  ***

  Seth awoke, instantly alert, as he always did when the sun went down. Tonight though, something was different. He breathed in and caught the musky aroma of werewolf.

  That was nothing odd. Since Jack had offered a home to the pack, the building was saturated with their scent; it was driving Seth crazy.

  He had nothing against werewolves. In fact, he liked them a lot, and what he liked best about them was the taste of their blood. It put him on edge to have so many, so near, and for them to be off limits.

  “Don’t eat the guests.” Jack had warned him. He’d smiled as he said the words, but Seth knew he was deadly serious.

  That Jack trusted him enough to think the warning would work pleased Seth more than he would ever admit. Ten years ago, he wouldn’t have been able to control his hunger. By now, he would have sated himself on were blood and not considered the consequences.

  But he’d made a conscious decision to change, and Jack had enough faith in him to give him a chance. Sometimes living up to that trust was hard.

  There was one sexy little werewolf in particular. She was ravishingly pretty, and appeared young, which maybe explained why she feared his kind so much, and why she scurried away whenever he came close. But never fast enough so he couldn’t smell the hot, sweetness of her blood, laced with the intoxicating scent of her fear.

  And now, if he wasn’t mistaken, she was hovering outside his door. He ran a hand through his hair and pushed down his hunger. Rolling onto his feet, he pulled on his pants, strode across the room, and flung open the door.

  And stopped.

  She’d swapped her normal T-shirt for a black slinky top that left her shoulders bare and piled her long dark hair into a loose knot on top of her head, exposing the graceful line of her throat.

  His gaze fixed on the pulse beneath the fragile layer of skin, and his gums ached.

  Life wasn’t fair.

  ***

  I am not weak. I can do this.

  Maria tried to force herself to take a step forward. When her feet refused to move, she closed her eyes, leaned her body towards him, and raised her chin, baring her throat.

  Could she be any more obvious?

  When nothing happened, she opened her eyes. He was watching her, his brows furrowed.

  “Why?” he asked.

  The question took her by surprise. “Does it matter?”

  “Yes.”

  Irritation flared—why couldn’t he just co-operate? “I need to prove I’m not afraid.”

  He leaned close, breathing deeply. “Sweetheart, I can smell your fear.”

  A shudder ran through her. “Okay. I need to prove that I can conquer my fear. That my fear doesn’t rule me.”

  A look of disbelief flashed across his face. “What am I? Some sort of therapist?”

  She shrugged suddenly uncomfortable. “Maybe.”

  He considered her, head tilted to one side. “So why are you afraid of vampires?”

  Was he crazy?

  “Jesus. You’re a goddamned blood-sucking monster. Why the hell wouldn’t I be afraid?”

  A brief smile curved his lips. Then he stood back and gestured for her to enter the room. Maria became aware that he wasn’t wearing much, just a pair of black pants that hung low on his lean hips. At any other time, and had he been anything else, she might have admired the sleek lines of his body, the ridged muscles of his flat belly. As it was, they hardly registered. It wasn’t what was in his pants that made her pulse race.

  She took three steps forward. Her breathing short and sharp, as she stood, frozen
in place. She didn’t think she could run now even if her life depended on it. Which might very well be the case.

  “A sacrificial lamb,” he murmured. “How…delicious.”

  Circling her slowly, he came to a halt behind her. As he touched her lightly on the shoulder, she jumped.

  “You’re trembling,” he whispered close to her ear, his cool breath feathering across her skin. “Calm down—this won’t hurt.”

  Maria didn’t believe him. It was nearly seventy years now, but she could still see her mother’s dead staring eyes, filled with the agony of her last moments.

  His lips touched her throat in the softest of kisses as his hands settled on her shoulders and he drew her back against the coolness of his naked chest. His mouth opened against her skin. Maria swallowed and braced herself for the pain. For an instant, his body tensed, his fingers tightened. Then his fangs sank into her.

  No pain.

  Just a rhythmic tugging that pulled at places deep within her body. Relief held her motionless for a moment, then she tilted her head to the side to give him better access. He growled low in his throat, his hands sliding down her arms to enfold her, pull her closer against his hard body.

  What was he doing to her?

  Her breasts ached, and a pulse throbbed between her thighs. She arched back against him, and his palm swept up over her stomach to cup her breast. He squeezed, and lightning shot down through her belly. The strength drained from her limbs, and she would have fallen but for his strong arms wrapped tight around her.

  Finally, he withdrew and she felt the slow swipe of his tongue against her skin. She stood for a moment, before pulling free. His arms released her, and she turned slowly to face him.

  His eyes glowed crimson. Her blood stained his lips. And despite that, Maria wanted him with a fierceness she had never experienced in her whole long life.

  How could she?

  She whirled around and ran. She didn’t stop until she slammed her bedroom door closed behind her and clicked the lock into place.

  ***

  What the hell had that been about?

  Seth stood in the center of the room staring at the closed door.

  He knew some women were drawn to the danger his kind represented, but his little wolf hadn’t seemed like that. She’d been genuinely afraid.

  Until he’d bitten her. Then her fear had vanished, and she’d melted against him. He breathed in, filling his nostrils with the lingering scent of her arousal. His balls tightened, his cock throbbing with the need for release.

  Jack could only expect so much from him.

  He followed her scent up the stairs, coming to a halt in front of a door. He turned the handle—locked.

  Raising his foot, he kicked. The lock splintered and the door shot open.

  ***

  He still wore nothing but the black pants, and this time Maria couldn’t help but notice him. He must have been young when he was changed, no more than early twenties, and she’d bet he’d been stunning even then, with his dark eyes and sharp cheekbones. Now his face glowed with the inhuman beauty of his kind.

  Her gaze dropped to his broad shoulders, muscular chest, and a lean ridged abdomen. Then lower to the bulge where his erection pressed against his straining zipper. Her gaze flew to his face as warmth flooded her body.

  “What do you want?” she muttered.

  His eyes narrowed in disbelief. “Are you kidding?”

  At his words, a wild reckless excitement filled her. She’d been sitting here, unable to understand what was wrong with her. She’d faced her fear and survived, yet the whole thing had left her empty and aching. Now she knew what she needed.

  Jumping to her feet, she stalked toward him.

  “I am not weak,” she ground out, and she knew the words were true.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Honey, I never said you were.”

  She held his gaze as she gripped the hem of her top and pulled it over her head, tossing it to the floor behind her.

  His hot gaze ran over her, tightening her nipples, but he didn’t move, and she took another step toward him until her bare breasts grazed his chest. She shivered as delicious sensations tore through her. “I’m strong,” she said.

  “I know.”

  He didn’t, but he soon would.

  Unzipping her jeans, she kicked them off and stood before him in nothing but her black panties. He was breathing hard now, but wariness flickered across his face. She liked that. She peeled the black lace down over her legs then tossed them toward him. His gaze sizzled down her body, settling on the curls between her thighs and inside, she melted.

  Moving fast, her left foot kicked out to sweep his legs from under him. He landed on his back, and Maria dropped to her knees beside him, straddling his hips before he could move.

  She rested her hands on each side of his face, caging him in, then bit her lip hard so she tasted the sweet metallic tang of her own blood. His nostrils flared, and she lowered her head and kissed him. He devoured her mouth, his tongue pushing inside, and she sank down onto him to grind against the hardness of his straining shaft.

  His arms came up to grip her shoulders, and he heaved her from him. But she wrapped her legs around his waist and held on, refusing to relinquish control. They rolled, and she ended up beneath him.

  Exactly where she wanted to be.

  Staring up into his dark, hooded eyes, she slipped her hand between their bodies and lowered his zip. She wrapped her hand around his shaft, and his head went back.

  He balanced, poised above her, his eyes darkened to obsidian. “What’s your name?”

  “Maria.”

  “Hello, Maria.” And he shoved into her, hard.

  ***

  Seth wasn’t sure what this was all about, and right now, he didn’t care. She felt so utterly good, like warm wet velvet around his cock.

  He moved on her, slowly at first, reveling in each leisurely thrust. Her hips bucked beneath him, urging him on, and he increased his speed, until he was slamming into her hard.

  Her muscles contracted around him, and he knew she was close. Burrowing his head in the sweet curve of her neck, he sank his fangs into the vein. She came immediately, her back arching off the floor.

  Releasing his control, Seth plunged into her, and his own orgasm exploded through his cock, his balls, melting his spine. On and on, he continued to pump into her welcoming body, until at last he collapsed onto her with a shuddering groan.

  After long minutes, he gathered her up and carried her boneless and limp to the bed. He came down beside her, dragged her into his arms.

  She blinked up at him sleepily. “I’m not afraid,” she murmured. Her lashes fluttered closed, and she slept.

  Last night, Seth had let her sleep. Tonight, he had plans.

  Right until the moment he found her empty room. Disappointment washed over him, growing stronger as he searched the building and discovered no trace of her. Finally, he confronted Sebastian.

  “She’s gone to run in the forest,” Sebastian told him.

  Seth turned to go, but the werewolf spoke again. “Did she come to you last night?”

  Seth nodded.

  “And she was okay?”

  “Why shouldn’t she be?”

  Sebastian considered him, as if wondering how much to say. “Werewolves are prone to melancholy as we get older.”

  Seth frowned. “But she’s young.”

  “Maria is a hell of a lot older than you,” Sebastian said. “What she needs is a cause, something to give meaning to her life.”

  Seth had never considered himself “cause” material before, but he was willing it give it a try.

  ***

  The vampire had been gone when she woke. Maria told herself it was for the best. Seth had cured her of her fear, now she needed to find a way to move on with her life. Tomorrow, she would go to Cornwall. She tried to feel anticipation, but couldn’t dismiss the nagging sense of loss.

  Slipping out of her clothes, she allo
wed the change to flow over her, calling her wolf to the surface. Immediately all her senses were more acute. She could hear the distant flight of an owl, a field mouse rustling in the dry grass.

  She ran through the dark forest, weaving her way through the huge gnarled oak trees, her pads making no sound on the soft ground. Finally, she came to a halt where the trees opened up into a wide clearing. Overhead a sickle moon bathed the forest in a silver glow. Seth stood in the shadows of a huge oak, leaning against the trunk, arms folded across his chest.

  Maria shifted back and stalked naked, towards him. Without a word, she reached up, wrapped her arms around him, and laid her head against his chest. This was what she wanted, where she wanted to be.

  “I’m bad,” Seth murmured against her hair. “I know it, and I’m not going to pretend I can change overnight.” Holding her away from him, he stared down into her eyes. “But maybe if I had someone beside me. Someone who cared whether I was good or bad…”

  “What am I,” she asked. “A therapist?”

  A smile curved his lips. “Could you care, Maria? Would you even want to try for a vampire?”

  Could she?

  All at once, the darkness lifted from her soul, and the world was once again full of possibilities. She didn’t know whether this thing with Seth would work out, whether it was even possible for two such different people to find happiness together. But right now, it was enough that she wanted to find out.

  “Have you ever been to Cornwall?” she asked.

  The End

  Preview Book 1

  Sisters of the Moon Series

  (Book One)

  Bound to Night

  by

  Nina Croft

  Prologue

  8 years ago

  A prickle ran down her spine.