I didn’t open my eyes right away. In fact, I didn’t know if I was going to ever be able to look any of my Blood in the eye again. Or at least Daire.
Someone licked my wrist soothingly. Probably the new Blood. Gee something. What was his name? The stroke of his tongue didn’t feel like Daire. Solemn, not playful. Tender, not teasing. Rik’s arm banded around my front and I could still taste his blood, but I didn’t feel his skin in my mouth. My lower body suddenly lifted and my eyes flew open.
Daire buttoned and zipped my jeans for me and dropped his chin on my pubic bone. “All clean.”
Heat prickled my cheeks, but then I noticed his hair. I reached out and stroked my fingers through strands that hung well past his shoulders now. “It’s so long. Did I do that?”
He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “You should see what else grew.”
“A breeding queen has great power,” the new man said to my left. “I like G. Though my queen can call me anything she desires.”
His bond flowed inside me, tangled up in Rik and Daire. Touching his bond was like sliding into dark, cool water that had no end. So deep. So still. I had no sense of who he was from that small touch, and I didn’t feel like I knew him well enough to go scrounging around in his head.
I turned my head to look at him and I gasped. The jagged scar across his forehead was almost completely gone. He looked so much younger now, his curly hair dark and full, his face still lined, especially between his eyes, but not haggard. I glanced at his fingers on my wrist, and they were no longer bent and twisted.
“My sincerest apologies for draining you so deeply, my queen. As you see, you wrought quite the miracle in me. When I can repay the favor and feed you deep and long, I’m eager and ready.” He hesitated, his glance flickering to Rik and then back. “You need to be feeding as deeply and often as possible. It’s crucial right now as you come into full power.”
I sat up, avoiding everyone’s gaze. “Yeah, well, there’s a bit of a problem with that.”
“What problem? You have three Blood with fangs, at least one with claws, and I’m always armed with blades. Direct me to which one you’d like to feed on first and I’ll cut him open for you.”
“I’m game,” Daire purred, tipping his head to the side to show me his throat.
Someone knocked on the door. “It’s me,” Gina called. “I have an update for you, when you’re ready.”
I sighed, looking around at us. My jeans were disgusting. Again. The area rug looked like it’d been used to dispose of a body. Daire’s shirt was smeared like he’d taken a roll between my thighs, and I’d stabbed the new guy. The only one relatively clean was Rik.
I gave G a warning look. “Brace yourself.”
Then I closed my eyes and called the blood in the room to me.
Each drop hit me like an explosion that grew with intensity. I tried to hold it all in, but it was like trying to catch and contain a hurricane with a butterfly net. The power surged through our bonds and jumped into the Blood.
“Holy fuck,” Daire panted, head hanging down.
Rik was squeezing me so hard I wheezed for breath. The new guy was face down on the floor. Groaning, he looked up at me. “The last time a queen was able to make me come so hard, without even touching me was when I spent Christmas at Angers with Eleanor of Aquitaine.”
“Sorry.”
He grinned, pushed up off the floor, and offered me a hand. “A woman should never apologize for making a man come. Let alone a queen to her Blood.”
I took his hand and allowed him to help me up. He didn’t let me go, though he didn’t pull me to him, either. He just looked at me with those dark, solemn eyes. I couldn’t imagine all the things he’d seen. “Shara,” I said firmly.
He inclined his head. “Shara. My queen.”
I rolled my eyes. “You can come in, Gina.”
He bent down and snagged my knife off the floor. He snapped it closed and offered it to me. “If you need more blades, I have plenty to spare.”
At least he didn’t ridicule my little blade. I shoved it in my pocket. This knife might be puny, but it’d saved me on more than one occasion.
Daire jerked his head toward the stairs. “Come with me, Guillaume. I’ll show you where you can change.”
“I need to grab a bag out of the car first.” G lifted my hand toward his mouth. “By your leave, my queen.”
I nodded and he kissed my knuckles before heading to the door. I ran my gaze over him. He looked good in jeans for being a centuries-old knight. And how many blades could he possibly have concealed on him? The jeans were tight enough I didn’t think he’d have anything more than a pocket knife like mine stashed on him.
He opened the door for Gina and looked back over his shoulder at me, the first hint of lightness in his eyes and a bit of a smile easing the harsh lines of his face. “Ten, Shara, my queen.”
Ten knives? Fuck. I was going to have to see it to believe it.
“I usually carry more but I was in a bit of a hurry last night when I left the hotel. My lady,” he said to Gina as she stepped inside.
“Sir Guillaume, welcome.” Waiting until he was outside, she stepped into the living room and lowered her voice. “Be careful, Shara. He’s a fantastic catch to be sure, but I know you’d be devastated if anything happened to Alrik.”
Rik grunted. “We know his reputation, but he’s willing to give his oath that he won’t harm any of her Blood.”
“What do you mean by he’s a fantastic catch?” I asked, sitting back down on the leather couch. I tried to do it gracefully, but my knees quivered and I sat a little too hard and fast.
:Bring something for Shara to eat and drink. She’s weak.: Rik ordered Daire in our bond. Though he glared at me, because I knew he wanted to cut open a vein and give me more blood too.
“Oh, dear, we could gossip for days about the legend of Guillaume. First and foremost, Marne Ceresa has tried to lure him to her service for nearly a hundred years, ever since his former queen died, which is a whole other mysterious story. Once he was freed from those shackles, he swore he wouldn’t be bound again. I’m definitely surprised you were able to call him to your side as Blood, and Marne will be downright pissed. She made it known long ago that no queen was to feed him, so he’d be forced to come to her, or die.”
Great. The oldest living queen was going to be livid because I took the Blood she’d wanted for herself.
Guillaume came back in with a duffel bag, bowed deeply to me, and then joined Daire in the kitchen. “He hasn’t had a queen for a hundred years? How is that even possible? I thought Blood became thralls when their queen died.”
“As I understand it, Desideria meant to have all her Blood killed with her.”
I gasped softly, and reached out to squeeze Rik’s hand, pulling him closer to me.
“She would rather have all her Blood dead than serve another queen, especially Guillaume, whom she’d used for centuries as her own personal executioner to consolidate her power to lead the Triune. She ordered him to behead her own Blood one by one, until only he was left, and then she started to drink him to death.”
I shivered, remembering how Daire had told me I wouldn’t be able to hold enough blood in my stomach to hurt him. “That’s possible?”
“It is, but it can take days depending on how strong the Blood is. She drank from him repeatedly but refused to allow him to feed. Refused him food or water. But somehow he survived and she didn’t.”
“You don’t know how?”
“No one does, though there were rumors another queen must have helped him, though none were brave enough to admit to it. Marne was furious. With Desideria dead, she took over as the high queen of the Triune. Guillaume fled and has evaded her attempts to call him to her ever since. And back to your original question, a Blood only becomes a thrall if they start feeding on humans. Guillaume only drank from queens.”
She paused when Daire stepped back in with a gigantic sandwich and a glass of ice wate
r for me. I couldn’t focus on the food, though, because he was bleeding.
He knelt before me and looked up at me through ridiculous lashes and his longer hair that definitely emphasized his feline nature. “I had an accident with the knife.”
“On your neck?” I tried to keep my tone light and teasing, but his blood called me. My hands started to tremble, my pulse jumping frantically, like I was an addict going through the shakes.
“Guillaume helped.” He leaned closer, draping himself across my knees, tipping his head to bare the long, sexy line of his throat.
I. Could. Not. Resist.
I gripped the column of his throat with my teeth and drank him down, sucking on the slim, neat cut when it didn’t flow quite as hard and fast as I needed. He tasted too good to resist and I wanted more.
His rumbling purr rattled against my thighs and he nestled against me, letting me take my fill. But I couldn’t seem to get enough.
Rik cupped my chin, gently lifting me away. “Enough, my queen. Daire won’t make it up the stairs if you drink much more.”
I shuddered, my face flushing as I turned away. Gina had just told me how Guillaume had been tortured by his queen, and I was trying to drain Daire to the point that he wouldn’t be able to walk.
“Mmmm,” he nuzzled my stomach, his purr still rattling my thighs. “I’m in no true danger. Rik’s just being careful.”
“As he should.” I pushed on Daire, trying to get him off me. So I didn’t lean back in and lick the trickle of blood still flowing from the cut. “Go help G. I still haven’t gotten the update from Gina.”
He lifted his head and kissed me softly, and then stood and padded back to the kitchen. Though he did send a flirtatious look over his shoulder.
Of course he caught me staring at his ass.
Gina coughed, probably to hide her laughter.
Through the bond, I felt Rik’s readiness to give me more of his blood too, but I put a halt to that. “You already gave me blood today too, so don’t even think about it.”
“I’m far from weakened and you could use an alpha kick. Guillaume took more than he should have from a breeding queen, let alone one who’s just come into her power. You need—”
“I’m fine.” I interrupted and smiled brightly at Gina. “What update did you have?”
“I’ve hired a private security company to act as bodyguards.” Rik started to growl and she raised her hand. “I know, I know, you’re in absolute charge of her safety. The guards are for show. They’re going to be outside only, at the gates and perimeter. If you drive anywhere, they’ll either follow or lead the way in a separate vehicle, just to be safe. Anyone who gets too nosy will deal with them first, and that way we hopefully won’t have to explain anything supernatural going on inside. These are good, solid, dependable people and if they meet your expectations, the firm is eager to take over external security in Eureka Springs as well.”
My stomach rumbled and before I could move, Rik reached over and got the sandwich for me. I took it from him and started to eat—because he had that narrowed look in his eye that said he’d feed me each bite personally if I balked. It wasn’t a grilled cheese sandwich, but Daire proved himself to be an impeccable sandwich king.
:I try.: If he was trying to sound humble, he failed miserably.
“Winston leaped at the chance to serve as your butler and is on the plane this very moment. He’ll work with Marissa to ensure the house is ready for you, including hiring the staff.”
“I had a few ideas of things to change, or fix…” If that’s not too much trouble, I bit off, sure that Rik would growl about that too, and remind me again…
:My queen does not worry. No want or wish you have is trouble.:
“Of course. Marissa is going to take pictures of every room and angle this evening. I’ll send you to the link once she’s uploaded them to the cloud. She’ll also include the contractor’s recommendations for fixes, which right now are a new roof and central air and heating system.”
I winced. A house that size…
Gina only smiled. “Which has allowed us to knock another hundred grand off the price. The more things he identifies as needing repairs, the more money we’ll save on the purchase price.”
My phone buzzed on the coffee table. I’d forgotten to charge it last night so it was almost dead. I picked it up and read the text from a number I didn’t know. “I guess the woman from the clothes store is here. It’s the guard at the gate.”
“I gave all of them the number to your phone, and they’ll send updates to you if anyone tries to come inside. If you don’t reply, no one will get in. I can add them to your contacts when you’re ready so you can call any of them when you need to step out or want something delivered.”
I passed the phone to her and she started typing rapidly. “So what’s the plan with this woman?”
“I contacted the shop this morning and expressed a polite but firm request that they guard your privacy if they wanted your business. Since they want you to sign a several thousand dollar receipt, the manager agreed profusely.”
My stomach did an odd little flip flop. Several thousand dollars. In clothes. I hadn’t owned so many clothes in…
Rik dropped his arm around me and pulled me against him. Firmly. “I want to take her to Paris and New York for the best shopping, but maybe we should go to LA instead. I’d rather not deal with Keisha or Rosalind until we must.” Through the bond, I read his intent to be sure I had at least ten or twenty Blood before we encountered either queen or entered her territory.
“Or London. No queen moved in after your mother left and the shopping can be quite an experience. Or Abu Dhabi, I’ve been told, has some fantastic, one-of-a-kind shops.”
“Where’s Marne Ceresa located?”
“Rome.”
Note to self—not going to Italy any time soon.
“The Isador jet can take you anywhere on the globe at a moment’s notice, as long as we notify any queen in the city of your visit.”
I’m pretty sure my mouth was hanging open. “We have a jet?”
“Two actually, though the oldest one is due for an overhaul.” Gina stood and moved to the door. “Go ahead and let Frank know to send her up to the house. Just be polite, eccentric, and vague. If you need help, we’re here.”
I texted the new security guy and set the phone on the table so I could wipe my sweaty palms on my thighs. I’d never been too good with people. I certainly didn’t know how to pretend to be some kind of celebrity.
Let alone a fucking vampire queen.
Alrik
Shara thought so little of herself it made me a little bit crazy.
Okay, a lot crazy.
I wanted her to have everything in the world that she’d lived without. Every shopping trip. Fancy cars. Jets. Mansions. She deserved the best and the Isador legacy could easily fund it all.
Instead, she sat nervously gnawing on her lip, rubbing her palms on tattered denim that should have been thrown in the trash a year ago. In the days that we’d been with her, I hadn’t seen her wear anything else other than the silver fairy dress we’d destroyed.
I was desperately afraid that she had nothing else. Literally.
And that made me want to shift to the rock troll and smash this entire house into kindling.
That she also was hungry and weak and bleeding at the same time only added to my heightened instincts. She needed. I provided. I was alpha. Her needs were my sole reason to be here with her. And I was failing.
Miserably.
I couldn’t even get her to feed enough to bring her to full power.
Gina opened the door and stepped outside a moment. With some clanks and clatter, the two women dragged in a large clothes rack with items carefully wrapped in plastic.
“There’s two more in the van,” the woman said breathlessly.
I stood with my queen, but I wouldn’t leave her side, even with two humans. :Daire, Guillaume, we need you.:
Both men
stepped out of the kitchen. “Could you bring the other racks in from the van?”
Guillaume tipped his head at the ladies. “Of course, my pleasure.”
“Oh my.” The woman laughed, a hint of lasciviousness in her tone that set my teeth on edge. “So… polite.”
I didn’t bother with human interactions much, but I had a feeling that wasn’t the word she really wanted to use.
She came to us and offered her hand to Shara. “Thank you, again, for your business, Ms. Isador.”
“Thank you for delivering everything, Ms…?
“Catherine Chambers, ma’am. We had everything cleaned and pressed, so you can wear right away. And if there’s anything more I can do…”
“Actually, there is,” Gina said. She gave a look at Shara that to me said sit, be comfortable, don’t stand for this woman.
So I took her elbow and guided her back down to the couch. She sat more easily, so the food had helped bring some of her physical strength back.
“We’d like to know what else you told the reporters, so we can brace for any publicity that Ms. Isador may have to deal with. She’s very shy and doesn’t like to be in the public spotlight.”
Catherine blushed and wrung her hands. “I’m so sorry. I just got caught up in the excitement and drama. I only said we’d had an unusual visitor, and I hinted that I thought you might be royalty. I never gave them your name or address. Definitely none of your personal information.”
Shara’s shoulders relaxed and she leaned against me more fully.
Gina smiled more kindly at the woman. “That’s a relief. The last thing we want is a bunch of reporters hounding Ms. Isador, or she’ll quite honestly go back home overseas and not return her patronage.”
The threat was so gently done it took the woman a few moments to realize. “Of course. It was a blunder on my part that won’t happen again. If I can do anything to be of service—”
The other Blood pushed in the carts as she said that and I gave Daire a warning nudge through the bond before he could growl at the woman.
“The silver dress I wore out of the store yesterday,” Shara said, leaning forward. “Do you happen to know if you have another the same size?”
Queen Takes King (Their Vampire Queen Book 2) Page 4