Immortal Echoes (Haunting Echoes Book 2)

by Caethes Faron

  “How long did it take you to be able to discreetly feed?” Michael asked Amaia.

  “Not long, but my first kill was horrible. After that, Lawrence caught people for me to practice on, but I always killed them afterward. Then I practiced on people in a tavern, and it went well. It took a few days and a few kills.”

  “And there’s no hope that I could learn faster than you. I don’t know how I can do this without killing or traumatizing someone.”

  “We usually cure their trauma by killing them.”

  “Liam, he’s made his decision about how he wants this to happen. There’s no use arguing the point. Besides, there is one way he can learn how to feed without even touching a human.” Meg glared at Amaia. Michael didn’t have any idea what she referred to.

  “That’s not a good reason to do it.”

  “It’s going to happen eventually anyway. You’re being stupid if you think it won’t. Go ahead and do it now before he goes on a crazed rampage out of hungry frustration.”

  Michael thought such a rampage was a distinct possibility if they didn’t figure something out. Even now, surrounded by vampires without a human in sight or within scent range, he itched to run and kill the first mortal he found. He occasionally smelled people as they passed by, and he’d even come to like their horrendous stench because of the promise of fragrant blood it provided. His thoughts were consumed with daydreams of feeding and killing. When he lost himself to the dreaming, Michael found himself toying with his imagined victims. There had been a lot of time to think about his transformation kill, and he’d isolated the specific feel of the man’s fear. It provided an integral part of the experience. In some ways, it had been the most enjoyable part. He’d love to hunt a human, to see how he could intensify the fear, taste how it changed the blood.

  Then he’d snap out of his dreaming, and soul-crushing guilt would descend. The version of himself he saw in the daydreams horrified him. Knowing that they were indulging his very real desires made it worse. Meg and Liam had no moral compunctions about killing or any beliefs about the sacredness of human life, and they didn’t go around massacring people the way Michael wanted to. He’d expected the physical change and adjustment when he’d made the decision to transform, but he hadn’t anticipated the emotional toll. He’d truly believed that he would still hold his repugnance for death and violence, despite Amaia telling him repeatedly that it would be different as a vampire. He didn’t know if he’d ever make peace with the situation. The only thing that made it bearable was having Amaia with him. That part had been every bit as incredible as he’d thought it would be. The knowledge that he would live with her forever made it worthwhile.

  “What are you talking about, Meg?” Michael finally asked when it became apparent that no one would volunteer the information.

  “Amaia knows.”

  That much had been obvious. Michael directed his attention to Amaia, who made no secret of the fact that she didn’t like the direction of the conversation.

  “She thinks you should practice feeding on me.”

  “I don’t see the problem with that.”

  “The problem is that it’s mating, and it’s the most intimate thing two vampires can do.”

  Michael’s heart pricked at her words. “So you’re not planning to mate with me?”

  “It’s not that. You don’t mate with someone in order to teach them how to feed. It’s obscene.”

  Meg stepped closer. “If that’s the only reason you’re doing it, then yes, I agree with you. But you and Michael are planning to mate anyway. I’m shocked you haven’t done it yet. I had thought it would be one of the first things you two did when he woke up.”

  “I have to agree with Meg. I turned into a vampire to be with you forever. I don’t see the downside to doing it now when it can serve a dual purpose.”

  “I know what it’s like to have my choices taken from me, and I don’t want you to feel coerced. We’re already bonded as sire and child.”

  Michael pulled Amaia into his arms. She came willingly, if not enthusiastically. “I appreciate that, I really do. But this is a completely different situation than when you were turned. I’m not being coerced. In fact, I probably had more time to think about becoming a vampire than anyone else in history. I did it for you.” He locked eyes with her, willing her to see that he meant what he said.

  “See? All is well. The sooner you two do it, the better for all of us. The current feeding situation can’t last much longer,” Meg said.

  Amaia kept hold of Michael’s gaze as she spoke. “All right then. If you’re sure.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “I’ll go get some blood for Michael. You shouldn’t mate on an empty stomach, especially not the first time. You won’t be able to regulate how much energy you’re using. You should come too, Amaia, though I think it would be wise for you to feed on blood.”

  Amaia shook her head. “I’m fine. I ate after I turned Michael. Auras should give me enough energy.”

  “But you don’t know how it will be mating. You don’t want anything to go wrong.”

  “She’s right. This is a new experience for both of us. I don’t want to risk anything. Go ahead and feed on blood. If you’re worried about the scent of your venom, have Meg make the bite so you can drink from it.”

  “I promised you.”

  “And I’m relieving you of that promise. There doesn’t seem much point to it now anyway. Besides, you made that promise because at the time you weren’t in a position to just feed, you had to kill. Things are different now.”

  “All right. I’ll go with you, Meg.”

  “Excellent. Liam—”

  “I know. I get to stay here and mind the newborn.”

  “Yes. And if you’re nice, we’ll do some mating of our own.” Meg gave him a quick kiss and then went with Amaia, leaving Michael and Liam standing awkwardly in the middle of the field.

  “Meg’s insisting that I answer any questions you have about the mating process.”

  Michael couldn’t think of a more uncomfortable situation to be in with Liam. They got along well enough, but only because their wives were so close. Talking about anything of importance didn’t really come naturally. “I don’t have any.”

  “Good. Just fuck her, and at some point, drink her blood. She’ll drink yours, and it’s done. Got it?”

  Michael nodded. “Thanks.”

  “Never seen two people who are so intent on defying nature. You two should have already done this, and you should have already been feeding like a halfway normal vampire.”

  “You don’t have to tell me. I’ve wanted to mate with Amaia since the moment I woke.”

  “Don’t you know how to control your woman?”

  “About as well as you do.”

  A hint of a smile ghosted across Liam’s lips. “I do what I have to in order for her to be happy.”

  “And I do what I think is best for Amaia’s well-being.”

  “I think she’s brought a lot of her misery on herself, but I sincerely hope you can make her happy.”

  “I do too.” Amaia had suffered alone for a long time. Michael knew she thought she didn’t deserve any bit of happiness because she had killed him. Mating would solidify their bond. He hoped it would erase the pain of their past. At the very least, it should make it all irrelevant.

  He salivated at the thought of eating, even though he knew it would be unsatisfactory. He hated that he looked forward to the blood more than he did to mating with the woman he’d spent two centuries loving. Once this was done, though, he’d be able to feed properly, and that meant he’d be able to focus on what was important to him, which was his life with Amaia. He had to believe that was true. The thought that, even after mating and feeding directly from humans, the urge to kill would overwhelm everything else was simply too depressing.

  Chapter 13

  Michael could barely contain himself once Meg and Liam left. They’d stayed just long enough to give Michael his bl
ood. He’d waited so long for this. Ever since he’d woken from his transformation sleep and seen how greatly he had underestimated Amaia’s beauty, self-control, and love, he had yearned to be with her. By virtue of his new senses alone, their lovemaking promised to be more intense than anything he had ever experienced. Michael didn’t even know how it could possibly get any better, but he knew from what Meg and Liam had told him that the physical sensations would pale in comparison to the depth of the bond he and Amaia would forge as they exchanged blood.

  The blood part concerned him a little. The memory of feeding from Amaia was hardly a pleasant one. The burn of the bitter venom had barely been tolerable, much less enjoyable. He had to simply have faith that it would somehow be different.

  When Michael approached Amaia, the hesitance in her eyes surprised him. He’d been so caught up in how much he wanted this that he hadn’t even noticed she didn’t appear to share his enthusiasm. “What is it?”

  “I’m not sure you should be doing this.”

  Michael let out an exasperated sigh, a habitual human gesture, and ran a hand over his face in an attempt to gain control of himself. “Do you really think that mating or not is going to change anything between us?”

  “I’m being hunted, Michael. If I die, you will too. Permanently. You can’t tie yourself to me lightly.”

  Michael gripped her shoulders and jerked her to him. God, this woman made him so mad sometimes. “And what makes you think for one second that I’m not already tied to you? Do you really think if you died today, I’d just shrug my shoulders and go on my way? What in the last two hundred years has led you to believe that I’m anything other than yours? And you’re mine, Amaia, and I’m damn well going to make love to you. I’m going to fuck you until you can’t even stand, and then I’m going to do it again.”

  He crashed his lips into hers in a violent kiss. They weren’t mortal; there was no need for gentleness. If she needed to be convinced of the fierceness of his love, then he’d show her. “Death doesn’t scare me. The one and only reason I could ever possibly not want to mate with you is to ensure that I stay alive long enough after your death to kill whoever killed you. The second we made that blood oath more than two hundred years ago, we were as bound as two people have ever been. So unless you have some other objection, unless you’ve decided you no longer love me, shut up because I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Love and lust warmed her eyes in equal measure. A clarity entered them that Michael had rarely seen. Security. Damn, she’d been unsure of his love for so long. That stopped now. He pinned her against the wall and decided he didn’t like the clothing that separated them. Being a vampire had its advantages. In one quick motion, he took hold of her dress and undergarments and ripped them from her body. Getting her more clothing wouldn’t be a problem, and she could stay naked in his bed for the rest of time for all he cared.

  Her naked form was gorgeous. He’d always known it, but his sight could now drink in the fullness of her magnificence. Over the years, thousands of men had wanted her, and now she was truly his for eternity. The urge to kill every man who had ever looked at her overwhelmed him. The blood in his veins ran hot with more than sexual lust.

  He took one breast in each hand and held her against the wall, loving their weight in his grasp. They were perfect, and he couldn’t resist kneading them in his hands, knowing the moans it would elicit from Amaia. She didn’t disappoint. Her hips rolled in time with his hands. Her sensual movements only increased his need. Dipping his head down, he took one of her nipples in his mouth and rolled it around, nipping at it with his teeth, flicking it with his tongue. It felt so delightfully perfect in his mouth. Now that he knew how intensely a vampire felt everything, he took even more joy in playing with Amaia’s body, seeing her reactions, and knowing the sensations behind them.

  More than anything, he wanted to be inside her, but he couldn’t bear to release her breasts. It was a mystery to him how he and Amaia had waited this long. He supposed it didn’t really matter. They had forever ahead of them. He kept hold of her as he sank to his knees. Her scent surrounded him, and he knew he’d taste wetness when his tongue found its mark. God, he hadn’t even thought about how even her taste would be more intense. He flicked her clit with his tongue and then circled it, knowing exactly how much pressure she liked. One of these days, he would need to hold her down and see how many orgasms his tongue could coax out of her. He knew he was skilled in this area, a legacy of his life as a woman and lifetimes of Amaia’s tutelage. Taking his time, not wanting her to come before he entered her, he explored the area, tasted each fold, and smiled when his beard tickled her inner thigh.

  Amaia’s hips bucked. She moaned and writhed above him. It’d be cruel to keep her waiting any longer. Michael smirked. Any cruelty in drawing it out would be to his own cock, which strained uncomfortably against his trousers. He rose, moving his hands from her breasts to encircle her waist. As soon as he was on his feet, Amaia ripped his shirt from his body and descended on his shoulder with her mouth. Michael fumbled with his trousers, and the buttons popped off with his too-quick movements. As soon as he freed his cock, he lifted Amaia slightly, and her legs immediately wrapped around him. He positioned himself at her entrance and slid her onto him.

  “God, I should have turned ages ago.”

  “I told you it’d be better as a vampire.”

  “I need to learn to listen to you.”

  Michael established a rhythm, deciding that it’d be foolish to restrain himself to a human speed. According to Amaia’s screams, she agreed with him. After a moment, she flung her head back, exposing her neck.

  “Bite me, if you want to mate.”

  Michael’s fangs descended at the order. He hadn’t had cause to use them before. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t.” Amaia’s hand curled in his hair, pushing him toward her neck.

  He didn’t need any more prompting. His fangs sank into the curve of her neck where it met her shoulder. Amaia groaned as he sucked from her. Oh yes, it was different. The venom still tasted bitter, but it was like alcohol—an acquired taste. The mixture of blood and venom that coated his tongue tasted better than any wine, but it wasn’t the taste that held him enthralled. There was an energy to it, an intimacy to taking this part of her as she freely gave it. He guessed it had more to do with the venom than the blood. Her essence, her life, poured into him, urging him closer, to meld into one with her.

  A thrill ran through Michael’s body. His mind searched for the new source of pleasure. It came from his shoulder, where Amaia had apparently bitten him and now sucked his venom-blood the same way he did hers. The sensation of surrendering his energy to her was like being touched on an erogenous zone that covered his entire body. The unfamiliarity of the feeling coupled with the intensity made it nearly impossible for Michael to last much longer.

  “Let go of yourself. This is only the first time of thousands. I’m yours forever now.”

  The words, more than anything, tipped Michael over the edge. Amaia’s convulsions around his cock gave him the joy of shared pleasure. His orgasm ripped through him, and he questioned his immortality. It didn’t seem possible he could survive the pure ecstasy crashing through him.

  After the last wave receded, the lack of desire for sleep surprised Michael. There was no question that he had expended energy as they mated, and he felt the loss, but he wasn’t tired the way he would have been if he were still human. The endless possibilities that presented him brought a grin to his face.

  “Did you know it would be like that?” Michael rested his forehead against Amaia’s. She had untangled her legs and now stood, lazily stroking his back.

  “No. Meg always told me it was more intense when you mate, but I assumed she meant the same way everything is more intense as a vampire.”

  “We should have done this first thing.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. If I had understood how perfect it would be, I would ha
ve insisted you not even get off the bed after your transformation sleep.”

  Michael chuckled. “Lucky for you, you have plenty of time to make it up to me.”

  “You’ll need to give me a minute to recover.”

  “Did I hurt you?” Michael had grown so used to not being in a position to be able to hurt her that he hadn’t even thought about it. Of course, he doubted it would have mattered. He’d lost all control.

  “Not really, I just feel it more now than I usually do afterward. It’s nice. Everything feels too sensitive to have another go right away.”

  A surge of protectiveness coursed through him unlike anything he had ever felt before. He’d always been protective of Amaia, willing to die for her even. It was the whole reason he had decided to become a vampire, but this new protective urge overshadowed everything that had come before it. There was a fierce edge to it, an animalistic madness. He’d kill anyone or anything that hurt her.

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it because, heavens know, I want to do it again. I’m used to being able to lose control without worrying about harming you. Promise me that you’ll let me know if I get too rough.”

  Amaia’s eyes smoldered, and she smirked. “I will if you will.”

  God, the challenge in her eyes went straight to his cock. The desire to kill still lurked omnipresent in his consciousness, but he channeled it into mating. It seemed blasphemous that he felt the desire to kill and drink human blood with the same intensity as he felt the urge to make love to Amaia. But they were two sides of the same coin, and he couldn’t have one without the other. That didn’t make it any easier to live with.

  Chapter 14

  Once the floodgates opened, Michael had a hard time controlling his lust. He’d been foolish to think, even for a second, that thoughts of feeding would overwhelm his desire to mate. The desires fed one another, and he could easily direct them to whichever end he wanted, and he wanted to mate. It wasn’t hard to get Amaia to agree. They’d spent two days mating in every position and contortion Michael could imagine and even some he hadn’t thought were possible. Being a vampire opened up a world of possibilities where lovemaking was concerned.