Hunger Awakened

by Dee Carney

  “I think I’m up for the night,” he said through a sleep-clogged throat. Bast scanned the room for their new friend, stifling the urge to growl once found. “Any trouble?”

  “None,” Drew replied. “Quiet day.”

  The man seated in the plastic-lined chair twitched in his sleep, his fingers flexing and twitching as if he spent his time working with his hands in a respectable trade job instead of shooting shit into his veins. Bast tried not to see the resemblance, but he wasn’t blind. They had the same big blue eyes and bone structure. Hell, he even recognized the untamed curls. Alice and Richard could have almost been twins. Only now, her “twin” looked sicker than she did, skinny and pale in a way that would have pained him to see on Alice. But Bast had begged Gray and the others to find him. Despite the way her brother had treated her, Alice still loved him and if hearing his voice would help guide her back, then Bast would have followed him to hell and back just to get him here.

  She hadn’t responded to Richard’s voice, but Bast made her a promise. When she woke up, her brother would be going to rehab. He’d foot every cent of the bill. He told Alice that if she would only wake up to say goodbye, Bast would send him on his way.

  Something about watching him though, seeing him here and alive while his sister lay in a hospital bed, sent anger piping through Bast’s veins. Where was the fucking justice in the world when a sickly junkie got to live and the woman he loved, the one who made him proud, slowly sank further into herself? Bast flung out an arm, striking Richard in the leg.

  “Fuck, man!” He reached for his leg, rubbing the target.

  “When’s the last time you talked to your sister?” Bast asked.

  “Hell, dude. I dunno. Was sleeping. You ‘spect me to be talking to her all the time? You know she don’ hear nothing no way.”

  Bast stood to his full height, tilting his head from side to side, allowing the loud cracks of stiff joints to reverberate. He flexed his fingers in full view of Richard’s face, intent on letting him understand the seriousness of disobedience. They had to have this demonstration once every six hours or so and quite frankly, Bast was tired of it. He shot across the space, grabbed Richard by the shirt and stuck his face within an inch of his. “If I expect you to sing to her, you will sing. If I expect you to pray to her, you will pray. You will do any Goddamned thing—”

  “Hey...no fighting...”

  It was so soft, said so timidly that Bast should have missed it. But dear God, he’d been waiting more than two days to hear that voice again. Even when he’d received a cryptic message from the mysterious other dragon, promising to meet with him soon. One that spoke of unease and disquiet among the creatures of the earth. One that promised eventual war... Even then, Bast hadn’t been as focused on something or someone as he was now, with full and complete attention.

  He released Richard, who grunted at being dropped, managing to cross the room and be at her side with inhuman speed. “Alice?”

  Her closed eyes fluttered, but slowly opened. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. “Hi,” she said just above a whisper.

  For a moment, Bast was riveted to the spot. He didn’t know if he should touch her or what to say. He couldn’t decide if he should kiss her first or tell her he loved her or any of a dozen different things. He didn’t know what to do. Didn’t know which way to turn. He glanced at Drew, who wore a half smile, then turned to Richard, who looked bored. The fuck.

  Alice touched him first. Her fingers grazed the top of his hand, and Bast thought his heart might jump out of his chest, it raced so hard and so fast. He swallowed reflexively. Searched for his voice. Looked for the right words.

  Not knowing what else to do, he went down on one knee and kneeled next to the bed. He draped an arm across her thighs and bent his head to rest next to her side. Eyes closed, he blinked back the tears he couldn’t seem to keep from forming. She let him stay there for such a long time, every once in a while stroking a hand through his hair. With every brush, some of the tension and worry eased from his body.

  By the time he thought he could speak without breaking down, several minutes had passed. Bast looked up and found her watching beneath half-lidded eyes. “I love you,” he said.

  “I love you, too.”

  “I can’t do that again, Alice. I cannot do that again.”

  “I know.”

  “Don’t leave me like that again.”

  A small smile. “No. Not if I have anything to do with it.” After a long pause, she said, “I heard you talking to me. I kept drifting and every time I thought I was drifting too far away, I heard you.”

  “I have something for you,” Sebastian said. He nodded toward Drew. The vampire nudged Richard, who shuffled forward, albeit reluctantly.

  Alice’s mouth parted, her gaze darting from Richard to Bast and back again. “Richie?”

  “Hey, girl.”

  Her hand flew to her face, covering her quivering lips as her eyes shimmered. Then her trembling arms extended, opening so her brother could fall into them. This time, Richard didn’t need to be nudged.

  “Hey, girl,” he repeated softly against her hair. “Missed you.”

  Bast waited patiently, almost willing to let his dislike of the man outweigh his love for the woman. But as he watched them together, Alice’s possessive grip and Richard’s fierce hug, he reconsidered. Maybe the asshole would be less of an asshole once he got off the junk keeping him high.

  After a few minutes, her tears reduced to sniffles, Alice pulled back, a sweet smile on her lips. One hand remained clasped around Richard’s, but she used the other to reach for Bast. He went to her without hesitation.

  “Richie, I want you to meet someone very important to me. This is Sebastian Kent, your brother-in-law, and the man who’s changed my world.”

  Epilogue

  One month later...

  Bast lifted his gaze from the whiskey mixer to locate the two women in the other room of Corin’s house. He couldn’t help himself from seeking them out. Their laughter brought a smile to his lips, and once again he marveled that circumstances had brought him to this place in life.

  “Thank you for bringing your mate,” Corin said. “Mine is tired of my company.”

  Alice sat at Jasmine’s swollen feet, dabbing neon green nail polish on each of her toes. Their glasses of lemonade sat untouched, the plates of cookies next to them equally ignored. Stretched out across the couch, Jasmine rubbed the sides of her protruding belly periodically, her chatter almost nonstop. While she looked happy, it was very evident that her due date galloped closer.

  “I very much doubt that,” Bast replied.

  Corin sipped the rose-colored liquid. “Can’t sleep. Heartburn. Can’t get up without help. She blames me for how miserable she is.”

  Bast chuckled. “Well, that I agree with. It’s the plight of fathers-to-be everywhere. Hang in there. A week to go, right?”

  “Any day now.”

  The two men weren’t fast friends the way the women had bonded, but Bast grudgingly appreciated having someone to talk to who understood being ostracized. No longer a part of the Council guard, he didn’t know who else to approach with his questions and concerns. Funny how he’d never realized how much he’d made that job his entire world.

  Bast rubbed his chest, still not quite used to the double thump that filled him whenever he was in Jasmine’s presence.

  Corin studied the motion and said, “Your animus?”

 
He sat back. “No, the dragon urge isn’t as strong as it used to be. It’s getting better. I can control it better, too.”

  “What of the information Jas gave you? Did it help?”

  “Dribbles.” Despite her diligent research, Alice could only glean bits about Aurak RithRagoth, a leader of some renown. Bast didn’t know whether to attribute the dragon as merely the leader of his ancestors, or if Bast was a direct descendant of him. “It’s helped me discover more about me than I used to know, about the animus, as you call it.”

  Additional research explained his affinity to wealth and his uncanny ability to manipulate it, apparently a prominent dragon trait. He’d also learned that every eerie sense of memory he’d experienced was another trait. Memories were inherited up to a point. It’s why he remembered the taste of fire in his mouth and the glorious sensation of flying.

  Dragons were additionally attracted to royalty, often in the past kidnapping their human saviors to get them through illness. That Bast had happened upon one whose bloodline offered him the succor he’d needed and more so, one willing to provide it without thought to herself, bordered on miraculous.

  Bast continued. “Two things I’m certain of, based on what we can find. First is that I’m not alone.”

  Corin held up a hand and when Bast paused, the executioner tilted his head toward the direction of the women. His eyes unfocused as he eavesdropped. Seemingly satisfied over the women’s discussion of the topic—something having to do with having sex to induce labor—he quirked his lips and motioned for Bast to continue.

  “Sounds like Alice and I should make ourselves scarce,” Bast said with a low voice.

  The other man laughed softly. “That suggestion came from your mate, not mine. I think Jasmine would sooner hit up Google on how to perform a C-section on herself.” Corin shrugged, but Bast wasn’t fooled. If his woman would have him, Corin would have been all over that. “But continue. What do you mean that you’re not alone?”

  “That’s just it. I don’t know. I have no clue if that means my father is alive, if I have brothers or sisters. I just have some vague information about a dragon clan.”

  “What will you do if there are more of you?”

  “At this point, I don’t even know. Not even sure if it’s worth pursuing. I know what I am now, and nothing’s going to change it or the fact that I’m no longer welcome by the vampire community.”

  “Not all of the community,” he replied. “Just some of them.”

  Sebastian snorted. Just the important ones. “I wonder who else is at the wrath of the Council?” From what he understood, Corin’s situation with the Council was tenuous at best.

  “More importantly, why.”

  “Why may not be such a hard thing to discover. I don’t know if you’ve felt it, but it seems like there’s a rippling undercurrent of discord coming from almost everywhere.”

  Corin remained thoughtful for a moment. The sound of the women’s conversation drifted toward them, but Bast tuned it out. Let the women remain ignorant to the prospect of a storm on the horizon for a little while longer. He loved knowing that Alice remained happy. And his.

  “No, that discord isn’t news, but they try to keep it hidden beneath shows of power. They are hiding something.”

  Sebastian leaned forward, his voice lowering. “What have you heard?”

  Corin shook his head. “Not so much heard, just a feeling. I also know that you and I aren’t the only ones who are thinking this way.”

  “You’re right, because that’s the second thing I’m learning from the texts. The latest one says ‘war is coming.’ I’m not sure what to make of it.”

  “War, by itself, for men trained like us...doesn’t mean much. For you, the man...that’s different. You straddle the breed lines.”

  “I need to know war between whom before that becomes a concern.”

  He would not indulge in the rift between vampires and werewolves, if possible. But a full-blown war between the two groups didn’t seem likely. Their animosity was centuries old, with only skirmishes to show for it. To Bast, true war meant the possible annihilation of a species.

  Always, the words of Locke, the werewolf, returned to him. There were more creatures out there than he’d dreamed of. If war was expected to break out, who among the groups would rise up?

  And who would rule?

  Bast’s attention focused at the approach of Alice. The expression on her face bordered between timid and bewildered. “What’s wrong?” He could almost scent her fear.

  Corin shot to his feet, and Bast followed suit. The executioner used a long stride to cross the room, almost managing to rush past Alice. She held out an arm, temporarily blocking him from going far. “She said if you acted like an idiot, I was to get Sebastian to wrestle you to the ground.”

  Bast’s brow shot up. “Wh-what?” he choked out, barely suppressing his surprise.

  Alice’s cheeks pushed up in a smile. “Her water just broke. I do believe you’re about to become a father.” She pressed her hand against Corin’s chest when he started forward again. “She means it, and I’m not about to mess with a pregnant vampire’s request. To the ground if you go, as she calls it, ‘all He-Man’ on her.”

  The room tightened, with tension rolling off Corin in waves. His gaze slanted dangerously toward Alice, and Bast had the incredible, horrific feeling that things were about to get physical. Friend or no, if he took one wrong step...

  Corin shuddered, as if physically shaking off his agitation, and said in a gentle voice, “I’d like to go to my wife and meet our child now.”

  If his tone was meant to reassure her, it did. Alice smiled even larger, then dropped her arm to the side. She went to Bast, holding him tight, and together they watched the large man go to his wife.

  “Will that be us one day?” Alice asked.

  Bast didn’t know for certain if they’d ever have children, but he did know if Alice asked it of him, he’d be reluctant to say no. The idea of producing another generation of vampire-dragons didn’t appeal to him. Not yet, not while things remained uncertain. Another year or two with his mate at his side, though? “It’s quite possible, princess.”

  They waited for the other couple to approach. Corin had his hand behind Jasmine’s back as he helped her walk toward the front door of their home. His expression mixed excitement with concern, while Jasmine couldn’t have been smiling more broadly. “Showtime!” she declared.

  “I’m so excited for you!”

  Bast scanned Alice’s face, one glance proving she would indeed want to have a baby some day.

  He immediately changed his previous way of thinking. He loved her with his entire being and if she asked for a baby tomorrow, he would never turn her down. It pleased him through his toes to know she loved him that much. That she wouldn’t let his mixed heritage be a hindrance for their family’s ultimate happiness.

  He pushed his face into her hair, snuggling against her. Needing her touch. Wanting her badly. She rubbed her hand over his chest, soothing the rising emotion.

  “Call us when you’re up for visitors,” he said to Corin’s back, plans for getting his mate alone for an hour or two taking precedence. “Oh, but wait...do you know what you’re having? I don’t remember you ever telling me. A boy or a girl.”

  Corin looked back over Jasmine’s head. His smile was mischievous. “Oh, we know.”

  * * * * *

  Hungry for another seductive vampire rom
ance?

  Feed your appetite with Hunger Aroused, available now!

  Hunger Aroused

  Jasmine is sick in bed when a sexy stranger breaks in and reveals she’s suffering an irreversible case of vampirism. And because her turning wasn’t approved by the Council, he must kill her once the transition is complete. In the meantime, the executioner offers to ease her torment with chocolate, hot peppers or sexual release. Fortunately for them both, Jasmine’s kitchen is bare…

  Corin’s honor demands he do his duty, but he cannot execute the lovely woman while any part of her humanity remains. He must also find—and kill—her sire. Jasmine denies ever having contact with a vampire, causing Corin to question the justice of his orders. Sensing his hesitation, the Council dispatches another executioner, forcing the pair to make a run for it.

  Every hour they spend together—every sensual encounter they share—finds them growing closer. Now Corin will have to choose: kill the woman he loves, or go against everything he believes to set her free.

  Connect with us for info on our new releases,

  access to exclusive offers and much more!

  Visit CarinaPress.com

  We like you—why not like us on Facebook:

  Facebook.com/CarinaPress

  Follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/CarinaPress

  About the Author

  Dee Carney began writing short stories in middle school, but did not attempt completion of a novel until almost ten years later—which, despite good intentions, she never finished. Almost ten additional years later, she challenged herself to begin writing again, and her love for storytelling was rekindled.

  Now, Dee is a bestselling, award-winning author who lives at home in Georgia with her husband and their four-legged children. When not writing, Dee is usually curled up on the couch with a good book!