by Buff, Annie
“Oh aye, I willa definitely do that.”
“Annalese, will you honor this man, equal in this union?”
“Yes, I will,” Lese said, her eyes full of tears.
“And so the binding is made. You’re joined completely in this life and the next.” Mehmet picked up the athame and cut the ribbon, then took Lachlan’s wrist and cut it.
Motioning to Annalese, Lachlan spoke, “Angel, take me blood, me life, and me soul. I give it freely, with all the love in me heart.”
She took his wrist to her mouth. It was only for a moment when Mehmet had her wrist and she looked into Lachlan’s perfect blue eyes. “Lachlan, take my blood, my life, my soul. I give it to you freely with all the love in my heart.” He took just a sip and sealed the cut with his saliva and smiled that gorgeous vampire smile.
“Honored guests, our mating is complete.” Mehmet embraced each of them. “I wish you both many centuries and a house full of babies.”
The rest of the night including the naming went perfectly. The newly mated couple danced the traditional first dance to John Legend’s “All of Me.” They made such a beautiful couple. Even a few of the older vampires were a bit teary-eyed.
“Annalese,” Lachlan whispered in her ear.
“Hmm?”
God, she was radiant. “Lass, let’s go make a baby.”
Her head snapped in his direction. He was grinning from ear to ear. He placed his hand on her middle. “I wanna give you a child me love, to make beautiful children with ye. To see ye swell with me son or daughter. What say ye, love, wanna go make babies with this old vampire?”
Now it was her turn for the grin. They left the ballroom hand in hand until they reached the bottom of the staircase. He scooped her up, taking the steps two at a time until they reached their suite. He kicked open the door with one foot and closed it with the other. “Time to make me a daddy, angel.”
Oh, that grin. And they did.
Vlad glanced around, noticing the couple had gone. He grinned. Life was as perfect as he’d ever known in six hundred-plus years. He pulled his mate in for a kiss, a very passionate one. “I think the kids have the right idea, my pixie. Wanna go make your Vampire very happy?”
Just as he would never refuse her, she could never refuse him. “I’ll race you,” Sophie said, knowing she’d never beat Vlad and his Vampire speed.
The next evening found both couples in the kitchen heating leftover party food. Vlad had dismissed Marcus, telling him to take a couple days to himself.
Lachlan was humming a tune Lese knew that she knew but could not place it. Then it hit her. “Really fang boy? ‘Highway to Hell’?” She shook her head.
“Aye, angel, with all the sinning we done last night, I thought it was verra appropriate.”
“Are they always this bad, Sophie?”
Sophie swallowed her coffee. “Oh no, Lese, this is good behavior. Wait until the three try to get drunk. That will be fun times.”
Because of their metabolisms they burned off the alcohol fairly quickly. So it took a lot of booze to get a Vampire drunk. Throat clearing came from the doorway.
“Gary,” Annalese ran across Vlad’s massive kitchen to jump into the arms of her friend. Lachlan was growling, but Vlad had hold of his arm. “They’re friends Lach, let it go.”
“Oh my God, are you OK? How do you feel? I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”
“No, Lese, it’s not.” Gary spoke. “The only one at fault here is that SOB that did it. They,” he motioned to Vlad and Lachlan, “saved my life. I know I’ll never be the same, and I have a lot to learn, but I didn’t want to die.” He addressed Lachlan. “Thank you, sire. I’ll try to do you proud. Now is solid food OK ‘cuz I’m starving.”
Sophie handed him a plate. Lach looked to Vlad. “Sire?” Vlad just shrugged his shoulders and tried to look innocent. No dice.
“Lese, I guess you and my sire are married. Congrats.”
“Um, mated and married. I swear all of it will get explained. I’m still learning too. Wanna see a cool trick?”
“Sure, go for it.” Gary was curious.
Lese closed her eyes and imagined Lachlan’s plate in front of her, and bam across the breakfast bar it came.
“Holy shit!”
She just smiled.
“Aye, angel. Canna I have me breakfast back please?”
She concentrated and back it went. Lese looked at Vlad. “See no scaring! Speaking of scary, where’s Mehmet?”
“Oh he’s hunting.”
Everyone turned.
Vlad grinned. But he spoke no more. Lese tried to touch his arm and he just gave her a look. “Fine, keep your secrets, Pops.” And she stalked from the kitchen.
Vlad had a fit of laughter.
“Pops! She’s got you Vlad,” Sophie giggled.
Gary was lost but at home all at the same time. “Sire, would you have time for some Q and A?”
“Aye, but it’s Lachlan, Lach or McCain. Sire is way too formal, got it?”
Gary nodded and the questions flew.
Hunting
Percy was here. Mehmet could feel it. He was his sire after all. He had a blood bond which was weak after all the years, but it was still there. Mehmet knew he could find him. That wouldn’t be a problem. The problem would come when he would have to return him to Vlad instead of having the pleasure of destroying Percy himself. He had warned him over 100 years ago to let it drop. That whatever he had in his mind was to be dropped. It was over; enough blood had been shed. Obviously, from everything he’d heard, Percy had not heeded his sire’s commands. Mehmet felt he was responsible, as he had sired him.
Percy was rogue now. Out of control. This needed to end. He would not let anyone inside Castle Dracula become a victim to this vindictive SOB. That wasn’t going to happen. Mehmet had made a call immediately after leaving the castle to the one other being he knew would not fail his orders—Nico.
Nico Angelov was a werewolf. He was the werewolf in the eastern part of Europe. He was the Alpha of Romania, and he owed Mehmet a favor. Today was the day he would cash in.
As Mehmet stepped off the cobblestone road of the small village he’d been wandering in and into the pub, he immediately knew they had been there. He smelled the stench of him and it pissed him off even more. He spotted Nico in the far corner table, Mehmet approached carefully, Nico was never alone. Mehmet knew he would have guards in the pub.
“Hello, Nico, my old friend.” He extended his hand and the werewolf graciously accepted.
“Ah Mehmet, you old son of a bitch, what brings you to my neck of the world? Well, besides a very unexpected mating and even more shocking, the naming.”
“Well, I see word travels fast. Yes, Lachlan took a mate. She’s lovely. I told him I wanted her, but no. He wouldn’t give her up.” The old Turk grinned.
“I bet not. I hear she’s stunning. I’ll have to drop in and see for myself. So, you came for help with a certain vampire, did you?”
Mehmet should have known. Nico would never miss a trick. He knew when any paranormal came into his territory. “Yes. Since you know, no need to go into the details.”
Nico had such an evil grin. It rivaled Vlad’s.
“Come, see what I have for you old friend.” Nico stood, and Mehmet followed him through a doorway concealed behind a curtain, down a dark corridor, and then down a set of stairs Mehmet was sure would give out under his weight. They stopped at a steel-reinforced door. Nico grinned like the cat that swallowed the canary. He swung open the door. There, chained to the wall, was a very bloody Percy.
“What happened?” Mehmet needed an explanation for Vlad.
“He tripped,” was all Nico would give him.
“How are those holding him? They’re just steel.”
“Oh, that’s the best part.” Nico reached for a syringe. “Liquid silver.”
“Shit, Nico, you’re as sadistic as Vlad.”
Nico just kept grinning.
“Now we’re eve
n. He’s all yours. Should we transport him to the castle?”
“Yes, at once. I will notify the Prince.”
And with that, Mehmet left and made his way back to his friends.
Mehmet arrived before dawn and was greeted by Vlad and Lachlan.
“Aye, Mehmet, did ye find anathing?”
“Yes, dear friend. Did you come up with any leads for us?”
Mehmet put up a hand to stop the barrage of questions coming from the two men. “When I left earlier, I put in a call to Nico.”
Lachlan beat Vlad. “Nico Angelov? He’s such a sadistic fucker!”
“Well yes, that’s true, but he’s also the best tracker in eastern Europe, so I thought we needed the help. He will arrive shortly to congratulate you… and for another piece of business.”
A knock came a moment later: Nico.
“Hello all! Miss me?” Nico was still grinning. Geez, did he ever not do that? He motioned to the van outside. “I came bearing gifts.” His two goons dragged Percy, still bleeding, from the cargo van.
“Well, I’ll be a son of a bitch! How?” Vlad needed to know. “And why is he bloody?”
“Oh that. He tripped.” Nico just kept grinning. “He was caught trying to drain a very close friend of mine not in my territory! Oh, this may come in very handy.” He handed Vlad a satchel. Inside were a dozen syringes filled with liquid silver.
“Damn, Nico. I think I love you.” Vlad was doing his evil grin.
“Oh Lach, I hear you took a mate. Congrats, man!”
Lachlan nodded. “Aye, thank ye, but she took me, made me a verra happy man. Would ye like to meet her?”
“Hell yes, I’ve got to see. Mehmet told me she’s gorgeous!”
“Aye, she is.” Lachlan closed his eyes “Angel, can ye come to the library? Someone wants to meet ye.”
She appeared in less than a minute. “Hey, fang boy,” she said as she nuzzled his neck while he wrapped her in an enormous hug.
“What were ye doing, angel? I missed ye!”
“Oh, helping Gary figure things out. Nothing that can’t wait. Did you want me for something?”
This time it was her turn for a grin—a very naughty one.
“Oh, angel,” Lachlan nipped her ear. “Always. But we have a guest. Nico Angelov, meet me mate, Annalese McCain Tepes.”
Annalese reached out to shake his hand, and she was hit so hard, she stumbled back. “Um, nice to meet you.”
“Angel?” Lachlan had a worried look.
“Oh Annalese,” Vlad spoke. “I should have warned you, I didn’t think it would happen unless you were trying. Forgive me.”
“It’s fine, I just wasn’t expecting all that.”
Nico was lost. “OK guys, I’m lost here. What the fuck just happened?”
“Me angel, she’s an empath. And when she touched ye—”
Lachlan was cut off by Nico. “She saw things she shouldn’t have, right?”
“Aye, and it was unexpected.” Lachlan still held tight to his mate.
“Well, Ms. Annalese, I am truly sorry for what happened. My world can be, uh, challenging and one must adapt or be overrun. But I must say, damn! McCain, how did you ever manage to get such a stunning woman to mate your ugly ass?” Nico chuckled.
Mehmet stepped in. “Lach, maybe you should take your mate upstairs. We have a package to handle, remember?”
“Aye,” Lach scooped her up with a very naughty grin of his own. Two by two, he took the stairs, Lese wrapped in his arms.
The men headed down with Percy in tow.
“Lachlan, don’t you have a guest?”
“Aye, Vlad will handle Nico, I’m hungry angel.”
“Oh,” she bared her neck, and he wrapped his arms back around her, his tongue tracing her ear. “Aye, angel, me hunger ‘tis not blood. I want ye. Canna ye feel it, Lese? I’m so hard, I may hurt myself. Didna want to share me hard-on with them, only you, angel. What you did the other night when ye were touching me, please do that again.”
She complied. She slowly pulled the belt from his jeans with a smile, then the opened the button. She deliberately went slowly. She knew exactly what her mate wanted, and she gave it to him. But it was fun to watch him try to breathe while she slowly, almost painfully, undressed him. Her fingers found his zipper. As she lowered it, he hissed.
“Oh fuck, angel, please.”
She peeled his jeans off. He had already kicked out of his shoes. One thumb on each side of him, she carefully relieved him of his boxers, the giant erection jutting out begging to be touched. She slowly went to her knees. Lips just an inch from the glistening head, she just breathed on it.
“Aye. Christ on toast, angel, touch me.” He choked out the words. Her tongue gently lapped his slit where a drop of his seed had formed, then swirling all around the head she grabbed his throbbing shaft and took him in her mouth. Lachlan spoke in some sort of Scottish Gaelic. She didn’t know the words, but she didn’t need to. Annalese was doing exactly what he loved. His words ran together. His knees were shaking, and he was struggling to find breath. She continued to stoke him from tip to sac and suckle and lick. His right hand buried in her hair like he was trying to hold on for dear life.
“Ye need,” he took a big breath, “to stop. Ah, Gods, that,” more breathing, “I’mma gonna come, angel.” He gasped. “Please stop before,” he panted heavy breaths. “I lose it.”
She looked up. “No, Lach. I want to taste you.” And she began again. This time she gripped his sack so tight he almost blew. Her tongue and lips were everywhere. Gaelic curses and prayers to the goddess came from Lachlan.
“Angel, please,” he gasped. “Are ye sure, I canna hold it much longer.”
She didn’t stop. Her mouth took him in and out.
“Oh, goddess, yes.” Lachlan screamed as he spilled.
She took all he had to give. He tasted sweet and salty and all man. Legs still shaking he pulled her up and his mouth met hers, his taste still on her lips. So much passion. His shirt came over his head. “Gods, woman, you’re gonna be the death of me, but aye, that was incredible. Now it’s my turn.”
He had her naked and on the bed in a flash. Lachlan started at her toes, kissing and sucking each one, then began to move up her legs, passing the place she wanted his tongue most. He kissed her mound of strawberry curls on his way up. He trailed kisses up her stomach, then stopping at her breasts, hand on one, massaging and tweaking her nipple, his mouth went to work on the other. Biting and sucking, fangs out, scraping the skin, Lachlan gave Lese a reason to pant now. He changed sides and gave the same attention to the other. His hand slid down and she spread her legs.
“Oh God, Lachlan,” she moaned as he parted her feminine flaps and his thumb gently rubbed her tiny bundle of nerves. She whimpered and moaned.
“Aye, angel, yer so beautiful.” He slipped a finger in and slowly started pumping in and out. His tongue found her core. Gods she tasted so good. When he withdrew the finger and inserted his tongue, she moaned even louder. “That’s it angel, let me know ye like it.”
And she did. She was in heaven—or at least she thought she was, until he wrapped his lips around her bundle and started sucking. Once he reinserted the finger, two that time. She was pulling on the sheets, thrashing. He bit, licked and sucked on her as his fingers pumped in and out. Her breathing was so heavy, that he knew she was close. While he worked his fingers, he sunk his fangs into her thigh and began to drink, just a little. That was it. She lost it. The biggest organsm she’d ever had crashed through her like a tidal wave. Lachlan continued pumping in and out just more slowly as she rode it out. He was over her. “Gods Annalese, that was the most beautiful thing me ever saw. Yer amazing, my love.”
He was poised at her core, knowing she wanted to be filled. “Lass, tell me, I wanna hear it, tell me ye want me.”
“Ah God, Lachlan, yes. I want you.”
She was so slick that he entered her in one stroke. Lese gasped.
“Ah, shit lass, d
id I hurt ye?” He tried to pull away.
“Oh, no!” She took a breath. “That is the most incredible feeling.”
He smiled.
God, he was perfect. She reached up and untied his hair. It fell around his face and she immediately put her hands in it. “Lach, I love your hair like this. So beautiful.”
Their bodies started to move in perfect rhythm. Faster and faster they came together, hair around his face. “Ah lass, I love ye unto me soul, I love ye.” He put his lips on her neck and she bared it for him. As his fangs pierced her skin, they both reached euphoria, and within a few more strokes, both were over the mountain calling out one another’s name.
He held her tight, rolling to the side their bodies still joined. “Gods, I love ye, angel. Thank ye, my love.”
“Hmm, what for, Lach?” She was feeling so good.
“Aye lass, fer everathing. Lovin me, mating me. All of it.”
They drifted off to sleep connected in every way.
Sunset brought the newly mated couple out of their slumber. Lese shot out of bed, running across their room and violently vomiting in the toilet. Lachlan was behind her in a flash, holding her hair and rubbing her back.
“God, Lach I’m sorry.” Lese spoke before she flushed. Then she grabbed her toothbrush. She finished brushing her teeth alongside her mate. Annalese thought to herself how happy she was. What a difference a couple of weeks had made.
“Hey, fang boy, I guess I’m not taking enough of your blood, You said I wouldn’t get sick and that,” pointing to the toilet, ”was definitely sick.”
“Aye angel, can ye do it now? Do you feel OK to try?”
“Yes, can I please? I love taking from you.”
Lachlan grabbed the knife and cut just above his nipple, on the opposite side of his dragons. She latched on quickly and he was instantly hard. The more she drew, the harder he got. Lese pushed his hand to his erection and kept drawing his blood. He grasped himself and began to stroke, while her hand found his sac. She squeezed. Lachlan continued to stroke himself and she grabbed his sack tighter, massaging him. Her lips left his chest and met his. He was breathing so hard and the Gaelic words were flying.