Nightshade (1)

by Michelle Rowen

  His hand tangled into my hair as I explored his chest, sliding my tongue over his nipples and down to his stomach.

  Declan thought I didn’t know him, but I did. He was a good man who’d been through a great deal of pain in his life—both physical and mental—without being given any choice in the matter. Pain he’d have to relive every time he looked in a mirror. I wanted to take that pain away, if only for a few minutes.

  This wasn’t a completely selfless act, though. I wanted him badly. I’d wanted him since shortly after leaving the diner, the desire eating away at me until I couldn’t deny what I felt for him any longer.

  In a sea of uncertainty that had become my life, it was really nice to have a goal.

  I traced my lips lightly over his mouth before tasting him deeper. He hesitated for another moment before kissing me back; a moan escaped from the back of his throat. His hands were on my waist now, digging his fingers into my flesh as our tongues slid slowly against each other and an aching need built deep in my belly.

  I worked to unbutton and unzip his jeans so by the time I moved down his body again I was able to take him into my mouth. It was definitely enough to coax a dark groan from him, and, granted, it did not sound entirely human, but I’d cut him some slack just this once.

  “Jill,” he managed. “Please ... you’re ... you’re making me lose my mind.”

  Along with the lust in his voice I could hear concern. He was afraid of losing control and hurting me.

  “Trust yourself,” I murmured to him as I slowly got back to my feet. “I’m not afraid of you. And I want you so badly right now that I think I’m going to lose my mind.”

  I directed him over to my bed and pushed him back on top of it. I pulled his jeans off the rest of the way, taking off his boots as well until he was hard and naked and beautiful lying there before me.

  “Do you want me?” I asked. “Or do you want a shot of your serum?”

  He looked up at me with deep need. “I want you.”

  I pulled my loose tank top off over my head and stepped out of my jogging pants and cotton panties. Then I crawled up on the bed to straddle his body, rubbing myself over the head of his erection.

  “I want you, too,” I whispered. “So much ... you have no idea ...”

  I began to ease myself down on him an inch at a time until he was fully sheathed inside me. He was big, so there was a moment of discomfort as my body adjusted and stretched to accommodate his size. Then I brought his hands up so he could cup my breasts.

  “See?” I breathed. “Not so bad after all, is it?”

  He groaned as I began to move on top of him. “Oh my God ... Jill ... you feel ... so good ...”

  I smiled, but it was shaky now. I could barely concentrate with the intense feel of him inside of me—this dhampyr.

  My kidnapper. My protector. My enemy. My friend. He wasn’t a monster like he thought he was. A monster could never make me feel this way. In fact, no man before Declan had ever made me feel this way.

  “You weren’t out of control before, you see that?” I dipped my head so I could whisper in his ear. My hard nipples brushed against his chest. “You just wanted this.”

  “You,” he corrected. “I wanted you.”

  My lips found his and I kissed him, losing myself to the incredible sensation of his body against mine, his body inside of mine.

  Then his hands were on my back and he rolled us over so he was now on top. In this position he was able to thrust deeper inside of me.

  Damn, he was a very fast learner.

  I gripped his shoulders as a wave of pleasure crashed through me and I cried out. I scored him with my fingernails, desperately hoping I wasn’t causing any more scars.

  “I never thought ...” he began, but he didn’t finish whatever he was going to say. The next moment he swore, then groaned my name as his thrusts became faster and harder. I held on to him tightly until I felt him shudder his climax inside of me.

  He was so still for a few moments that I thought he might have passed out, but then his mouth was on me again in a deep kiss that left me breathless and panting and wanting him again.

  “What were you going to say?” I asked, stroking his face, my fingers trailing over the edge of his black eye patch.

  “What?” he breathed against my lips.

  “You said ‘I never thought,’ but then you didn’t finish.”

  “I never thought it could be like this for me.” Then he frowned. “Did I hurt you?”

  “No.” I smiled up at him. “Did I hurt you?”

  His lips twitched. “Not too bad.”

  There was the sound of his cell phone then and the momentarily open expression he’d had shuttered. “That’ll be Carson wondering where the hell I am.”

  “And will you tell him you’ve been banging the very cooperative prisoner?”

  I got an amusingly stern look for that suggestion. He leaned over the side of the bed and retrieved his phone then pressed it to his ear. “Yes?”

  I ran my hand over his back. How could I ever think he was ugly? There was nothing about Declan Reyes that was remotely unattractive to me anymore.

  Wow. I’d just deflowered a twenty-eight-year-old dhampyr assassin. This was not a claim I could make every day.

  His back tensed as he sat straight up. “Yes, sir. We’ll be right there.”

  He hung up.

  “What?” I asked.

  He looked at me over his shoulder. “Carson wants to meet with us. Both of us. Now.”

  “What about?”

  “He didn’t say. Sounded important, though.”

  “Are you going to tell him you’ve stopped taking the serum?”

  “I’m still not entirely certain I should have stopped.”

  “Declan ...”

  “I’m keeping it on me just in case.” He leaned over the side of the bed and grabbed his jeans and started putting them back on.

  “Fine.” If he didn’t inject, it didn’t matter if he kept it on him like a security blanket or a teddy bear. I slid my hands over his broad shoulders and down his bare chest. “Are you sure we have to go right now? Can’t it wait just a little bit?”

  A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Probably not a good idea to keep him waiting.”

  “Kiss me one more time and I’ll come with you without any further argument.”

  He turned, his gaze searching mine as if he was waiting for the other shoe to drop, for me to pull away from him and call him a monster. What he would have seen was a very naked woman who wanted exactly what she asked for. He pulled me to him and brushed his lips against mine.

  “Am I getting better at this?” he asked after a moment.

  “Much,” I agreed. “But there is still a great deal of work to be done.”

  “I am a hard worker.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  After another heated kiss, he pulled away from me, then grabbed my clothes, such as they were, and brought them to me on the bed. His gaze turned concerned. “When was the last time you felt ill from the Nightshade formula?”

  “This afternoon.”

  “And you’ve felt okay since then?”

  “Relatively speaking, yes.”

  “I know you don’t like Carson, but he’s trying to find a solution to fix what’s inside of you. And I believe he can do it. You don’t have to try to escape again.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind. But the jury’s out until we find out what he wants right now.” I pulled on the jogging pants and tank top as Declan retrieved his own shirt from near the door. Declan had such faith in Carson, it was amazing to me. I didn’t like the man, didn’t trust him, yet I was supposed to wait for him to make some proclamation about how to save my life.

  I was tired of waiting.

  “Jill, I don’t think we should say anything to Carson about what just happened between us,” he said.

  I raised an eyebrow. “Are you embarrassed?”

  “No, of course not. But
he wouldn’t understand. Any slipups to do with the serum will worry him. You’re optimistic about the outcome of this experiment of mine, but he’s more of a pessimist.”

  “And if he found out we’d been together ...”

  “That would tell him all he needs to know. Being on the serum full-time would prevent that.”

  “Fine. I won’t say anything,” I agreed. “It’s your business what goes on between you and your adoptive father, not mine. My main concern is what he wants to do about me.”

  It was very simple. I’d get the answers I wanted or I’d demand to be released, no questions asked. And I wanted that phone call I’d been promised when we got here two nights ago. I felt confident that the solution to my problem wasn’t far off now. I needed this poison out of my veins.

  I’d waited damn well long enough.

  16

  “PLEASE SIT,” CARSON SAID AFTER DECLAN AND I took the stairs to the downstairs lab where I’d been examined two days ago. Several file folders sat on top of a long silver table there.

  I didn’t sit.

  Dr. Gray was also there. “How are you feeling, Jillian?”

  “Right now? I feel okay. Considering the fact that you threw me in with a hungry vampire yesterday and I just escaped having my throat torn out by one of your adorable little dhampyr babies, I’m still breathing.”

  Obviously I wasn’t trying to win friends and influence people anymore.

  She flinched and her smile vanished. “I’m very sorry for everything, Jillian. I mean that.”

  I wondered if they could see my afterglow or smell Declan on me. I almost wished they could. Carson had kept him on that serum for so long without even testing how he’d react if he was weaned off such a powerful, behavior-modifying drug. Did he really look at Declan as a son or just as a hard-edged tool that took orders without any argument?

  Declan had claimed he was going to protect me, but now I felt protective toward him in return. However, I had to keep reminding myself that I was the newbie here. A civilian. I didn’t know what kind of setup they had or just how valuable it was to the future of mankind. My personal grudges were meaningless in the shadow of, as Noah had put it yesterday, a vampire apocalypse.

  I stood close to Declan, almost close enough to touch. I respected his wish to not let on that anything had happened between us even though I could still feel the imprint of his hands on my body like a brand.

  I still couldn’t believe how quickly I’d gone from hating him to wanting him in my bed. It was not usual for me to be that forward, but he’d seriously given me no choice. And when you wanted something you should take it, especially if the object of your desire was ready, willing, and able to be taken.

  What I didn’t know was how Declan would fit into my life when I was cured and went back to my normal life. I didn’t want to think about it at the moment, mostly because I knew he didn’t fit at all. And he never would.

  The thought made a hard, painful lump form in my throat.

  “Have you had any more side effects from the Nightshade?” Carson asked.

  “Not in the last few hours.”

  “But you’ve experienced signs of your body trying to reject the formula today?”

  “Yeah. Twice. Each time I felt like I was going to die.” I narrowed my eyes. “And I don’t appreciate being locked in a room like a criminal or being thrown in front of a vampire as bait to prove a theory.”

  “Do you want an apology from me?” he asked evenly.

  I really didn’t like this guy. “For starters. And then I want some real fucking answers. That would be a nice change.”

  I nearly jumped when I felt Dr. Gray’s hand come over mine and squeeze it.

  “Carson’s manners toward you have been less than exemplary.” She glanced at him. “I won’t let anything like that happen again without Jillian’s express permission. Do you understand?”

  He leveled his gaze with hers for a moment before he nodded. “Fine.”

  The boss lady laid down the law and the men obeyed. I kind of liked that.

  “Please, Jillian, have a seat,” Dr. Gray said.

  I looked at Declan, who nodded to me almost imperceptibly. I sat down in a chair at the table next to the one Dr. Gray chose.

  “How did your little dhampyr experiment get loose?” I asked unpleasantly.

  Dr. Gray and Carson exchanged a glance.

  “I have the right to know.” I felt deeply shaken by the entire experience. “It almost killed me.”

  Dr. Gray folded her hands in front of her. “I’m afraid there’s no reason behind it except incompetence. The guard positioned in the holding area this evening took food to it. It attacked the guard, and once it tasted blood it became uncontrollable. Another guard got in its way and also was killed. It was a very strong reminder of how we can’t underestimate a dhampyr.”

  I shuddered at the knowledge that two men had been killed tonight. “Declan’s a dhampyr. Do you underestimate him?”

  “Declan is different.” She glanced coolly at him. “A very rare and very important example of what can be created between a vampire and human if all elements fall perfectly into place. All the strength and power of a vampire, but with humanity and reasoning. We value him deeply.”

  “If you say so.”

  “Don’t you believe me?” she asked.

  “What I believe doesn’t matter.”

  “You’re wrong. Your opinion is important to us, Jillian.”

  “Why? You don’t even know me.”

  “I know you’re a very brave woman. You have an inner strength that has helped you get through this unfortunate situation.”

  “I’m not brave or strong.”

  “You are. More than you know. Which is why we need to speak with you now.” She glanced again at Carson, who had his hands clasped in front of him, his mouth set in a thin line. He looked tense.

  Declan was watching our conversation intently, his brow slightly furrowed.

  “You need to speak with me about what?” I asked. “I’m really hoping you’re going to tell me that you have that antidote to the Nightshade formula you promised me.”

  “We do.”

  I let out a gasp of surprise at her quick answer. “You do?”

  She nodded. “Yes. We had it couriered directly from a lab in New York. It arrived only an hour ago. It’s a specially developed serum used to cleanse and purify blood after it’s come in contact with a parachemistry-created toxin. It’s been used successfully in the past and I’m confident that it will work in your case as well.”

  Relief washed over me with every word she spoke. This was my answer, finally. I couldn’t believe she was actually confirming what I’d been hoping for. “Thank you. You don’t know what this means to me.”

  Her warm hand closed over mine again. “Before I give it to you, there are things you must know. Decisions you must make.”

  Declan looked confused. “What kind of decisions?” he asked.

  Dr. Gray pulled one of the file folders closer to her. “Jillian, what do you know about the situation with the vampires right now?”

  “I know that they look human until they get hungry. They’re drawn to me because of my blood. Then they change and look more like monsters.” I shivered at the memory of the woman in the diner and Tobias in the locked room. “I also know that the research program is stationed here in Silver Ridge because it’s close to the heart of Matthias’s vampire clan.”

  “Where did you get this information from?” Carson asked sharply. “Did Declan tell you this?”

  “No, it wasn’t him.” I bit my bottom lip. I didn’t want to reveal my source of info since I wasn’t sure if he’d get in trouble.

  “I told her,” Noah said, entering the room carrying a clipboard. “Sorry. I was shamelessly eavesdropping. Figured now was a good time to make my presence known before my ears started to burn.”

  There was a red mark on the side of his forehead from where I’d hit him with the chair ear
lier. I felt a sharp jab of remorse about that.

  “You weren’t authorized to tell her anything, Noah,” Carson said sternly.

  “She had a right to know.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Dr. Gray said. “If you hadn’t given Jillian the basics, I’d be giving them to her right now.”

  Noah immediately looked relieved that his penchant for curiosity hadn’t killed the cat this time. He glanced at me and smiled as he rubbed his head. “You know, you’d be a great baseball player. You nearly knocked me right out of the park earlier.”

  I bit my bottom lip. “I’m really sorry about that, Noah.”

  He shook his head. “I probably would have done the exact same thing in your position, so forget it. I already have. Then again, I may have a slight touch of amnesia.”

  I smiled back at him, but my lips trembled. I felt nervous sitting here. Why didn’t Dr. Gray just give me a shot of whatever this blood cleanser was and we could be done with this once and for all?

  “The horror stories about vampires can wait until later,” I said. “After my blood’s normal again I’d be more than happy to hear anything you want to tell me.”

  “Not just yet,” Dr. Gray smoothed her hand over the top of the file folder. “First, you need to know about Kristoff. The previous king.”

  I looked at her skeptically. “Why do I need to know about him?”

  “When he ruled, vampires were a well-behaved and controlled species. Because of their aversion to sunlight and need for human blood, they can’t blend well with human society. But they were able to survive in small numbers for many years.”

  I tried to be patient. “How long?”

  “Centuries, at the very least. No one knows exactly how the first vampire was created or when. What we do know is that they can deliberately and selectively spread a virus to a human with their venom in order to create a new vampire. This is how they multiply, since vampire females are barren. Male vampires can only mate with a human female.”

  “And that’s why you have your ... research ... here?” I couldn’t think of a better word other than freak show to describe her experiments with dhampyr babies.