by Dakota Dawn
Conlin stepped near the vampire as he reached out to touch a wooden barrel. He couldn’t help but notice the way the man’s nose wrinkled, and he stepped back. Surely he didn’t stink. He was fresh from the shower.
“What kind of spices?” Darrin asked.
“All of them can be used. Bark from trees can also be added. We have ten flavors we constantly make, and ten more that are seasonal,” Ice Man said with a little enthusiasm this time.
“Do you have a strawberry and cocoa-bean flavor yet?” Darrin asked. The look in his eyes proved his mind was already working on a recipe.
“No.” Ice Man’s tone was frostier than ever this time.
Conlin personally liked Darrin’s idea. “How do you keep the blood from coagulating?”
“That’s a secret.”
He was starting to totally dislike this vamp. Wanting to mess with the icy vamp, he said, “Tristan told you to answer all of our questions.”
A vein popped out in Ice Man’s forehead. “We use elf blood to preserve each batch.”
Conlin couldn’t stop his surprised gasp. “You don’t kill elves, do you?”
“I bet these animals do,” Ghost spit out.
Joaquin cut Ghost an evil stare. “We are no more animalistic than humans.”
Ghost snorted.
The vamp snarled. “We only use a few drops per batch. The elves Zotikos lead us to happily give blood to keep us alive.”
“Why would they do that?” Darrin asked.
Fangs shot from Joaquin’s gums as he got in Darrin’s face and snarled.
Darrin flinched and took a step back.
“You’re not a real vampire. You’re a wuss. With you being the exception, the elves offer their blood for money and the assurance that if they need our protection we’ll be there for them.” Disgust oozed from Joaquin’s voice.
Anger flared in Conlin’s chest. “Leave my brother alone and do your job. Tristan told you to answer our questions, not to give us your opinion.”
“Damn straight,” Ghost added with a tilt of his see-through head.
“Whatever. It’s not like you’re going to be here for long. Follow me,” Joaquin said with a wave of his hand.
Pain splintered Conlin’s heart. What did Joaquin mean he wouldn’t be here long? Was the mated-bond thing a joke? Something deep in his soul didn’t believe it was a joke. Biting his lip, Conlin followed the mean vamp and wondered once more what Joaquin had been talking about. He could ask, but his chest ached enough as it was. Fear that his heart was in danger had him deciding to keep an emotional distance from Tristan and just enjoy being with the man while he could.
Looking over at Darrin, he knew they had to stay for a while longer. These vampires may not be nice, but they were teaching Darrin how to do more than barely survive. That alone was reason enough to stay.
Joaquin pushed a massive, carved wooden door open, and Conlin felt his heart pound in awe. His eyes widened to the point he feared they would pop out of his head. Thousands of bottles of Blood Moon Wine filled the cavernous room.
“Oh. My. Gosh! You guys produced all of this!” Darrin’s gaze whipped to the cold vamp. “You must save thousands of lives a year.”
To Joaquin’s favor, he looked humbled by Darrin’s observation. “Our job is, admittedly, very important.”
The realization of what Tristan was doing here strummed at Conlin’s heartstrings. With the Wyckoffs’ wine on the market, vampires weren’t forced to feed off humans.
“At least they are doing something good,” Ghost mumbled.
“How long will this wine stay here?” Darrin asked.
“Two thousand bottles of it were sold last night. In a few hours it will be shipped to its new owners. The rest will be sold in the next few weeks. This is just one of five holding rooms.”
A long whistle slid past Darrin’s lips. “This is amazing. How do you stop yourselves from selling this wine to humans?”
“Vampires go to our ‘Better Than Blood’ website. Humans only get to use the Blood Moon Wine website.” Joaquin gestured around the room with his long arm. “This wine is sold by word of mouth only. The vampires website is for members only and also has a referred by box that has to be filled out as well. If you name any of us, your order will go through without a hitch. If the reference is wrong or left blank, the customer gets a call from one of our fay employees who can sense others. This process makes sure humans don’t accidentally get the wrong wine.”
“That’s smart,” Darrin said with a nod of his head.
“We have to be if we want to stay as nothing more than a myth to humans.” Joaquin eyed them all.
“What? We haven’t told anyone,” Ghost defended them, His spooky eyes narrowing on Ice Man.
“I hope you’re telling the truth,” Joaquin snapped at Ghost and then froze them all with his icy stare.
“Calm down. We haven’t told anyone. I haven’t been around any humans except Conlin in a year.”
“You haven’t been within smelling range either?” Joaquin asked doubtfully.
“Yes, but I control myself. I never go near them,” Darrin defended himself.
“Good. Most new vampires can’t control the urge to drink from humans. You’ve got unnatural control or you’re lying,” Joaquin goaded.
At Darrin’s hurt expression, Conlin felt his blood heating up again. He stepped close to Joaquin and looked up at him. “Leave my brother alone.”
The vamp’s nose wrinkled when he got a good whiff of Conlin, and he stepped back. “Back down, little tiger. I’m just saying that’s some amazing control your brother has. I’ve never personally seen a new vampire who could do that.”
“Well, he can. Are we done with the tour?” he asked. He hoped so. As much as he admired Tristan’s winery, he didn’t care for Joaquin’s company at all.
“Yeah, if you two end up working here, I’ll show you all the holding rooms and supply rooms later. Follow me out.” Ice Man turned on his heel and headed out of the room.
Conlin took a last look at the rows and rows of bottles. Tristan and his brothers were responsible for all of this life-giving liquid. Pride for his mate billowed in his chest.
Chapter Seven
Conlin, Darrin, and Ghost entered the great room of the Wyckoff’s home to find several vampires watching a movie and a couple more talking at the bar. The mood was relaxed. Hope touched his heart. Could they fit into this place and finally find a home and friends?
“Let’s go to the sitting area by the windows. The view of the trees and body of water are beautiful.” Darrin headed for the set of leather chairs.
A few steps into the room, Conlin noted that every vamp in the room raised their noses and sniffed the air. All heads turned to them. One vamp’s eye twitched, and he rushed from the room. Conlin’s heart dropped to his stomach. The relaxed atmosphere was now charged with tension.
“Maybe we should leave,” Ghost whispered.
Darrin plopped down in a chair. “Maybe we shouldn’t. How are we ever going to fit in anywhere if we don’t try?”
“When did you become Mr. Social?” Ghost snapped.
“Since this place is full of vampires. No humans to tempt me,” Darrin replied with a raised brow. “Come on, have a seat. If they can’t relax with us here, we’ll leave in a few minutes.”
The trees waving in the breeze caught Conlin’s attention. He sat in a chair next to Darrin and watched them sway gently.
With a huff, Ghost floated over the chair opposite Conlin.
Feeling guilty, he looked at Ghost. “Where did you stay yesterday while I slept?”
Ghostly lips pursed disapprovingly. “While you were catering to Tristan’s wishes, you mean?” The spirit paused for a moment. “I was in Darrin’s room. He doesn’t mind my presence. Unlike your mean lover, I might add. What do you see in that guy?”
An ache started in Conlin’s temple. Why couldn’t Ghost and Tristan get along? “Don’t take offense. He’s not used to havin
g a ghost around. Give him time.”
“Try for Conlin’s sake,” Darrin said to Ghost.
Movement in the door that led to the kitchen caught all of their attention.
A man carrying a heavy panel of wood walked in with another man who had long silver hair.
The one holding the wood snapped, “You don’t have to babysit me, Luke. I can remember where the hole in the wall is. Who could miss it?”
“A dumbass prick like you, that’s who,” the silver haired man responded.
“Ha ha. Why don’t you go be old somewhere else?”
“Sal, one of these days Tristan is going to let me cast a spell on you.” The man rubbed his hands as if he couldn’t wait for that day.
“By the time that happens your old ass won’t be able to remember any spells,” Sal snarked and then called over his shoulder, “Neil, get your lazy ass in here. You don’t get paid for standing around.”
The trembling of Darrin’s hand drew Conlin’s gaze to his brother. “What’s wrong, besides their attitudes?”
“Luke’s not a vampire. He’s not human either. I can smell his blood. I’ll be fine in a minute.”
Conlin’s stomach flipped when Luke looked their way and then headed in their direction. He hoped Darrin could keep it together.
The older man walked right up to Conlin and extended his hand. “I’m Luke. You must be Tristan’s mate. Welcome to the family.”
Reaching out his hand, he took hold of Luke’s hand and was surprised by the man’s firm yet not intimidating grip. It felt good to not be expected to prove his manhood at every turn.
“It’s nice to meet you, Luke. I’m Conlin, this is my brother, Darrin, and our friend Ghost.” Conlin pointed at each as he said their names.
Luke’s astute brown gaze raked over Darrin. “Conlin, why don’t you go over to the bar and pour your brother a glass of wine.” It was a statement not a question.
As Conlin was getting up, a petite woman with midnight hair and bright-blue eyes walked into the room with a blond male wearing a tool belt and carrying a toolbox.
“Thanks for helping me, Neil. Just ignore Sal. We all know he has problems,” she was saying to the blond.
A groan from Darrin had Conlin whipping his attention to his brother. Fuck! Darrin’s fangs were out and his eyes were turning red. His brother closed his eyes and cupped his nose and mouth with his large hand.
Running to the bar, Conlin was surprised when one of the vamps handed him a glass of wine. He accepted it with a nod of thanks and rushed back over to his brother.
Darrin was lost in the world he always went to when temptation threatened to overwhelm him.
The female glanced worriedly at Luke and took a step in his direction. “Go outside for a bit, Milly. I think we have a baby on our hands.”
“I see,” Milly replied and then turned and disappeared into the kitchen. The swinging door shut behind her, blocking any sight of her. He hoped it helped block her scent as well. Going outside to the patio would definitely help.
Luke held his hand out for the glass he was holding.
“Is that a good idea? Darrin said you’re not a vampire. I’m guessing Milly isn’t one either.” He bit his lip and tried to figure out the best way to handle the situation. Darrin usually only went into a trance when humans were within a mile of their rented house. His stomach fell as he looked around the room and realized there were at least ten people in the room and most of them were watching Darrin. Ghost looked like he was about to cry. He hated to see Darrin this way.
“I’m old enough to handle myself, kid. Hand over the glass. It’s time we see how strong your brother is.”
Still not certain this was a good idea, but respecting Luke’s wishes, he handed over the glass.
Luke put his hand on Darrin’s shoulder and waved the glass back and forth under Darrin’s nose.
When his brother’s nostrils flared, Luke said, “That’s it. Come out of it and drink.”
Darrin’s eyes snapped open, and he grabbed the glass and wolfed it down. As he licked his lips, his eyes returned to their natural shade of green.
“How long have you been a vampire?” Luke asked as he took the glass from Darrin.
“One year, sir.”
“No need for that sir talk. Name’s Luke, remember?” After Darrin nodded, Luke added, “You did good for such a young vamp. Better than any fledgling I’ve ever seen. It takes most vampires at least fifty years to gain that much control.”
Darrin sniffed the air. “You’re not human, neither is Milly. She’s different, I believe. What are you two, if you don’t mind me asking?” Darrin questioned.
“That’s a good nose you’ve got there. I’m an elf and Milly is of the fay bloodline. She’s the cook around here. I keep the place clean and help her when she needs a hand. You boys getting the lay of the land yet?”
“A little,” he responded.
“The downstairs area is basically open to all the people who work here. The upstairs is another matter, though. Tristan’s rooms are on the right side of the house, Caleb’s are on the left, and Drake’s are at the rear of the house. Never try to go in their rooms uninvited. They have the right to kill you if you do.” Luke looked at Conlin. “You, of course, can roam freely through Tristan’s rooms since you’re his mate.” Luke shifted his gaze to Darrin and Ghost. “You two will need an invite or things could get nasty.”
Conlin turned to Ghost. “See. He’s not as bad as you thought.”
Luke chuckled and excused himself before heading over to the carpenters.
“Damn, we could easily have been killed when we came to your rescue, big bro,” Darrin whispered.
“Yeah, but he didn’t hurt you at all.”
Ghost snorted. “Speak for yourself. He’s spooked me back to our house several times already. Do you know how long it takes me to calm down enough to get back here?”
“No,” Conlin answered.
“At least two hours. The man is just plain mean.” Ghost sniffed and brushed at a nonexistent piece of lint on his shirt.
Rubbing his temples, Conlin said, “It’s getting late.” He looked around and found a clock that showed 5:00 a.m. The grouchy carpenter was mumbling about Tristan needing to get a grip. Conlin felt heat suffuse his cheeks when he remembered he was part of the reason the man was having to fix the wall. Tristan had pushed Booth’s head right through the thick wood.
“I’m ready to crash. How about you two?” he asked.
“Yep. I need some alone time,” Darrin answered.
“What about me?” Ghost asked.
“You can hang out in my living room while I hang out in the bedroom,” Darrin offered.
“Good. Now that everything is settled I’ll see you two tonight. Tristan should be back in his rooms soon, I guess.”
As they all went on their way, Conlin hoped things would improve with time. He tripped on the stairs that led to Tristan’s rooms and realized he was physically as tired as he was mentally. Watching his steps more carefully, he made his way to Tristan’s domain. Need for the vampire tingled in his balls and increased to his whole groin as he entered the bedroom and was surrounded by the smell of sex. As his cock hardened, he prayed Tristan showed up soon.
* * * *
Thud.
The sound of the baseball hitting his glove calmed his nerves. Conlin threw the ball back to Darrin and briefly glanced up at the star-lit sky. He took in a lungful of the night air and sighed in appreciation. Night air was the best. It was so clean and fresh.
“Earth to Conlin. When are you going to stop sighing like a lovesick pup and prepare to catch the ball?” Darrin asked with a hint of humor.
“I was just enjoying the fresh night air. It’s beautiful out here,” Conlin answered as he raised his glove. The ball hit it with a satisfying thud.
“Tristan’s backyard is huge. Perfect for throwing the ball around. That massive patio is cool, too. It has to be five times the size of our rent house,”
Darrin observed.
“Yep, at least that. The Wyckoffs sure know how to design a home,” Conlin agreed.
“Where is Tristan?” Darrin asked and then threw the ball.
“All the brothers are in a conference call with Vance, the vampire who was here five days ago. Something’s up, but I don’t know what it is. Tristan just says it’s nothing to worry about when I asked him, but I’m not convinced.”
“What do you think it could be?” Darrin asked.
“I don’t know, business trouble or vampire hunters. It could be anything,” Conlin replied after throwing the ball back to his brother. He laughed when Darrin almost dropped it.
“Vampire hunters? Do they really exist?”
“I’m guessing so. I heard two of the vamps talking about them in the winery last night. They didn’t seem to be concerned. Vampire hunters are easy to kill because they are just humans. Best to watch your back at all times, though,” Conlin warned.
“I will. How are you liking working in the winery?” Darrin asked.
“I like it a lot. It feels good to be part of something so beneficial.” His pride in Tristan and his brothers knew no bounds. The number of lives they touched each day was miraculous. Humans were spared becoming snacks and vamps could get a variety of life-saving drinks without leaving their homes.
“I feel you, bro. They are blood connoisseurs deluxe. Their wines have more variety than humans any day of the week. Each one I’ve tried has been excellent. The flavors roll off the sides of the tongue and leave a subtle desirable essence behind in your mouth.” Darrin’s eyes reflected his respect for the Wyckoff brothers and their business.
“That’s why the business is booming. Thank goodness there are a handful of vamps who can’t sleep during the day. That little group comes in handy when the phone rings and the machines need to be checked during the daytime,” Conlin commented.