Blood on the front of the lab tech he’d killed. Blood dripping down Evan’s arm as he bit into her. Blood splattering the car as he coughed.
He’d be a fool not to admit that it scared him that he’d passed out on the driveway. Waking up on the foyer floor had been not only painful but disorienting as well. Even now it took all of his strength to keep on his feet. He’d been pulled back from the brink. He didn’t know that he’d make it back if he collapsed again.
“I know I’m not as strong and fast as a lot of vampyr, but this is just embarrassing,” he said, turning off the water.
“Why?” Evan wrapped a towel around him. “You don’t like having a woman take care of you?”
His desire spiked and he pulled her into him. “You can take care of me right now.”
She snorted. “Come on, let’s get you some blood first. Then when you can keep more than just one body part at a time standing up, we’ll talk about going a couple of rounds.”
He kissed her head. “Fair enough.”
She dressed him as he sat on the toilet lid and then helped him into bed. She grabbed a stack of towels from under his sink and set them on the nightstand. She wiped his face, staining the towel red.
“Will it ever stop?” He leaned his head back on the headboard.
“We’ll find a cure.”
“Or I’ll die.”
She gave him a hard look.
He wasn’t trying to be flippant. Over the past week he’d come to terms with the fact that he was as good as dead. He actually welcomed the idea now.
“Sorry. I’m sorry.” He reached out and caressed her cheek. “But to be honest, the pain, the thirst, the utter lack of control… I wish it would end.”
Her eyes softened and he thought she was going to tear up again, but she didn’t. Instead she set down the towel and stood.
“I’ll see if Sue is ready.”
He grabbed her hand. “You know it’s not her I want.”
She gave him a tight smile. “I know, but you’ve had too much from me already. I need a couple days to replenish.”
She was right of course but with Evan at least he had been able to stop himself from killing her.
“I’m afraid,” he said. “Afraid I’ll kill them all the way I killed that tech.”
“You won’t,” she said. “I won’t let you.”
Evan opened the bedroom door and outside stood Danika, Mason, Sue, Matthew, and half a dozen others that he could smell.
Evan motioned Danika and Mason in; Sue followed close behind.
They stopped at the foot of the bed but Sue stared at him tentatively from across the room. For a moment no one spoke.
“Sue,” said Evan. “If you could please sit on the bed.”
Sue looked at Evan and then back at him. She walked around the side of the bed and sat near him. Her brown hair tucked behind one ear. The vein in her neck pulsed with life. He gripped the sheets tightly in an effort to keep from ripping her throat out.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hi.” Was the most he could manage. Everyone stared at him making his skin itch and his gut twist.
Sue laid her hand on his leg. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I missed you.”
He nodded but couldn’t speak. The thirst skittered through his veins and he dug his fingers into the sheets deeper. His gaze darted to Evan, pleading with her to help him.
She stepped forward but Danika stopped her.
“I think he’s fine.”
“I can feed you,” Sue offered. She raised her wrist to him and her arm trembled. He looked from Sue to Evan.
“It’s okay,” Evan said. “You can do it.”
Sue’s vein pulsed with the throb in his head. His gaze transfixed on her neck.
“Bite her, William,” said Danika.
“Feed,” said Mason.
William’s restraint broke and in a flash, he grabbed Sue by the shoulders and yanked her to him, biting into her throat.
* * * *
Sue screamed and Danika rushed to the side of the bed. William gulped down the blood.
“William, that’s not how we feed,” said Danika.
“He can’t hear you,” said Evan. She climbed up on the bed, and Sue’s terrified eyes locked on hers.
William swallowed fast and hard and Sue paled quickly.
“William, slow down,” said Evan. She eased closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder.
He growled in reply and bit harder, making Sue cry out and tears stream down her cheeks.
“William, stop that,” demanded Danika.
“He won’t hear you,” said Evan. “The thirst is too great.” She leaned over his shoulder and whispered in his ear. “Your mother was clutching her purse. You sat in the hall on the hard bench, remember. The day you met them. The first day. The best day.”
Nothing happened.
“Help me,” Sue whispered.
“William, let go of Sue,” Evan commanded. “Let her go.”
William reared back and slammed into the headboard, dripping blood down the front of his shirt. Evan pressed a towel down on Sue’s neck to staunch the bleeding. Mason swooped her up and carried her to the door.
“I got her.” Tommy took Sue from Mason’s arms.
William’s icy gaze stayed solidly on Evan’s face. She wiped the blood from his chin and the drips from his ears.
“Another,” he panted.
Evan looked to Danika, who was visibly shaken. “He needs more.”
Danika looked to Evan as if she didn’t even see her.
“I’ll get Matthew.” Mason called in the next donor.
* * * *
By the end of the hour, William had drunk from six donors, terrifying one after the next with his behavior. When the last donor left, he breathed a contented sigh and nodded. The bleeding had stopped for the most part, aside from the occasional nose drip. It was no longer liquid and pink but back to its original viscosity.
Danika and Mason stood close together. Danika appeared nervous, while Mason seemed unfazed.
“I’m sorry you had to see that,” William said in a voice almost his own. He held tight to Evan’s hand.
“What… what’s happened to you?” Danika asked. “Even when you were newborn you weren’t like this.”
“We don’t know,” answered Evan. “The vaccine he was given wasn’t meant for his kind. It’s killing him.”
“Then why did you come here?” asked Mason. “We don’t know how to cure him.”
“I didn’t know what else to do,” said Evan. “If he stayed there he’d be dead for sure. You have a company that makes synthetic blood. Surely you have scientists that can help.”
Danika shook her head. “My building is gone. Demolished. My company is in ruins right now. The last demon attack was so bad that even Selene and Neeman took off.”
“Took off?” asked William.
“They’ve been gone for three days,” said Mason. “Disappeared right after the message arrived.”
“What message?”
Mason and Danika exchanged a look. “My father is coming. For Selene and me.”
“He sent you a message to tell you that?” asked Evan.
“Yes.”
“But why would he tell you?” asked William.
“To frighten us,” said Danika.
“But Mason’s not scared of anything,” said William.
“Not us,” replied Mason.
“Us. Vampires,” said Danika. “To divide us and weaken us.”
“Has it worked?”
Mason’s gaze landed on her. “My sister ran. So yes, I’d say it’s working.”
“I brought something that might help,” said Evan.
“What’s that?” asked Danika.
“Weapons.”
* * * *
Evan settled William in his bed and then took a shower herself. The week’s events caught up with her and she sat in the tub and wept. She’d been reunited with her family and then b
etrayed them. She’d fallen for a man only to now sit by and watch him die. It wasn’t fair. But then things hadn’t been fair in the world for decades.
Finally, she stepped out of the tub and wrapped a towel around herself, realizing she had nothing to wear. She opened the bathroom door to find the doctor taking blood samples from William.
“Sorry.” She started to close the door and the doctor looked up.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m done here anyway.” He gathered his things. “We’ve never formally met. I’m Doc.”
“Evan. Nice to meet you.”
He nodded. “Would you mind terribly if I took your blood? William tells me that you were given a vaccine as well some years back.”
Evan nodded. “Sure.” She glanced around and found a table and chair. She sat as Doc set his bag on the table and opened it.
“Not sure what good my blood will do,” she said.
“Never know,” said Doc. “Could be the miracle we’re all looking for.”
She nodded, not understanding his meaning.
He spit on his fingers after removing the needle and rubbed it on her arm. The bleeding stopped immediately.
“William, you stay in bed till I get some answers as to what the hell kind of crap they put in you.” Doc toddled to the door.
“Will do.” He wiped a drip of blood from his nose and smiled at her as the door closed. “Alone at last.”
She returned his smile. “Doc did say you had to stay in bed.”
“He did, but he didn’t say I had to stay alone.” He gave her a charming, bright smile and her heart leapt at the sight. Despite the pale bluish skin tone and the deep purple circles, he looked like William.
For a fraction of a second she became self-conscious about him seeing her naked. It was silly; he’d seen her that way several times now. She hesitated but then stood and dropped her towel to the floor.
William’s ice blue eyes sparkled. She crawled across the bed and sat on his lap. His hands found their way to her rear and he gripped her skin as she threaded her arms around his neck and kissed him. She wondered what he thought of her body. Her scars and tiny stretch marks. Her wider hips and curvy shape. His hand trailed up her spine and pulled her closer. His arousal hardened beneath her told her everything she needed to know at that moment.
She lifted his T-shirt and tossed it aside. His pale, taut muscles quivered under her touch.
“Evan, I want you to know, in case something happens to me, I’m going to talk to Danika to make sure you’re provided for.”
She kissed his chest and licked over his nipple. “I don’t want your money.”
“I know, but if I go—”
She shut him up with another kiss. Her heart couldn’t take losing anyone else. Especially him. His lips grew from soft to needy in a matter of seconds. She lay down beside him and he stripped off his sweats and underwear.
He poised above her and kissed down the side of her neck. “I’ve loved you since you first arrived,” he said. “Every moment of every day since you came here, all I’ve wanted was you.”
She wrapped her arms around him and nipped at his shoulder. “I want you too.”
He slid inside her, making her claw at his back. He filled her so completely that she couldn’t deny the feeling that they were meant to be together. He kissed her hard and his rhythm increased. His thrusts grew more forceful and she tried to hang on.
“Hey,” she pulled his face so he looked her in the eyes. “Slow this time.” She wanted him all to herself. As much as she didn’t want to admit that he might not be around much longer, she knew that there was a chance they’d not have many rounds left.
She kissed him slow, letting her tongue glide across his lips and entangle with his. His muscles shook as he started again, the pace slow, every movement rubbing against her, the friction sending her higher into orbit.
He kissed down her neck, licking her collarbone and then nibbling on her breasts. The sensation sent her into overdrive. She tried to focus but drew closer to the edge of oblivion.
“William,” she moaned. Her body quivering with the anticipated release. “I love you.”
He swooped down and smothered her mouth with his. She grabbed his rear and pulled him inside her. Lights shot behind her eyes as her back arched and her muscles pulled tight. She cried his name and her breath caught in her throat as wave after wave of ecstasy overtook her. She was just starting to come down when William gasped and her name burst from his lips as well.
She rocked him through his climax until he fell on top of her completely spent. Her body hummed from the love-making. Terror and happiness mingled inside her at the thought of what was happening with them. She was opening herself up again. Making herself vulnerable to pain and heartbreak. She couldn’t help it though. William had shown her kindness she didn’t deserve and loved her despite her faults.
He gathered her in his arms and she kissed his chest, pushing away all thoughts of what might come.
“So what do we do now?” she asked.
He snuggled her closer. “I like what we just did. I wouldn’t mind doing that another hundred times.”
She laughed and then her stomach growled.
“But maybe we should get you something to eat first,” he said.
“There’s no ‘we’ in that statement,” she replied. “You have to stay here.”
“I’ll order room service.”
His jovial mood struck an eerie chord with her. She knew that his back to normal nature would only last as long as the blood did.
“I’m sorry about being a monster,” he said.
She looked up into his eyes that held nothing but sincerity. “It’s not your fault.”
He brushed the hair from her shoulder and ran a finger down her arm.
“I suppose this is how the vamp rogues feel. Their all-consuming lust for blood that drives them insane. I understand now.”
Her gut clenched at the thought. “But you’re fighting it. Trying to be better. To not give in.”
“Because of you.” His gaze met hers. “If you weren’t here I’d have killed Sue and Matthew and all the others. I’d have drained them dry without a care.”
“But you didn’t.”
“Only because of you.”
“I don’t believe that. Yes, I’m here and yes, I reminded you of who you were but deep down, you’re still you. You don’t want to kill people. If you did, you’d have killed them no matter what I said. You’d have killed me and Tommy on the way here.”
She could see in his eyes that he wanted to believe her.
She kissed him and rolled out of his arms. “I need to check on Tommy and get some food. I’ll be back soon.”
He watched her as she dressed in one of his shirts and a pair of pants.
“Why do I find it sexy that you’re wearing my ill-fitting clothes?”
She leaned over him and kissed his forehead. “Because you’re thinking about taking them off me.”
“Would it be sexy if I wore your clothes?”
She wrinkled her nose and envisioned him in her T-shirt and camo pants.
“Yeah, I didn’t think so either.” He chuckled.
“Try to get some rest while I’m gone.”
“Will I need it for when you return?” He arched an eyebrow at her.
She smiled and walked to the door. “Try to rest.”
He nodded and leaned back into his pillows.
She turned and her smile fell. A hollow ache settled in her chest. She prayed again that everything would turn out okay with him.
Chapter 21
Evan tried to keep herself from shaking as she closed William’s bedroom door and headed to the foyer. Down below Vampires swarmed the entrance hall. She recognized some of them from the coven house but most of them she didn’t. Danika and Mason stood at the entrance, welcoming people and pointing to the large atrium used for parties.
Danika spotted her and she whispered to Mason before heading for the stai
rs.
Evan met her at the bottom.
“You shouldn’t be down here,” she said. “You should be with William.”
“I need something to eat and I want to check on my brother.”
Danika looked haggard close up. Dark shadows puffed under her eyes. Her skin was unusually pale and several bruises on her forehead were being camouflaged by makeup.
“Why is everyone here?” Evan scanned the crowd.
“We’ve had this many and more arriving daily since Mason’s father announced he was coming. They’ve come to fight.”
Evan fought the urge to laugh. The Vampires that walked through the foyer weren’t fighters; they were businessmen and women. Spoiled rich people who’d probably never scrapped for anything in their lives.
“Your brother went with Sue to the barracks. You know the way,” said Danika. “But be sure to keep to the left barracks. Don’t go near the right one.”
“Why?”
Danika didn’t answer for a minute, she stared at Evan as if sizing her up.
“Because it’s full of newborn vampyr.”
“Excuse me?”
“We gave every human here a choice. They could stay as they were, or they could become vampyr. We’ve taken heavy casualties these last weeks. We need all the bodies we can get.”
“What about the vamps?”
Danika shook her head. “At this point we aren’t telling them. We don’t want to incite panic.”
“But if what you try doesn’t work, they’re in danger as well.”
“I’m aware of that.” Danika held her head high.
“William was attacked by vamps who’d been selling Vampire blood. They said vamps were turning into vampyr. If you want to increase your army, that’s where you should go, not to humans. There’s so few of us left as is.”
“Danika,” Mason called. “Sherman is here.”
Danika looked over her shoulder and then back at Evan. “You and I will need to speak. Until then though you may check on your brother and then you are to go back upstairs and take care of William.”
The hairs on Evan’s neck stood up. “I’m not your slave.”
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