“Marlee,” Sin whispered into her neck. When he had come into the room, she had been moaning. When he joined her on the bed, she had attacked him. Sin had not been able to resist the pull of their connection and so he had taken her again.
When he came out of the sexual haze they created, he looked down at Marlee—no doubt left, she was his.
“Sin?” Marlee muttered and opened her eyes. “Shit, that was real?” she whispered.
Sin smiled and nodded. “Very, and also very good.”
Marlee blushed and sighed, her eyes swung up to his and she frowned. “Wait, what is a mate?”
Sin stiffened above her and said. “Get dressed, we need to talk.”
Chapter Twelve
Talk? she laughed to herself, hell yeah, they were going to freaking talk. He had bolted from the room once again when she had asked her question. Who the fuck does that twice to a woman?
Although this time he had ordered her to come to his office when she was dressed. Fine, she was going to play this his way for the moment. She would go to him and allow him to explain what the hell was going on.
As she opened the door, she smiled to the man who was standing before her. He had been guarding her door, she assumed.
“Oh hi, Sin said I was to come to his office?” she said hesitantly. She had no idea the protocol here. Hell, the last time she had been here, she had escaped.
“I am your escort,” the man said.
“Oh good, I don’t think we have met have we?” she asked politely and then she closed the door behind her. She liked Cillian, and some of the other men she had met, this one not so much. She got some bad vibes from him.
“No, we have not,” the man said and continued down the hallway, assuming apparently she was expected to follow, which she did slowly. The manners of vampires were certainly something less than desirable.
Marlee shrugged and followed him as he walked down the hall and then another, until she was completely confused. Where the hell was his office? she wondered as they kept walking. Marlee went to ask the asshole vampire where they were going when he stopped suddenly and turned.
“Uh, okay, here?” she said and the man nodded slowly and then grabbed her arm. “Hey,” she yelled and then there was darkness.
*****
“Sire, Marlee was not in the room,” Cillian said slowly as he walked back into the office. Sin had come back throwing the books around, searching for something without a word to Cillian. The only thing the man did was order him to go and bring Marlee to him.
Sin’s head snapped up with a frown. “What did you say?”
“Marlee is not in the room,” Cillian said.
Sin close his eyes, damn it, when she had said the word mate, Sin had felt something in his mind click. Something long forgotten had rushed back to him. Instead of stopping to explain, he had left her. Damn it to hell. Would she ever stop running from him?
“She is probably pissed,” Sin admitted.
“Why?” Cillian smiled.
“'Cause she is a woman,” Sin said and shook his head.
The phone on his desk rang and Sin answered it, “What?”
“Sire, someone opened the back gate. The silent alarms as going off,” one of his guards said.
Sin had installed silent alarms years ago, however, only a choice group of trusted men knew the codes and where the sensors were located. One of them was on the back gate that few people used.
“Marlee,” Sin growled.
“Sire?” the guard said.
“Reseal the gate. I will take care of it,” Sin said.
“Sire, I am not sure what you are talking about, but one of the men is saying there are three vans leaving the estate through the gate,” the guard said.
“Fuck,” Sin roared and threw the phone. “Go to the house cameras, find out who the hell took Marlee.”
Sin called out orders as he walked down the hallway. As they entered the security office, the guards were already moving. Within moments, Sin knew he was betrayed by one of his own.
“Bring him to me now.”
Cillian barked an order and the room was silent. Sin stood still staring at one of his children hitting Marlee over the head, then opening the back door, and allowing strange vampires into his home.
Sin narrowed his eyes and stared at the strangers. They would not live to see the next night if he had anything to do about it. He heard the rustle of something behind him and he turned. Patrick.
“Sire, I don’t know why they are bringing me here,” Patrick whined.
Sin snapped at him. “Cut the act. You were caught on tape.”
It was as if a transformation took place. The weak, whiny vampire they had known suddenly hardened and glared at Sin. “Good,” he sneered. “I was sick and tired of groveling to you anyway.
“Patrick, where is she?” Sin ordered. He was still his child, and he would be forced to answer a direct question from his Sire.
The man laughed. “You don’t have to force me. I was left here to deliver the message. I have no problems telling you where your blood bitch is.”
Cillian growled, stepped forward, and punched the man quickly. “Show some respect.”
Patrick grinned at his second and then turned back to Sin. “Respect? Like he has shown us? How about Tara? How much respect did you show her?”
“Who?” Sin asked.
Patrick screamed. “The only woman who ever meant a thing to me—Tara. The one you drink from, the one who is meant to be mine. You never ask though do you, you just take. There is nothing anyone here can do, she is mine!”
Sin glared at the man and said, "I have no idea who you are talking about.”
“You wouldn’t, the powerful Sin Donovan, the Lord of Ireland, his word is law. You have drank from my intended,” the man growled and Sin’s eyebrows rose. Not possible, he would never take what is another mans.
“Explain yourself,” Sin commanded.
“The night before the rugby match, you called on Tara yet again. You had already sampled her, and couldn’t leave her alone. I told her to tell you about us, but she refused, eager to please the great man. When she returned she was so happy she pleased you, it was all she could talk about,” Patrick yelled.
Sin nodded. “There was a woman, however, she was claimed by no one.”
“She was claimed by me,” Patrick yelled. “She refused to tell you.”
“So because I drank from a woman who I had no idea was being claimed, you have allowed strangers on my property. You allowed them to take what is mine,” Sin roared.
“Yes, Dante knows how to treat his men. He allows them to stake their claim on women,” Patrick growled. “Once you are gone, Tara will no longer care about pleasing you. She will only worry about pleasing me.”
“Dante?” Cillian said as he saw Sin’s eyes grow black with rage.
“Yes,” Patrick laughed. “Dante is going to take over Ireland, and then Europe. He is going to show his loyal followers favoritism. Giving the blood whore to him solidifies my place at his table. Dante believes in the old ways. A vampire who believes as I do, humans are weak, we have to get them under our control.”
“When did you meet this man?” Sin asked.
Patrick laughed. “You should really look closer when you kill a vampire.”
Sin frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, you spout so much crap around here. How you wanted to take care of the vampires in Ireland. How you were going to lead them into a prosperous new world. What about those who you destroyed?” Patrick scoffed. “You killed Dante’s maker and left him for dead. He told us all about it. He was an innocent, and you walked away, leaving him in hell as he fought to live after you severed the bond with his maker.”
“I have never done that. Every vampire I have killed was rabid, and they had no children, they only wanted to kill humans,” Sin roared.
“Wrong, you killed Dante’s maker and left him in pain. You do what you want and do not care
about the consequences,” Patrick yelled back at Sin.
“You are right,” Sin said calmly feeling a rage he had never felt before. He held out his hand and Cillian put a stake in it. Without another thought, he jabbed it into his child and dusted him. “Find this Dante before the sunrise. No one will take what is mine, no matter who the fuck they are.”
Chapter Thirteen
It seemed like days since Sin began looking for Marlee, but reality was it had only been a few hours. But anything could happen to her in a few hours. He had looked over all his journals and diaries that could hint to this Dante. He had no recollection about this vampire, nor the type of people he might have. He had been lord for a long time, and even then he helped bring peace to Ireland and had even helped other countries out. He was tempted to phone Jager, but thought against it. He didn’t need to bring any unwanted attention to his territory with Marlee still in danger.
“Sin, did you hear me?” Cillian was looking at him expectedly.
“No, I didn’t. My head is elsewhere, what have you found?” he asked.
“Nothing we can use. We have gotten a trace on the vans that were outside the castle gates, we have a few trusted vampires who are going there now.”
“Trusted. I trusted Patrick too.”
“Sire, it is not your fault the boy was infatuated. She spoke nothing of being claimed by another, you did no wrong.”
“I can’t help but wonder, did they have the bond like I share with Marlee. Was she his mate?”
“Sin, look, I am going to be honest with you. I don’t think many of us find a mate, hell, we never knew it existed, and if she is having issues like you are being apart, then I would assume that this Tara didn’t have it with Patrick. We will get Marlee back.”
“Yes we will, however, my concern is what state I will get her back in.”
*****
Marlee woke, her head throbbing, trying to focus on anything that wasn’t spinning. She reached up and felt a nasty knot on the back of her head. Damn that freaking hurts. She went to look around the room and was shocked she was in a weird bedroom of some sorts. She went to stand, but found her feet were unsteady, and one leg was shackled to the bed, she fell backwards.
“So glad they didn’t do any permanent damage. I told them that you were my guest and should be handled with care. Seemed they got a little over zealous with their kidnapping. Then again, what do you expect with lazy vampires.” A man with dark red eyes and a leering smile looked at her when he stepped out from the shadows. Had he been there the whole time watching her?
“What do you want with me?” backing herself far away from him and against the brick wall.
“What I want, oh that is a loaded question. But since I am in a good mood I will enlighten you.”
Marlee once again watched as he started to walk around the room, almost as if he was stalking his prey, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
“I want Sin, well, I don’t really need him alive, but I want to take all that he values and crush it. My plan had only included taking his territory, but my man on the inside said he had grown this fascination with you. Something about forbidden fruit. Honestly, I don’t see the attraction. I would have picked a blood bitch that would have had more meat on their bones. They can take a thorough pounding. Granted, I admit you’re pretty to look at, but looks fade and soon you are left with an outer shell. But enough with the dramatics. Sin will come for you and trust me, I know he will, so when he does, it will be all too great to watch his face as I drain you dry and then kill him, taking over his territory, and all that lie within it.” The twisted bastard had made his way around to her, grabbing her hair right above where her nasty knot was, yanking her head to the side, then rubbing his nose along the side of her neck as he took deep breaths. When Sin did it, it turned her on, but now all she wanted to do was vomit. “I admit you do smell delightful, but not enough for me to keep you.” He threw her back in disgust while she scurried back against the wall.
“You’re a twisted son of a bitch you know that right?” She would normally not antagonize a vampire, but he down right pissed her off. She was not some damn pawn in a game of who is the better vampire.
“Yes I know, and it's kind of you to realize that. Just be patient, your time is almost up, and I won’t have to worry about your filth anymore.” He walked out the door without a second glance, leaving her alone to ponder her thoughts. Well the hell with that, she wasn’t going to sit back and let Sin rescue her yet again. She tugged more on her restraints and found that it was a solid metal chain, and it wasn’t going to come off with simple tugging.
Come on, Marlee, think, use your brain, dumbass. She went to stand and that’s when it hit her. Her bed. She could break it and free herself, now to do it without anyone else hearing her.
With ragged breaths, she moved around and was happy that even though she had the headache from hell, she had working movement of her hands. Grabbing onto the old bed, she moved it up and down, trying to get the old wood to break. If the wood splintered enough she could use it as a stake and kill the fucker herself. If he didn’t show, she would use it on whomever was stupid enough to try to hurt her. She wasn’t a damn victim, she was a mate to some hot as hell vampire, which reminded her she needed to have a seriously long talk with the hot as sin vampire when she got her ass out of the hellhole she currently resided in.
Voices could be heard outside her door as men walked back and forth complaining about dinner plans. Damn, do these guys ever think about anything other than food? she thought as she worked the wood some more. The bed creaked and moaned in protest as she kicked the wood some more. She had a small gleam of hope when she spotted the crack running along the board. Watch out, because I am going to kick ass and take names later, she thought as she proceeded to break the wood more.
*****
“The men found the vans but they were empty, had been stolen, and we are still no closer to finding her, Sire,” Cillian stated as he snapped his cell phone shut.
“I didn’t think so. The key is this damn Dante. Who is he?” Sin growled in frustration as he threw the paperwork off his desk. He was tied to his damn office, his castle keeping watch of all while his men searched for his mate. His mate, not theirs. He started to pace back and forth knowing that all eyes were glued to him. Tension radiated off him in waves, some of his people whimpered with fear and pain. He needed Marlee, she had a calming effect of him, unlike any other.
“Sire, I think you might want to take a look at this,” Cillian turned on the TV and reports started to come in on a serial killer killing woman and leaving a wake of bodies in dumpsters in the lower end of the town. All woman appeared to have been beaten and then killed by the snapping of their necks.
“Lower end, could he be down in that area?”
“We found the vans down there, I can send the men.” Sin nodded to Cillian before clicking off the TV and reading more. He pulled out his own notes and small journals of things he did before. He wasn’t much a note person, but after meeting with Cillian, he decided he needed to understand and appreciate everything he did to get to where he was.
Sin read over and over about various towns and nothing. He couldn't remember a Dante in any of it.
“I feel like I am beating my head against a wall, Cillian. Nothing makes a damn bit of sense. I don’t remember this boy, or his maker. I feel I should, but I cannot remember each life I took. If I killed his maker, there was just cause. I had reasons for each vampire I killed.”
Cillian only nodded and nothing else was exchanged for the longest time. Sin sat in his chair, frustration radiating off him. How could he have been so complacent with his life that he let others do his work while he stayed safe and locked away. Not happy at all, he picked up his phone and headed out the door.
“Sire, where are you going?” Cillian called after him.
“I am going to find Marlee and end this once and for all. I am so damn tired of waiting and not doing anything. If I am
out there, I will have a better sense than any other. I can feel her, Cillian. I can feel her fighting spirit, so I know she is alive, and right now she is pissed. It seems this mating thing is going to come in handy right now.” He rounded the corner to the security men. Tomas looked at him before bowing his head.
“Sire, I think we found something.”
“Show me,” Sin snapped.
Sin and Cillian followed Tomas into the small room that housed several cameras and security systems. He watched as Tomas hit many buttons on his computer before clicking a screen.
“There, we found the vans, but one of the men found a few things, and we might have figured out where he took her. You see this is for three vans, but only two were discovered. When we did a trace on vans going through various locations we found they made a purchase of gas just outside the territory. I did a location search and found only a few older houses were out that way. No one lives there. The town was destroyed some years back. So it would be my guess.” Sin watched as he brought the town up on the map, and then it hit him. Not even thinking he ran back to his office looking for something.
“Sin, you have this look on your face like you know something others don’t.”
“Do you remember the small town where we took down Mathis? He had created many children, and while most of them didn’t survive, they were not strong enough, a few did. Mathis had believed that blood and dominance over all equaled power. He had a twisted sense of humor, and took several children from small towns and villages making them his slaves for a time before he turned them to do his dirty work. That village Tomas showed me is where I killed him. I think I know who Dante is, and if he survived this long, I don’t know his power, but then again, he doesn’t know my wrath and the wrath he brought on his people by taking my mate,” Sin said with an icy chill. He didn’t need to say more as Cillian knew all too well what the score was going to be. Together they prepped his team. They were going to get Marlee back.
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