by Lucinda Dark
He shrugged. “Arrius was bad. As bad as they fucking come. The thing is, he had his share of enemies and there are supernaturals in this world that I’m sure laid low because he was there to police them. Who the fuck knows what will happen now that he’s gone. Who’s to say there won’t be someone like him cropping back up in the next few years.”
“There will always be someone like Arrius Priest,” I said. “Hungry for power with no conscience to tell them when enough is enough.”
Maverick grinned as he reached past me and clapped Torin on the back. “Good thing there’ll always be a Barbie Steele.”
I chuckled, adding, “And a Torin Priest and a Maverick McKnight.”
“Yeah.” Torin cast a small smile my way. “Especially now.”
“Yeah…” I trailed off.
Especially now that it’d be a long time before any of us died and it certainly wouldn’t be from natural causes. That was the life and death of a vampire hunter, though. You lived in danger long enough that you expected to die in it as well.
“Come on, let’s go,” Mav said.
Torin reached for my hand and I let him take it. As he helped me hop off the hood, I took Mav’s as well. I didn’t ask where we were going, and to be fucking honest, it didn’t really matter. Wherever they went was where I was bound to be. It was where I was meant to be. Through blood, guts, and glory.
Final Epilogue
Barbie
I ducked as my assailant flew overhead, a snarling mass of bloodlust and rage. As soon as he landed, he spun and dove for me once more. Without blinking, I slid one of my blades out of my back sheath and turned, slicing straight through his neck as he sailed past. Blood sprayed for barely a moment before the vampire's decapitated body disintegrated into ash. The head landed and rolled to a stop before doing the same.
"Nice work."
I turned as Torin approached and shrugged. "As much as I hate to admit it, killing vampires—as a vampire—is actually easier."
He chuckled as he reached out and caught me around my waist, pulling me closer. I tilted my head up and let him kiss me. A spark of hunger blossomed and soon I was opening my mouth and accepting his tongue inside. I dropped my sword, barely registering the clatter of metal on concrete as I leaned further into his embrace.
My hands sank into his hair and I crushed my front against his, feeling the presence of his cock hardening against my stomach. "What do you say we head back to the apartment and get a little freaky?" I asked with a grin.
Torin's chest shook with laughter as he bowed his head and turned his face into my neck. "Why the hell would I ever want a classy, romantic female when I could have you?" he asked, sounding as if he were speaking more to himself than to me.
I scoffed and shoved him away, before retrieving my sword and sliding it back into its place at my back. "Don’t know what you're talking about," I said. "I'm romantic as fuck."
I heard more than saw his eyes roll. "Oh yes," he said. "That, I can certainly see."
Huffing out a breath, I crossed my arms over my chest and turned towards the exit. "Well, if that's the way you feel, then maybe you don't want to get laid tonight."
I marched forward, ready to get the hell out of the underground sewers where we'd been tracking our prey in all night and get back to the shitty ass apartment we'd rented for the last several months if only to wash the stench of ash and blood off.
Torin's warm hands gripped my sides, whipped me around, and lifted me against his massive chest. He slammed his mouth into mine and that spark was back, but it wasn't long before he pulled away again. I groaned in dismay. "You're such a fucking tease," I muttered as he carried me to the ladder that would lead us back to the outside world.
Before, I might've taken offense to his treatment. But in the last couple of years, living and traveling with Torin and Maverick, I'd gotten used to it. I wouldn't say I'd grown soft, but if someone I didn't like was on fire, I might toss a glass of water their way now. It all depended. Love could make any woman change.
"I think Mav's coming home tonight," Tor said as we reached the ladder and he deposited me back on the ground.
And suddenly, I wasn't just ready to head home, I was ready to run all the fucking way there. I turned and raced up the rungs, punching up as I got to the top and flinging the lid closing us in away. I scrambled out of the sewer, glancing from side to side to make sure no one was around, and pivoted, waiting with barely restrained impatience for Torin to climb out. Which he did, at a much slower pace.
"Let's go!" I snapped, grabbing onto Tor's wrist as soon as he had emerged. I kicked the sewer lid back over the top of the hole we'd climbed from and then proceeded to drag him along behind me.
Torin's laughter rang in my ears and even though I knew I was acting a bit ridiculous, it made my chest ache in a way that felt kind of ... good.
We ran through the streets of Sorrento, Italy, dodging inebriated people as they were scattered across the cobblestone alleys in the early morning. I actually kind of liked this city. For a long time after we'd left America, I hadn't wanted to return to the place I'd been turned, but regardless of the fact that I was now a walking, talking, creature of the night—I still wanted to see the world. So, while we avoided Rome, we didn't exactly avoid traveling. With Torin's money and Maverick's computer skills, we'd managed to procure several places around Europe, Asia, and even South America. Wherever we went, we could find a place to stay.
A light sea breeze hit my face, dusting my skin in a fine layer of mist as I raced up stone steps just along the water, turning as I did and releasing Tor's wrist as I paused and looked out over the Bay of Naples.
"Barbie?"
I couldn't stop a smile from stretching across my face. Man, it hurt to be so fucking happy sometimes. "I'm coming," I replied as Torin reached out and linked our fingers. This time as we took off, it was less of me dragging him and more of us rushing home together.
We hit our street and I untangled his grip from mine the second I saw a light on in our third story apartment. "He's home!" I whisper-hissed before bounding up the outside steps. I hit the door at a run, flinging it open and throwing myself inside.
Mav stood there with his shirt off and his hair still wet from a recent shower. I didn't care that I was covered in ash and smelled like a dirty sewer, I jumped him, locking my arms behind his neck and my ankles at the small of his back.
"Barbie!"
I laughed and kissed him with abandon, only dimly hearing the sound of the front door closing as Torin came in as well.
"I missed you," I said when I finally pulled away.
Golden eyes glowed back at me and heated scales crawled their way over Maverick's chest. He smiled at me before wrinkling his nose and the gold faded back into a honeyed brown. "Jesus, you smell like shit."
I unlocked my legs and slid down his front. He jerked and reached down, snatching his towel before it could fall as well. I arched one single brow and he rolled his eyes. "I'm not doing shit until you get cleaned up," he said in response. "Hell." Mav's eyes went down to himself. "I'll probably have to shower again too."
"Hmmmm?" I hummed, grinning as I backed away, angling myself as I was heading for the only bathroom we had.
"Barbie..." Torin growled in warning. "I have to shower too. Don't—"
I turned and ran for the bathroom without a second thought, diving in through the open doorway and slamming the door just in time for Torin to crash into the other side.
"Don't break the fucking door!" Mav yelled. "Or we'll never get our deposit back."
I laughed, throwing off my clothes and weapons as I pulled back the thin curtain and turned the spouts so hot water came out. I may have been dead, but I wasn't completely heartless. I hurried through the motions, quickly scrubbing my skin and hair clean before hoping out. As I wrapped a towel around my front, I unlocked the door and yanked it open.
"Shower's yours again, boys," I called.
Torin ambled in, throwing me a dark l
ook that only made me smirk as he undressed and got in. I headed into the bedroom and stopped in the doorway as I found Maverick, still in his towel, lounging back against the headboard.
He looks good enough to eat. I sighed as Satrina's voice intruded on my mind.
Back off, I snapped internally. I haven't seen him in a week. It's my time.
Fine, fine, she replied. But hurry it up. I'm hungry.
Torin fed you this morning—or rather, it'd been that evening when I'd woken up, but whatever.
An image of Satrina's grinning face popped into my mind. I'm always hungry, Darling. Always.
I groaned and face planted into the bed, towel and all. I stayed like that until I heard the bathroom door open and the soft padded footsteps of Torin as he approached. They stopped in the doorway.
"What now?" he asked.
I turned my face out of the mattress and towards Mav, who watched me with a smirk of his own. "Satrina's hungry," I said.
The golden glow roared back to life in his eyes and twin palms smoothed up the backs of my thighs. "Hmmmm." I closed my eyes as Torin's mouth found the back of my knee. "What should we do about that, Mav?" he asked.
I reopened my eyes to see Mav shut off the tv and toss the remote away. He moved closer as his hands found my shoulders and pulled me up until I was kneeling on the bed. Torin gripped the ends of my towel and slowly peeled it away.
"I think we should feed her," Mav said right before he kissed me.
Torin's lips found the space where my neck met my shoulder and a full body shiver worked through me as the scrape of his fangs slid over my skin. My core clenched. Mav's tongue touched mine and sank into the cavern of my mouth as our lips collided again and again. I gripped the top of his towel and ripped it back, scrambling until I was seated directly over him.
"I missed you," I said again. I missed him every time he fucking left. Every time he or Torin thought it would be safer for them to go out on scouting missions alone, I always worried there would be one time they didn't come back. The fear ate me up inside. I'd come to rely on them so much. I was bound to them, body and soul. And if anyone fucked with them, I would rain holy hell down on the world.
Mav's mouth left mine and he sighed against me as I worked his cock into me. "I missed you, too, Barbie."
Torin's hands never left my back as he smoothed them down my spine. Maverick's fingers clenched against my upper thighs as I lifted up and slowly slid back down his entire length. I turned my head and looked back over my shoulder.
"You just going to sit there touching me, or are you going to do something?" I asked drily.
Torin groaned as he choked on a laugh. "So fucking unromantic," he murmured as he reached into the bedside nightstand and withdrew a small bottle. I tensed and then slowly released a breath as he brought his lubed fingers between my legs and smoothed them over my backside.
"Relax," he whispered into my ear.
"I am relaxed, motherfucker," I cursed as he slipped them inside.
Maverick groaned as I tightened all over, little sparks of pleasure and pain shooting through me. Torin slid his fingers in and out, twisting them and stretching me until I swore I'd burst out of my fucking skin. I could hear the gentle purr of Satrina's voice in the back of my mind as, after a few minutes, he pulled them out and left the room to wash off.
When he was back, I didn't even have the energy to tighten again as he settled himself behind me and I felt the heat of his cock against my back entrance. "Almost, love, almost," he whispered, gently kissing the side of my head.
I moaned as he entered, feeling stretched and full. My legs shifted and Mav's hands tightened over the top of my thighs. "Don't move," he ordered.
I had to. I had to fucking move. I couldn't sit still. I shifted again, pulling up and away and then sinking back down. Twin masculine groans entered my ears and I smiled.
"Fuck," Mav cursed.
"Yeah," I said. "That's kind of the point."
Torin's hand found my hair and gathered it all up until he could use his hold to tilt my head back and bare my neck to them both. I gasped as they jerked their hips in sync, both sliding into me in one go.
"Fuck fuck fuck." I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Torin's lips met my skin and they parted until his fangs touched me again. I’m going to come, I thought, the very second he bites me. But unexpectedly, he didn't bite down. Instead, he rested his fangs there—just on the edge of entering my skin—as he and Maverick began a slow, steady pace. One out. One in. Over and over again. Every once in a while, they'd both slam inside at the same time and I'd shoot to the very edge of orgasm, but then they'd pull out and start over again.
It wasn't until the third or fourth time that I realized they were doing it on purpose—they were taking me right to the brink and then pulling me away. I groaned and reached up, sinking my nails into Mav's shoulders and making him grunt.
"I swear to fuck," I said through clenched teeth. "If you don't stop fucking around and—"
I didn't get to finish my threat.
Torin's jaw clamped down and his fangs sank into my flesh. Fireworks exploded behind my eyes as I let out a keening moan. My core clenched over Mav's cock as I distantly heard him groan. Torin speared me from behind and within a few seconds, he followed us down the path of orgasm.
Reality came back to me as Torin pulled himself free of both my ass and my neck. He gently licked where he'd bitten before coming back with a warm washcloth. I flopped onto the center of the bed with Maverick on one side and Torin on the other. Closing my eyes, I sighed as Mav's chest pillowed my head and Torin curled against my back.
"I'm glad you're home," I said, my eyes sliding shut.
There was a beat of silence and then Mav responded, "I don't know if you'll think that when I tell you what I found."
My eyelids sprang back open and I lifted my head, glaring at him. "You just had to ruin the moment, didn't you?"
He shrugged with a wince. "Sorry, but it's important."
"Ugh." I sat up and pushed until my back rested against the headboard and I crossed my arms over my chest. "Fine, spit it out. What did you find?"
Torin rolled out of bed and reached for a discarded shirt on the floor. He tossed it to me and I shoved my arms into the holes before pulling it over my head.
Mav sat up. "I went to a supernatural bar in New York a couple of days ago and I heard something interesting."
Torin sat on the corner of the mattress as he dragged on a pair of boxers. "What was it about?"
"A high priestess for one of the Witch covens," Mav replied.
"The same coven as Esperanza?" I asked.
He shook his head. "No. A more powerful one," he said. "When I first heard about it, it was just something about the high priestess going missing. Now, there's a rumor that the priestess was murdered—by other supernaturals too."
Torin frowned. "Do you know what the priestess's name was?"
Mav grimaced. "Hecate."
Torin shot up from the bed and jerked my head in his direction. "What?" I demanded. His brows were drawn down low and his mouth hung open. "What is it?"
Instead of answering me, Torin kept his gaze on Mav. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Be fucking sure, Mav."
"Yes, I'm sure," he replied, frowning at Torin's reaction. "Why? Do you know—"
"Hecate isn't a fucking high priestess," Torin said, interrupting him. "She's not just a powerful witch. She's the most powerful witch—any witch named Hecate is descended directly from the Goddess of Witches, herself. Esperanza told me enough to know that, but I thought her line died out a long fucking time ago."
"Is it bad that it didn't?" I asked. "I mean, what does it mean if there's a witch out there like that? Do you think she'll try to pull what Arrius did?"
Torin shook his head. "No, no that's not the problem. The reason Hecate's line supposedly died out was because her heirs were hunted. Any witch with Hecate's blood is supposed to bring immense power to w
hatever supernatural drinks it."
"And that means..." I trailed off with my eyebrows raised as I waited. Torin shot me a dark look. "Hey, I don't remember learning about any witch named Hecate," I said, lifting my palms in surrender. "Most of my supernatural education focused on vampires and vampire origins."
"It means if there's a remaining heir to Hecate out there, then she's about to be in a world of hurt. Supernaturals all over the world are going to want to find this girl and eat her alive to attain her power."
I grimaced. "That doesn't sound good," I admitted.
Torin leveled Mav with a frown. "Get up and get packed," he ordered. "We need to go find this girl."
"Wait, what?" I blinked as Mav was already on the move. He got up and threw on a pair of jeans before he began to yank suitcases out of the closet. "Why are we rushing off to find this Hecate again? We don't want to eat her."
"No, Barbie," Torin replied. "But if anyone else manages to drink this girl's blood, we'll have a major problem."
"How do you know that?" I asked. "How powerful can Hecate's blood really be?"
Torin's eyes flashed red as they landed on me, and when he spoke, the baritone of his vampire entered his voice. "The last person to consume an heir of Hecate was my father."
My eyes widened. I didn't think. I just reacted. I jumped out of the bed and was suddenly at Mav's side. I grabbed a suitcase and started packing. "I guess we're going back to America, then," I said.
Mav looked at me and then leaned over and pressed a kiss to the top of my head as Torin strode out of the room, a cell phone already at his ear as he called ahead to a private jet he kept on standby. "Looks like it," Mav said.
Something wicked this way was coming.
Want more from the Barbie Universe?
Did you enjoy reading Barbie: The Vampire Hunter? Well, then there’s good news for you! More is coming from this particular universe. If you enjoyed the fast paced action and romance of Barbie Steele’s story, then you’re going to love the next series in the Barbie Universe.