Bite (Bloodlines Book 1)

by Crissy Smith

  “So you trust me?” Jackson asked.

  “I’ve kept my eye on you,” Caspar told him. “Which I’m sure you’re aware of. If you haven’t turned against the humans or shifters you’re around yet I have to hope you won’t.”

  Jackson nodded. “And if I steal your boy away from you?”

  “What?” Caspar questioned.

  “I offered Kieran a job with me. If he accepts, he can choose where he wants to go. And it’ll keep him out of danger,” Jackson replied.

  Caspar glanced at Kieran before he laughed. “Kieran can decide where he wants to go and I’ll support him. He is one of the few agents that can make the decision to leave since he wasn’t commissioned by his bloodline.”

  “But?” Jackson asked.

  “He’s not going anywhere,” Caspar said as he looked between Kieran and Dakota.

  “I’m sitting right here,” Kieran snapped. “And again, I am not a child.”

  “Of course not,” Caspar agreed with a playful tone. “But are you going to leave Remy alone? Or your new girlfriend? How are you going to manage to keep your mind off what I’m doing if you don’t have access to my case? I’ve already gotten Sparro’s permission for you and Remy to be my contacts while I’m in the field.”

  Jackson sighed. “Well played.”

  Dakota pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. The way that Caspar and Jackson were fighting over Kieran amused her while making her feel good that someone else cared about him. So far both of Kieran’s options kept him close to her so she hadn’t complained. No one had questioned her claim on him.

  “I’m not abandoning you,” Caspar said to Kieran. “It doesn’t matter what is changing for you. I’ll always do what I have to so that you’re protected.”

  “I appreciate it,” Kieran responded with a small smile. “I don’t know what I want to do right now but I probably won’t leave the Organization.” He looked at Jackson. “Sorry.”

  Jackson shrugged. “I just want to see my friend. If you stay in town, I’ll still get to see you.” Jackson grinned. “As matter of fact, you’ll need a place to live. And I happen to have this suite or a bigger one that I would give to you. At no cost.”

  Kieran’s eyes widened and he looked at Dakota. She nodded. She knew how comfortable Kieran was here. She was as well. And she planned to spend plenty of time with him. It might be too soon to move in together, it definitely was, but that didn’t mean they would sleep apart. She still had her room so she could shift and they could each have their space when needed.

  “So?” Jackson asked.

  Kieran looked away from her, and Dakota held back a frown. With everything out in the open, she was ready to be alone with her man.

  “I’ll take you up on your offer. At least until I find a more permanent place,” Kieran said. “Thank you.”

  “Of course, that’s what friends do. We have some sites that have a kitchenette and more square feet,” Jackson offered.

  Kieran shook his head as he linked his fingers with hers. “I’ll stay in this one for now. I have good memories here.”

  Damn, Dakota knew she was blushing but since Jackson chuckled and nodded she didn’t mind.

  “I know it’ll take time for everyone to trust one another,” Caspar said. “But I think this is going to work out.”

  Dakota agreed. She ran her thumb over the pulse on Kieran’s wrist. He was more relaxed now than he’d been before.

  “How about a drink?” Kieran offered. “Remy ran out and grabbed a nice bottle of Scotch.”

  “Sure,” Caspar agreed.

  “Thanks,” Jackson said.

  Kieran rose and headed to the desk where they’d set the alcohol and glasses earlier. Remy followed him over. Dakota took the opportunity to stroll over to her partner.

  “Still sure you want to get involved in all of this?” Dean asked her.

  He was smiling but she could pick up a faint trace of nervousness from him. She patted his shoulder. “No doubt in my mind.”

  “I was going to tell you,” he said. “I wanted to tell you everything.”

  “I know,” she said. “And I understand that you had to do what Caspar and Sparro asked. I’m not mad anymore.”

  “You’re not?” he questioned with what had to be hope blooming on his face.

  “You never wanted the field like I did. I’m glad that you’ll be able to go into the labs and use your brain.”

  “I am too,” he admitted.

  Dakota laughed. “Besides, maybe you’ll make some brilliant research find and become rich and famous. I need a new car.”

  “Sure.” Dean nodded. “I’ll get right on that.”

  “Good,” she told him.

  “We’re okay?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she agreed quickly. “As long as I still get to see you.”

  “Well, we still have to have our Supernatural nights,” he said.

  “Right!” Dakota agreed. Every Thursday that they had the night off, she and her partner would get together at one of their houses and watch their favorite television show. On the nights they had to work, they recorded it to watch when they could. But they never missed an episode or watched it without the other.

  “As long as your man doesn’t mind,” Dean said tilting his head at Kieran as he approached.

  “I think that can be arranged,” Kieran said as he joined them. He held out two crystal glasses that Remy had purchased. The wolf shifter had stated that the Scotch he’d bought could only be enjoyed from proper drinking glasses.

  Dean accepted the alcohol. “So, no hard feelings?”

  Kieran laughed. “Of course not.” He clinked his glass with Dean’s. “Besides, my second favorite pastime is fucking with the lab nerds. You have no idea how much I can break a piece of equipment. It’s like technology hates me. So that’ll be fun.”

  Dean choked on the liquid he’d just swallowed. Remy walked up and pounded on his back.

  “The sad thing is he’s not joking,” Remy told Dean.

  While the men were distracted, Dakota leaned over to whisper into Kieran’s ear. “Your second favorite? What’s the first?”

  Kieran kissed her on her temple. “As soon as everyone leaves I’ll show you.”

  Dakota purred as she rubbed her face against Kieran’s neck. She really wished their guests would leave soon. She wanted some alone time with Kieran and she had no interest in talking.

  “A toast,” Caspar called as he lifted his glass.

  They turned toward the boss. Kieran kept his hand on her lower back to only slide it down out of everyone else’s view to rub her ass.

  “To new opportunities,” Caspar said peering at her and Kieran.

  “New opportunities,” they repeated.

  Dakota tapped her drink to her lover’s. “And so much more,” she whispered to him.

  Chapter Ten

  Dakota led Kieran by the hand into the bedroom. The drinks had turned into having dinner catered as everyone got to know one another better. She’d been dying to get Kieran alone but as the night had worn on, she’d noticed that Kieran had grown more and more subdued and pale.

  At one point in the evening, she’d overheard Kieran and Remy arguing about the fact that Kieran needed blood. Kieran had sworn he’d taken some earlier in the day but Remy had tried to insist that Kieran drink from him.

  If Caspar hadn’t interrupted, Dakota didn’t know what would have happened. But now that they were alone, she was going to get Kieran to drink from her. He’d refused her offer before but she was not going to let it go this time.

  “God, I’m tired,” Kieran said as they entered the bedroom.

  Perfect opportunity. “You’re hungry. You need to feed,” she said.

  Kieran let go of her hand and stalked away. “Don’t you start on me too. I know when I need blood and I just had some this morning.”

  “And then had one of the most emotional days of your life. Full of ups and downs,” Dakota pointed out.

&nb
sp; “I’m fine,” Kieran insisted as he yanked his shirt over his head.

  Dakota strolled over as she took in the faint scars on his back. The reminder of his time in captivity was hard for her to see. Normally a Walker wouldn’t have scars. Only in the most extreme cases where the Walker hadn’t had a chance to heal properly did physical evidence end up not fading away. While the thin lines crisscrossed his back and shoulders, they were almost unnoticeable. Still, it made her heart ache to see them.

  She ran her hand over one of the thickest lines. He stiffened.

  “I don’t need sympathy,” he said.

  “I know,” she replied before she leaned forward and placed her lips against the raised flesh.

  Kieran turned slowly and wrapped his arms loosely around her. “They’re ugly, you don’t have to touch them.”

  Dakota smiled. “They’re a part of you so I won’t ignore them. You’re a survivor, Kieran, and you should be proud.”

  “Proud?” he repeated. “What, that I didn’t die when I should have?”

  “Don’t say that,” she told him.

  “Why not?” he asked. “It’s true. Until Jackson arrived I prayed for my body to finally give up so I could just sleep. I didn’t care if I ever woke up.”

  “I’m glad you did wake up,” she said as she cupped his face. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be here with me.”

  Kieran shook his head. “Just ignore me. I’m tired.”

  “And hungry.”

  He tried to pull away but Dakota grasped his arms. She might not be as strong as him but she was a shifter so he would have to work to break her hold. She knew he wouldn’t take the chance of hurting her.

  “Please don’t,” he whispered.

  Dakota didn’t understand. Why was this so hard for him? “I know you can feed without killing. Why won’t you drink from me?”

  “I’m scared,” he said quietly.

  “Of?” she asked with a gentle tone.

  “What if I lose control and hurt you?” he asked.

  “You won’t,” she assured him.

  “You don’t know that,” he argued.

  “I do,” she said. “I trust you.”

  “I haven’t earned your trust. I can’t take the chance,” he said.

  “You have to,” Dakota encouraged. “I’m not going anywhere, and you need to drink. What if there was an emergency?”

  “I’d take blood from Remy. He doesn’t mind and I never hurt him,” Kieran told her.

  “If you can drink from him, why won’t you take from me?” she asked.

  “I hate that I have to drink from anyone. It makes me feel weak to have to depend on someone else for something that is essential.”

  “But if it’s essential you have to feed, I’m offering,” she said. “I would rather you take my blood than someone else’s.”

  “You don’t understand,” he replied. “It’s even harder for me to think about drinking from you than Remy.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  “Because I don’t feel the same way about Remy as I do you,” Kieran admitted.

  Dakota smiled. “Yeah?”

  “Yes,” Kieran said. “I don’t want you to hate me. I don’t care what other people think, I never have. But I don’t want you to ever think badly about me.”

  “I won’t,” she promised. She leaned forward and brushed her lips over his. His eyes were damp when she pulled away to look up at him. “But I want this. I want to share this with you.”

  Kieran sighed. “If this pushes you away, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

  “Trust me,” she told him. “That’s all you have to do.”

  “Okay,” he agreed.

  “Good,” she said before she kissed him again.

  Kieran pulled her close to his body and devoured her.

  Dakota opened to grant him access and melted into his hold. She loved it when he ran his strong hands down her back and cupped her ass. He lifted her off her feet, and Dakota wrapped her legs around his waist.

  He strolled forward as Dakota sucked on his tongue. He stumbled a little, and she laughed, having to pull her mouth away.

  “Get me to the bed,” she ordered.

  “I’m trying,” he said with a laugh. “I’m so fucking hard it’s difficult to walk.”

  Dakota wiggled her hips so that she pressed against his erection. He groaned and tripped. She squeaked as they fell onto the mattress, with Kieran’s weight pinning her down.

  “Fuck,” Kieran grumbled after they’d landed hard. “That’s not what I meant to do.”

  Dakota ran the bottom of her feet over the back of his legs. “I’m not complaining,” she said. “This way I get to touch all of you.”

  “Yeah,” he said as he pushed forward. His cock brushed against her pussy, and they both moaned.

  “Naked, we need to be naked,” she urged.

  “Wait,” Kieran told her. “If you want me to drink from you, I want to do that first.”

  “Or during,” she told him.

  “No,” Kieran said sharply. “Every Walker knows never to take blood when they’re making love. That’s something that is only done in books and movies.”

  “Oh.” She was kind of disappointed.

  “Just lie there,” Kieran ordered as he stood back up.

  “I like where this is going already,” she teased.

  Kieran grinned down at her before he ran his hand over the hem of her shirt and pushed the fabric up. Dakota lifted her arms to assist him. It wasn’t long before she was bared for him.

  “Now you,” she said.

  Kieran stepped back and removed his shoes, socks and pants. His erection bobbed in front of her, and Dakota couldn’t help but reach for him.

  “Not yet,” he said as he grabbed her wrist. “If you touch me now, I won’t make it to the really fun parts.”

  Dakota stuck her lip out in a pout. Kieran laughed then nipped her bottom lip, causing her to gasp.

  “That’s what you get for teasing,” he told her. “Now sit up for me.”

  She gave him a heavy sigh but complied. Excitement coursed through her as he sat beside her on the bed. Dakota tilted her neck to the side. He chuckled.

  “What now?” she asked.

  Kieran shook his head. “Don’t ever let anyone drink from your neck. The chance of the bite turning fatal is too high.”

  “There sure are a lot of rules,” she complained.

  “Just trying to keep you safe,” Kieran told her.

  “It’s not just me, though, is it?” Dakota asked.

  “No,” Kieran answered. “We’re taught by our families how to take blood. We are never to kill or our life is forfeit.”

  He hadn’t ever mentioned his family before.

  “Who taught you?” she asked.

  “My father,” Kieran told her. “But let’s not talk about that right now.”

  “Okay,” Dakota agreed.

  Kieran held her hand gently before lifting it. Dakota laughed, she couldn’t help it. “What?” he asked, clearly in surprise.

  “I was picturing a completely different scenario,” she admitted.

  “Not as romantic as you thought?” he guessed.

  “Yeah,” she agreed.

  “I know.” Kieran raised her hand and placed a kiss across her fingers before he released her.

  “What are you doing?” she asked him.

  “We don’t have to do this,” he said. “I know it’s not going how you wanted.”

  “K?” She grabbed his hand. “You’re not getting out of this.”

  “I really am fine,” he said. “And Jackson has even offered to let me use one of his donors if I need it. I prefer to hunt for myself but I’m taken care of.”

  “Hunt?” she asked. Dakota knew that Kieran didn’t kill people but hunting sounded serious. When she was in her jaguar form and hunted, she always caught her prey. Usually a small rabbit or something similar.

  “I use the bad guys that I capture to get my blo
od. When I feed people can have negative reactions. Remy usually gets a headache and humans might get nauseous. I would rather the effects hit someone I didn’t care about.”

  “That makes sense and is sort of perfect,” she told him.

  Kieran grinned. “I’ve always thought so.”

  “That doesn’t mean that I don’t still want to do it,” Dakota said. “I want to share this with you.”

  “If you’re sure,” Kieran said.

  “I am,” she replied.

  This time when Kieran lifted her hand to his mouth, Dakota was mesmerized by the way his blue eyes brightened and glowed. His fangs dropped down but she wasn’t afraid. Instead she used her free hand to grip his upper thigh. She might not be able to touch his cock but she’d be damned if she would stop from touching him at all.

  Kieran closed his eyes and moaned as he licked her inner wrist. She shuddered mentally, urging him to just do it. Kieran kissed and nibbled on her skin until Dakota was panting and wriggling around.

  “Kieran, do it,” she pleaded.

  “I will,” he promised. “Just relax.”

  “I am,” she told him. “Please…”

  “Lie back,” Kieran said.

  Dakota let her body fall against the soft mattress.

  “Close your eyes,” he ordered next.

  “I want to watch you,” she argued but did follow his directions.

  “Feel my tongue?” he asked.

  “Uh-huh,” she answered. Kieran was running his tongue up and down and along the veins in her wrist. Each swipe made the spark between them build until Dakota wondered if the little hairs on her body were standing up.

  “With your free hand, I want you to touch yourself,” he said.

  “I thought you said no sex during this,” she said then bit her lip. Why in the hell was she arguing with him? Dakota trailed her finger down her chest while spreading her legs open.

  Kieran’s cool hand grabbed her closest leg and pulled it over his lap so she was opened and bared.

  “You know what I want you to do,” Kieran stated firmly.

  She arched her back as she pierced her pussy with two fingers.

  “In and out,” Kieran demanded.

  Dakota hissed but started to ride her fingers. Kieran’s mouth came down onto her wrist again but this time his fangs pierced her flesh. She gasped while lifting her hips to try to get her digits deeper as Kieran sucked out her blood.