Keeping Cambria

by Kitty DuCane

  It’s now or never, Cambria. Give it your best shot.

  She kicked off her shoes and stepped forward to accept the sword. God, please let this be something light weight. She stopped in front of him, “Can I trust you?”

  The fool grinned again. “Probably not.”

  “You didn’t make it too heavy, did you?”

  He shook his head. “It weighs ten pounds. I figured you can swing that.”

  “Will your sword break it?”

  “Of course, sweetheart. I’m a hundred times stronger than you.”

  “It’s not really fair, is it?”

  He shrugged. “You asked for this, not me.”

  “Let’s make this interesting.” Cambria forced herself to untie her top and fling it to the floor. Cool air brushed her tits and her nipples quickly pebbled. His eyes grew wide and his nostrils flared.

  He licked his lips. “Nice rack.”

  Several men shuffled in the background. She didn’t dare steal a look at her opponent’s crotch, but hoped some of the blood in his brain had headed south.

  “How about ditching the skirt, Doll?”

  “Nope. That’s all you get.” If I’m lucky. She held out her hand. “And I need a hair band to keep this mop out of my way.”

  “Damn, you’re needy.” A pink band appeared in her hand, and she quickly used it tie her long hair back.

  Her nemesis held the hilt out to her. She sucked in a calming breath and let it out slowly. She held his gaze as she snatched the thing out of his hand and started swinging. He jumped back grinning. “You don’t play fair,” he said. “I like that about you.”

  She charged him again and he blocked her with his sword and moved to the left. The silent crowd surprised her. Why weren’t they cheering their leader on? “Of course, I won’t play fair. Hell, your damn sword alone outweighs me.”

  “Yes, it does. Where did you learn your sword skills?”

  “A girl doesn’t”—she swung at his right, which he easily blocked—“tell all her”—she followed with a jab to the middle which he easily dodged—“secrets,”—swing, “Mr.…whatever”—jab—“the fuck”—two hacks—“your name is.”

  She stepped back. Her arms were burning, and she couldn’t draw in enough air. She looked at him. There was something in his eyes, but she didn’t have enough oxygen in her brain to recognize it. She put her sword point on the floor and leaned on it. “Fuck. You’re not even sweating.”

  “I’m letting you do all the work.”

  “Thanks. If you’d stand still, it would even the odds.”

  “I’m sure the odds are in your favor.”

  She wiped her damp hair off her forehead. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Why aren’t you attacking me?”

  “I’m waiting.”

  “For what?”

  “For you to wear yourself out.”

  “I think, Mr. Vampire, I’ve already done that.”

  This time she saw his eyes gleam with amusement. “You’re laughing at me.”

  “I admire you, miss.”

  “Cambria,” she offered. What the hell did she care if they knew her name? She was approaching vampire toast time.

  “You’ve had enough?”

  She smiled and yanked her sword into the ready position. “Fuck, no!” And she charged him. Again, he blocked every blow, but he didn’t advance on her. She needed to get closer, so she kept swinging and advancing, and then she dropped her weapon and threw herself at him, right after she pulled her small knife from the hidden sleeve in her skirt. She saw the surprise in his eyes when she sliced something of his; she really didn’t know what and didn’t care.

  Her vamp blinked his eyes, and suddenly, she was suspended in the air, couldn’t move anything but her head. “You bastard. You cheating bastard.”

  “Damn woman. You almost sliced my dick off.”

  She glanced down where blood trickled on his jeans, perhaps where his leg met his hip. “Damn. I missed.”

  He held her gaze, making her wonder if her opportunity had come and gone with one slice of her knife. Then he threw back his head and roared with laughter. The rest of his gang joined in.

  I will not cry. I will not cry. She felt her lower lip quiver.

  “Oh, hell. She’s gonna cry,” someone in the back said.

  “Tears don’t work on me, sweetheart.”

  “I know Mr.—do you even have a fucking name? I should at least know the name of the man, wait, you’re not a man, the name of the vamp…no, no…cowardly, cheating vamp who’s going to fucking kill me.” She was shouting now, stretched beyond her limit. Defeat wasn’t something she could swallow, but she had only one regret. Well, maybe two. She hated that she hadn’t finished her mission, and maybe one more night with Venom and Viper would have been great.

  “I’m glad I heal fast.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Well, let me down and let’s see if I can do some more damage.”

  “Okay, but not with your knife. Swords only.”

  Her knife flew from her hand to his. “Chicken.”

  Several men laughed, but he didn’t scold them, or kill them, or whatever the hell vampire bullies did. Isn’t that what a typical gang leader would do?

  “Okay,” she answered.

  He released her, and she stretched the kinks out before walking to him to retrieve her weapon at his feet. She knew he wouldn’t chop her head off yet. Oh, no. He would play with his food first. She stooped and stood back up, leaving her sword on the floor. Instead, she launched herself at him, catching him around the chest. Unexpectedly, he toppled backward, taking her with him. They landed with a thud. His eyes rounded.

  “Do you yield?”

  He grinned as he looked down at another petite, but sharp knife buried partway over his heart. “All I have to do is blink, and you’ll be dead.”

  “You’re already dead,” someone said from the back of the crowd.

  * * * * *

  Judge McIntyre replied, “Probably so.”

  He grinned up at his brothers’ mate. She was hell on wheels, a damned good fighter—for a human. Clever, brave. He was almost jealous, but fuck, no way did he want a mate. He did let things get out of hand, and it was his fault. Hell, he never imagined she’d strip half-naked in front of a room full to the brim with horny vampires and werewolves. But that—apparently—was Cambria. She tried to tilt the hand any way she could, which was brilliant. No wonder she had survived hunting.

  Now she sat on his throbbing cock, only his jeans between him and her shaved pussy. His mouth watered at her tits, hanging close to his mouth like ivory globes, and with a need to flick a thumb over a rosy nipple. He had to hand it to his brothers. They were lucky as hell.

  And they needed to blister her hide so she couldn’t sit down for a fucking week.

  “Come get your mate off me before she ends my life.”

  The vibrations from his brothers’ shitkickers rattled against his back. He looked past her to the two standing beside them.

  Viper squatted down. “Damn it. I’ll help her shove it all the way in. Why in the fuck is she naked?”

  “That was her idea, and the challenge with swords was hers, too.”

  Suddenly, she was fully clothed in a long shirt and jeans, but she didn’t move, barely blinked. And that damned knife was still there, stuck on his ribs. A slight turn, a push, and it would slip off the bone.

  Venom squatted down and stared at him with the steely look of murder in his eyes. “Well, Cambria. What do you want to do? You want to finish off my brother, or do you want me and Viper to do it?”

  She swallowed hard. “This is your brother?” She never took her eyes off him, a warrior, wary, ready for anything. He purposely changed his eyes from green to the one blue, one brown and her surprise registered in her gaze.

  “Afraid so,” said Venom.

  “Why in the hell did you take your clothes off?” demanded Viper.

&n
bsp; “I needed an advantage, and I thought a distraction would help.”

  Judge thought about declaring that it was a hell of a distraction, but didn’t know which one of the three would finish shoving in the knife.

  Judge opened his mind to his brothers and allowed the whole ordeal to play like a movie from beginning to end. They laughed at her audacity and wit, and growled when they thought he’d stepped out of line. When the picture show finished, he asked, “Why didn’t you kill me, Cambria?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “I thought you were in charge of this crew, that I could negotiate my safe exit out the door. I can’t take on all of them. But if I had known you were their brother, I would already have killed you.” She stood up, assisted by his brothers.

  He didn’t miss the fact that neither offered to help him up. He stood and brushed the dirt off his jeans. The next thing he knew, Viper landed a left to his jaw. He stumbled back, but remained on his feet and rubbed his face. “I deserved that,” he replied.

  “If you weren’t my brother, I’d kill you,” said Viper.

  “And if I wasn’t your brother, this whole scenario would have played out differently, understand?”

  Judge wouldn’t apologize for having a little fun. Hell, she’d damaged him, not the other way around, but he would apologize because she deserved it. “Cambria. I’m sorry for toying with you. I would never hurt my brothers’ mate.”

  She glared at him and didn’t say anything, but her weariness beat against all the vampires and werewolves in there. Venom and Viper needed to put her to bed—to sleep.

  He headed for the door but paused and turned. “Remember, Cambria. You really didn’t beat me, because you are my brothers’ mate, and I couldn’t do anything but defend myself.”

  She charged at him, but Venom caught her. Both of his brothers glared, but he just traced out of there.

  He needed to fuck.

  Chapter Five

  Venom mentally told Gabe to find a damn car. He held Cambria up, her pain scraping down his souls. His beasts prowled, pushing him to kick Judge’s ass, but he, the man, didn’t want to. He knew Judge had agreed, like all the other men, to keep her wherever they found her unless her life was in danger.

  Judge was the master manipulator, had pushed them too far before, but he’d purposely placed his body against her back, had physically touched her. That alone was a killing offense in the werewolf and vampire communities. She reeked of Judge, but they couldn’t fault him because his scent was on her front. Hell, she’d thrown herself at their brother. But why hadn’t Judge read her mind, known what she had planned and avoided her?

  He’d also terrified her instead of trying to comfort her. But she had done the unthinkable and challenged him, and that’s all it took to engage Judge.

  The brothers had never backed down from a challenge, especially Judge, but he was, along with everyone else, impressed with her cunning, quick wit, and all-around resourcefulness. And, damn, the woman could fight.

  And it was hot as hell.

  He and Viper could work with her to improve her skills, but they had already decided her hunting would come to an end.

  Gabe indicated the borrowed ride was here. Venom scooped Cambria up in his arms and headed for the door. Viper ordered the man closest to him to contact Judge to put the club back together.

  He slipped into the back of the SUV and kept Cambria in his lap. Viper slid in and positioned her legs on his thighs. She was exhausted, he knew, but she was too quiet.

  Viper beat him to it. “Talk to us, Cambria.”

  She glared at Viper. “What do you want me to say? I was scared shitless, I almost killed your brother, I can’t lift my arms up anymore, and I’m extremely tired.”

  Viper stroked his chin. “So you don’t like to talk when you’re scared, almost killed somebody, and are sore, and tired.” He flashed her a smile. “Got it.”

  Venom felt a smile against his chest, and he wished they were all naked, skin to skin, just holding her, nothing more. Viper rubbed her feet again, something she seemed to like.

  He smiled. Their Cambria liked to be touched.

  And that was fine with them.

  By the time they arrived at their suite, Cambria softly snored in his arms. He couldn’t wait to get her clothes off, into bed, and ease the soreness in her arms. Viper opened the door and Venom got out with her, surprised she didn’t wake.

  Viper beat the doorman to the door and pulled it open. He dealt with the man’s mind as they entered the elevator.

  When the door dinged open, Viper followed him to his bedroom. Using his mind, Venom swept away the covers, and gently laid her down and dispatched her clothes. She moaned and turned on her side. Viper rolled her onto her back, and they both used their healing powers to soothe her arms. When they finished, they gently covered her and left.

  “How long do you think she’ll sleep?” asked Viper as a glass appeared in his hand, no doubt filled with their favorite Glenfiddich fifty-year-old scotch. Viper sank onto the end of the couch and chugged.

  Venom conjured himself the same thing, reclined in the oversized leather chair, and sipped his.

  His brother chuckled. “Damn, she was hot when she was fighting.”

  Venom didn’t say anything, even though he agreed. Something drifted in the back of his mind, worried him. He was used to agonizing about his brothers, even though they were virtually indestructible. But Cambria wasn’t, and even if and when they converted her, he doubted she’d be invincible. She was a female, the weaker sex—which suited him just fine. He liked women’s soft skin, the way a touch caused chills to rush in the wake. Skin was sensual, and he fucking loved it that way.

  Converting Cambria would strengthen her if she survived. None of Hell’s Hunters had even tried a conversion, because the outcome was unknown, a risk they wouldn’t take. Now that he thought about it, mating her could have killed her, too, but they’d been too lost in her tight rear and sweet pussy, driven by two internal beasts who had definitely overtaken their logical human minds.

  But that wasn’t what weighed on his mind. “Bro, what if Cambria doesn’t want to stop hunting?”

  Viper’s gaze shot to his. “Well, we’ll just let the wolf convince her that she can’t anymore.”

  The wolf was the seductive one, the one who wore you down with temptation and charm. “And how do you plan on doing that? She doesn’t seem like a woman who’ll just do everything we ask.”

  “Who said we would ask?” his twin answered with a grin, but Venom knew his brother better than himself. Viper never asked, he demanded, and it would be a joy to watch those two square off. His hundred bucks was on Cambria. She might take those petite knives of hers and give Viper a run for his money.

  “Would you make your mate stop something she loved to do?” he asked.

  “If it’s not in her best interest? Fuck, yeah.”

  Venom realized it was the wrong thing to do, but he had to agree; they and their beasts could never allow her to put herself in danger.

  In an attempt to change the subject, he asked, “Do you know this Steven Johnson she mentioned to Judge?”

  Viper bared his fangs. “No. Husband? Or lover?”

  Venom hoped neither. No doubt, Viper would kill the bastard without thinking of what it might do to Cambria. “Well, before you slaughter him, hold off until we find out what this is about. Maybe we can help instead of kill.”

  “Depends on who he is.”

  Viper’s gaze had turned hard, a look he’d perfected at a young age. Venom exhaled. He’d always been able to manage his twin—so far. With a mate thrown in the mix, he didn’t know if it was possible.

  * * * * *

  Hours later, Judge sat in an okay hotel with his twin, Jury, because Venom and Viper had the suite. Two blonds lay in the king-sized bed, which had been nowhere near large enough for four until he’d doubled its size. The smell of sex was abundant, but he loved the scent. Nothing beat the sweet smell of pussy.

&n
bsp; Fucked and fed. That was the brothers’ motto.

  His mind traveled back to Cambria. When she’d launched herself at him, he didn’t tumble back because of her weight. No, he did it because now his scent would be on her back and her front. Man, his brothers were probably pissed, but he couldn’t blame them, and he wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

  Lucky for him, his heart, like his other internal organs, was on his right side instead of his left. Everybody knew that except Cambria. If she had shoved it through his ribs, he’d thought about feigning death just to see her reaction. It was a lesson she needed to learn. Never hesitate when you have the upper hand. Hopefully at least one of the middle twins would figure it out and tell her.

  And he couldn’t read her mind, either, the only person he’d ever come across where that gift didn’t work. He needed to ask Jury to see if he could read her mind. Could be some twisted Hell’s Hunter thing. Maybe it was reversed, and Viper and Venom could read her mind and the rest of them couldn’t.

  Would feeding from her let him into her mind? He could kick his ass for not stealing a sip. Ah, he bet she tasted like smooth, warm bourbon.

  “You want to tell me why you picked two blonds who could pass for twins?” asked Jury.

  Judge blinked. Jury was the instigator, the one who poked the snake with the stick just for the hell of it to see if the snake would actually bite.

  “Did you fantasy fuck these two?”

  It was true. The two in the bed could pass for Cambria’s sisters.

  He wouldn’t apologize. “That’s exactly what I did.” He opened his mind to his twin and showed him the whole film, every time her skimpy skirt flashed the smooth flesh of her bare pussy, every time her firm, creamy breasts moved with every swing of her blade, every time her enticing ass flashed just to torment him. It was the most erotic movie he’d ever seen, and he would play it over and over in his brain until someone cut of his head or wrenched his sorry heart from his chest.

  Of course, the version he played for Venom and Viper didn’t have those steamy scenes. The younger twins wouldn’t get the whole erotic flick either—he respected Cambria too much for that. The youngest set of twins had come in late, and who knows what their eyes had focused on. For the rest of his men, he’d erased bits and pieces of tits, ass, and pussy from their minds. But there was one thing that topped family—his twin. Jury would appreciate such fine female flesh.