by Stacy Lee
“Explain to me again how you lost them and why you haven’t found her yet?” I growl to Emmitt. I have him by the throat holding him to the wall of his bedroom. The pain she had recently undergone is still tearing through me and I was outraged we hadn’t even left home to find her yet.
“Put him down, Dare.” Archer’s power laced voice fills the room. I sigh when my hand lets him go. He returns to his computer without a word. I ground out the attack as it happened having to share it or go insane with silent fury. They all knew what she was facing and I knew he was trying but it was taking way too long.
“I told you. They were driving down a major highway that was covered in trees causing me to use the infrared satellites instead of color, when four more trucks with the same amount of people in the same positions surrounded them. They then leap frog around several times till I can’t tell which truck is hers. I have followed three of the five trucks and none of them have turned out to be the right one. I am following number four now. They all stay hidden in the trees till right before they stop so I haven’t been able to get a clear shot of who I’m following till they stop. Then it’s too late and I back track to the leapfrog again and follow another one.” He sighs as he stares at the computer monitor intently.
“They have attacked her violently twice now. Both times her hunger subsides but doesn’t go away. It comes back quickly also. It was exactly two hours between the attacks. And both times someone drank from her!” I scream and kick the dresser away from the wall. The mirror resting on its top falls to the ground and shatters.
“We know. But holding Emmitt away from his computer isn’t finding her, Dare. He is doing his best. Just give him time, he will find her.” Bane tries to reason with me.
“Time! How much time do you think it will take for them to kill her?” I holler slamming my fist into the wall punching a hole clear through to the front room for the third time. I wanted it to be whoever’s head it was that was biting my mate, hitting my mate, abusing my mate and, if I’m right and I hope like hell I’m not, raping my mate! For Marnie’s sake and my sanity, I left this part off my details to the others. This animal would die by my hand, slowly and torturously.
“We will retrieve her, Dare.” Cash grits out. His face is pale as he to watches the monitors with Emmitt and Fin.
“How can they be satiating her hunger? It can’t be my blood, can it? I mean, she stays full a lot longer than she is now. Who could they possibly be forcing her to drink from?” I have asked the question after each attack and still no one has tried to answer me.
“Your brothers.” Angie’s voice rings out from the doorway. I was in such a fit I hadn’t heard her approach. I turn to stare at her.
“Excuse me?” What the hell? My brothers are all here.
“Remember I told you I had blood in my lab in Texas?” I nod. “As soon as Archer told me the truth I had Jack return for it before the fairies could move it. It wouldn’t hurt to have extra just in case.” She shrugs, I glare. “It wasn’t there. All the other blood I had stored is but your twelve bags, two each, is gone. Whoever is helping Striker knew I had blood stored in that lab. They might not have known I had yours, but if they looked it was easy to find. I mean, any idiot could figure my coding out. I had your initials on it and the date it was taken. So if the Stroli told someone what he needed all he had to do is look to see if I had any of yours. They found not just Dare’s but the brothers too. My guess is every two hours they are feeding her different blood to see if it kills her or sustains her.” She shoots me an apologetic look before continuing. I was just grateful to know what was happening, no offense taken.
“It won’t keep her full and it will probably be less filling with each time she takes the particular blood. Like if she has Cash three times in a row it will last two hours the first time, an hour the second and ten minutes the third. Basically she will become immune to it the more it is given to her back to back. In a bind if you were hunting it could work for a day or two if you had more than one brother here to trade off with but the same brother over and over wouldn’t last long.” She sidles to the bed and sits on her hands, rocking back and forth showing her distress over Marnie’s absence.
“How is that possible?” I bite out.
“Same DNA. Yeah, you are all different but certain points are the same, the point needed to feed her being one of them. It’s close enough anyway. The difference in the point is the difference in how long it lasts or heals or hurts or so on. Dare’s will always be best, he’s her mate and the one she’s bound to, but as I said, in a pinch your brothers will work but not for long. As I said, my guess is they are switching out right now. A different brother every two hours. Depending on how much they give her of each brother they only have roughly enough for two feedings that would fill her up of each type of blood. Now they also have that much of yours and it will last longer. So ten partials and two of you. That’s how much time you have. Thirty hours from the first time she felt full. Then they run out of blood.” She calculates out for us. “How long has it been?” She asks on a whisper.
“Almost six. They have fed her twice and the two hours is up in ten minutes.” I growl out. “She is still hurting from the last beating. I don’t think the blood is healing her only filling her.” Ten hours. It has been over ten hours total if you start counting when they took her. I throw another punch to the wall busting open my knuckles, again.
“And you causing pain in her already hurting body isn’t helping her.” Angie says quietly, almost skittishly, as if she is afraid to speak to me. I don’t blame her.
I hadn’t thought my destructive mood could hurt Marnie more but when I look at both hands, bloodied from hitting things, I’m ashamed of myself for putting her through more than what she has already went through tonight. I push my hands in my pockets then give Angie a nod of thanks. She returns it with a watery smile. Jack enters the room and takes a seat by his mate, scooping her into a strong hug. What I wouldn’t give to do that to Marnie right now.
“The fastest chopper we have is fueled and waiting. All you have to do is give me coordinates.” He bites out while dragging a now sobbing Angie fully into his lap.
“I have it! Look. It’s an old farmhouse four hours from here by truck. The chopper should do it in less than one.” Emmitt’s excitement is shared by all but me. Her two hours was up and her fear just sky rocketed.
“They’re back. Bring up the image of right now.” He nods and his hands fly over the keys. My heart drops when I see her body spread out on the floor and two figures entering her room. She pushes herself up using the wall but the little red image wobbles and almost falls before she catches herself on the window sill. “Hang on one more time Parvulum, we’re coming.” Not wanting to watch what I can feel I turn, leaving the room at a run.
Chapter Seventeen
He’s coming.
I could feel the hope in him, the relief, right before the anger returned and my door opened. I just have to make it till he gets here. I shove myself up against the wall, catching the window sill to keep from falling. The Stroli chuckles at my lack of balance. The Patronus approaches with a cup in his hand filled with a strong smell that I knew this time.
The day Cash took me shopping he snatched the receipt from the sales lady and I had playfully stolen it from him trying to see the total he told the lady not to tell me. When the paper slid from his hand it caused a paper cut. I laughed hysterically about the amount of cursing he did over the little bitty cut that healed even before we left the store. But it was the smell of his blood I remember most about the cut. It had a smokiness to it as if he had just stepped out of a burning building and his clothes reeked of smoke. The cup had the same smoky smell.
“Are we going to fight this time or are we going to behave?” He runs his finger over my exposed breast, pausing at the seeping wound that hadn’t healed a bit. Archer’s blood had at least closed the marks he left. Bane’s had done nothing but satisfy my stomach for half as long as Archer
.
“Fuck you.” I rasp out then plow into him. Only problem is I am so weak he doesn’t even flinch, only laughs. With a flick of his wrist he hits me so hard across the face I fly through the room to land on the wooden floor flat of my back. I try to flip over and crawl. I can’t make my body move. He sits straddling me. I clinch my teeth weakly. It doesn’t take him long to pry my jaw apart for the Stroli to place the stick.
I close my eyes and swallow as the cool liquid flows through my parted lips. I almost laugh as the taste of chocolate spreads over my taste buds. Chocolate and…..power. He had used magic before this blood was taken. I didn’t know all the details about their abilities or if magic would even stay in stored blood but that is what it tasted like. Where Dare’s always had two flavors now, I imagine Cash’s normally didn’t. It had taken The Binding to bring this out permanently in Dare’s blood. This was pure coincidence.
The Patronus left my arms free this time knowing I was too weak to fight. I reach for the cup pulling it away from him and closer to my mouth. I push their hands away and remove the stick so I can drink it uninhibited, they let me without a fight. I can feel my wounds healing as I drink prompting me to gulp down the blood at a frenzied pace. Not able to get it down fast enough, I stop breathing and force myself to swallow in quick succession.
“Cash? I would never have guessed that one.” The Patronus laughs out. I ignore him as I lick the cup clean as far as I can reach. If my hand would have fit in the slender cup I would have scraped the last remnants from the bottom but unfortunately it didn’t. His blood leaves me energized and renewed, not like Dare’s, but close.
“What mean, Cash?” The Stroli rasps out.
“It is said only one mate is predestined for each woman, but yet they let the woman choose. That never made sense to me. It has been my theory for a while that two or more men were meant for one woman, that’s why they have the challenge set up. When she chooses she could pick another man. They can one, two or all feel the pull towards her but only one will win. If she was already claimed by Dare, Cash would never have stepped on his toes. He let him have her because that’s who she chose. Cash is a hard man but he’s honorable, unlike Dare.” With his words I drop the cup to the floor.
“You’re lying. I feel nothing but friendship for Cash. I love Dare.”
Oh, hell! I loved the man.
Oh, shit! I loved the damn man and I just told this asshole and not the man himself.
Dare’s anger mixed with my own thrums through me. I pull back my fist and knock the Patronus off my lap with one punch, if the loud snap was any indication, breaking his jaw in the process. His howl of pain is satisfactory as I jump to my feet and dodge the approaching Stroli.
I had no chance in hell of escape but I could try. I fake to the left then dart to the right. His heavy legs don’t let him move fast enough and I slide past him for the door. I slam it shut locking it, knowing it would only slow them down for a minute. I take the stairs two at a time grateful the old house has power in every room but mine allowing me to see my way out. I come to a skidding stop as I clear the landing.
A man leans against the door frame to outside. No, not a man. This was something else. Not a Stroli or Patronus either. But still something just as deadly….
He is leaning casually against the frame, his legs crossed at the ankles, his left thumb tucked in the pocket of his jeans. His pale shirtless chest is ripped and broad showing off how potent he is. A shimmer of power glows around him pulsating darkness the likes I have never seen before. This man could break me with one flick of his wrist.
His light haired head is tilted down to the cell phone in his right hand as if he didn’t see me standing in front of him. I sidestep once and his muscles ripple with the movement. Oh yes, he knew I was there. I launch myself sideways and run. Looking over my shoulder I see him leisurely push off the door jam and stroll forward never looking up from the phone, like he has all day to catch me. When I reach the room I’m escaping to, I see why.
The door is boarded up completely. So are the windows. There is no way out and he is now lounging against this door just as he was before, he’s even still looking at his phone. With nothing else to do I back myself into the corner against the door and wait with my lip firmly tucked between my teeth.
The door upstairs crashes open and footsteps pound down the steps. The newcomer finally looks up. I gasp at the masculine beauty of the man but it is his eyes that throw me for a loop. They are smoldering liquid silver. I press myself tighter against the door, the fear inside me growing to dread. This was not a creature I wanted to mess with. This was a predator in every sense of the word and his feral gaze was on me.
Dumb and dumber finally make it down the stairs and skid to a stop both quaking in fear when they see Mr. Silver standing in the doorway. Both their aura’s pulse rapidly with their fear, or I imagine that’s what was causing it.
“Monty. We weren’t expecting you so soon. We have only tested three of the bloods. This was with Cash’s. She grew stronger and healed when Bane’s left her weak as a kitten. Archer’s healed her wounds but not her pains. We still have Emmitt and Fin to test.” The Patronus rambles nervously, his words slurred with the obvious pain in his jaw. However, Monty never takes his gaze from mine.
“Naveen Marnie Hannock. I have been watching you for years. It was a sad day when your Uncle died and I lost my informational contact on you. I had to have some of my lower Vamps keep watch over your whereabouts. They lost you in the woods of Yellowstone while trying to retrieve you for me out of the hands of those Beyers. I never wanted that fate for you. I knew what the birthmark meant the moment your Uncle told me about it. Your mother kept it a secret from me till she moved in with him when you were one. I had planned on taking you before you met one of the Brothers. I had such great plans for you and I.” He reaches forward to run one long manicured nail down my face almost gently. My body shutters in revulsion with his words and his icy touch. “If only Blaze would have kept a better eye on you we wouldn’t be here.”
“Who are you?” I ask in the strongest voice I can muster while jerking my face away from his reach.
“My girl, I am your father.” My jaw hits the ground along with the Stroli and the Patronus’s. Sensing things were about to go from bad to worse the Patronus turns tail and runs. Monty doesn’t bother giving chase and lets him flee. “I knew he was a coward.” His lips turn up into a feral grin, the tips of fangs showing.
“You’re a Vampire.” His grin grows with his nod. “You can’t be my father. Vampires can’t have kids.” I stutter out in disbelief. He throws his head back and laughs.
“Human’s and their myths. Of course we can. We can also walk in the daylight, eat garlic, survive a stake to the heart, and holy water is delicious.” His silver eyes glow with mirth as they begin to swirl hypnotically. My head starts to feel dizzy and my body heavy. “Come with me, Naveen. I will take care of you, forever.” Go with him. I needed to go with him. My feet begin to step forward on their own. His hand reaches for me and I find mine lifting to his. A blast of rage from Dare rips me out of whatever trance I’m in. I stumble backwards as if I was smacked.
“No. My place is with the brothers. That’s where I belong.” I want to say my place is with Dare but something inside me stops the name from falling as if the brothers as a whole meant more than just one name.
His smile turns to a sneer as he rakes me from head to toe. I want to close the top of my dress to hide from him but I know that would show a weakness to this creature and he would take advantage of any weakness. He was a parasite who preyed on defenseless humans. I wasn’t human anymore. I straighten to my full height and let the Vampire look.
“You always were strong. Your Uncle was meant to break you for me. Teach you submission, for when I came for you I would have little to do. Normally I would have enjoyed breaking you myself, however not being able to fuck you took the appeal away for me.” I involuntarily blanch at his words.
“You mean Vampires have morals? You don’t strike me as the type.” I spout off. His hand comes up as if to slap me but halts mere millimeters from my face. His icy fingers cup my cheek and red hot pain spirals through me, my body arches, a silent scream on my lips. His hand leaves and I slump back against the door, gasping. Dare’s emotions inside me intensify to overwhelming fury.
“I have enough morals not to sleep with my daughter, but I can be persuaded.” The grin that mars his mouth is one of pure evil. I would do good not to piss him off again. Whether he believes me to be his daughter or not, he would kill me in a heartbeat. After he raped, beat and tortured me to within an inch of my life. Then he’d let me heal and do it again till he no longer needed me.
“That idiot raising you did a piss poor job of teaching you anything. He may not have been able to get you to submit but I will have you on your knees begging me to stop before this day comes to a close. I didn’t kill your mother just to deal with that idiot brother of hers for years not to have you now. You belong to me not the Beyers Brothers. If you surrender to anyone, it will be to me!” He killed my mother? How is that even possible?
It was a drunk driver, or was it?. I know for a fact we had a wreck, I can remember the accident that killed her. But was the driver really drunk or had Monty made him do it with those hypnotic eyes? I didn’t have time to dwell on this right now. He knew about The Claiming and the surrender it called for but how much did he know about The Binding?
“So why keep me here? Why the blood? Why let dumb and dumber here knock me around if it’s you who wants me?” His silver eyes flash with annoyance.
“Striker says you bound yourself to Dare. He says you have to have Dare’s blood to live. You are part Vampire, I say any blood will do. The coward wanted to test all the brothers’ blood to see what effects they had on you before giving you a human to drain. I was busy so I let him and Striker have their fun till I could get away to retrieve you. Now we go home and I test your limits. We will see if you survive long enough to drink a human or if I kill you before you get the chance. And Naveen, I have no attachment to you. I will kill you if you defy me.” What was it with all these men wanting my submission or surrender?! What did I do to them? Do I have ‘I like to be beaten into submission’ tattooed across my forehead?