Mar felt herself drifting. Shadows collected behind her eyes. It wouldn't be long before she faded out completely. “Glenny? Tell him to bring some coffee, okay?” She snuggled into Neeren's warm chest and stroked his arm. “I'm going to sleep for a bit now. Love you, kitten.”
Chapter 20
Her hair was a disaster. Alex pushed the tangled mess out of her eyes and studied herself in Collum's bedroom mirror. They'd arrived in Vancouver about twenty minutes ago. His apartment took up the top floor of a building with amazing views of the Pacific Ocean. A set of stairs in the far corner of his bedroom led to a private rooftop patio. Her hands shook a little as she wiped dirt off her face.
Glenn paled momentarily after seeing her and Mar. But only momentarily. He pulled himself together damn quick. Alex wondered if anyone else noticed. The man was as fierce as anyone she'd ever met. Composed. Quiet. Resilient. As soon as they arrived he'd ordered Neeren and Collum to put the ladies directly to bed.
Surprisingly, or maybe not, her brother did as Glenn asked without question. Neeren’s eyes barely straying from Mar's pale, sleeping face. She'd lost so much blood. Alex was terrified for her. They all were.
Glenn followed Alex into her room with Tylenol, warm tea and cinnamon buns. When she'd asked for coffee, he responded with, “You drink tea after a traumatic experience. You may have coffee tomorrow morning.”
He'd patted her cheek. Anger flashing behind his parental demeanor. She hugged him before he pulled away. He smelled like cinnamon. The scent wrapped around her like a wool blanket. Like home.
She stood in front of the mirror now, sipping her tea, waiting for Collum to return with contraband coffee. When she'd asked him to find them coffee, he blanched.
“You want me to steal coffee? From Glenn's kitchen? Princess,” he'd said with a groan, “you're asking me to take my life in my hands.”
He'd gone though. She was so in love with him.
Her dress was ruined. Her hair a mass of knots. A fine layer of grit covered every inch of her skin. Her fingernails were chipped and broken. Rust mixed with blood from scratches she'd given herself trying to claw open the bars. Her ring sparkled against the dirt. Thankfully they'd hadn't taken it from her. As she studied it her hands began to shake. A cold, clammy tingling crept up her chest to her neck. Alex grasped her chest. Her breath came out in short bursts. Behind her, the door opened and she turned to Collum in a panic.
The smell of caffeine filled the room. Steam rose from a cup in his hand. He walked to her and calmly set the cup on the dresser. His large, warm hand covered her smaller cold one. He stroked her fingers. His thumb rubbing over her ring. Over and Over. Slowly he lowered himself to his knees and rested his head against her stomach. Tears spilled down her cheeks.
“I'm so sorry, princess.” His shoulders shook. The words spilling out in a guttural cry full of remorse.
Startled, Alex lifted his head. “This isn't your fault.”
Collum sat back on his haunches, gripping her hands. “It is.” He continued before she could say more. “I'm not asking for forgiveness. Won't put that on your shoulders. You, my beloved, were taken to lure me to Madrid. Who I am, places you in danger. Every. Damn. Day. I should have remembered this. I’ll never forget again.”
Heat poured through Alex's chest as she studied her lover’s face. Images of him tearing apart her cage like it was made of chopsticks, flooded her mind. His face had been hard as stone. Fire burned in his eyes, but he'd still smiled at her. Told her to “stand back, princess,” and winked at her. His wink kept her sane. Kept her from falling apart until they got home. He was perfect. He was everything.
“I love you,” she said simply.
He lifted her in his arms and carried her to a bed covered in charcoal gray sheets. It was a man’s bed. Two pillows. No bed skirt. Built from distressed wood. Massive windows looked out over Stanley Park from the twenty-ninth floor. How many times had she walked past this building before she'd known about this world? Had he been looking out the window when she'd wandered by?
Collum placed her beside the bed. Stripped her out of her torn dress. Removed her bra and panties. They were black lace. She'd picked them especially for him. She remembered feeling sensual when she'd put them on, thinking about how he'd tear them off her. He removed them gently now. Did not touch her with passion, but with care, like she was broken. Her thoughts cleared. She grabbed his hand. Forced it to her breast.
“I'm not broken.”
His gaze stroked over her. She felt his fire like a heatwave. Burning away all trace of her fear.
He nodded. “You are not broken.”
“I'm not a doll.”
“You are not. You’re a fierce warrior.”
“And what happened isn't your fault. It's Jason's.” She cupped Collum's face in her hands. “Do you believe me?”
His slow sensual smiled ignited a fire in her belly. “Yes. I believe you.”
“Good. Now carry me to the shower, lover-mine.”
~ ~ ~
He massaged her scalp with magic fingers. Warm water pelted them. She'd laughed when he set her in the shower and she'd seen Head and Shoulders shampoo.
“I like how it smells.” He’d teasingly pinched her butt.
“Show me,” she'd flirted back.
He did now with firm fingers, lathering soap in her hair. Massaging suds through her scalp, across her neck.
“Under the water, princess.”
He placed her head directly under the shower spray. She closed her eyes and groaned in approval. His hands wandered over her breasts. To her waist. Over her hips. Soap slid down her skin, mingling with his hands, like lotion. With increasing pressure, he massaged down her thighs and legs. She kept her eyes closed. Water tickled under her nose, across her lips.
Slowly he made his way back up, leaving a trail of fire as he went. He ignored her most sensitive spots. She whimpered. Tried to force his hands back below her aching belly. His laughter vibrated through her body.
“Not yet. I promise you’ll be rewarded.”
He kissed water from her eyes, wiped a few remaining drops off her face as he pulled her out from under the water. His hands, full of conditioner, massaged her scalp. The smell of apples filled the small space.
Alex leaned into him, purring. Little claws poked out of her fingertips.
Collum growled in the back of his throat. “Put those away, princess.”
Instead she reached behind her and scratched his upper thigh. Her flame tattoo, already vibrating, crawled along her arms and wound its way around her hands and his upper legs. His hands stilled in her hair. He growled again. Trailed love bites along her shoulders. She rotated her hips, grinding into his growing manhood.
“Collum? Do you remember when I said yes to marrying you.”
He stilled. “I remember.”
Alex fully released her fire tattoo. It crawled along Collum's legs and wrapped around his chest. She stepped back, turned, and watched. Fascinated. Able to feel every sensation.
Jason had played on her weakness. Her confusion about not being human anymore. Her unwillingness to let go of that part of her life. She wasn't human. She'd been imprisoned by vampires. Her dragon had saved her. Her best friend was a witch. Her brother controlled every drop of water on earth. And right now, she was bringing her lover to orgasm without even touching him.
She smiled. “I don't need a human ceremony to prove we're married. I want a dragon ceremony. One befitting your queen. I am now, and always have been, yours.”
Fire exploded in his eyes and poured off his skin to mingle with her flame. Steam burst from shower pipes.
Collum grabbed her by the waist, lifted her, and thrust himself inside. Fire against fire. She wrapped her legs around his waist, letting his fire claim her. Her head fell. Back
arched. She came as quickly as he did. They hadn't started this for a gentle lovemaking.
As waves of passion washed over them, he kissed her cheek, her eyelids, her neck. Held her against the wall, stroking her to further heights.
He growled against her hair. “I will claim you at the mouth of a volcano and the entire fucking world will know we are one.”
Chapter 21
The ocean lapped against Neeren's feet like a lover. Several locals commented it was the quietest they'd ever seen the Pacific Ocean.
Normally waves crashed against the beach. But Neeren was in town and Maria had said she loved him. For the first time in his life he felt utterly at peace. He knew she'd been delirious with shock from blood loss. She might not even remember saying the words. But he knew.
They'd arrived in Vancouver that morning. Mar slept through most of the car and plane rides. She was now safely ensconced in Collum's penthouse with Glenn fidgeting over her like a mother hen. Neeren liked Glenn instantly. His energy was kind. Confident. Old. Easily as old as Collum's.
Alex filled them in on most of what happened. How Mar's mother was the Vampire Queen they'd been searching for. How Jason was her mother’s lover. They still didn't know why the vampires wanted Maria so badly. They could wait until she woke up.
Frankly, Neeren didn't give a shit about any of it. All that mattered was Mar.
He'd slept enough on the plane, so once he knew Mar was safe he’d wandered. It was the first time in his life Neeren had experienced true freedom. He didn't have to hide. If he saw an immortal on the street, he simply nodded and walked on.
Vancouver was beautiful. Wilder than his island paradise. Rocky. Gritty. There was a fascinating deepness to it. Vancouver was a town for indie music and growing a beard. For drinking craft beer. It was a town where mountain met ocean. Where evergreen trees grew out of cracks in rocks. Where men wore hiking boots with their suits.
A city bursting at the seams with buildings and people. Congestion, crime, and poverty ran rampant. Yet at their feet sat a vast ocean. And beyond—mountains that touched the heavens. It was a city of contrast.
Neeren absorbed everything like a sponge. Alex told him her city of Victoria was a smaller and even wilder version of Vancouver. Neeren loved his island. He also grieved how much he’d missed during his many years of solitude.
Neeren kept Collum’s penthouse in sight as he walked the seawall at Stanley Park. Dogs of all sizes and shapes roamed everywhere. Some gave him a wide berth. Others dragged their owners near to smell him. The animals knew he was different. He laughed it off as people apologized for their pet's behavior.
“You have a way with pups,” Collum said, appearing out of nowhere.
Neeren pivoted to head back. “Is Mar awake?”
“Nope.” Collum handed him a steaming cup of coffee in a maroon travel mug. “Still out. Glenn figures she'll be down a few hours more. She lost a lot of blood. It will take a while for her body to recuperate.”
Neeren accepted the cup gratefully. He took a sip and moaned. “So, this is the good stuff everyone keeps talking about?”
“Glenn's coffee is a drug.”
“Does he know any more about what Jason was up too?”
“You need to sit down, man.”
Neeren stiffened. “Tell me.”
“Glenn dug a little further. But I gotta say man, most of Mar’s history is sketchy. Glenn called in a few favors. Word is Mar was born from both a vampire and human. There is a prophecy.”
“You are kidding.”
“Nope.”
Neeren wandered to the nearest bench to sit. “Okay. Let me have it.”
Collum sat beside him. “A lot of info is fuzzy. Mar's coven worked hard to cover her history. We have no idea who her dad is but the story goes, because she's a born vampire—not a made vampire—she is destined to be Queen. Another interpretation is whoever birthed the child is the true Queen. For only a true Queen could carry the child of a Vampire to term. Bet her mother is leaning toward that one.”
Neeren whistled low in his throat. “How does Glenn find this stuff out?”
Collum leaned back, crossing his arms behind his head. “Glenn has friends in high places. But even they aren’t 100% sure about Mar’s story here.”
“Higher than you?”
“I'm a heathen compared to Glenn.” Collum grinned. “You ever hear of Odin and his Ravens?”
“Norse mythology is not really my thing.”
“Well in Norse mythology, Odin has two ravens named Hugin and Munin who are his eyes and ears on the mortal realm. Hugin represents thought and Munin, desire.”
Neeren’s lip twitched. “That's a story.”
“You're a story. I'm a story. All stories come from somewhere. From a place of truth.” Collum lifted his hands in surrender. “Look, Glenn's been in my life forever. If I ask him to find something out—he does. Every time. And this time he’s telling me to dig deeper with Mar and her family.”
“Is he one of your Guardians?”
Collum's shoulders rocked with mirth. “Nah. Glenn likes staying at home, cooking for his people, and making us all feel safe. Fighting ain’t his deal.”
“He cares about Maria.”
“Those two bonded over making fun of me, and Mar's ability to praise Glenn as often as possible.”
Neeren leaned forward, taking a deep breath of salty sea air. The clean liquid like an elixir in his lungs. Because he was only half-water elemental he needed to be near the sea to remain healthy. Without access to large bodies of water for long periods of time, his lungs would dry out and his blood would harden.
“Do you believe it? The prophecy?” Neeren asked.
“I don't know. Seems like every time I turn around there’s a new prophecy to be fulfilled.” Collum stared out to sea. The look in his eyes reminded Neeren of how close they'd come to loosing Maria.
Collum continued, “What we know is your lady ran from that family her entire life and hid her past from us because of some misplaced shame.”
“We need to find her mother.”
Collum turned his steady gaze on Neeren. “What happened in that room? Alex thought for sure her mom would be in there.”
The memory of Maria strapped to a gurney with her mother beside her still burned like a hot poker in his brain. Neeren doubted he'd ever forget the image or his failure at not reaching Maria sooner. But the other images? Of her mother remaining passive while he and Jason fought. Of her leaving through a portal. Those were equally important. They needed to know what game she was playing. It wasn't his call though. He wouldn't step on Maria's toes on this one.
Neeren met Collum’s gaze with a steely one of his own. “You'll have to talk to Maria. All I know is there were tubes in her arms and it looked like Jason was trying to extract her blood.”
Against Neeren's hip his phone vibrated. Maria's name flashed on the screen as he fished it out of his pocket. His heartbeat raced against his chest.
“She's awake.”
~ ~ ~
Neeren wrapped his knuckles on the bedroom door. The knock echoed in the expansive hallway. A windstorm whipped through his gut, churning the coffee into a tornado.
Maria's voice telling him to enter sounded strong and healthy. He entered quickly, a cautious smile plastered on his face, prepared to be calm, aloof even. The intensity of his feelings would be too much to put on her shoulders.
Her glorious mahogany tresses trailed over soft white pillows. Her delicate fingers skimmed over cotton sheets. His eyes locked on her fingers, momentarily forgetting everything else. Short, clean nails tipped fingers bare of all jewelry. He frowned. Her hands were those of a worker, a nurturer. Not a party girl. How had he missed it?
An image of her fingers tracing a line from his m
outh to his cock jolted through his mind, driving fire over his skin. The image changed, replaced with his fingers tracing over her silken flesh. Skimming across her nipples. Gripping her tiny waist.
She grinned. “Up here, big boy.”
He locked eyes with her and winked. “You have beautiful hands, Maria.”
“What?” She laughed.
The sound of her laughter was a smoky elixir. He caught her off-guard and he loved it.
“Your hands. You don't wear nail polish?” he asked.
“No, you can't mix herbs with nail polish on. I won’t risk contaminating a spell.”
The lilt of her voice delighted him. He strode across a plush, cream carpet and reached down to stroke her fingers. Her flesh as soft as he remembered. Achingly soft. Brutally soft. He slowly caressed further up her arm to her shoulders and back down to her fingers, while staring into her eyes.
“Your skin is warm.” His stomach summersaulted as she licked her lips.
“It's hot in here.” She pushed hair off her neck.
Her wrist, wrapped in pale bandages, glared up at him with recrimination, dousing his desire, and filling him with self-remorse. A yellow bruise covered one cheek. A small cut on her lower lip, sliced through him. Unable to look at her, he stood and closed his eyes.
“I am so sorry, Maria, for not reaching you sooner. You put your faith in me and I failed you. I should have run faster. Should have . . .”
His voice trailed off as warm arms wrapped around his waist. Startled, he opened his eyes to see Mar kneeling at the edge of the bed. Her body against his. Her head fitting perfectly under his chin.
“You reached me in time. No one else could have done what you did. You came, even after I told you to stay away.”
Her fingers gripped his back. Desire poured from her eyes. Slammed into him with the force of a goddamn ocean. Heat flooded his chest. Not a gentle heat. Not controlled like passion had always been for him. A raging inferno. For this little witch. Her strength, her chaos—for her. The thought struck him like a tsunami. Everything about Maria burst with light and energy. She drowned out dark shadows.
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