He stalked back into his room, throwing the balcony doors open with his mind.
Taking in a deep breath, he did his best to bury his frustration. He would not receive the answers he sought by tearing the meddling witch apart, though his fingers twitched with excitement at the thought.
“Witch!” he bellowed.
“No need to shout,” Silvie chided as she appeared on the balcony. Her scarlet robe whipped about her legs as her hood blew back, revealing his face. “Wow, this really is a beautiful view.”
Snowflakes caught in her long, black lashes. The witch was enchanting with her dark hair, smooth pale skin and ruby lips, but she was nothing compared his exotic Eva.
She is not mine. I cannot have her, even if she is my mate.
“You tricked me,” he snapped.
Silvie sighed and turned, reluctant to draw her gaze from the mesmerizing scene of pure snow, the crisp green forest, and the frosted lake. She was not surprised to find the king scowling. His glower was dark and menacing. She had seen worse.
“No tricks,” she said, entering the vampire’s lair. “I simply withheld a little information.”
“You knew what she was to me and yet you said nothing.”
Silvie did not even attempt to stop the sly smile that graced her lips. “Mate. She is your mate. Is the word so difficult to say? Or do you find it distasteful.”
“Witch,” he growled. A warning.
“Your Eva would have died if you had not bound her to yourself. I just failed to mention the only way you can bind someone to one such as you, a vampire, is if they are your intended, your other half. Your soul mate. Only mates can share this bond.” She held up her hand, preventing his next accusation. “I had to do it. The two of you were taking forever to get together.” Silvie shook her head. She pitied Eva because the stupid vampire had played hard to get. “I felt I needed to step in.”
Hadrian began to pace, needing some type of outlet for his frustration.
“This changes nothing.” He would still send Eva away.
“Oh, really?” She laughed. “This changes everything, Your Majesty. Or do you still believe you can allow her to leave? That you can buy her a plane ticket and dump her at the airport without a second glance? Perhaps, you should speak with King Dorian first. He can share with you the mind numbing pain and heart wrenching loneliness that consumes you after being separated from your mate for long periods of time. He learned quickly after leaving Queen Victoria behind for a battle with the Red Order. You see, the Shaman crafted this spell, focusing on every detail.” Intending to avoid this exact situation, she thought. Her uncle was a crafty SOB planning everyone’s life, including hers.
Hadrian’s hand fisted as his eyes began to jump with angry flames.
“What are you really upset about?”
Silvie walked a slow circle around him, looking him up and down, inspecting him? No, reading him. Could the witch hear his thoughts? He doubted it but reinforced his barriers anyway.
“The demon.” She came to a stop just before him. “You don’t want to share. I would think being a twin you would have impeccable sharing skills.”
His jaw popped, his anger tipping over to rage.
“Oh, sorry. I forgot, touchy subject. I’ve got too many thoughts knocking around in my brain lately, hard to keep my ducks in row.”
Hadrian released an irritated sigh. The witch may be as crazy as he.
“A few months ago you were incapable of a normal, civilized, coherent conversation. You have made tremendous progress with rebuilding the wall between you and Imbrasus’s demon.”
His eyes narrowed to slits.
She smiled. “Yes. I know many secrets. Such as, you are not like the other vampires. You killed your maker in a very special way. He changed you on the night of a full moon. When he gave you his blood you transitioned instantly. You sank your fangs in deep, anchoring yourself to his wrist. Your claws were buried in his arm making it impossible for him to shake you free. And you bled him dry, consuming every last drop until his body fell to the cold sand beside you.”
Hadrian suppressed the curse that burned his tongue. Shivers raced along his spine, his demon howled, the sound echoed in his head. He had not thought of that night in centuries. Rage had taken root in his soul, fueling him to kill and dominate his prey—Imbrasus.
“Because you drained him and you were in mid-transition, instead of the curse creating a vampire to ravage your soul, you took Imbrasus’s demon. You house an original vampire, just like Sire Dimitri.”
Hadrian stumbled back, horrified, as if the witch had swung an executioner’s ax at him. How did she know? He had shared the facts of his change with no one. Not Dimitri or Dorian, not even Falcon. He intended to take this secret to hell with him.
“How do you know this?”
Silvie’s expression turned sullen. “The Shaman of our tribe is all knowing and he shared some of his memories with me.”
Hadrian slowly nodded as his brain kicked back into gear. Falcon always shared the latest gossip with him. Rumors circled that the Shaman was retiring, which meant he would no longer undergo reincarnation and would have to give his memories and powers to a successor. Instinct told him the chosen heir stood before him.
He cleared his throat, shoving his shock aside. He needed answers.
“Why did you not warn me of Eva?”
“I didn’t tell you Eva is your mate because you may have decided not to save her.”
Silvie’s confession stung. Would he have let Eva die? If she had, he could have joined her in death. He could have known peace and serenity in the afterlife. He could have cast off his demon, leaving it to burn in the eternal fires of hell.
“And now would probably be a good time to confirm that she will go into heat.”
Hadrian stopped, his eyes closed. A tortured groan escaped his lips.
“That was one of your questions, right? How does it work,” she tapped her chin, “Oh, right. Three days after the transition, a female will go into heat and her breeding cycles will follow every six months.”
He slowly nodded, fighting the erotic images that flooded his mind. Eva’s golden skin would be flush with desire, her eyes bright with need. He would palm her breasts as she rode him. Her back would arch as he pounded into her from behind. Her nails would score his back as he thrust into her.
No! He would do none of those things. One night, that is all. They could not risk being together again. He had nearly lost control. He had nearly bit her. He shuddered. Her blood had been heaven and would be mind numbing bliss if sweetened by her orgasms. His fangs exploded in his mouth, swelled. He hissed as it pressed against the zipper of his jeans.
Twenty-four hours of pleasure or, if he did not service her, she would experience twenty-four hours of hell. Females suffered excruciating pain if they did not have sex. Most compared it to that of their transition. He would have to restrain her. He could not have her escaping to town to prey on unsuspecting males. The drive to breed was overwhelming, all consuming, clouding the mind until the body reacted on pure instinct. But there was a drug that could dull the pain. How was he going to get it? Shifters were leery of vampires, thanks to Imbrasus.
“Let me guess, you are thinking about this,” Silvie said holding up a sealed, sterile bottle and capped syringe. She smiled at his frown and shrugged, “Magic. I abuse it, sue me.”
Hadrian’s jaw clenched. The witch came prepared. Suspicious. “You never cease to amaze.”
“This stuff is hard to come by. Not many shifter packs have the resources to make it.”
“Never once, in all the time I lived amongst the packs was I allowed to see it made or used. I learned from hearsay that unmated females found it useful and it loosens the tongue during interrogations. It must have been expensive.”
“It was granted to me after magical compensation was provided,” she answered.
“I know Shaw practices well,” Hadrian stated. “Gifts of this magnitude are never
free.”
“If I recall my history lesson correctly, the Validus and the Shaw were not on friendly terms when you were last out and about.” She shrugged. “News flash, times have changed. We now seek to obtain and maintain peace with all vampire kind. Unfortunately, in this particular situation I do require a concession from you.”
“What is your price?”
“Simple. I want Sir Falcon Kenwrec.”
Hadrian’s scowl grew darker. “I do not understand.”
“His fealty is to you.”
“His fealty is to the Validus Clan.”
“No.” Silvie shook her head, sending the tight ringlets bouncing about her shoulders. “If his loyalty were to the clan, then he would have become king long ago.”
“He is my second. I cannot release him from that pact.”
“Unless he does something worthy of banishment,” Silvie added. “I’m not asking for you to release him of his obligations. I merely require his services.”
“You want him as your guard?” he asked.
“It is an ancient tradition. One not practiced much these days because of security systems, LoJack, and aforementioned seeking and maintaining of peace. However, a girl could still use a bodyguard from time to time.”
“You have no need for a personal guard. The Voidukas provide your tribe with plenty of knights and I’ve no doubt you are more than capable of protecting yourself.”
“Look,” Silvie sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I know I’m supposed to talk in riddles and be cryptic, but I keep failing the test. So, I’m going to be as straight with you as I can. Something is going to happen in the coming weeks that will force the gallant, chivalrous Sir Kenwrec to make a decision that will cost him everything.” She drew her index finger across her throat and clucked her tongue. “But you can save him by releasing him to me. Right now. All you have to do is say the words. Falcon can remain here, with you and your clan. I do not require his physical presence.”
Stress pounded at his temples. Despite her argument, the witch was speaking in riddles. What could she possibly want with Falcon? And what would drive him to turn his back on his clan? Hadrian wracked his brain desperately seeking the answer. He thought of every possible scenario and every outcome. None would lead to Falcon’s banishment or death…except Sonya.
Silvie smiled as if she knew his thoughts. “This will be our secret,” she said with a wink.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Eva stretched, reaching for the ceiling. Hinging at the hip, she bent, wrapped her hands about her ankles and pulled her chest flat to her thighs, her chin touching her knees.
Amazing. There was no other word for the way she felt. The pain of her transition was gone, nothing but a horrific memory. Hadrian had been right. She woke up feeling wonderful, her mind buzzing from her super sexy dreams of the sinfully sexy vampire king. The world was brighter, her vision sharper. She had quickly found out her hearing had improved as well. Eva had come down to the gym for a quick and simple yoga session, a brisk jog and a few rounds with the punching bag—her morning routine. Hopping on the treadmill, she popped her ear buds in, fired up her iPod, and cranked the volume, as usual. But this time she nearly died of a heart attack. Her ears were still ringing and she had run ten miles and even pummeled the bag.
She laughed when she checked her watch, normally she would be feeling tired by now, panting, craving water, breakfast and good shower. But she felt fine—no, better than fine. She was not even close to winded.
Super, extra stamina, score, exercise will be a breeze.
She could definitely give Hadrian a workout in the sack. That is, if they ever ended up in bed together again. Eva prayed yesterday would not be a one time thing. He had given her exactly what she craved and more. She had orgasms before, but nothing like he showed her.
Eva had once wondered how people became sex addicts. Well, she got her answer. All she could think about was Hadrian’s lips on hers, his hands caressing her body, his hard chest pressing her down into the mattress, her thighs gripping his hips as he pumped into her.
Maybe she could use a shower after all, a cold one.
Sometime in the night, when she was surely snoring like a lion, Hadrian had cleaned up the glass. She had briefly thought about asking what happened, but decided against it. The man was not the sharing type and she would not press to know what had made him snap.
Eva gathered her things: a small white towel, her iPod, and a roll of Ace bandage that she used to wrap her knuckles, and jogged to her room. Her muscles relaxed and her body heated when she reached her room. Hadrian had just been here. His scent still lingered in the air.
“I guess my sense of smell also improved,” she said to herself, as she closed the bedroom door.
She kicked off her running shoes, slipped out of her yoga pants and tossed her tank top to the floor as she crossed to the bathroom. She paused, her gaze falling on a large white box resting on the bed.
Excitement shot through her as she rushed forward. A present? Hadrian had brought her a gift.
Her fingers made quick work of the red bow. Impatiently, she threw the top of the box aside, her hands diving into the white tissue paper. Eva’s breath caught. A floor length, silk, crimson gown was gently folded and snuggled in the box. She stumbled forward, her toes hitting something hard. She bent down and found a pair of black, strapped heels. Taking them up, she set the shoes beside bed.
“Wow,” she sighed, lightly tracing the deep v-neckline. She was almost afraid to touch the dress.
She snatched the envelope that was propped against the pillows. She ripped it open, caring not where the paper landed.
She wanted to squeal with excitement—she did. Hadrian was inviting her to dinner.
A date, she wondered and prayed that it was, even though she had been telling herself all morning not to expect anything from the vampire. Don’t get your hopes up, she thought. They had slept together, he stuck by her side during the transition, and cared for her when it was over, but that did not mean he wanted anything more.
She spun and headed into the bathroom. Flipping on the light she was pleased to discover a new mirror had been mounted. She stripped and studied her reflection. Leaning over the counter she inspected her teeth, her incisors looked a little longer. She ran her tongue over them and winced, they were sharper. Glancing down at her hands she tried to get her nails to grow. Earlier in the gym they had lengthened to claws as she attacked the punching bag. Now, they did nothing.
She shrugged. Maybe they were triggered by adrenaline. She turned her hands over. Frowning, she studied the odd-shaped scar on the inside of her right wrist. She had first noticed the mark when she was brushing her teeth. It didn’t hurt, it wasn’t even red, but white like it had been there for years.
“Could be a weird witch thing,” she said, turning away from the mirror. She would ask Hadrian if he knew anything about it at dinner.
Deciding to pamper herself, Eva filled the Jacuzzi tub and sprinkled some aromatherapy bath salts into the water. She settled beneath the bubbles. Leaning her head back, she let out a long sigh and allowed her mind to wander. It did not take long for her thoughts to focus on the interesting subject of Hadrian. And his body.
She ran her tongue over lips as she thought about tasting him. She wanted to stroke his shaft with her hands and it into her mouth…
What would they talk about tonight? She certainly had more questions about what she could expect. Would she go into heat? The transition only came when the body fully matured. Females generally went through their first cycle of heat three days after their change, which meant she had two days. Would Hadrian help her through the need? Her body tingled from head to toe as she thought of a sexual marathon with her dark vampire.
No, not mine, she chided herself. Eva would not delude herself. Sure, she had been a virgin and yes, that made her experience with Hadrian all the more special. But she was also a twenty-six year old and knew how the world worked, even i
f she had spent the last nine years in a jungle.
Besides, the rational and sensible part of her wondered if she should want a relationship with Hadrian. It wouldn’t work. There were two simple facts that could not be overcome: he was a king, she a half-breed. He was just returning to society after being lost in the forest of crazy in his mind and he had a Clan to integrate into. Having her on his arm would only make things more complicated. Once everything about her transition was figured out, she would leave and most likely never see Hadrian again.
A low growl slipped past her lips as something within her rebelled. Eva shifted, suddenly physically uncomfortable, her muscles coiled with tension despite the hot water and her claws scraped along the porcelain bottom of the tub.
Mine.
Eva took in ten measured breaths to calm her sudden need to hunt Hadrian. Something primal roared within her to take the vampire and…mark him. Images of entwined limbs, twisted sheets, teeth and blood danced in her mind.
Mine. Bite. Mark. The words whispered over and over.
Eva shook head trying to cast aside the feral desire. Why was her shifter side obsessed with Hadrian?
Mate, her instincts screamed.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Hadrian paced like a caged lion before the open mouth of the hearth in the main hall. He was eager to see Eva. Too eager. All he could think about was tasting her lips as he buried himself deep inside her body.
Gods, those sounds she made when she came...
He growled, his steps growing faster. He would never hear those sounds again. Never. He could not allow himself to grow accustomed to her presence and her warmth. She would be leaving soon and he would go back to his life and to focus on his Clan.
He rubbed his chest. Why did he feel as if someone had just driven a dagger into his heart?
Hadrian sighed and turned towards the table. The new butler he had hired this morning had spared no expense, but wasn’t that what he had told the man? New China, crystal, and linen had been purchased, along with numerous floral arrangements. The man had done an amazing job selecting a dress for Eva. Hadrian hoped it fit since he guessed her size. He had also arranged for the chef to come tonight and from what he could scent, the food would be excellent.
Caressed by a Crimson Moon (Rulers of Darkness) Page 20