Marked: City of the Damned Book 1

by Everly Drummond

  “I am a healer,” Gedeon took a step towards her “and I am a vampire.”

  “Don’t come any closer.” Her brain was screaming at her to run, to get as far away from this place as possible, but her instincts told her that he was telling the truth. The bite mark on her neck proved that there was validity to his words.

  “Sit down and I will explain everything.”Gedeon walked past her and sat in the armchair facing the sofa. As Sara sat down, he pushed the cup of tea towards her. “Drink,” he ordered.

  “There’s no way I’m drinking that.”

  “It will help you to heal. You’ve lost too much blood and you need to regain your strength.”

  “I don’t care,” Sara said. “There’s no way I’m letting you knock me out again.”

  “The tea didn’t cause you to sleep. Your body’s need to heal itself caused you to sleep. I simply provided it with the ingredients to help you recover more quickly.” Gedeon pick up the cup and handed it to her. “Drink the tea,” he said more forcefully.

  Even if she ran, Sara knew that in her present condition she wouldn’t get far. If she were in peek condition the burly man sitting across from her would easily be able to outrun her and stop her from leaving. Hesitantly, Sara raised the cup to her lips and drank. The warm tea was bitter on her tongue, but its effects could be felt almost instantly. Her body relaxed and the dull ache in her muscles diminished. Ignoring the bitterness of the tea, Sara drank until the cup was empty. “There! Are you happy now?”

  “Do you feel better?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she reluctantly admitted, and placed the cup on the table.

  Gedeon stared at her with a quizzical look on his face. “You have many questions that you wish to ask me.”

  Of course she had questions. A thousand of them ran through her mind, but she didn’t know which ones to ask first. Yesterday her life was normal, and now, she was being held against her will by someone who thought he was a vampire. “What are you and what do you want from me?”

  “I already told you, I am a vampire and a healer. I don’t want anything from you, but it is my duty to protect you.”

  “Yeah, I got all that before,” Sara said sarcastically. “Protect me from what?”

  “You have been marked against your will, and it is my duty to protect you until Pryse can be found and justice is served.”

  Sara sat back on the couch and ran a hand through her hair. Unable to wrap her mind around the conversation that was taking place, she let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t understand.”

  “Of course you don’t, how could you? You know nothing of our world.” Gedeon stared at the terrified girl sitting on his couch. How could he explain this without frightening her any more than she already was? “What is your name?”

  “Pardon me?”

  “You never told me your name.” Gedeon had no desire to engage in small talk, but he needed to gain this girl’s trust if he had any hopes of saving her life.

  “Sara, my name’s Sara Bishop.”

  “Sara, our society does not follow the same laws as yours. When a vampire unwillingly marks a human there are consequences her or she must face.”

  “What are you, the vampire secret police?” she laughed.

  “Do not criticize that which you know nothing about,” Gedeon barked. “We live by rules just as you do. When a vampire marks a human against their will it is punishable by death.”

  Sara’s head snapped up. “You mean you’re going to kill the man that bit me?”

  “He is not a man, he is a vampire, and yes, it is the only way to break the bond.”

  “Whoa, wait a minute here. You’re talking about murdering someone.”

  “No,” Gedeon replied “I am only going to see that justice is served. By forcing his blood on you and then taking yours, Pryse ensured that a bond was created. No matter where you go, he will be able to find you. He will come to you whenever he wants and he will take from you whatever he wants.”

  “You mean that he’ll force me to give him my blood?”

  “Blood is only a part of it, but he will not have to force you, you will give it to him willingly.” Gedeon was sickened by the idea of forcefully marking someone, but to mark someone who was as young and naïve as Sara made it that much worse.

  “What do you mean that blood is only a part of it? What is he going to make me do?” Sara’s hands started to tremble as a million possible scenarios ran through her mind.

  “Vampires are very sexual creatures by nature. For us, only two emotions exist; hunger and lust.”

  Sara let out a sob and tears spilled down her face. “He’s going to force himself on me?”

  “No.” Gedeon’s tone softened. “As I said before, he will not have to force you to do anything. You will freely give him whatever he wants.”

  “Even sex?”

  “Yes, even sex,” Gedeon replied “but it’s not what you think. A vampire will only feed from willing donors, and in exchange for their blood, we will give them pleasure beyond anything they’ve ever experienced before. Vampire bites are meant to be pleasurable, not painful. A bite is only painful the first time you exchange blood. A vampire will give the donor his blood, and while it flows through their veins he must feed from them. The pain that you experience from being bitten is caused by the mark burning itself into the very essence of your being, thus creating a bond that is breakable only by death. Most humans will choose to be marked if they have forged a connection with a vampire because it enhances the sensation of the bite. A vampire may choose to mark someone if the human’s blood is particularly appealing, and by marking them it makes their blood taste better. When you are marked, and the bond is created, he will be able to sense where you are and what you’re feeling. You will always be drawn to each other.”

  “Please, you have to help me,” Sara pleaded.

  “I will, but you must do exactly as I say. First you must rest and regain your strength.”

  Hesitantly, Sara lay back on the sofa. Vampires couldn’t be real, couldn’t they? This had to be some sort of sick twisted nightmare. Sara was positive that she’d wake up any second now, but deep down she knew this wasn’t a nightmare. Her perception of reality had just been permanently altered. Part of her just wanted to run away and forget that any of this ever happened, but if she left now, she’d spend the rest of her life living in fear, waiting for the moment that Pryse would show up to claim what was his. No, she couldn’t let that happen, even if it meant putting her life in the hands of someone she didn’t know. Gedeon was bound to protect her, and as long as she stayed with him she’d be safe, or at least she hoped.

  Chapter 3

  Gedeon’s eyes flared black as he fought against the beast within. The sight of the slender girl lying on his sofa was enough to shatter his self control. Her long shapely legs and firm round breasts fueled the hunger that was growing deep within. Yes, when this was over, and she was no longer bound to Pryse, he would offer her the pleasure of his bite. Gedeon leaned back in the chair and inhaled deeply. The scent of her blood was intoxicating, but if he were to feed from her while she was marked by another it would poison him. Marking a human ensured that no other vampire could ever drink from them. When this was over, and Pryse was dead, he would offer himself to her, and hope that she’d accept. Until then, he had to bide his time and force himself to control the beast.

  The smell of food caused Sara to stir. It had been at least two days since the last time she had eaten anything solid, and her body craved sustenance. Opening her eyes, she saw the muscular form of Gedeon sitting in the chair beside her. Sitting up on the side of the sofa, she gazed at the items on the table. A clean set of clothes, her clothes, sat neatly folded in front of her. “Where did these come from?”

  “You needed clean clothes and food.”

  “But these are my clothes from my apartment.” Sara looked down at the table and then back to Gedeon. “How did you get into my apartment?”

  “I used y
our keys,” Gedeon said in a matter of fact tone. “I found your address on the lease agreement in your bag. You should consider moving. You’re paying too much money for rent.”

  “You went through my purse?” Sara wanted to be mad. She knew she should be mad that Gedeon had invaded her privacy, but the idea of clean clothes was too appealing. Suddenly remembering about Phineus she asked, “What about my cat, is he okay?”

  “Yes, I fed him, he’s fine.” Gedeon passed her a clean towel. “You need to shower. Wash yourself twice. We have to try and mask your scent.”

  “Are you trying to tell me that I stink?” Sara laughed.

  “You’ve had a fever for two days, and fevers cause you to perspire. Pryse will have no difficulties picking up on your scent.”

  “Thanks a lot.” Sara snatched the towel out of his hand. It had been days since the last time she’d showered, but that was no reason for Gedeon to be so blunt, so insulting.

  Gedeon eyed her questioningly. The tone of her voice and her playful attitude all but disappeared within a matter seconds. Had he said something to offend this beautiful creature? No matter how hard he tried, Gedeon could not understand the range of emotions that humans experienced. “Dinner will be ready by the time you finish with your shower.”

  Sara was taken aback. Despite being so beastly, underneath his rough exterior was a softness that she never expected to find. Every so often she would catch Gedeon looking at her, and the harsh lines around his mouth and eyes would soften, if only for a second. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was a vampire, Sara might have actually felt something for him. A knot twisted in her stomach as she thought about what it might be like to be bitten. Would the pleasure exceed the pain she’d experienced in the alley?

  “Sara, did you hear me?” Gedeon asked. “You need to go and shower so we can get moving. It’s only a matter of time before Pryse shows up here. I figured that it would take at least three days for him to heal from his injuries, and our time is quickly running out.”

  “What injuries?” Sara snapped out of her reverie and focused her attention on Gedeon.

  “The injuries he sustained from out fight in the alley. I almost had him then, but he managed to slip away.” Gedeon stood up from the chair. “Go and take your shower. We can figure out a plan while we eat.”

  Sara gathered her clothes from the table and walked down the hall towards the bathroom. A small rust stained bathtub sat against one wall, and a toilet and pedestal sink sat opposite the toilet. Other than the medicine cabinet that hung above the sink, the room was bare.

  “Son of a bitch!” Sara cursed as she stubbed her toe on a piece of cracked linoleum tile. Droplets of blood fell to the floor as she raised her foot to inspect the damage, forming a small crimson pool on the battered tile below. Ripping a piece of toilet paper from the roll, Sara bent down and wiped it up, cleaning it as best as she could.

  The water ran red as she stuck her hand under the faucet and washed away the blood. Once undressed, she stepped into the warmth of the shower. Rivulets of hot water flowed down the length of her body, and a little ribbon of pink mixed with the water and swirled on the surface of the tub before flowing down the drain. Sara let her thoughts drift as the heat caressed her skin. If she allowed Gedeon to bite her, what would it feel like? Would the pleasure be as great as the pain that she’d already experienced from Pryse’s bite? Sara could almost imagine the feel of Gedeon’s calloused hands on her skin, and she could almost picture the curves of his lean muscular body that was all too often hidden beneath his loose fitting clothes. Warmth started to pool in her belly as the naked image of Gedeon filled her mind. Sara couldn’t understand her feelings towards him. She’d only known Gedeon for a short period of time. Is this what he meant when he’d told her about humans forging a connection with a vampire? Was there some sort of a connection between her and Gedeon? Impossible, she thought, and quickly banished the idea from her mind. They hadn’t known each other long enough, had they? Was it even possible for a connection to form between them when she’d been marked by another?

  An odd squeaking noise caused her daydream to shatter and her eyes to flutter open. Sara looked around for the source of the noise. Her eyes came to rest on a small gray mouse that had perched on the side of the bathtub, and was now curiously watching her as she showered. Sara opened her mouth and a blood curdling scream escaped her lips.

  The sound of loud, thunderous footsteps echoed through the hall as Gedeon ran towards the bathroom. With a thud, the bathroom door flew open. Gedeon stopped suddenly as the smell of her blood overwhelmed his senses and caused his fangs to unsheathe. The hot steam from the shower only intensified the spicy aroma of her essence.

  “Sara?” he asked in a hoarse voice.

  Sara peaked at him from around the tattered shower curtain. His stunning eyes that were once blue now burned black, and for the first time Sara understood what it meant. Gedeon stared at her with such powerful desire that it rendered her speechless. With thoughts of the mouse all but forgotten, and without second guessing herself, Sara pushed the shower curtain aside as longing spread through her, longing for his touch.

  “Sara.” Gedeon whispered as he took a step towards her. His hands lifted to her waist and he pulled her tightly into his embrace. The need to be with her, to touch her, shattered what little of his self control remained. Her lips parted in welcome as he crushed his mouth to hers. The smell of her blood that wafted through the humid air, the feel of her silken skin beneath his hands, the taste of her as his greedily tongue parted her lips and dove deeper into her, drove him mad with desire. “Sara, we can’t. Not yet,” he whispered softly against her mouth.

  “Yes, Gedeon, we can.” Sara tugged lightly at the hem of his sweater, and Gedeon raised his arms as she pulled the sweatshirt up and over his head, tossing it to the floor in the corner of the room. Her hands greedily explored the curvature of his hard chest and abs, softly trailing along each contour as if trying to memorize each and every inch of him. She paused briefly as her fingers reached the button of his jeans and felt his body tense. Ignoring the butterflies in her stomach, Sara reached down and stroked the length of his massive, throbbing erection.

  His body shuddered and a low guttural moan worked its way up his throat and past his lips as his cock pressed hard against its denim restraints. Gedeon reached down to stop her, but the back of his hand brushed lightly against the curly thatch of hair between her legs, and his resolve shattered. MINE. NOW. In one hurried movement, Gedeon bent over and snapped off the flow of water before sweeping Sara up into his arms. He cradled her tightly against his chest as he moved swiftly and surely down the hall towards his bedroom. He was going to take her, but not in the bathroom, and not like some lust ravaged maniac. Bringing his lips down to meet hers, Gedeon kissed her hard on the mouth. His moist tongue forced apart her lips and their kiss grew deeper as he laid her gently in the center of his bed.

  The cold touch of his skin against hers sent a shiver up her spine, but provided little relief from the fire that was consuming her from within. Just like fire and ice, she thought. Sara needed Gedeon like she needed air to breath. She needed to feel his touch, to feel him in her. Only then could the raging fire be extinguished. Sara gasped as Gedeon placed a strong hand on her thigh and spread her legs.

  “Take me,” she ordered, her voice rasping with need. The denim felt rough against the softness of her thighs as he positioned himself between her legs and pressed hard against her. Sara arched into him, her fingers ripping at the flesh on his shoulders as she moved her hips back and forth in a rhythmic motion. She could feel the throbbing of his cock through the fabric of his jeans as he pressed harder into her sex. She needed him to be inside her. She needed to feel every inch of him as he slowly slid into her, filling her with his arousal. “Gedeon,” Sara moaned as she buried her face in his chest.

  “Not yet,” he growled. His warm breath caressed her skin as he whispered the words against her heated flesh. Grabbing her
by the wrists, Gedeon pinned her arms to the bed above her head. He was going to have her, and he was going to give her what she begged for, but first he had to break the mark that bound her to another. He had to kill Pryse.

  “Yes, now,” she whimpered. Sara quiver as he took her firm ripe breast into his mouth and began to suckle her. Her nipple hardened as his fangs gently grazed her milky skin. “Bite me.”

  “I can’t.” He moaned in frustration. Gedeon had to force himself to say the words. His body ached for her. His mouth yearned to taste the life essence that lay just beneath her skin. The thought of the bliss he would soon feel as he sank into the warmth of her sex while drinking the sweet crimson nectar of her essence caused his erection to strain painfully against the rough denim. Sara wanted the bite of the vampire. Yes, he would give it to her, but not now, not until she was free to be his. Reluctantly, Gedeon released his grip on her wrists and sat up on the side of the bed. For now, he would have to control the beast within, but soon, very soon, he would have her. “Sara, I can’t.” When he spoke, his voice was thick with longing and regret. “Not while you’re marked by another.”

  “Gedeon?” she whispered, her body aching with need. Without the feel of his body pressed against hers, Sara felt empty, as if this was all just a dream about to come to an abrupt and untimely end.

  “You should get dressed. Dinner’s almost ready.” Without another word or a backwards glance, Gedeon walked out of the room, leaving Sara lying naked and alone on the bed.

  Chapter 4

  Sara should’ve been furious at Gedeon for walking away from her. She should’ve felt angry and rejected, but as hard she tried, she couldn’t. The logistics of being a vampire were completely unknown to her, and by the look on Gedeon’s face, Sara could tell that his desire for her ran as deep as the desire she felt for him. A soft knock on the door caused Sara to startle. Hastily reaching for the satin sheet on the bed, she used it to cover herself as the door slowly creaked opened.