by R. E. Butler
The women looked at her in surprise but hustled out of the room.
Avery turned slowly, rising onto her knees to face Traz. Her eyesight was sharper, her senses heightened. She felt like she could run a marathon without breaking a sweat.
Did vampires even sweat?
She ran her tongue along her upper teeth. “When do I get fangs?”
He smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “It happens after the first feeding, so sometime soon.”
She leaned forward, her gaze latched onto his mouth, but he pressed lightly against her shoulders and stopped her.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“You were attacked and nearly died, you just woke up after three days, and you’re no longer human. Don’t you think we should talk?”
“We could kiss first.”
He exhaled sharply. “Avery.”
“Oh, I like the way you say my name. Very sexy.” She was feeling very warm, very turned on. And she could feel a connection to Traz that was stronger than before he had changed her. She’d wanted him before, but now she felt like she needed him.
“Be serious, sweetheart. We were just getting to know each other when this happened. There’s no need to rush.”
“Well, if you’re going to be sensible.” She sat back on her heels. “Wait, I was asleep for three days? Why?”
“It takes that long to turn from human to vampire. We call it the sleep.”
“Did you save me?”
He nodded. “I felt your fear from across the building. I made it to you just in time. You were at death’s door. Do you remember what happened?”
She thought back over that night and felt like she had some holes in her memory. She told him what she could remember. “Jasper was waiting for me on the loading dock. He said he was going to turn me into a wolf. I knew it would kill me, but I couldn’t get away from him.”
“Why did you go to the dock in the first place?”
She chewed on her bottom lip. “I don’t know. I don’t remember.”
“Maybe it will come to you.” He settled back against the headboard. “How did you know the wolf?”
“We dated for a short time. He was a psycho. I got a restraining order against him, moved, changed my number a few times. He always seemed to know where I was. The last time I talked to him was a few nights ago. I was at a diner with my sister and he was calling me over and over. She answered and told him off...”
“And?” Traz prompted.
She shrugged. “He didn’t call me again. I thought that maybe she’d scared him off, but obviously if he attacked me, he hadn’t cared about what she said.”
“I thought you and your sister were estranged?”
“Yeah, we are, but she’d been pestering me to meet with her. She wanted me to date someone her husband worked with, and she didn’t really like it when I said no.”
His brows rose, but he said nothing.
“I have a question,"
“Anything,” he said.
“What’s the second rule?”
He frowned, his brows drawing down. “The second rule?”
“Yeah, you said the first rule was not killing the food source. What’s the second?”
“Well, there are plenty of rules, particularly if you choose to join Mishka’s coven. I’ll teach you everything you need to know. As your sire, it’s my duty.”
“Sire?”
“I changed you, that makes me your sire.”
“Like my boss?”
“Kind of.” He chuckled. “The important thing to know at the moment is that you need to stay with me for the next week. You’ll feed from humans twice a day during that time. Once your hunger is under control and we’re certain how you’ll react around humans and other supernatural creatures, you can go back to your life if you’d like.”
“I have to stay in your room for a week? What about my clothes?” She looked at the shirt she was wearing, suddenly aware she had nothing on under it. “Oh gosh, did you see me naked?”
“I cleaned the blood from your body after you healed. I didn’t look. Much.” He wiggled his brows slightly, and she blushed and shook her head.
“Well, I guess it’s good I wasn’t conscious for that.”
He told her about Mishka and the coven, giving her a crash course in what it meant to be a vampire. There was much to learn, but she was immortal now, so time was her friend. She couldn’t figure out why he sounded like he was trying to get rid of her. Go back to her old life? Did he not realize how that wouldn’t be possible? Her life had changed irrevocably when Jasper attacked her and Traz saved her.
She narrowed her eyes and pondered him for a long moment. Perhaps he was one of those guys who was trying to take his time and ease into a relationship instead of jumping in feet first. Granted, she didn’t have the best luck when it came to men, but things had been looking up for her with Traz, and she wasn’t about to let something like almost dying impede their budding romance. He was sexy as hell and he’d made her like him.
Plus, she got to spend a week in his room.
If he thought he could keep her at arm’s length, well, he had another think coming. She could feel all the way to the center of her bones that he was the guy for her. She just had to get him out of the mindset of waiting. And she’d need something racy to wear, and quick.
“Do you think I could talk to Cella at some point?”
“Certainly. She can come here to see you.”
“Right, since I can’t leave the chamber.”
“Whenever you feel hungry, let me know right away. Your first feeding should last you for twelve hours, but sometimes you can feel hungry before then.”
“Does it have to be girls? I’ve seen guys that are paid food in the club.”
If she hadn’t been looking at Traz at that moment, she would have missed the rage that flashed over his face for a heartbeat.
Ah ha! He did like her; he was just being a gentleman.
Adorable.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he said tightly.
She snickered internally and decided the sooner she could talk to Cella, the better.
“So, tell me why it might be dangerous for me to be around humans and supernatural creatures during my first week as a newbie. Because I want you to know that I’ve always been an overachiever, so I don’t think I’ll need an entire week.”
He gave her an indulgent smile. “That would be one of Mishka’s rules. Newly turned vampires lack control. Being around humans in an uncontrolled setting can lead to the humans getting harmed. I’ve seen newbies really tear up a human’s skin during early feedings, bruise them with tight holds, even break bones in their eagerness. The main issue though, is killing them by feeding too much. A human couldn’t get away from a vampire if they wanted to. Their strength is no match for ours. Sometimes during early feedings, newbies can be ravenous and drink too much if they’re not being watched.”
“Did you ever kill a human by feeding too much?”
“No.”
“Okay, so I might go on a feeding spree if I go up into the club. What about going to my place?”
“Well, I’m going to go out on a limb and say your place isn’t light-tight, so you couldn’t be there during the daytime. And in the club, we have easy access to food, plus the added benefit of the security team. You live alone?”
She nodded. “I had a roommate for a while, but when I moved because of Jasper she couldn’t go with me because she was locked into the lease. I didn’t want to risk her getting hurt or terrorized by him anyway. It was just easier to be alone. Scarier though.”
“He’s dead, so you don’t need to be afraid anymore.”
“He wasn’t with the pack. I called the alpha of the Cleveland pack and he said he wasn’t one of his.”
Traz’s brows rose. “I’m surprised he didn’t try to help anyway. Adam’s a good male.”
“He said he’d send some of his people to find him and tell him to stay away
from me. I don’t know if that happened, but Jasper never took a break from stalking me.”
Traz’s face softened, concern shining in his gaze. “You must have been terrified.”
“I was. For a long time. I always felt safe working here because he wouldn’t come into the club. I got a little reprieve from his craziness.”
“I wish I’d known you were being terrorized. I would have...” His voice trailed off.
She leaned forward a little, inhaling his scent. It was wild and dark, like a midnight rainstorm. “Would have what, Traz?”
He cupped her face with his hands and brushed his lips over hers. She tried to keep the kiss going, but he leaned away. “I would have killed him before he had a chance to hurt you.”
She wrapped her hands around his wrists and smiled at him. “I wish that too.”
Chapter Eight
The following night, as the sun began to set, Traz stared at Avery. It had been a long day, and he’d hardly slept for the desire that coursed through him. He was very sure he would combust at some point, particularly when she showered before dawn and had left the door open so he could see her silhouette through the steamed glass enclosure. It didn’t help that he could smell her arousal as well.
Rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms, he sat up, pressing the recliner’s extended footrest back into place. He needed to go into his office and check on the SyBl factory’s trucks and ensure everything was on track, which meant leaving Avery alone in his chamber. He didn’t want to. He wanted to spend all his time with her.
Not climbing into bed with her had been difficult. Now that she was past the transition, they could start their relationship up again, but he didn’t want to do anything serious while she was still battling the high emotions that came with being newly turned. He didn’t want her to feel like she was being manipulated, so it was best if they cooled it until she was out of the first week, when things would settle into her new normal.
If he could wait that long.
Temptress.
“Ow, shit!” Avery sat up, pressing her hand to her mouth.
He smiled. “Did your fangs just come in?”
She tilted her head and opened her mouth, touching her fingertip gingerly to the newly erupted fangs. “Cool! But damn, that hurt. What a way to wake up.” She smiled at him, flashing her fangs, and climbed off the bed. She dashed into the bathroom and turned on the light.
“I can’t make these go away, right? They’re permanent?”
“Yes. Only natural vampires have retractable fangs.”
“What do you mean by natural vampires?”
She walked out of the bathroom and he barely stifled the groan at how good she looked.
It took him a moment to recall what he’d been saying before she entered the main room looking like an angel. “Natural vampires are born of two natural vampire parents and can have children who are born vampires. They have retractable fangs.”
“I had no idea there were natural vampires. I thought shifters were the only supes that were natural.”
“Supes?” he asked, arching his eyebrow.
“Yeah, short for supernatural.”
“There are many natural supes, as you put it.” He ticked them off on his fingers. “Fae, fallen angels, elves, trolls, and muses to name a few.”
“Damn.” She sighed and sat on the bed. “You ever feel like you spent your whole life with blinders on?”
“The change from mortal to immortal is very eye opening. I understand where you’re coming from. But you’ve got me, and I’m not letting you go through this alone.”
She gave him a thousand-watt smile that made his fangs throb.
His phone buzzed, alerting him that Cella was on her way with two humans for Avery to feed from.
He opened the door and stepped aside, trying to hide his smile. She’d asked for male food, so he’d asked for them, but with specifics.
“You’re an ass,” Avery said to Traz, as she looked at the two males.
They were quite old. What Cella said fell into the elderly category.
“I agree,” Cella whispered to Traz even as she smiled. “But it’s hilarious. Cyrus said as much too.”
The human males looked at the three of them in confusion. Then one, who had a full head of pure white hair and a long beard like Santa Claus, gave Avery a warm smile and said, “I heard you’ve got a jealous vampire boyfriend who doesn’t want you to feed from anyone who might be competition for him.”
Traz’s mouth fell open as Avery fell back on the bed in hysterics, her fangs gleaming in the overhead light.
Cella’s lips were pursed tightly together.
Snarling, Traz folded his arms across his chest. “Aren’t you hungry, Avery?”
She sat up with a chuckle. “Thanks for coming down here, guys. I hope my jackass didn’t offend you.”
The other male wiggled his brows comically. “He’s just forgotten that it doesn’t matter if there’s rust on the boat so long as the engine still works.”
Avery laughed so hard she almost fell off the bed.
“Really?” Traz said. He glared at Cella, but she wouldn’t look at him. “Would you just feed already?”
The second male went to one knee, hissing at the way his joints popped with the motion. He offered his wrist to Avery.
“You don’t have to sit on the floor,” Avery said.
The other male shook his head. “We’re both married, and we promised our wives that we’d be honorable men. That means not getting too close because it makes the whole activity more intimate. It was fun to tease your boyfriend, but the truth is we don’t want to be disloyal to our wives.”
“That’s so sweet,” Avery said. “Thank you both.”
She took the male’s wrist and paused, looking uncertain. Traz sat and put his arm around her. “It’s better if you strike swiftly. Trying to go slow so you don’t hurt him will actually make it hurt worse.”
Nodding, she closed her eyes and opened her mouth. Then she struck. The male winced slightly, but Traz caught the scent of blood and knew she’d bitten correctly.
“One time after I was newly turned, someone startled me, and I accidentally took a chunk out of the male’s arm. I felt terrible,” Cella said.
Traz smiled. “A dog attacked me while I fed from his owner. We’ve all had mishaps, some funnier than others.”
Avery extracted her fangs and looked at the puncture wounds. “I should lick them so they close, right?”
“Yes,” Traz said.
She licked across the bleeding wounds and watched as they swiftly closed. “That’s pretty cool,” she said.
“Brone’s fangs emit a kind of venom that keeps the wounds open for longer,” Cella said.
“Why?” Avery asked, thanking the male who rose to his feet with a groan, rubbing his knee.
Cella shrugged. “It’s just what they do. All vampire lines have one or more unique powers outside of the general ones of speed and strength.”
“What’s ours?” Avery asked, smiling at the other human who got down on one knee in front of her.
“Better-than-average compulsion,” Traz answered. “All vampires can compel a human to allow them to feed. Some vampire lines have a weaker ability, so if perhaps the human was particularly strong-willed, they’d be able to resist. Mishka can compel even the most stubborn human, so you’ll have that ability, although it might not be as good as his. The more you work with it, the stronger the ability will grow.”
When she’d finished feeding from the second male and healed his wound, she thanked them again. Traz shook their hands and said, “If you’re willing, Avery will need a weekly donor once she’s through her first week of double feedings.”
Avery rose to her feet, her eyes a fiery bright blue that almost glowed. “I’d enjoy that.”
“I’ll be happy to arrange it,” Cella said.
“I’d be honored,” the first male, whose name was Simon, said.
“Me too,” Bu
rt said. “My wife doesn’t like me hanging out at the club. I can’t handle the late nights anyway, these old bones like to be in bed by nine.”
Avery grinned. “See you next week.”
The males nodded and followed Cella out of the chamber. Traz closed and locked the door, then froze, aware that Avery had moved behind him. She rubbed his shoulders, massaging his muscles, then worked her way down his arms, stopping at his elbows. “You are magnificent,” she said. She put one hand on his stomach, his muscles involuntarily clenching. Her hand drifted lower, and he halted the progress, turning to face her.
She smirked.
“You did well in feeding,” he said.
“You’re changing the subject.”
“I wasn’t aware we were talking about anything in particular.”
“Those guys thought you were my boyfriend, which leads me to believe that Cella told them as much.”
“The term is mate, not boyfriend.”
“So we are? Mates, I mean?”
He stifled the urge to toss her to the bed and find out what she sounded like when she fell apart. But he reminded himself that she’d only been awake for twenty-four hours. He needed to keep his distance.
“Oh wow,” she said, moving against him and rising onto her toes. She buried her face in his throat and inhaled.
He almost bit off his tongue.
“Wh-what?” he asked, clenching his hands into fists, the image of her spread out like an all-you-can-eat buffet flashing through his mind.
“You smell amazing.” Her delicate fingers danced across his shoulders to his neck. “You smell like... I don’t know, like if sex had a scent. Heat and passion and spice. Incredible.” She inhaled again and everything within him went haywire, his cock so hard he thought he could drive nails with it.
What did he tell her? That they were mates, and it was all he could do to keep his hands to himself until she was past the early, hardcore emotions of the change? That she was perfect for him? That he’d never wanted anyone more?
Instead of saying any of those things, he kissed her. Simultaneously the best and worst idea he’d ever had. Her tongue darted around one of his fangs and he snarled, chasing her tongue as he pulled her against the ridge of his erection and fisted the shirt she wore.