She froze. Jaron? He knows the bloodsucker’s name?
The guy growled before she could take the thought further. Literally growled. It wasn’t the low rumbly sound Rune had made when he’d fucked her. The man dressed in what reminded her of a white burlap bag stepped closer. Rune advanced to meet him. They got into each other’s faces.
“She should be scared. Now is not the time to saddle yourself with a female. What were you thinking, brother?”
Brother.
Oh God, oh God, oh God. I fucked a vampire.
She clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle her cry. Neither man paid her any attention. She wanted it to stay that way.
“I said…” Rune shoved Jaron. “Shut. Up.”
Jaron laughed. She cringed at the bitter sound. “She doesn’t know, does she?”
Rune gave him another shove. They disappeared from her line of sight. She had a perfect view of the open front door. She let the blanket slip from her naked body and bolted toward her only means of escape.
A gust of wind blew the door shut before she got to it. She yanked on the handle anyway. It opened an inch then slammed closed. Another tug did nothing.
She was trapped.
With two vampires.
She spun and swept her gaze over the room. There had to be another way out. The windows. She zeroed in on the bedroom door. The ones in there were big enough, but the other vampire stood near it. No matter. She had to try. She took a step and froze.
Rune’s shirtless body filled her vision. He approached slowly, arms loose and fingers splayed as if he meant to show her he didn’t have a weapon. She knew better. Vampires didn’t need weapons. He could rip her throat out with his fangs. That was what all the movies she’d watched depicted. She nearly laughed with the irony of her thought. She was relying on Hollywood to give her answers. Her? A scientist, one who spent her life looking for hard facts? She couldn’t help it.
Data. That was what she needed, clues to confirm or reject her crazy idea.
Her gaze dropped to his mouth. No fangs. She looked into his bluish-gray eyes. Normal. No sign of his nonhuman status showed on his face. He looked like her lover, one she wanted to fuck again, not a vampire.
But… Dammit, she was so confused. She saw Jaron’s fangs with her own eyes. She couldn’t blame it on a trick of the light.
“Be calm.” He raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Jaron won’t hurt you.”
She shook her head. No way would she get into a discussion with a monster. Bad enough she allowed him into her body. She reached behind her for the doorknob. Ice met her touch. She yelped at the cold burn stinging her fingers.
He rushed forward. She scooted under his arm and ran for the bedroom door. Jaron blocked it. She skidded to a stop and glanced between both vampires. Heart pounding hard and her breath sawing past her lips, she hovered on the verge of a breakdown.
“Cat, listen to me.” Rune took a single step closer. “You need to relax. You are not in danger.”
“Not in danger? I’m locked in a room with vampires!”
Jaron sighed. “We are not vampires, woman.”
She flicked her gaze to Jaron. He walked toward her. She focused on his glowing eyes, a silver beacon in the dim room, and backed up, right into a hard chest. Hands settled on her waist. Rune spun her into his embrace.
She screamed. He clamped a hand over her mouth and tugged her against his body. “Give me a chance to explain.”
His scent filled her lungs. She responded to the trigger and his nearness. Her muscles relaxed. His cock pressed between them lengthened. A groan crawled up her throat in response to his hardening flesh. She couldn’t stop the sound from escaping. Her body remembered him and reacted automatically. She went from terrified to aroused in one-point-two seconds.
A matching needy sound fell from his lips. The noise and the carnal hunger displayed on his expression kicked her case of instant lust up a notch. Her lower belly quivered and the brush of his muscles against her nipples sent tingles across her skin.
He slid his free hand down her back to settle over her ass.
Her bare ass.
She was naked in a room with two vampires. Her fear returned. It didn’t chase away the desire. The two conflicting emotions wrapped around her. She’d never felt so confused in her life. Nothing made sense. She hated it. She wanted facts, something she could analyze and interpret, not emotions or make-believe stuff that had no basis she could conceptualize.
But this is real. I’m not imagining any of it. Not Jaron’s fangs or my inexplicable draw to Rune.
Because terrified or not, she ached for his possession. She wanted his cock lodged deep in her core, pumping and filling her up.
Oh god. What the hell is wrong with me? She whimpered and pushed against his chest in a desperate attempt to escape.
“Shh, Cat. You’re safe.” He massaged her butt cheeks. Her arousal flowed.
This isn’t right. He’s controlling me, making me lust for him. That’s why I couldn’t resist him earlier.
She had to get away.
She bit his palm at the same time she slammed a knee into his nuts.
“Fuck.” He released her and hunched over, a hand over his groin.
She pivoted and ran toward the bedroom. Jaron grabbed her. Her shriek got muffled by his palm.
“No!” Rune rammed a shoulder into Jaron, breaking his hold on her. She stumbled backward as the two men rolled across the floor. They didn’t fight. Rune slammed Jaron into the floor and held him with a hand on his chest.
“Don’t touch her.” Rune turned his head and focused heated eyes on her. “She bites. That’s how she landed the role of my consort in the first place.” He raised his hand, the one he’d used to muffle her shriek. The reddened impression of her teeth showed. She’d broken the skin. Blood leaked from the delicate spot by his thumb. “And it’s clear she’s intent on keeping her male.”
Jaron pushed from the floor. “I am sorry, Rune. I should’ve known you wouldn’t have willingly taken a female.” He turned eyes, the color of liquid silver, on to her. His gaze dropped to her exposed sex. He licked his lips. “Are we keeping her?”
We? She clamped her legs shut and pressed an arm over her breasts.
Rune stood in a lithe move no man his size should’ve been able to pull off. He strode toward where she sat on the floor. She scooted backward until her bottom hit the side of the couch.
He stood in front of her and focused eyes hazed by desire on her. “Yes, Cat is staying with us.”
Her gaze dropped to the length of his cock outlined by his jeans. She peered past him. Jaron’s thin pants did nothing to hide his erection. Her chest squeezed.
“Oh God.” She jumped up and took two steps before Rune caught her. “Let go!”
“It’s too late for that.” He wrapped his arms around her and backed her into the nearest wall. Trapped between the hard surface and his body, she couldn’t move. He brushed his cheek against hers. “But I am the one who will get to enjoy her. She’s mine. Only.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Understand?”
Jaron’s low chuckle filled the room. “It appears you’ve lost your nickname, brother.”
Rune glanced at her. His gaze caressed her features. “Apparently.”
“We still have much to discuss. I will lose myself in the village and feed while you calm your consort.”
The squeak of a door opening reached her ears.
“Wait.” Rune peered over his shoulder. “Stay away from the females or you might find yourself in the same situation I am in. I couldn’t resist Cat. We are evolving.”
He sighed. “So I’ve noticed. Thanks for the warning.”
A gust of cold air rushed over her feet. The door clicked closed, cutting off the chilly wind and leaving her alone with Rune. She waited for the fear to return. It didn’t. Desire bloomed. Her quickened breaths deepened. Her skin tingled and warmth pooled low. She wanted him to fuck her.
Right here. Ri
ght now.
Oh God, what was she thinking? She didn’t understand anything. How could she? All her thoughts kept drifting back to sex.
She curled her fingers to resist the urge to skim them over the expanse of his back. “Please let me go.”
“I can’t.”
He nudged her chin with his. She tensed. She didn’t want his mouth anywhere near her throat. Her resistance did little to dissuade him. He brushed his parted mouth over her cheeks. His heated exhale tore a sigh from her lips.
“Do not fear me, Cat. I won’t hurt nor will I bite you. You are safe with me. I promise.”
The declaration whispered a hairsbreadth from her ear whipped another wave of lust through her. Her core clenched. She wanted him inside her—thrusting, filling her up, making her his. She dropped her hands to his hips and gripped his waistband.
Arms locked so she didn’t tug his pants down, she tipped her head back to meet his eyes. “Why should I believe you?”
“I don’t know how to respond to that question.” He skimmed the back of his knuckles along her jaw. “You are an intelligent female. I’d be wasting my breath telling you to blindly trust me.”
At least he didn’t feed her any bullshit lines. “Then we’re at an impasse. I need answers.”
“Then ask me questions.” She opened her mouth. He pressed a single finger to her lips. “I know this won’t win me any points, but I can’t promise to answer them all. I fear I’ll send you running if I tell you something you don’t want to hear. That cannot happen, Cat. For your own safety, you can’t leave me.”
She tensed. “Why?”
“Because.” One corner of his mouth lifted in a smile that melted her insides. “You’ll have to trust me.”
Trust him. She had. She’d crawled into bed with him, let him possess her then fell asleep in his arms. Not once in her entire life had she slept with a lover. Rune’s arms around her had felt too good, though. He’d been warm and had made her feel safe.
She closed her eyes in an effort to dim the effect he had on her. It didn’t help. Her other senses kicked in. His scent, his touch, the contours of his perfect body, everything about him triggered primitive urges she’d never known she had.
She popped her lids open and caught his gaze. Held it. Rune’s attention focused on her. From the lust in his eyes to his slackened expression, she knew he desired her as much as she did him. The obvious question was why?
Jaron’s words suggested his focused response to her wasn’t normal behavior for him. She wanted a few moments to go over her thoughts and figure out the reason. She shoved the concern away. There was one issue that was much more important than whatever was happening between them.
“You’re not human”
“No. I am not.”
“You have fangs and—”
“I am not a vampire.” He rubbed the edge of his thumb over her corner of her mouth. “I require blood, but I did not consume yours. Nor will I. That intimacy is one I will not take without your permission.”
She licked the spot he’d caressed. His flavor hit her. Her eyelids fluttered closed on a breathy sigh. Answers. She needed answers. “Are you the one who’s been infecting people?”
“No. We bite humans but leave them unharmed without any knowledge of us.”
The harsh tone made her look at him. A tic developed by his eye. She waited for him to say something else. He didn’t.
“You know who did.” She posed it as a statement.
He slipped his hands into her hair and tipped her head back. “Yes, Cat, I do.”
“Well? Who’s responsible?”
Instead of answering, he bent closer and licked her lips, first the bottom then the top. The sensual swipe weakened her knees. She didn’t fall. His hard body held her captive for his exploration. He slipped his tongue between her parted lips and coaxed her into a kiss. His slow strokes urged her to relax and give in to him. Her rational mind told her to push him away. Her body wanted what he offered.
She trembled with the force it took not to succumb to him.
He didn’t ease his gentle seduction. He made love to her mouth. Each rolling thrust of his tongue with hers whittled away at her resistance and eliminated the last remnants of her fear. She moaned and tightened her grip on his jeans. Her knuckles brushed his skin. The slight contact sent sparks skipping across her skin.
She moved her hands to his ass. He rocked into her, pushing his trapped cock into her belly. His muscles under her palms flexed. The memory of how it had felt while he’d thrust into her core returned.
Her intense need for sex wasn’t natural. She’d questioned the draw to him from the first moment she laid eyes on him. It hadn’t stopped her from wanting him. It still didn’t. Nothing did, not even knowing what he was.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
She turned her head. Her lips brushed over his stubble-covered cheek. “Let me go.”
“No, you’ll run from me.”
Hell yeah, she wanted to run and not look back. Something was seriously wrong with her reaction to him. She wouldn’t flee though, not yet. Not until she had her answers.
She faced him. His hungry gaze locked on to her face. “Who’s infecting people?”
“The eldjötnar, the fire demons, are the ones who’ve caused the deaths.”
She stared at him for a long moment. The words repeated in her head. “That’s what Irene and Ivan had said.”
“Yes. They are the children of fire, one of the essential elements necessary for Ragnarok.”
She sucked in a breath. “The end of the world?”
“Not exactly.” He drew her bottom lip into his mouth and nibbled on it before letting it slip free. Her pent-up air escaped in a rush. “It marks the cycle of rebirth. It’s also not meant to occur for a very long time. They shouldn’t have escaped from their tombs.”
She tried to drag up what she remembered of the myth. It was a Norse legend. She knew that much, but beyond the basic definition, she didn’t have a clue what it entailed. “Why did they?”
“The ice melted and released them.” He rubbed his thumb across her jaw. “They are evil. It is in their very nature to destroy and they will. The demons have no sympathy for humans of the world. They will feed whenever the mood strikes them and leave infected victims.”
“They’re the cause of the UP-33?” She had to be sure. Her rational mind resisted the direction of their conversation, but she also recognized the clues that hinted at the truth in Rune’s words. It was what she’d hypothesized, the virus’s appearance was tied to the glaciers’ melting. Never had she imagined supernatural beings were the source of the disease, however.
“Yes, they carry the virus.”
Her heart raced. If she could figure out how UP-33 worked, she might be able to find a cure. “Were they infected or is it part of their nature?”
Rune pushed away. The abrupt move startled her. She stumbled forward. He paced across the room toward the window near the front door. He shoved the curtain back and peered out into the night. After a moment, he let the drape fall into place. He didn’t face her. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
“This is one of those questions I fear answering.”
She grabbed a flannel shirt from a hook on the wall and slipped it on. It hung to mid-thigh and smelled of Rune. The fabric covering her body gave her a semblance of control. Her nerves settled with the barrier over her naked body and the knowledge that Rune hadn’t hurt her. She fingered the hem of the shirt.
Could she trust him? She worried her bottom lip and let her gaze travel over him. He had the body of a warrior. The analogy, though odd for her to use, fit him. Maybe it was the patience he’d shown. He’d lusted for her from the moment they met but hadn’t pushed for anything until she initiated sex. Hell, he’d even walked away.
Her initial guess as to why he’d left her half-naked on the couch had been right. He didn’t want her or at least he didn’t want a consort, whatever that meant. Yet, he hadn�
�t left her. She suspected it had to do with honor. Why she felt so certain of that, she wasn’t sure. She simply knew. He would protect her. Against what, she didn’t have a clue. She’d find out, though.
She swallowed hard and went to him. Her hand trembled, but she placed in on his back, right over his eagle tattoo. “Please, Rune. I’m taking a leap of faith here. I deal in facts, not myth, but I’m willing to try to accept what you’re telling me.”
He turned and pulled her into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her and laid his cheek on the top of her head. For a long moment, he simply held her. Finally, he sighed. “They are the children of fire. We are the children of mist. After the gods are awakened and the final battle plays out, the two elements will renew the world. The gods will form life from the chaotic mass and then return to their slumber unless awoken. That is Ragnarok.”
“Okay.” What he’d described went against everything she’d ever held true. She pushed her disbelief aside and allowed the impossible concept to take shape. If it helped her find a cure to UP-33, she’d be willing to believe anything. “But it doesn’t answer my question. How did they become infected?”
He settled his hand on her hips. “The children of fire and mist are essential. We are immortal. There is only one way we can die.”
She tensed. He skimmed a hand down her back. She appreciated the comforting caress but anxiety didn’t cause her heart to pound. Excitement set it to race. If she could find the bastard who’d bitten Janice, she’d take his life.
“How?”
He pressed his lips to her temple. “Do you think me a fool? You might’ve captured me, but I cannot tell you all of my secrets. It is too dangerous for my brethren. We must play this game for now.” He caught her earlobe and gave it a slight tug. She arched into him. “Neither of us wanted to walk this path, but I will not turn away from it or you.”
“How did I capture you?”
“You bit me and swallowed my blood. It makes you my consort.”
Her pulse kicked up. “What does that mean, Rune?”
He tipped her chin up and caught her gaze. “In days gone by, it was the initial step in taking a mate. The first offering of blood is a sign of a male’s favor. It makes the chosen female immune to mind control. The second is your acceptance of my claim. The third…” He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. “The third ensures I can never leave you.”
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