by K. L. Kreig
“We’ll continue this discussion later,” Rom announced. Scooping her into his arms before she could protest, he flashed them to their bedroom in Washington, but she barely had a chance to register it because his mouth was everywhere, divesting her of all thought.
“What are you doing?” she breathed, heat pooling between her thighs.
“Fuck, Sarah. I need to be inside you,” he rasped, backing her up against the closest wall. Reaching under her sundress, he ripped away the lace that covered her sex. Two fingers plunged roughly into her pussy as his mouth descended hard on hers. She rode his hand with complete abandon, quickly nearing the edge of bliss. Rom knew her body intimately, inside and out, and he expertly played it every single time he laid a finger on her. Which luckily, for her, was often.
“Don’t stop,” she panted.
He reached between them and unbuckled his pants. Wrapping her legs around him, his cock quickly replaced his fingers. She actually whimpered in ecstasy, head falling heavily against the wall. She would never tire of the raw masculinity that her mate exuded.
“Christ, you feel good. Ride my cock, beauty,” his rough voice commanded. In the bedroom was the only place she willingly followed his bossy demands. And she was eager to follow this one.
The world narrowed to a tiny pinpoint of pleasure as they both chased the release they craved. They didn’t exchange blood every time they had sex, but she had a ferocious desire to take his now. Without preamble, she struck swiftly and a curse fell from his lips. Heady power flashed like lightening through her bloodstream and with every suckle of his vein, she felt one with him.
His hot release set off hers and they exploded violently, riding the wave of rapture together. Panting, he pressed a lingering kiss to her swollen lips.
“Wow,” she muttered as he trailed kisses to her ear. “That’s the definition of a nooner. A girl could get used to that.”
He barked a laugh. “You’re an incredibly amazing woman, Sarah. I’m lucky to have found you.”
“Yes. Yes, you are. And I’ll remind you. Daily.”
“Yes, I’m sure you will.”
When he withdrew, she felt bereft, as she always did. If it was possible to make love to her mate every minute of every day, she would. She felt complete and whole when they were joined together.
He left and quickly returned with a hot cloth. Kneeling, he wiped gently between her legs. Pressing a soft kiss to her inner thigh, he lingered so long her arousal spiked again.
“You’ll not hurt Geoffrey, right?”
Standing, he touched his lips to her forehead. “I hate that he put you in that place with those monsters. The thought of them touching you, touching what’s mine, makes me homicidal, Sarah.”
“I know. But I’m fine and I’m here with you now. And I wouldn’t be without Geoffrey. Please, Rom. Everyone deserves a second chance.”
He sighed. “If that’s what you wish.”
“It is.”
He nodded sharply. “Okay.”
“Thank you, Rom.”
“I’d do anything for you, beauty. Anything.”
“Do you want to grab a bite to eat before I have to head back?” she asked.
A devilish smile curved his lips. “Oh yes.”
She laughed, trying to push him away. “I was talking about food, vampire.”
Pinning her arms to the wall above her head, he answered in a low, rough and downright sexy voice. “Then perhaps you should have been clearer on that request from the get-go.”
“I have a meeting at one o’clock,” she sighed breathlessly, his talented tongue now doing wicked things to her body, steeling her ability to protest like she really meant it.
“I’m afraid you might just be late,” he responded, nipping the hollow at the base of her throat.
Unable to deny her mate or her body, which was now writhing underneath his fevered touch, she had no choice but to acquiesce. And so while she was late, she had to admit, that was the best lunch she’d had in a very long time.
And she hoped to do it again tomorrow.
Chapter 59
Rom
Rom wanted to fucking murder him. Now he knew exactly how Dev and Damian felt. His head on a stake was sounding like a better idea with each passing moment. Maybe they could pass it around, like a trophy. Each lord keeping it four months out of the year.
Geoffrey had put every one of their mates’ lives in jeopardy.
But he’d saved them too. Multiple times.
Fuck me. The logical side of his brain knew this to be true. Sarah would not be his had she not ended up with Xavier. Hell, Sarah would not be his had Geoffrey not saved her as a baby instead of destroying her as Xavier directed. But the sheer animal in him had a visceral need to end Geoffrey. He’d put Rom’s mate in harm’s way and while Sarah had assured him no rape happened, it could have ended very differently, in which case, no amount of pleading by his mate would have saved Geoffrey’s soul.
Sarah had walked in on another strategy session. He’d gotten the text from his brother this morning that it was time. He was to return to Romania tomorrow evening. Much to his chagrin, Rom had to admit what Geoffrey had suggested was a brilliant plan. And Geoffrey was willing to do it, even though it put his own life in grave danger. Maybe he’d get lucky and the fucker would get killed. Then at least Sarah couldn’t be mad at him because he would have honored his word.
Geoffrey’s only condition was that if they made it through this alive, he was no longer indebted to Romaric or the other lords and he would be allowed to live his days free of any retribution by any of them.
They’d all agreed.
“Do you trust him?” his brother asked.
“About as much as I do you,” he retorted.
The people, that Rom implicitly trusted, could be counted on one hand and his brother and Geoffrey didn’t make the cut. Far from it.
Taiven’s laughter carried through the burner phone. “Then tonight we’ll set our plan into motion. I’ll see you tomorrow night, brother.”
“If you fuck me over, there will be retribution,” Rom warned. Devon and Damian would be unstoppable until both Taiven and Makare were dead. The silence extended for so long, he thought Taiven had hung up.
“I understand you have no reason to believe me, Romaric, but there is only one vampire I wish to fuck over. And it isn’t you.”
Rom felt a twinge of guilt but quickly pushed it aside. Anger and distrust were the predominant feelings he had for his brother. Guilt had no place in the mix.
“Why her?” Rom asked. He didn’t need to further explain his question, for Taiven knew exactly to what he was referring.
“That’s a discussion for another day, brother. Should we both live to see another sunrise after tomorrow that is.”
“Hear me well. She’s mine and I’m not big on sharing what’s mine. Do it again and, brother or not, I’ll take immense pleasure in slowly killing you myself.”
“So noted.”
“Until tomorrow.” He hung up without waiting for a reply and threw the phone on the couch.
Rom looked around the room at his comrades. His friends. Hell, his in-laws. “It’s done.”
“Have you changed your mind about letting us help?” asked Damian.
“No. This is my battle. Not yours.”
“We’ll protect her with our lives, Rom,” Damian responded.
He nodded. If he died, then that wasn’t really necessary, for Sarah would perish within several days after him, a week tops. Now that they were bonded, she needed his blood for survival. At least she’d have her family by her side if it came to that.
Which it wouldn’t. He’d be victorious. He had no other choice.
Just then the door opened and Ren walked in with Geoffrey in tow.
Rom stood, walking toward Geoffrey until they were toe to toe. Geoffrey was very well matched with the lords in bulk and height and he had to admit, intelligence and skill as well. “It’s time,” he stated simply
.
Geoffrey dipped his head in agreement.
“Your injuries were severe. Are you certain you’re one-hundred percent healed?” They needed all their faculties and wits about them to come out the other side of this alive and the last thing Rom needed was to drag an injured vampire on his coattails.
“I’m sure, my lord.”
Rom smirked. That’s the first time Geoffrey had gifted him with the respect his position deserved. Sarah’s earlier words echoed around, “Everyone deserves a second chance”, and his fury at the vampire abated some. “We’ll stick to the plan we originally discussed and I’ll see you there.”
“And Geoffrey,” he called after the retreating vampire. “Good luck.”
“And to you, my lord.”
He’d take it because they sure as fuck were gonna need it.
Chapter 60
Sarah
She’d stayed home from the shelter today to spend it with Rom and they’d had a simply magical day. She felt giddy, like a kid at Disney World. They lounged in bed much of the morning, making love and talking. At his insistence, she’d given him some of the sordid details about her month in captivity and then soothed his anger, very thoroughly, with her mouth and lips and tongue. Tracing every line, every muscle, every dip, especially the sexy V that she loved so much.
Then they’d eaten a light lunch and spent hours in the afternoon horseback riding. She loved the freedom and power being on a horse wielded. Having a wild beast under her control, which outweighed her by almost ten times, was intoxicating.
Ha! Kind of like her mate.
But as wonderful as the day had been, the time was drawing near for him to leave. She’d pushed aside Rom’s coming confrontation with his father tonight all day, trying desperately to avoid thinking about it so she could make new memories without tainting them with sadness and fear, but with only two hours before he left, she’d finally lost that battle.
There were things she wanted to tell him before he left. In case this was the last time they laid eyes on each other in this lifetime.
“What are you thinking about, beauty?” Rom asked quietly, as his hand found her naked breast under the warm water, gently tweaking her pebbled nipple.
“Mmmm … so many things,” she replied, sighing at his ministrations.
“Tell me,” he whispered against the shell of her ear. She wished they could stay like this forever. The deep tub had quickly become one of her favorite spots in the house and when they sat there like they did this evening, watching the stars sparkle like diamonds in the sky, her back pressed firmly against his chest, it was like a fairytale. Only this was an erotic fairytale, because it always ended in mind-melting sex.
“I found out my mother’s name.”
His hand stilled. “You did? How?”
“I, um, asked Giselle to help me.”
Laughing, he linked their hands and placed them across her belly. “I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall during that conversation.”
Sarah had a weird urge to defend Giselle. “She’s not so bad.”
“Outside of me, she’s the coldest vampire I’ve ever met.”
Twisting her head and capturing his gaze, she said, “You’re not cold. Just … misunderstood. And I think she is too.”
Leaning forward, he kissed the tip of her nose. “You see the good in everybody, Sarah. I so love that about you.”
Turning back around to look out at the night sky, she continued, “Her name was Marna Clark. And I have an aunt and a grandfather alive. My grandmother died last year. They live in Illinois.”
“Would you like to meet them?”
“Yes,” she answered, no hesitation. “Someday.”
“Then we shall make that happen.”
This next part was a little harder, because she hated to ruin the moment by talking about his past. About Seraphina. But she wanted him to know.
“And my grandmother had a very extensive family tree that Giselle managed to get me as well, along with quite a few pictures. It goes all the way back to the late thirteen hundreds.”
“Mmm, really?” he asked, hips gently thrusting behind her, his erection digging into her back. Clearly other ways to fill their remaining time together was on his mind. But she wasn’t through.
“Yes. And I saw a name and an old picture that caught my eye.”
“Sarah, I need to fuck you before I leave,” he mumbled against her neck, her stomach fluttering in anticipation.
Oh my. His wandering hands and naughty words made it very difficult to form sentences.
“It appears I’m a descendent of Willa Glynn.” When he didn’t react, she added, “Seraphina’s sister.”
He turned her around to face him, sloshing water over the sides of the tub. “What did you say?”
Crooking her eyebrows, she shrugged. “Pretty incredible, huh?”
“Are you sure?” he asked doubtfully.
“Positive.” Hating that she felt so insecure that she wasn’t his first, she decided to ask the question that had plagued her since Rom finally divulged who Seraphina was. “I thought vampires could only have one Moira? Are you sure I’m yours, if Seraphina was?”
“Yes, Sarah. I’m sure. I never bonded with Seraphina, as I told you, so apparently the Fates granted me another chance of finding my one true mate. I don’t think Seraphina was ever intended to be my mate and I should have listened to my gut the second I saw you, instead of spending days questioning fate. And because I didn’t, we’re now both in danger from my father.”
“What do you mean?”
His smile was thin and didn’t reach his eyes. And that made her slightly sick. He looked away before capturing her gaze again. “I’ve been alive a very long time, Sarah, and I’d never heard of a vampire having two Moiras, but there was no denying in my gut and in my blood that you were mine. And so I sought answers from the only person I knew would have heard of such a thing. My mother. But to get to her, I had to go through my father first. If I had just trusted my instinct, I wouldn’t have to confront him tonight. I wouldn’t have to kill him. I wouldn’t have put us in danger.”
Her brows furrowed. “But if you kill your father, doesn’t your mother also die?”
“Taiven claims to have found a way to prevent that. I’m not convinced.”
“And you’re willing to take a chance?”
His face turned impassive. “I’m not willing to risk losing you. Period.”
“I’m sorry,” she muttered, laying her head on his shoulder.
Strong arms wrapped around her. “I’m the one that’s sorry, beauty. I’m the one that’s sorry.”
Chapter 61
Rom
Standing on the steps once again of his father’s house, he was half surprised there wasn’t an ambush waiting for him. When he was growing up, that was a tactic his father regularly used with unsuspecting visitors called to his home under false pretenses. Makare much more preferred to trick and play with his enemies than battle them fairly and squarely.
As they’d all agreed having cell phones was too risky, Rom was going on blind faith that Taiven, Ainsley and Geoffrey had everything in place for his arrival. If they ran into any glitches, he wouldn’t know until it was too late.
Sarah had told him before he left that in a dream, Seraphina said that reuniting him and Taiven was the key to saving Rom’s life. He still wasn’t sure what to make of that and he wasn’t at all sure what to make of what the vampire on the mountain had told him of Taiven.
“He’s a good vampire. Trustworthy.”
Rom snorted. “Good and trustworthy aren’t adjectives I’d use to describe my brother. Cocky, self-centered, and sadistic? Yes. Good? Hardly.”
“You haven’t seen your brother in over five hundred years. A lot can change in that time. Your father is the sadistic one. Taiven has saved hundreds of women from a fate worse than death. A fate imposed upon them by your father. He’s even saved many of your American women’s lives.”
“That’s a longer discussion than we have time for, I’m afraid. What you need to know now is that Taiven’s objectives and yours align. Taiven is respected and benevolent and fair. And our true leader. Everything Makare is not. It’s only a matter of time before Makare discovers Taiven’s subterfuge and when that happens, he will be publicly executed and our people cannot allow that to happen. Together, I believe you’ll be powerful enough to finally rid the world of your father.”
The sound of the castle door opening yanked him back to the present. Dammit, he could not afford any distractions, no matter how momentary.
“Sire, this way, please.”
Showtime.
The servant took him on the same path that he’d taken just a few short weeks ago, winding through the castle directly to the throne room. Upon entering, his steps wavered. As expected, perched high on his throne was his father. But this time, instead of a naked whore on his lap, his unclothed mother sat instead.
There was a collar around her neck and attached to it was a leash, which Makare held in one hand while stroking her hair with the other, much like one would do with a lap pet. Even from this far away, she visibly shivered, but it wasn’t from a chill or in anticipation. It was from fear.
When he entered the room, his mother’s eye caught his briefly but quickly looked away. He could almost feel her embarrassment at being put on such vulgar display.
Mother. Fucker. He wanted to rip Makare’s fucking head off this very instant. How dare he debase his mother in front of her children? And how dare Taiven let this happen? Where the fuck was this supposedly honorable vampire that Malachi had spoken of? He was supposed to be here. Sixty seconds in the door and their plans were already shot to shit.
“Romaric,” his father greeted. “I’m surprised you actually came.”
Taiven and Ainsley were to tell his father that Rom had been found and had reluctantly agreed to come listen to his father’s request to rejoin the family. He wouldn’t be able to hide it now, should his father look, but at least Makare hadn’t known of his mating to Sarah since he wasn’t bonded last time he was here. That is unless Taiven or Ainsley betrayed him. Which, at this point, since they were both notably absent, was very fucking likely.