Nick stood to his full height and closed the distance to the end of the bed with two long strides. "Nicholas, at your service," he said with an animated bow. His voice had a strange accent as well. "I'm Egyptian," he confessed as the thought of his origin entered her mind.
“You see, my dear, we've all come from different times and places but Fate has brought us all together for one purpose and that's to end Zakara's reign," Raphael offered.
She looked from one face to another as her bewilderment grew. "Why are you all dressed so strangely?"
No one answered for a moment, all of them looking at each other before deciding to give her the truth. "We dress this way because our prey is less likely to see us coming before we get to them," Alex said. "Don't take it personally. We do what we must to survive."
Before she could ask more questions, the women rose from the bed and joined the men. They stood silent for a moment before exiting to the living room, leaving her alone with Raphael.
"Those are some of the ones who have chosen to come with me and break away from Zakara," he said softly as he lowered himself in the bed next to her, his arms disappearing underneath the covers. Strangely, she found the leather next to her skin utterly exciting. "You know, you are outrageously tempting right?"
"Please, Raphael," she begged, trying to ignore the insistent gloved fingers toying with her elongated nipples. "I don't think I can after what I've been through," she lowered her voice. "The others are in the next room."
His fingers brushed the side of her face, the leather as soft as a newborn baby's skin. "I told them to go ahead and hunt without me. When they are full, they'll come back here and stand guard while I feed."
"That's not necessary…."
"It's more than necessary," he said in a firm voice as he flicked open the knot on her towel, exposing her naked body to his touch. "Zakara will come back here when you're undefended and make another attempt to kill you. I won't let her." His lips went immediately to her neck, his body moving over her and making her pussy wet with anticipation. "Have you given any more thought to what I've asked you?"
Liz remained silent for a moment. She had thought about everything. She still wasn't sure what the right decision was. If she followed him, she'd give up her entire life. If she didn't follow him, she'd have to give up her heart. "I haven't come to a decision yet," she answered truthfully.
"I'll bet I can help you make a decision," he offered seductively as he nibbled on her earlobe.
"How so?"
"Let me show you."
Chapter 7
Liz woke the next morning, her body aching from the bruising it had received the night before. Raphael had relieved her tensions and aches through his sexually charged ministrations.
Instinctively, she cast a glance to the bed next to her. It was empty save for the rumpled sheets. She frowned. If he was so hell-bent on protecting her, where was he? Liz let out an exasperated sigh. Why was Raphael playing games with her?
She threw her arm over her eyes. Could Raphael be doing all of these things just to get her to believe his story?
Angrily, she looked at the clock, her heart nearly stopped. What she thought was morning was actually late afternoon. Liz paled. She was supposed to be teaching a class in about an hour and a half and that didn't give her much time to get ready.
Getting up, she stood on weak legs, the towel from last night still partially wrapped around her. She took a deep breath and re-wrapped it. Why couldn't she make up her mind?
Liz padded to the bathroom, brushing stray golden strands out of her eyes at least.
At the doorway, she stood in shock. The bathroom had been torn apart, everything ripped to shreds. Bits of plastic that were once the shower curtain clung to the stainless steel rod, the edges flapping in the wind.
Her toilet was smashed into a thousand pieces, as well as the vanity sink. Water flooded everywhere, soaking her bedroom carpet. Tiles were shattered, their tiny bits adhering to the floor. My God, what sort of animal did this?
Warily she continued to survey the damage, the knot in her belly tightening. Small bits of glass covered the floor, threatening to cut her feet if she set foot inside.
Sudden movement out of the corner of her left eye drew her attention. She turned toward it, her blood turning to ice in her veins.
Her mirror, a family heirloom, had cracked in half, giving a weird half-shattered image. In order to stifle the scream in her throat, she buried her wrist in her mouth. Written in blood on the mirror were the words, “Nothing can save you from me” signed with a bold 'Z' scrawled underneath it.
Without warning, her world spun, making her legs feel weak and rubbery. In slow motion, she fell to the floor, her hands striking the glass on the floor. Who was going to save her?
* * * *
"Elizabeth? Where are you?" Raphael called, listening for the telltale sound of her voice. He'd convinced her to allow him to take her back and forth to her class instead of going by herself. That would give Zakara less of a chance to hurt her.
The hot coppery odor of blood hit his nostrils, calling to him like a moth to a flame. His belly rumbled at the smell, making him hungry.
The rumpled heap at his feet mumbled, coming around from the stupor she'd been in.
Raphael dropped to his knees next to her, his belly curling into a tight knot. What had Zakara done to her? "My beloved," he whispered, his eyes trailing to the line of blood on the floor. Instinctively, he licked his lips at the sight, the growling in his belly becoming hard to ignore.
Raphael turned away as his fangs descended, the transformation coming on strong. Fighting the urge to bite, he laid his fingers against her throat to feel the pulse. A sigh of relief escaped his lips. It was strong and steady, beating hard under his fingertips. "Elizabeth," he murmured, bringing her close to his chest. As he held her, he looked around the room, his anger rising. How dare Zakara do this?
His attention was drawn to the mirror. Written neatly in blood was the dire warning issued by Zakara.
Deep growls escaped his throat, the hungry moisture dripping from his fangs. He was finished playing Zakara's games. The time drew near to take Elizabeth and make her his completely, whether or not she wanted to be.
"What happened?" Elizabeth's voice cut through the aura of anger surrounding him.
He looked down his features returning to normal thanks to years of practice. "My love," he whispered as he held her closer, the warmth of her skin utterly welcome. "You must have fainted," his gaze flicked to the bathroom, "after what you saw."
Painfully, her expression changed to one of absolute fear. "Please don't let her kill me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Where did you go?"
He held her tighter. "I had gone down to the store because you had nothing to eat this morning. I was only going to be gone for a few minutes," he confessed as he rocked slightly with her on the floor. "This was all my fault."
"She didn't do anything to me, Raphael. She's trying to scare me, that's all," Elizabeth said in a comforting tone, her words calming the turbulent sea of emotion in him. "I'm not going to let her scare me."
"Neither will I," he murmured, his cheek against the top of her golden head. "I'm never leaving your side again."
* * * *
Liz gazed up into his warm green eyes, her body responding to his touch. Her heart swelled and the tears rose in her eyes. All her doubts about him disappeared, almost like lightning after a summer storm. "Nor will I," she said softly as the smile on his lips spread wider.
"You know what this means, don't you?"
She looked away. "I have to become what you are, Raphael," she said, her voice flat and even. Was she ready to give up her humanity completely? "Condemned for all eternity to walk the earth in search of blood."
His hand turned her face back to him. "No, it means we have the chance to band together and defeat Zakara. Once that is done, we will spend the rest of eternity together, the way we should be."
"
That means we'll never have children or a family of our own."
His expression changed to one of sorrow. "It's an even trade, one for the other. As much as I want my children growing inside of you, it won't happen if you become one of us."
Liz blinked hard, trying to push the tears away. "That's all I've ever wanted, Raphael. To be a wife and mother. What you're asking me to do is sell my soul."
His fingers traced her jawline. "What I'm asking you is to walk beside me for all eternity, to be my loving wife again."
Unable to answer, Liz pushed up from his lap and leaned against the wall for support. She stared at him hard for a moment, taking in his sexy form. A white button down shirt covered his upper torso, highlighting the bronze of his skin and emphasizing the girth of his muscles. Denim wrapped around his lower body, accentuating the strength of his legs. Black, silver-tipped boots completed his attire. "I don't know, Raphael. I want to be with you. Giving up the idea of having children is not something I'm ready to accept."
"Your desire to be with me must be stronger than your desire to have children," he insisted. "With me, you'd never have to worry that I'd leave you or die. We'll always be together, making love for centuries. Don't you want that?"
She looked down. "More than anything else in the world, Raphael. I need more time to decide."
"Time is running out for both of us," he warned as he slid down next to her, his arm going around her shoulders. "Zakara will stop at nothing to destroy you, and I'm not going to let that happen, even if I have to force you to become one of us."
Her eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare."
"I would if it meant protecting you from her. What is your answer to be?"
She was incredulous. "I can't believe you would force me to do something against my will," she snapped, rising from the floor. The fragile trust that had begun to build shattered into irreparable fragments. "I trusted you up until this point I don't trust you at all. Get out of my house.”
Raphael rose to his feet and towered over her, his arms crossed over his massive chest. "No."
Her brow wrinkled. "What do you mean? If you don't leave, I'm calling the cops."
"Go ahead," he growled. "All I will need to do is convince them that you're hysterical because you're pregnant and that you're being unreasonable."
"I'm not pregnant," she retorted as she took a few steps away from him. "Even if I were, don't think I wouldn't run down to the nearest abortion clinic and get rid of it."
His laughter rang through her apartment. "You wouldn't because you want children too much, Elizabeth. Try again."
"Damn you!" she screamed and stalked into her bedroom, locking the door securely behind her. At least here, she could think quietly.
Splinters of shattered wood showered the bed around her as the door blew inward with the force of a hurricane. Her door hung ajar, the hinges torn from the jamb. Raphael stood on the other side, his lips spread into a wide smile.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, rising from her bed.
"When I want to come into a room, no lock can keep me out, Elizabeth," he said in a sensually deep voice as he strode over to her. His hands grasped her arms, pulling her to her feet. "You can't deny the passion between us." He flicked at the knotted towel. It fell away, leaving her exposed to his touch.
She quivered at the effect he was having on her. "Please, Raphael, don't do this."
"You want me to," he said as he sank to his knees and took a ripe nipple into his mouth, teasing it to marble hardness while his free hand kneaded the other mound with gentle pressure.
Liz had no choice except complete surrender. Desire coursed through her veins like the sweetest wine with the fragrant nectar her body desperately craved. "I'm not on any birth control or anything."
"You said you wanted a baby," he murmured against her flesh.
Liz felt her legs weaken and would have fallen had it not been for his hands around her waist. "When I was married, with a husband." she trailed off.
Raphael looked up, his dark eyes full of sensual heat as well as desire. "Be my wife, Elizabeth."
"We need a church, witnesses and all the other corny stuff that goes along with it."
"Rubbish. We wed all those hundreds of years ago and have been married since then," he softly reminded her as he rose to his feet and slipped his arms around her waist. "This is the wedding night we should have had. Nothing is going to ruin it for us this time."
He laid her gently on the bed, his fingers unbuttoning his shirt slowly. Her body cried out for him like nothing else in the world.
Like a flash, her stomach heaved, making the bile rise in her throat. "Let me up!" she screamed as she pushed him away. Instinctively, she ran for the bathroom, her hand over her mouth. Unfortunately, there was too much glass on the floor for her to go in.
Weaving around the corner, Liz made it to the kitchen and proceeded to spill the contents of her belly into the sink.
Raphael's hand wrapped around her forehead while his arm supported her against the faux-marble countertop. "Are you all right?"
His concern touched her deeply. "I think I'm coming down with some sort of virus, that's all," she commented dryly as she spun around, leaning against his chest, her mouth feeling utterly gummy. "I guess this kills the mood, doesn't it?"
"Not really," Raphael said, "I won't force myself on you if you're not feeling well. There'll be plenty of time later." He tilted her head up to meet his gaze, his fingers touching her face with feathery strokes. "You know, even when you're sick, you're still beautiful."
She turned away to keep from letting him see the tears forming in her eyes. "Thank you, Raphael. No one's ever said anything like that to me before."
"It's true," he insisted. "Even when you were in those misshapen clothes at the head of the class."
Her class! How could she have forgotten? "What time is it?" she cried frantically as she ignored the lurching of her stomach and hurried back to the bedroom. "I'm going to be late for class!"
Raphael was right in front of her, having advanced much faster than she could see. "I'm going to teach your class tonight. You're in no condition to do it, Professor Quartermaine," he said in a determined tone, his hands on her shoulders.
She sank down on the bed as sudden dizziness set in. "Maybe you're right."
"I know I'm right," he said arrogantly. "What I want you to do is shower, get a hot cup of tea and get back into bed."
Liz gestured to the bathroom. "How am I supposed to shower, Mr. Smarty Pants, with that mess in there?"
His brows rose. "What mess?"
She looked back into the room. "That mess—" She trailed off. Her bathroom was set to rights, the shower curtain hanging as it always had with the bright yellow flowers stamped on it. The shards of broken glass were gone, as well as the bits of shattered porcelain. It was a completely restored bathroom. Liz looked up at Raphael. "How did you do that?"
"It's within the realm of my power," he said and looked to the doorway. Gabrielle was there. She was dressed in tight jeans with a black tank top, her crimson hair streaming down her pale shoulders. Her eyes flashed an intense green. "Gabrielle is going to be here with you while I'm gone."
"That's not necessary."
"It's completely necessary, Elizabeth," Gabrielle said, sitting on the bed next to her. "You see, when we 'parted' company from Zakara, we made a pact."
Her fear rose. "What sort of pact?"
"Not a blood pact, if that's what's scaring you." Gabrielle chuckled. "The pact we made was that we would take care of each other and help each other out when necessary. We've been doing so for centuries and there's nothing I wouldn't do for any of the people within our circle." Gabrielle looked up at Raphael. "And they would do the same for me."
Liz was sure she felt some sort of sexual spark pass between them. She chose to ignore it. She really had no hold over Raphael even though he'd professed his undying affection for her. "Well, if you insist."
"I insist," Raphael s
aid, crossing his arms over his chest as his brows knitted together, his stare intense. "I still think there's something more wrong with you than you're willing to admit."
"No, there's nothing wrong," she insisted, her trembling hands hiding in her lap. If he knew the truth, he'd know there was a good chance she was pregnant. Her period was a week late.
He glanced at the watch on his wrist. "Damn!" he cursed as he brushed a kiss across her cheek. "I'm going to be late for your class so I have to run, my beloved. I'll be back as soon as I can." He stared at Gabrielle with a fierce expression. "Don't let anything happen to her."
Gabrielle nodded. "Nothing will happen to her, I swear."
"I'll be back soon, my love," he called as he swept out the door.
"Hurry back," she said weakly.
"Why didn't you tell him?"
Gabrielle's sudden words cut through her aura of thought. She whirled about, her eyes widening. "Don't tell me you're into reading minds as well?"
"No," she laughed as she stood up, urging Liz to rise to her feet as well. "Not really. Unless there's something worth looking at, and your mind is definitely worth taking a look at."
She paled. "Look, I don't know for sure, so don't say anything to Raphael. It could be stress since I have to peer around every corner and wait for Zakara to pounce on me. I don't know anything for sure."
Gabrielle's light laughter filled her sparse bedroom. "Your secret is safe with me," she said and urged her toward the bathroom. "C'mon, let's get you showered and back in bed where Raphael wants you."
* * * *
Reams of black smoke circled the bubbling cauldron filled with the blood of butchered humans. The hot, acrid odor of coppery fluid filled the air inside of the dank cavern, making her hungrier than she'd been in a while.
"You are upset, my queen," Arriden, one of her pet twins, said in a soft tone. "What is it that vexes you?"
Ranson, Tracy L. - Prince of Night [Bloodborn 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 11