by Martha Woods
Veronica and Ally were in the living room when Tessa and Kristian came downstairs. The unease between the two women was obvious from their body language. Ally stood with her arms crossed over her chest, while Veronica used her height to lean over the other vampire, hands on hips, trying to look intimidating. Tessa had to hold back her laughter when she caught each woman’s thoughts towards each other. And at the moment their thoughts were almost entirely grumbling profanity.
Ally was not moving and she was not at all intimidated. There were four men standing behind her—vampires—and they were obviously awaiting her orders.
Tessa couldn’t help but stare. They were all fine specimens of men: tall, lean, and hard bodied. There was a long-haired blond, a brunette with short, wavy hair, a black man with a shaved head and goatee, and a pale skinned redhead with a buzz cut.
“I just got a lead on a witch that I’m going to follow up on myself. I am leaving you with some of my best, so I am certain there won’t be any problems. This is Jared and Trevor,” she said, indicating the man with the goatee and the redhead respectively. “This is Ryan.” She pointed to the long-haired blond. “And of course, everyone except Tessa remembers Morgan.”
Morgan was the dark-haired man. He had full, kissable lips and long lashes covering shockingly blue eyes that locked onto Veronica. Tessa was flooded with a flash of memories between Morgan and Veronica, all passionate and erotic in nature. Tessa was used to hearing other people’s intimate thoughts and seeing the images associated with them. Rarely were the thoughts from one couple so passionate at the same time. Tessa cleared her throat, trying to dispel the sexual tension, and immediately regretted it.
Ally smirked, shifting from one foot to the other. “Boys, meet Tessa. She is Kristian’s human plaything of the week. She’s got this nifty gift that allows her to crawl into your heads and hear what you’re thinking. Be careful not to embarrass yourself in front of the human.”
Morgan’s eyes snapped to Ally and then to Tessa. His full lips twisted into a hard scowl.
“Way to make everyone comfortable, Ally,” Tessa snapped. “First of all, I’m no one’s fucking plaything. Got it? Second of all, I’m not reading anyone on purpose.”
“I somehow doubt that,” Morgan said.
“Well if you didn’t think with your cock first then you wouldn’t be so defensive.” Tessa replied, turning her glare up to him.
A house with six vampires, two of them with unresolved romantic issues, one that she could turn into a fiery romance, and everyone scrambling to protect the household against vicious witches. This should be great, Tessa thought.
Part 3
Tessa went to bed alone that night. Her mind reeled with thoughts of the Calder, her foster parent’s death, and the impending doom she could see on the horizon. Was she safe here? Or would the Calder find her here, killing her newfound family?
Family…
Kristian and Veronica had grown on her, their lives easily blending until Tessa could no longer see the seams. She thought of her life before, ever moving from place to place. She loved the open road, loved seeing the sun rise over mountains and forests. But, the Calder had been right behind her. Kristian had been right, she’d only been a few steps away from death on her own.
Tessa bit down on her lip, trying to chase away the thoughts that plagued her. Instead, she turned her mind to the kiss they’d shared on this very bed. She’d wanted so much more and the realization startled her. It hadn’t been his thought. That was her own.
Her feet moved of their own accord, pulling her from the guest suite bed. Despite being full of male vampires, the house was surprisingly quiet. She could hear their murmuring thoughts, but they were nowhere to be seen Tessa padded through the kitchen, wearing nothing more than one of Kristian’s oversized t-shirts. She crept into the pantry, closing the door gently behind her before turning to find the secret latch. It popped beneath her finger and the shelf swung open to reveal a dark stairwell.
She hesitated on the precipice, Veronica’s warning echoing through her. Was this a road that she was prepared to walk? Would it lead her on the path to becoming like him? She could feel the memory of his lips against hers, the press of his hands on her hips.
Finally, she swallowed hard and pushed the secret door closed. Maybe she wanted him physically, but she wasn’t ready to give more than that. Tessa turned around, letting herself out of the pantry, and came face to face with Veronica.
She froze to the spot.
The vampire sat on a stool at the granite counter, hunched over a coffee mug. Tessa knew that it wasn’t coffee. Veronica spared her a look before throwing back the contents of her mug. She pushed off the stool and sauntered over to where Tessa stood.
“Don’t drag him behind you. His heart has been put through the shredder enough times. If you break his heart and he… greets the sun, then I swear I will not stop until you’re dead. That said, I like you, Tessa. If you have the balls take Ally head on as a human, I think you fit right in.
“You need to make a decision. Either get out of here before he becomes too attached, or give it your all.” With her piece said, Veronica pushed past Tessa, quickly disappearing into the house.
* * *
In the early hours of the morning, Tessa rose from bed to get a glass of water. Her sleep had been fitful after her trek downstairs. Veronica’s words were at war with the desire she couldn’t hold back. She imagined laying him back against the black comforter, his ivory skin cool beneath her hands. In her mind, she imagined running her hands down his muscled thighs as her head dipped to kiss the skin above his groin. Would he groan at her touch? As she gulped down the water, she wasn’t sure when the last time was that water was this pleasing to her parched throat.
As she set her glass down in the sink, she saw that the secret door to Kristian’s apartment was open. Chewing her lip, she decided that she was lonely. Downstairs, Kristian sat on the leather couch, oversized mug in hand. For a moment, Tessa wondered if they drank from the opaque mugs so that she didn’t have to see their contents.
She moved to sit beside him on the plush couch, her bare thigh grazing his. A soft smile touched his lips as she leaned into him. She felt Kristian’s hand on her lower back, gently tracing her scars with his fingertips.
“A little of my blood would heal that, if you would allow me,” he said.
She looked at him over her shoulder, brushing back her hair.
“That wouldn’t…um…make me a vampire? Since you have drank from me already?”
“No, darling,” he said. “You would need to drink some of my blood for that to happen.”
“Well. I guess the movies got something right,” Tessa replied.
“Indeed,” Kristian said softly. “You haven’t answered my question.”
His fingertips still played against her skin, distracting her. “I don’t know. I have had them so long, I’ve sort of learned to live with them. I just don’t wear anything backless. Or bikinis, for that matter.”
“There are many things I will never understand. Cruelty to children in one of them. I abhorred it in my lifetime and I’m ashamed to see that it has not abated in the long years since I turned. Whatever could you have done to make them act in such a way means little. I can’t say that I am too worried about your foster parents being gone from the planet.”
“Part of me feels that way,” Tessa admitted. “Another part of me doesn’t. It’s a mixed bag of emotions. I mean, shouldn’t life be sacred?”
“What was your life like before, with your birth parents? Before they sent you away?” he asked.
Tessa sighed. She never talked about these things with anyone. Instinctively, she’d always known that one day, a man would want to be close enough to her to know about all the dark parts of her life. Perhaps she would even feel the need to tell him. But she’d only half believed it would ever happen. It was easier to imagine her life would always be on the road, no explanations required and no one to answer to.
She should have known the safety of her nomadic existence couldn’t last forever. At least she knew Kristian would not judge her.
“I don’t have a lot of memories of my early childhood. I remember being small and feeling secure with my family. But those years between five and thirteen? Almost nothing.”
“But they were good to you?” Kristian asked. “Before they sent you away, they didn’t hurt you?”
“No, they never hit me or…punished me.”
Kristian paused for a moment, and Tessa felt the need to fill the uneasy silence. “I know it’s strange,” she said. “I really can’t explain to you why.”
“Will you let me heal you?” he asked again.
She nodded in agreement. Putting her glass down, she laid down on her stomach. He opened the drawer of his bedside table and took out a knife. She heard him sigh as he drew the blade against his own skin. In a few moments, she was aware of blood dripping onto her back. It felt oddly cool, but grew warm against her skin; there was a moment of discomfort as she felt her flesh tighten and shift.
“Come have a look,” he said.
They got up and went into the bathroom. Kristian wiped away the remainder of the blood from Tessa’s skin with a towel. She stared at her reflection. Something shifted inside of her.
“Thank you,” she said, tears threatening to fall.
He lifted her chin with the tip of his finger. “It’s nothing,” he said.
Tessa was the one to move first. She wrapped an arm around the back of his neck, rising on tiptoes to meet his lips. His kiss was ravenous, his fingers digging into her hips as he pulled her closer. This close, she could feel the length of his manhood as it grew in excitement. It pressed against her lower stomach, starting a fire in her core.
Kristian lifted her from the floor and she wrapped her legs around his waist. As he walked them toward the bed, his teeth nipped at the skin of her neck, never quite hard enough to break the skin. Unable to contain himself any longer, he dropped Tessa onto his bed. His eyes devoured her from head to toe, her skin tingling beneath her gaze.
He crawled atop her, his mouth devouring hers. She returned his kiss greedily, a clashing of teeth and tongue. Rolling over, she straddled his lap. He ripped through her tank top and bra as if they were made of paper. His cold, hard hands grasped her breasts, and she sucked in a sharp breath at the sensation, but then his warm mouth closed over her nipple, and she melted into the pleasure of his expert sucking and nibbling. She let her fingers grip his earth-toned hair, and she arched her back so she could rock against the erection beneath his jeans. He growled in response before tearing away the last bit of her clothing. Tessa reveled in the feel of his cold fingers across her skin, traveling south.
Kristian flipped them over, straddling her naked form. She reached for his belt, but he growled and pinned her hands above her head.
“Don’t move,” he instructed with a tone she had to obey.
She bit her lip, struggling against her desire to undress him and see him and feel him. He watched her, clearly enjoying the control. He pulled back and stood for a delicious moment, admiring her petite body. Then he unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his pale torso, toned and lean and narrow. Tessa wanted to push it off his shoulders, to run her hands down his chest. He unzipped his pants but did not remove them. Instead, he knelt in front of the bed and pulled her toward his parted lips. She felt anticipation tighten her.
“Oh god,” she said.
“No gods here. Now stop talking,” he ordered, then silenced her with his tongue.
Her back arched immediately, rising from the pleasure. He flicked and sucked and then, to her great pleasure, slipped two cold fingers inside of her. This sent her crashing into an orgasm so fierce, she failed to remain quiet. She cried out in pleasure, and he let her.
Damn anyone who overheard their lovemaking.
Then he was on top of her, completely and suddenly nude, and she could not help but break the rules and move her hands over him, exploring and pulling him closer. He very deliberately stilled her hands and forcibly moved them to their place above her head once again. Then, ever so slowly, he bent his head to her neck. Fear rippled through her body, teasing her pleasure immeasurably. But she heard very clearly in his mind, Trust me.
He kissed the flesh above her collarbone and then moved to the peak of her shoulder. She felt the tiniest sharp pain, as if he had pricked her with a needle. He drew back and watched the blood from his small bite pool and dribble toward her breast. Before it could hit the white comforter, he used his tongue to follow the trail back up her shoulder. He closed his lips around the tiny opening in her flesh. He sucked, but with the utmost control. She let him taste, barely allowing herself to breathe.
And then she felt just the tip of him. She groaned. He slowly entered her, but not all the way. She shuddered.
“Beg me,” he said.
“Please,” she whispered. And that was enough. He thrust hard into her. She moved to touch him, and when he did not instruct her to stop, she let her nails claw greedily over his back, pulling him closer still. He thrust into her again, and again, and again. His rhythm was so precise that she could feel herself build immediately. She shuddered and curled further around him. She came so hard, she could not even draw breath. He withdrew himself and forcibly turned her over so that her belly rested on the bed and her ass was in the air. He entered her from behind with no respite, but she did not want one. She would let this creature love her for eternity.
Once behind her, he thrust into her once, twice, three times before coming, producing a guttural growl of pleasure that reminded her of an animal. But he had claimed to be no such thing.
Tessa curled into his lean body, happiness filling her for the first time in a long while as she drifted back to sleep. She dreamed of a silver-haired woman with a red book, with pages that filled themselves with lines of familiar curving script.
* * *
“What’s the plan? I understand you already worked around improving house security, but are we expected to stay inside for the time being?” Kristian asked.
Tessa was gathered with Kristian, his sister, and the four guards in the kitchen. The ocean could be seen from this vantage point. Bright sunlight drifted into the windows, making the atmosphere seem light and peaceful, despite the dark reasons their gathering. It was easy for Tessa to forget they were under such careful watch when she and Kristian were downstairs in the basement apartment. Seeing all of these powerful vampires together brought home to her the seriousness of the threat they were under. The Calder were literally the thing that monsters feared.
Morgan was the first to speak up.
“No, we’re not suggesting you stay home all day. In fact, you are probably less of a target on the street because the witches won’t want to be seen in public, much less do anything to hurt you. We’re not taking any chances though. If you want to leave the house, one of us will shadow you. One guard will remain here at the house at all times, watching in shifts.”
“How long are we supposed to keep this up?” Veronica asked. “All of you living here?”
All the eyes in the room turned to her. It was obvious to Tessa her real problem was how long she was going to have to subsist under the same roof with her ex-lover. Veronica’s mind churned between thoughts of anger and lust, all of which was directed at Morgan.
“As long as it takes,” Morgan replied. “Until Ally gives us the call saying the threat has been averted.”
“Great,” Veronica hissed.
“If it helps, ma’am, we’ll be as nonintrusive as possible,” Ryan said. It was the first-time Tessa heard him speak in more than monosyllables. She was surprised by his lilting southern accent. “The goal is not to disrupt your life. Just make sure you continue to have one.”
“You guys are going to have to forgive me for asking, but I am new to all this. Exactly what kind of powers do these witches have?” Tessa asked.
Jared, the vampire with cocoa brown skin, bru
shed his goatee thoughtfully. “They can do many things. They can produce controlled bursts of fire through their palms. It’s how they killed the older couple you find yesterday.”
“They did that with their…?” Tessa couldn’t imagine. She had assumed Melissa and Jim were killed with some sort of magical implement. An image of a black-eyed woman popped into her mind—one of Jared’s memories. In the vision, the head rolled across the floor with a thump that made bile rise in his throat.
“You beheaded one?” Tessa asked. The face seemed oddly familiar to her.
“It’s the fastest and most effective way to kill them,” Jared replied. “Bloodletting will do the trick, as well as drowning, but both of those methods require greater risk because it means getting close to them. They practice all kinds of blood magic. We have the house warded against it, but with the Calder, one can’t make assumptions about what they are able to do. They’re constantly studying higher realms and different forms of magic, and so are we. Bullets won’t kill them, but it will slow them down. Anything which can make them hurt is good because their magic requires a certain amount of concentration. Break that, and you can buy yourself some time in a confrontation.”
“Good to know,” Tessa said, crossing her arms.
“I have things to do,” Veronica said. “I’m not staying home today.”
“Trevor will accompany you,” Morgan said quickly. He turned to Kristian. “You and Tessa are going out?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll drive you,” Morgan said. “I won’t let you out of my line of sight.”
* * *
For the past, several days, Tessa felt like a refugee—a well-cared for refugee in an immaculate beach house, but she felt odd because she still didn’t have any of her own things. She fled the city with Kristian and Veronica without getting a chance to pack a bag. All of her things had been destroyed. Tessa had gotten by with washing her jeans and wearing Kristian’s shirts.