“Then she will have to get past me.” Damien winked. “Now, let’s go get your chosen one.”
Chapter Eleven
Standing on the secluded beach as instructed in the message Sebastian had left on her voicemail, Diana glanced at her watch again. So much had happened in such a short amount of time, but she’d been prepared for this night by her grandmother. For years.
All the warnings about saving her virginity for her soul mate. For Sebastian. She felt her ire rise again that he had somehow taken her virginity as she’d dreamt of him, had even entered her into a bonding ritual without her consent. Remembering her grandmother’s pleas to trust the reasons behind his actions, she forced her anger down.
Her grandmother had spent the entire afternoon convincing her that Sebastian and she were destined to be together. That if they failed to complete the bonding, all vampires would become as vicious as Slashers. She’d refused to divulge why, but told Diana that Sebastian had no choice but to begin the ritual without her knowledge.
Somewhat pacified about being thrust into this ritual without her approval, Diana vowed that when the time was right Sebastian had better explain why he felt the need to take her virginity while she slept.
And now, according to her grandmother, Sebastian would give himself to her. She’d continue the ritual, but when it was time to go before the elders, she had better feel more than lust for Sebastian, visions or no visions. She was never going to close her eyes to her own doubts or suspicions again. Life was too precious to chance making a wrong move.
Two shadows emerged from the woods and she knew immediately that one was Sebastian. Grabbing the backpack her grandmother had packed and insisted she take, she stood and tried to appear calm.
Sebastian glanced at the bulging backpack and raised his brows. “Planning on being gone long?”
She smirked. “Well, if tonight you choose me, I figure I’ll be gone at least until tomorrow night. There’s no way I’m leaving you alone after taking that much…” She swallowed, unable to say the word.
“You know about tonight? But how?”
She held out her hand to him. “From what my very wise, very loving Nana Lina tells me, tonight you place your life in my hands. Tonight, I rule.”
He swept her into his arms. “So, tonight, I am the slave and you’re the master?”
Brushing her lips over his, she nodded. “So she says. And then you have a lot of explaining to do, buster.”
“You can’t be talking about Angelina.”
They both looked at Damien.
A tall, muscular man with long brown hair stood behind Sebastian. He stared at Diana, his hands clenched at his sides. When Diana calmly nodded, he adamantly shook his head. “But how could she tell you anything? She’s not well. She’s…she’s…”
“Fine, last time I saw her, which was less than an hour ago,” Diana said, moving out of Sebastian’s arms. “You know Nana Lina?”
Sebastian wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her back against his chest. “Damien, what is all this about? How do you know Diana’s grandmother?”
“Damien? You’re Nana’s vampire?” Pulling away from Sebastian’s grasp, she strode up to the trembling vampire. “And just where have you been hiding all these years? Huh?”
Diana glanced at Damien’s fists quivering at his side.
“She’s really fine?” Damien stepped up to her and gazed into her eyes. When she nodded, his shoulders sagged. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know.”
Cupping Diana’s face between his hands, Damien smiled. “You look so much like my Angel.”
“Can someone fill me in here?” Sebastian demanded.
“Diana’s grandmother is my soul mate, Sebastian. But sometimes soul mates meet at the wrong time.” He ran the pad of his thumb over Diana’s cheek. “Angelina was married and had a child she couldn’t leave. When we failed to go before the elders, they ignored my pleas to allow me to wait for Angelina’s freedom and chose your mother as my mate.”
Diana turned tear-filled eyes to Sebastian. “She still loves him.”
Damien’s fangs shot out with a speed that shocked Diana. She jerked out of his hands and inched closer to Sebastian.
“I was told she went mad. What could I do?”
“Oh I don’t know. Gone to see for yourself?” Diana crossed her arms under her breasts and, scowling, leaned back against Sebastian’s chest.
“He didn’t dare, Diana,” Sebastian explained in a hushed voice. “If a vampire does not complete the bonding ritual with a human, then sees with his own eyes that the human has gone mad, by law he has to bring the human to the Isle of Fentmore.”
“I couldn’t do that.” Damien grabbed Diana’s shoulders. “The Slashers, they’re mad from needing vampire blood…their chosen vampire’s blood. Because they cannot have it, they drain any vampire they can trap. They even kill each other simply because they smell the vampire blood they each carry. Angelina and I went all the way to the last night. Her blood is more vampire than human. They would have torn her to pieces.”
“But she didn’t go mad.” Diana felt like stamping her foot. “God, do all men think women can’t handle losing them? Or is it just you vampires?”
“My God. Olympia has been lying to me all these years.” Damien raised his eyes to Sebastian. “That’s what was behind her sending you to Diana’s that night. Not revenge for your stepbrother’s death. She thought losing Diana would push Angelina over the edge.”
“Damien, enough,” Sebastian yelled.
“Revenge?” The backpack fell from Diana’s hand.
“We have to go. Now.” Sebastian caught the backpack before it hit the ground.
Diana drew in a deep breath and held it until her lungs burned as she absorbed what Damien said. Revenge? “Sebastian, we met because you…” She turned to Sebastian. His eyes darted away. “Sebastian?”
Damien stared intently at Diana. “It doesn’t make sense. Why wait all these years to get back at Angelina? Unless she’s been trying and…I have to know what else she’s done.”
Diana felt a bolt of white fire slam into her head. She stumbled back, grasping her head, then wailed when the heat intensified. Her childhood flashed before her eyes. Memories she’d long forgotten. Those she wished she could forget came to life with heartbreaking clarity. Her knees buckled beneath her.
She relived the stillbirth of her brother, the tragic accident that took her baby sister from their lives and the fire that took her grandfather’s life. The morning she awoke to find her mother had vanished replayed, resurrecting the pain she’d managed to get through then. Pain she doubted she’d survive again.
And with every painful memory, Diana saw herself and her grandmother clinging to each other for support.
Unable to take any more, she wrapped her arms around the back of her head and screamed.
“Enough, Damien,” Sebastian yelled, immediately blocking Damien from Diana’s mind.
“Don’t you see, Sebastian? Olympia discovered that Diana is Angelina’s lifeline.”
Sebastian focused intently on Diana as she huddled on the ground, wiping from her mind what had just occurred, removing the memory of Damien’s slip. When he finally relaxed, releasing a long, weary breath, he met Damien’s gaze. You will never do that again. Do you hear me, Damien? Never.
Sebastian, what have you done to her?
Raising red-rimmed eyes, Diana glanced around as if she didn’t know where she was. She took hold of Sebastian’s outstretched hand. When he pulled her up to her feet, she swayed. “Sebastian, what…”
Sebastian swept her into his arms. “No more talk about the past. The night is too short and we have more important things to do.” Damien, show us where we’ll spend the night.
“But Sebastian, I have to ask you something important,” Diana mumbled, then moaned and clasped her head. “Why can’t I remember?” She blinked. A tear rolled down her cheek. Holding Sebastian’s gaze, she brought up her hands and touche
d her cheeks. “Was I crying?”
Seeing her chest rise and fall as she grew more and more agitated, hearing her heart rate rise to an alarming rate, Sebastian immediately regretted what he’d done.
“Wait. Wait, I—” she gasped, then clutching her chest, started to wheeze loudly.
“Lu—”
Her mouth closed.
Hating that he had to enthrall her, Sebastian slowed her heart down until it beat in time with his, then set her mind at ease. Nothing matters except us, Diana. Nothing.
Sebastian shook his head, his eyes on Damien. “Damien, we have to leave.”
Damien continued to stare at the spot where Diana had waited for them.
“Damien, the night grows late and the longer we wait the more likely it is that Olympia will find us.” Sebastian moved to stand beside his stepfather. “You want to go to Diana’s grandmother.”
Damien raised his eyes and nodded. “I’ve waited this long, I guess I can wait another night. You know, if you’d gone through with Olympia’s plan, Angelina would probably have given up.”
“What are you talking about? What plan? Sebastian, what—”
“Diana, not now. Please, just trust me,” Sebastian said, glaring over her head at Damien.
He brushed his fingers against the side of her breast. Merged with her, he felt a flash of heat beneath them fan out to encompass her entire body before converging in her pussy. She writhed in his arms and brought her lips to the vein pulsing along his neck.
Damien apparently had not missed the fear and confusion that had flared in Diana’s mind before her eyes had glazed over with passion. And he knew exactly what her moans as she nibbled on Sebastian’s neck revealed. You can’t do this to her, Sebastian. She should know everything before we proceed. There should be no secrets between bonded mates.
Sebastian turned his back on Damien. Once we’re fully bonded, I’ll tell her everything.
Damien came to stand before him. You should tell her first. It’s not right to continue the ritual with this secret.
Sebastian cradled Diana’s head against his chest. What if she refuses to bond? I can feel her muscles already cramping from the hunger. What if she’s not as strong as her grandmother? I can’t take that chance, Damien. I won’t.
With a sigh, Damien nodded. He walked up to the bank, hesitated a moment, then became a blur as he soared over the lake. Sebastian tightened his grip on Diana and followed. She licked his neck where his pulsed throbbed.
“Diana, stop it. We have to get to a safe place,” he ground out between clenched teeth.
With a sigh, she rested her head on his chest. “You’re afraid. I can feel it. You don’t think I’ll stop in time.”
“I fear for your safety, not mine. There’s someone who would destroy what we have.”
“This Olympia you were talking about?”
“Yes.”
After leading them up a mountainside for what seemed like an eternity, Damien glanced over his shoulder and nodded toward a small cottage nestled in a grove of towering pines. Take her into the cottage. I’ll stand guard outside, but at dawn I’ll have to join you inside. Then we will both be in her care.
Sebastian carried Diana into the front garden and stopped. Still wary of a possible trap, he inspected their surroundings with his eyes and mind. Confident that they were the only vampires in the vicinity, he brought Diana into the dark interior of the cottage.
Her eyes still appeared dazed. His heart sank, recalling the way they had lit up upon his arrival at the lake. He searched for a way to bring them back to life.
Something scurried across the floor and squeaked at his feet. Sebastian glanced at the tiny creature and grinned. “Just what I need.”
When Diana turned to him, he bared his fangs.
“Don’t you dare.” Diana leapt from his arms and pushed against his chest.
“But I’m starving.”
He watched her feel along the wall for the switch. The sight of those long fingers gliding over the smooth surface sent a bevy of electric jolts to his cock. When light filled the small room, a scrawny mouse froze in front of the stone fireplace. Sebastian captured its gaze and ordered it to come to him. The mouse obeyed.
Diana ran up to the mouse. “Shoo! Shoo! Go on, get out.”
The mouse ignored her and continued its journey.
“Run. Sebastian, you let him go. My God, is this what you do? Go after poor defenseless mice?”
“Only when I have no immediate blood supply on hand.” He waggled his brows. “Ah, but why would I need such a measly snack when a meal stands before me?”
Diana giggled. “You rat, I believed you.”
Tossing her backpack onto the floor, he grabbed her around the waist and ground his erection into her stomach. With a flick of his eyes, he sent the mouse scurrying out the door. Diana squealed with delight when he nipped at her ear.
“A comfortable chair would be nice.” Damien called from outside.
“Don’t move.” Sebastian kissed the bridge of Diana’s nose. Lifting a chaise, he rushed out to find out what Damien really wanted.
Diana watched from the doorway as he and Damien stood toe to toe arguing. When he finally strode away from Damien, he shocked her by giving a small shrub a vicious kick.
“Is everything okay,” she asked when he returned.
“Damien’s still freaking out about your grandmother.”
“It’s so sad.”
Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her until she melted against his hard chest.
“Look into my eyes,” he commanded in a voice that would put Bella Lugosi to shame.
Wriggling free, Diana held up her hands. “Stop right there, Dracula. Tonight you follow my commands, remember? I’m in charge.”
She felt the bloodlust he had been joking about surge through his veins. His pupils dilated as he slid his fingers under her T-shirt. Diana held his gaze. Felt him grow entranced by her eyes.
“I can feel your emotions.” She held her palm over his heart. “Feel your body’s reactions at the same time that I’m feeling my own.”
“It’s part of the ritual, Diana. We’re merged. Unfortunately, you’ll hear most of my thoughts too.”
“This should be interesting.” She grinned up at his concerned expression. “Now, undress me. Slowly.”
Sebastian blinked.
“I thought I said slowly.”
Diana stood before him, her hands on her hips, the tattered remnants of her clothes scattered around her. A red thong, its straps torn from the delicate lace triangle, slid from his fingers. Running his hand through his hair, he growled. “God, woman, you’re turning me into an animal.”
“Not just any animal, Sebastian. My animal, to do with what I please.” Diana slowly licked her lips, amazed how his eyes seemed to glow from some internal fire.
Sebastian took a step closer, then halted when Diana held up her hand.
“Whoa, tiger. Stay right there.” She sashayed over to a huge bed tucked into an alcove. A multitude of burgundy satin pillows were scattered across a matching comforter. Her nether lips throbbed as decadent images flashed before her eyes and her power over tonight’s outcome filled her with a host of possibilities.
She primly sat on the edge of the bed and put her hands on the knees of her closed legs, then glanced up. His eyes shimmered with desire and unfathomable hunger, his clothes strained against flexing muscles. And his mouth, his beautiful mouth. Slightly parted lips revealed the glistening tips of razor-sharp fangs. They seemed to grow as she stared in awe.
If anyone had told her a mere week ago that such a sight would have her trembling with longing, she would have called them mad.
Something still bothered her, but whenever she so much as spared it a moment’s thought, her body’s ever demanding hunger for Sebastian roared to life.
Taking a deep breath, she cleared her throat. “Now you undress. And this time, no matter what happens, you will make it last. Do you hear m
e, Sebastian? I mean sloooowww.”
“That voice.” His heart slammed against his ribs. “If I didn’t know better, I would swear I’m standing before a dominatrix.” He grinned, confident that he would be in control in no time. “No problem.”
“Wrong, wise guy. I’m in control all night.” Diana decided she could get used to hearing Sebastian’s every thought.
He reached up to unbutton his shirt. As the first button slid free, Diana spread her legs a mere inch.
Sebastian’s grin faltered. Unable to tear his eyes away from her knees and the miniscule shadow between, he slowly released another button.
Her legs opened another inch.
His smile disappeared.
Another button.
Another inch.
His hands sped to tear open the next button.
And froze when her legs slammed shut. Fire surged through his veins. “You’re killing me.”
She opened her legs to where they’d been. “Liar. You love it. Now remember, the way to win this is game is to move slowly.”
Another button, another inch. With a slight toss of his head, flames filled the flagstone fireplace across the room and cast a golden light between her legs.
“Cheater,” Diana mumbled, her voice catching when her gaze moved to the bulge in his jeans.
Sebastian licked his lips and freed another. By the time he’d removed his pants and stood before her completely naked, Diana’s legs were spread wide, revealing just how much she had enjoyed her little game.
Across his body, muscles flexed as he awaited her next command. Her breathing grew ragged. She licked her suddenly dry lips. His erection grew. She marveled that she had taken in its entire length the night before.
“Come here,” she ordered in a hoarse voice and pointed to the spot between her feet.
Sebastian drew in a sharp breath, then slowly moved to stand before her.
“Kneel.”
Holding her gaze, he knelt between her legs.
She ran her finger over his lips. “Tell me what you want, Sebastian.”
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