by Jeni Burns
"Kara! No!"
He dropped to his knees, his hand empty of the ring he'd offered to the wolves. She'd understood the meaning behind his trade, but instead of taking he stones and running, she'd fused them. Taken on their powers and made them her own.
The light sizzled through the room, burning and branding everything in its path, the werewolves included. Both fell to the floor, smoke rising from their charred flesh.
For the first time since his birth, warmth coated his skin as the light washed over his body. Instead of pain he experienced an overwhelming sense of rebirth. His chest fluttered as breath filled his lungs and his heart sprang into action sending the blood he'd ingested through his veins. Hunger and craving warred for satisfaction as nerve endings long though dead sparked to life.
The open wound on his leg tingled with energy as his vampire healing took over. Basking in the bliss, he didn't notice the alpha wolf transforming and lunging for his jugular.
A shot rang out as teeth sank into his newly warmed flesh and the beast fell on him. His head hit the wood floor with a thud and his eyes sought the new attacker. Relieved, he found Fi and Julian in the doorway. Another shot took down the unshifted werewolf and a third sank into the wall above Kara's left shoulder.
"No!" He reached for her, but his body refused to cooperate. There was too much blood pooling around him. His brain raced to make sense of the situation but all that solidified was the realization that his death loomed near and his mate's wasn't far behind.
"Ahh, our little thief. You've been my highest offered bounty in over three hundred years. It's unfortunate that Leo kept trying to claim you to keep you from us all these lifetimes. Give us the stones and we'll let you live."
Kara closed her eyes and raised her clasped hands to her forehead as if meditating before she responded.
"No." A tight, wicked smile pulled her lips and her eyes opened with a flash of amber light. She lowered her hands, opening them to reveal nothing more than her palms. "The stone has chosen me."
"There's more than one way to retrieve the stones from you," Julian warned.
"Try me."
With a nod, from Julian, Fi squeezed the trigger and unloaded the remaining bullets.
Leo's beating heart, skipped a beat and his stomach roiled as each bullet found its target, sending Kara's body backward with each impact.
Instead of cries of pain, laughter erupted from his love and her eyes glowed brighter. "Silly vampires. You have no idea what you're up against do you?" Mischief danced across her face.
"Nor do you, witch." Julian darted across the room, grabbed a sword from a rack on the wall and was back in an instant before Leo could clamor to anything higher than his knees. "Let's try this again." A sneer lit Julian's face and the edge of the blade pressed against Leo's neck. “Your mate's life for the stones."
"She'll never say yes," Leo sputtered before meeting her guarded gaze. "We aren't mates. Never have been. I've spent my entire life trying to convince her, but she refuses time and time again. Now will be no different. So, finish me if you must, but I wish you luck in escaping here with your heart in your chest." The light in her eyes dimmed with his words and for the first time since he laid eyes on her at that ball so many years ago, he let the reality of never persuading her to be his fully sink in as the metal edge bit into his flesh.
"Loving you even if only from afar has been my greatest joy. Save yourself. Your family needs you." He offered her a small smile and hoped it would give her the strength to do what needed to be done.
With a nod of her head, she closed her eyes and thrust her hands outright sending dual beams of white-hot light in his direction. He closed his eyes against the light and let the wave of heat crash over him.
He'd had a good run. He'd known love and the touch of the one meant for him. Sure, it hadn't been the typical relationship, but he'd loved all the same. And in this moment, most likely his final moment, he knew she was safe. Knew she'd live a long life and have the power to take care of herself. Fi's soprano voice rose in a scream as he imagined the light burning the flesh of her human bones, torching the air in her lungs until they burnt to a crisp. Julian either withstood the onslaught better due to his immortal status, or perhaps he refused to let a mortal witness weakness even in the face of death. Either way, his former boss went into the afterlife in silence.
Moments after it all began, the light faded as did his awareness. Death wasn't as awful as he'd been led to believe. Maybe even a vile creature such as himself would rest in peace filled with sweet dreams.
Kara's hands shook and the power coursing through her waned. Dropping to her knees, she crawled over the mats and dead bodies until she found him.
Leo.
Covered in blood, his battle-worn body looked tattered and worn, yet the small smile on his lips coved a sense of peace.
Her hands shook as she brushed a lock of hair from his handsome face. "I'm so sorry, Leo. I didn't mean to hurt you too. I know everything you said was for their benefit. I'm sorry our timing was never right. I should've trusted you." Tears welled behind her eyes and fell. She closed her eyes and focused on the memory from her most recent dream walk.
She curled up beside his body in the floor as if she could still feel his cool touch on her skin and hear his whispered profession of love in her ears. Sobbing, she clutched his shirt and dragged herself closer. A faint sound echoed in her ears. A heartbeat? No, it wasn't possible. He was a vampire and they didn't have beating hearts. Did they? She laid two fingers against the pulse point at his neck and confirmed her suspicions.
"Leo? Can you hear me?" She shook him gently. "Leo?"
Closing her eyes, she concentrated on his heartbeat and laid her hands on either side of his face. Warmth slid down her arms, pooled in her fingertips, and radiated through him.
"Come back to me Leo. Don't leave me now. After all these years, don't give up on us now." A tear slid down her cheek.
A small smile slid across his face. "Kara. My love. You're here."
She clutched his hadn't and kissed his lips. "Always." Panic surged through her when his eyes rolled back into his head and the color drained from his face. "Leo? Leo!"
Her blood ran hot in her veins as he seemed to slip away, losing consciousness. Blood. He'd been offering her his blood not only the blood in his veins, but the blood ruby that now was one with her. She grabbed one of the swords from the floor and ran the blade across the palm of her hand. The pain made her pause, but only long enough to swallow it back before placing her hand at Leo's lips.
"Damnit! Drink!" She placed her other hand over his heart and willed the organ to beat again. A soft glow of light emanated from her hands. Through her tears, she noticed his fangs descend in his mouth.
"Leo, I need you to listen to me. Drink my blood. It'll heal you. Please. Let me do this for you."
A trembling hand caught her wrist and anchored it to his mouth. His lips were gentle at first, until his hunger took over. A bite of pain sent her over the edge and tears for all she'd lost flowed free.
When he'd had enough, Leo withdrew his fangs, sat upright, and cupped her face with his hand.
"Thank you."
She waved away his thanks. "I think I owed you at least that."
"Oh?"
"It seems I've been pretty difficult to deal with in the past. Trust isn't something I do lightly and I'd bet you know that more than anyone, right?"
"Understandably so. How many women do you think would trust a known vampire?"
"True," she admitted. "But I think I've done my best to not see you as anything other than a vampire, haven't I?" She met his gaze before wrapping her arms around him in a strong embrace.
"Ah, my love, there have been many times when you've seen me only as a man and not as a monster, but more often than not, I've only found you when your life was at risk and I needed to try to convince you to turn. As a vampire who was born and not turned, I can only imagine the conflict you would feel about such a thi
ng." He lifted her chin and rubbed his thumb along her jaw. "I've been selfish where you're concerned. Forgive me?"
A smile pulled at her cheeks. "Always." Kara rose to her feet. "We should get out of here before anyone comes and sees all this..." she waved her hand to encompass the room. "... Mess. Besides, I have my ring now and if I disappear, it should keep my cousins safe."
Leo nodded. "Where will you go?"
"Honestly, I have no idea. I've spent my whole life wanting a place of my own but I think I never really thought I'd get that. I always just assumed it'd be me, Linds, and Julia forever."
Leo rose to his feet and captured her hand in his. "And now?"
"Now, I think I want to explore the world a little. Besides, once the werewolves and the vampires know a human holds the stones, I'll never be free., so I might as well get used to moving around a lot."
"I see." He traced a small circle in her palm. "With the stones at your command, you should be pretty safe. But, you're right. You now hold a power many want and they will pay dearly to get their hands on it."
"Yeah," she hedged. "I think I'm going to need some backup. You know? Someone to keep an eye out and who's pretty good at ripping beating hearts from any wolves’ chests." She ducked her head as a rush of heat colored her cheeks.
"My love, are you asking me to join you?" A hint of a chuckle punctuated his question.
With a light swat of her hand, she nodded. "I think not only do I want you to join me, but I think it's time I finally joined you." She gave a glance at the bloodied blade on the floor. "So, how does it work? I drink your blood and become all vampire-y?"
A full laugh was his answer. "How about we worry about getting out of Vegas before we worry about making you a vampire? Sound like a good deal to you?"
"The best."
Epilogue
Three Months Later
"Did you grab the bag from the fridge?"
"I did. Can't have you going hungry on me, can I?" Leo wrapped his arms around Kara's midsection and kissed the nape of her neck. "Besides you get grumpy when you're hungry."
His teasing tone brought a smile to her face.
"Not nearly as grumpy as you get when you're hungry."
"Which isn't often is it?" He nuzzled her ear. "Are you excited about Paris?"
"I am, but truth be told, I'm more excited that there's a chance we can find the sapphire." Her eyebrows wiggled and she tucked the corner of her lip between her teeth. "Can you imagine it? We could soon hold one half of each of them."
The glimmer in her eyes sent the blood rushing to his groin. "My love, your desire for these stones has stoked some desires of my own." The familiar thrill of his fangs descending while she stood pressed against his body was pure heaven.
His hands slid slowly up her ribcage, careful to ensure she knew his intentions before cupping her breasts and toying with the tight buds of her nipples through the layers of fabric.
"Leo," she scolded. "We have to get a move on. If the wolf pack knows we're still in town, we might not make it to Paris."
"Paris can wait." He grazed her collarbone with his fangs, enjoying the shiver it sent through his mate. One hand plucked lazily at her breast while the other angled her head just right for a quick nibble. The moan she uttered every time his fangs sank into her made him harder than the time before. A few small sips was all he took, because the tantalizing sway of her backside against him was too much temptation.
He seized her hips, stilling them. "You minx. I thought we didn't have time."
"What if I've changed my mind?" A single eyebrow rose on her face.
"Then I suppose we'd need to make sure you're satisfied with your choice." His tongue flicked out across her earlobe. At her giggle, he lifted her onto the kitchen counter and slid her skirt toward her knees. He followed the material with little nips and kisses until the fabric was gathered at her waist and his mouth perched poised at her core, the scent of her desire intoxicating.
"You still think we have time before our flight?"
"When it comes to us, there's always time." She threaded her fingers in his hair and guided him farther between her legs while entrapping his hand in hers.
Unable to wait any longer, his tongue found the sweet spot and bathed it with attention until her legs trembled around him. In a wave of orgasm, he readied his fangs and bit deep into her femoral artery while Kara's fangs sank into his wrist. Joined together by time and blood, he relished the knowledge that finally, he could stop dreaming and begin living the future he'd always wanted.
He kissed the wounds closed and met her sleepy gaze. "You, my love, are a dream come true. My forever. My destiny."
"I'm yours. Always."
The End
Want More?
Want to know more about the Sheel cousins? Look for Selling Sass, the second book in the series.
Out in November 2017.
Sneak Peek!
1
Sales Pitch
“Look, I get it. Your client wants what they paid for, but I can’t deliver what I don’t have.”
Lindsay Sheel pressed two fingers to her temple to ward of the headache coming her way. Ever since her grandmother passed, life’s little complications had taken on a life of their own. Her one cousin, Kara, went missing without a word and her other cousin, Julia, now seemed surgically attached to their grandmother’s ancient rotary phone every time it rang.
“Here’s the deal, Lindsay. Get me the equipment by the end of the week and we won’t switch suppliers. But if you can’t deliver, Sin-Sation will be the latest has-beens in Vegas. Okay? My clients want this party to be epic and Francine promised she could deliver 50 Shades meets Magic Mike.”
“I understand, Sam, but as you know, my grandmother passed a few weeks ago and we’ve been having some problems figuring out her ordering system.” She took a deep breath and exhaled. “I’ll make sure all the equipment gets delivered on time if I have to build it all myself. Sin-Sation never disappoints a client.”
“Fantastic. We’ll talk soon.” The last thing she heard was clapping in the background before the line went dead.
Lindsay stabbed the disconnect button with all she had. Dropping her head into her hands, she leaned on the counter and wished today would be the day her life magically changed for the better.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
The low tenor voice tickled her spine and sent heat trickling through her veins. Ronin. Always there when she needed him. Dependable. Faithful. Strong. Everything she’d ever dreamed of in a man and yet, something in the back of her mind always wondered if he was too good to be true. She let the thought drift away and met his gaze.
“Rough day?”
The gold ring around his eyes shone bright in the pale lighting in the family owned sex shop. “You could say that.” She plastered a playful smile on her face.
He returned her smile with a wolfish one of his own. “We both know you like when it’s rough.” He stalked around the counter and wrapped her in a tight embrace. “And we both know I’m more than happy to give you what you want.” His eyebrows wiggled.
“As much fun as that sounds, right about now, I need to find a whole host of furniture pieces for that event Nana got us on the hook for.”
“Which one?” He nipped at her neck before swirling his tongue over the shell of her ear.
“That dildos, debutantes, and dalliances thing or whatever it’s called.” She sank into his embrace and enjoyed the feel of solid muscles beneath her wandering fingers. “Ever since the magical community learned of Nana’s passing, ever weird ritual seems to need something they think we can provide.”
“But it’s good for the business, right?”
He made a good point. Nana’s life insurance wasn’t going to keep the store in business forever and now that Kara was gone, their family side-business disappeared with her.
“Yeah, but do you have any idea where to find a Saint Andrew’s Cross and a spanking bench on short notice? Becaus
e I’m tempted to go to the hardware store and start building at this point.”
“Mmm. Wood. Hardware. Spanking. You aren’t like most women, Linds. How did I get so lucky?”
The mischief in his eyes brought a smile to her face. “Pretty sure I’m the lucky one.” She placed a tender kiss on his chin. “Now, help me find this list of items from the stock room. If we get done before Thursday, maybe we can try out the new pieces.” She raised an eyebrow and slid an index finger down his chest.
“I’m in.” Ronin grabbed her around the waist and lifted her in his arms.
Stay tuned to Milly Taiden’s Kindle World Page for more release updates!
My Dear Readers,
Thank you so much for reading Dreaming of Sass. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Reviews are always appreciated and are fuel for more writing, so please share and review with my thanks.
Yours,
Jeni
For more books by Jeni Burns, please visit her website, www.jeniburns.com
About the Author
Jeni Burns is a Jersey Girl through and through, regardless where her mail is delivered. She lives in and is renovating an old Colonial despite her lack of renovation knowledge. She has two kids and one massive poodle.
Amidst all the chaos, she squirrels away in her office with her giant cup of decaf, a handful of Swedish Fish, and writes until the natives get restless and drag her back to reality.
For more information:
www.jeniburns.com
[email protected]
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Sacrificed