Forbidden Love Series Book 4: From The Ashes

by Danielle James

  He searched through his desk, looking for anything that might shed some light on the matter, but found nothing. He remembered fighting with the vampires, and apparently Leigh was back with them. Carrying a child by him. The thought disgusted him.

  But she was alive and well. He knew it because he could feel her magic. It was pulsing like a bass drum pounding in the back of his skull. He wondered what she could possibly be using it for to cause that kind of pulse. He remembered that she refused to use her magic on him, likely because she was afraid it would hurt that disgusting spawn she carried within herself.

  And then he understood. The pulse he was feeling was not Leigh using her magic, but her magic pounding to get out. He knew that magic was a significant part of childbirth in dragons. She must be getting close to delivery, even though she couldn’t possibly have carried the child long enough. Who knew, though, when it came to vampire babies. He had heard once before that when a vampire reproduced, the child grew quickly. He shook his head. He would never understand why Leigh put herself in that predicament in the first place.

  It was of no consequence now, though. She had made her decision and now she would deal with the ramifications of her choices. One of those being the choice she made to dismiss Merrick. He did not take rejection well, and he certainly didn’t handle defeat any better.

  Elizabeth, the woman he thought would stand by his side, had left him. The vampire had stolen his mate from him. Leigh had chosen the vampire over Merrick. She had been his, and now he had nothing. For these things, the vampire and Leigh would pay with their lives. But first things first. He picked up the phone and dialed a number he found in his address book.

  When the line picked up, he said into the receiver, “Elizabeth, I believe there are things we need to discuss.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Antonio was slamming back his fourth shot of Jack when the waitress came by to pick up the empty glasses in front of him. She gave him a smile that said come hither and poor baby all at the same time. She was not new at her job, and she recognized a man hell bent on getting drunk when she saw it. He had been to Dante’s many times in the past; it was one of the few vampire friendly bars in the city. The service staff knew what to expect and were prepared to deal with all sorts of scenarios, even the occasional vamp who just wanted to drown his sorrows in a bottle of Jack Daniels. Still, she remembered to lean over a little more than necessary in front of him so that her tits almost spilled out of the skimpy black tank top she wore and she leaned in at the hip when talking to him.

  “Want another?” she asked.

  “Keep ‘em coming,” Antonio replied, twirling his finger in a circle.

  “Want some company to go with it?” she asked with smile. Her really red lips stretched into a wide grin. She was pretty, he thought, with those pale eyes and shiny blonde hair. Her legs went on forever and the little skirt did nothing to hide them. But she held no appeal to Antonio, which was really weird for him.

  “No, just the drink,” he said apologetically. The disappointment showed in her eyes, but she left without complaint. How strange it was to not be attracted to her. She was exactly the type he would normally go for.

  It had to be the bomb Angel had dropped on him earlier that evening. How in the hell could he have been dead? Dead was dead, and he was not. He could feel his heart beating in his chest, therefore, not dead. Right? Right. Of course he wasn’t dead.

  Angel was getting him back for all the practical jokes he had played on his friend over the years. That was what was going on. Had to be. There was no other answer, because the only other explanation was that he really had been dead and the gorgeous woman on his bed was the one responsible for his being here now. That didn’t sit well with Antonio for a lot of reasons, the biggest being that she was a lovely creature and anyone who could bring back the dead had to be evil in some fashion.

  That woman couldn’t have an evil thought in her head.

  He slammed back the next shot as soon as the waitress brought it. He motioned her for more. She raised an eyebrow but did as he asked. He was nowhere near drunk yet and it was going to be a while before he made it across that line. It took significantly more alcohol to intoxicate a vampire, and Antonio had built up a tolerance over the years.

  After fifteen shots, (he stopped counting at fifteen) Antonio was beginning to feel numb and that was exactly where he wanted to be. He pretended to be occupied with the shirt he had “borrowed” off of a clothesline on the way to the bar. No matter how hard he tried to put the thoughts Angel had shoved into his head away, they kept coming back. Somewhere in his mind, Antonio knew it was the truth.

  He picked up another shot glass that was filled to the brim. He watched as the dark liquid sloshed over the side before bringing it to his lips. He opened his mouth and let the warm whiskey slide down his throat. It burned a lot less than the first shot had, a sure fire clue that he was feeling the alcohol in his system.

  Something caught his eye from the door. A flash of dark curls bounced through the entrance, followed by three tall figures. His family. The dark curls belonged to the girl who was in his room when he woke up. Macy. What a pretty name. It fit the lovely woman it was attached to.

  They approached his table without anyone seeming to notice that Angel Knight was in the house tonight. A glamour, of course. Angel could do those things with his mind. He could do a lot of things with that mind of his. In the past, Antonio had been jealous of his leader. Now, he was glad he was nothing like him. He loved the man like his own brother, but he would never be able to handle the constant clamoring of fans and followers that Angel had.

  And what was he doing thinking about Angel anyway when there was a beautiful woman talking to him? Antonio didn’t realize that they had made it all the way to his table, but they had, and Macy was talking to him.

  He cleared his head with a shake and concentrated on what Macy was saying to him.

  “Antonio?” she said, “Are you ok?”

  He said what he thought was, “of course I’m ok,” but it came out, “Uh cuss I’m kay.” Antonio shook his head again. “Yeah.”

  “We were so worried about you,” she said, taking a seat next to him. Man, was she ever pretty. Her dark hair accented her lovely eyes perfectly. She had pretty pink lips. He wanted to kiss her.

  “Pretty lady,” he slurred. “Come sit me,” he said.

  “You are hammered,” she said with a sigh. “I didn’t know vampires could get drunk.”

  “They can,” Angel said, “But it takes a lot.” He turned to Antonio. “How much have you had tonight?”

  Antonio answered with a shrug.

  “Come on, let’s get you home,” Angel said. He and Jacque pulled Antonio to his feet. He wobbled, and then his knees gave out. Luckily, his brothers were there to catch him. “Whoa,” Angel said, lifting him under his arms. Jacque took one side and Angel took the other, and the three of them walked out of the bar together. Rebel stayed at Macy’s side.

  “What now?” Macy asked him.

  “We get him home and sober his ass up,” he replied.

  “Coffee?” she asked.

  “Blood,” Rebel replied. “Preferably fresh.”

  “Ew,” she said. “How is he gonna get fresh blood?”

  “Someone will have to feed him,” he answered.

  “Oh,” Macy said. She wondered just who was gonna offer up their mate for him to drink from.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” he continued. “We have to get someone to let him drink. Leigh is out of the question. I don’t think Angel or Sebastian are gonna offer their wives, so that leaves you and Frankie.”

  Macy remembered the way Jacque had nearly taken Gage’s head off for just looking at Frankie. “It has to be me doesn’t it?” she asked. A part of her was scared to death, and another part was strangely excited.

  “It would make things a lot easier,” he said as he held the door open for her. She followed him to the car without another word. He o
pened the back door for her and she slid in beside Antonio, who was singing. Again.

  “Oh god, not this again,” Macy said, covering her ears. “Make him stop!” she yelled.

  The men in the car laughed, but no one made him stop. In fact, he got louder. He was singing a very wrong version of Sweet Home Alabama, and it didn’t look like he intended to stop any time soon. Macy shoved her fingers in her ears and prepared herself for a long ride back to the estate.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Frankie dropped the fire extinguisher in the corner and ran to help Brea and Jessica. “How’s she doing?” she asked as she approached the couch where Leigh was sitting.

  “Better now,” Brea told her. Frankie felt sorry for Leigh. Her magic was strong and thank God she was stronger. It had been growing more unstable by the day. Her latest pyro act had been to set the drapes in the living room on fire, again, after stubbing her toe this time. The poor woman couldn’t even see her feet, much less rub the pain out of them.

  The women had acted as a group to put out the fire and see to Leigh. Brea and Jessica sat her on the couch with a cool washcloth on her head, her feet in a bucket of cool water in an attempt to cool her down. Any time any little thing upset her, well, shit caught fire.

  It was getting scary.

  And then the men came home. The women knew because they all heard it at the same time. There was a dreadful singing coming from the other side of the house. Frankie watched as Jacque and Angel helped a very intoxicated Antonio into the living room.

  Macy followed behind them with her hands over her ears.

  “What happened?” Rebel demanded as he entered the room and saw his wife on the couch.

  “Oh nothing,” Brea answered with a smile. “I didn’t like those drapes anyway.”

  He went to his wife’s side and took her hand as he sat next to her. “Are you ok?”

  “Oh yeah I’m fine,” Leigh answered. “I just needed to blow off a little steam.”

  Frankie and Jessica exchanged glances that silently said, “A little steam? Right.”

  Frankie adjusted the scarf she was wearing around her neck and stood. “I’m going to get some coffee for our drunken brother.”

  “Coffee won’t do any good,” Jacque told her, eying that scarf. “He needs blood.”

  “Ok well I’m going to get him some blood.”

  “Fresh.” Jacque told her with a raised brow. “He needs fresh blood.”

  “Oh,” Frankie said. “Well someone feed him. That noise he’s making is getting on my nerves.”

  Antonio began to sing louder as if on cue. He was holding Macy’s hand and serenading her with his own rendition of Can’t Help Falling in Love. It was bad, and from the look on Macy’s face, she wasn’t any fonder of it than Frankie was.

  “Macy,” Leigh said quietly and very politely, “Please to God shove your wrist in his mouth and feed him so he will shut the fuck up before I turn him into toast.”

  Macy looked at Leigh and knew without a doubt she meant every word she said. Then she looked at Antonio. She really did want him sober. She looked down at her wrist. She feared it was going to hurt, but she feared Leigh more.

  Macy sucked in a deep breath and slapped her wrist on Antonio’s mouth. “Oh hey, what do we have here?” he asked, pulling her arm back and examining her wrist. “Such a pretty arm…” he ran his fingers of his free hand over the inside of her arm, sending little tingles all over Macy’s body.

  “Drink,” she said. “Preferably now before I change my mind and Leigh turns you into vampire tar-tar.”

  “Oh I see,” Antonio said. And he did. He knew he needed to sober up. “Shouldn’t we get to know each other first?” he asked with a flirtatious grin.

  Macy almost swooned he was so devastatingly beautiful. Even drunk he was gorgeous. She wanted to spend more time with him, but first she wanted him sober. “We already know each other,” she said, “Just because you don’t remember doesn’t mean I haven’t put up with you for months. Now drink. Bite me before I change my mind.”

  “Ok, ok,” he said. He allowed his lips to trail over her skin very lightly as he breathed in her scent. She was right. He didn’t remember, but his body did. He recognized her scent. He knew it in his soul. He felt his fangs elongating in his mouth. “Sit down,” he told her and she sat beside him. “I won’t hurt you,” he murmured against her skin. He kissed the sensitive skin at her wrist softly before quickly sinking his fangs into her vein.

  Macy jumped at the first bite of pain, but it was fleeting and was gone almost as soon as it began. All she felt was his mouth on her skin and the gentle draw every time he sucked. He used both hands to secure her arm and closed his eyes as he drank. Macy wanted to move, but she couldn’t without breaking the contact, so instead she let her head fall on his shoulder.

  She was amazed at the way it felt to feed him. It made her feel powerful, needed. She felt the sensation of his draw from her arm all the way through her body. She could feel a wave of emotion flowing through her that was not her own. Was she feeling his emotions? They were scrambled and all over the place, but she could pick out the pain and fear easily. What was he so afraid of? He wasn’t dead anymore; in fact, he was safe now.

  He moaned around her skin and then she felt something very different. Arousal. Hard core fuck-me-now arousal hit her hard. She sucked in a breath and lifted her head to look at him. His eyes were still closed and his face was drawn tight. She looked down and saw the biggest hard on she had ever seen bulging inside his pants. Macy felt the blush rushing to her cheeks and looked around the room at the others who were there. Rebel had helped Leigh off the couch and was taking her out of the room. Frankie and Jessica were taking their men out as well. Brea stayed behind long enough to smile at Macy. “Normal,” she said before joining everyone else in another room.

  And then Macy was alone with Antonio and his hard on.

  Great. Just great. Now what?

  Antonio lifted his mouth from her wrist and gently licked the wound closed. “Thank you,” he said.

  “Um, no problem,” Macy answered.

  His eyes were amazing. They were so dark they were almost completely black. She imagined that was what he looked like when he was having sex, on the brink of orgasm.

  “It is,” he said.

  “What is?”

  “What I look like when I need to come.” Oh shit had she said it out loud? “You opened yourself up to me,” he continued. “You are thinking loud and clear.”

  “Stay out of my head,” Macy snapped.

  “Sorry,” he replied. He shifted his weight so that he was facing her with his whole body. “Let me thank you,” he said.

  “Not necessary,” she said moving away from him.

  “Macy,” he chided. “I felt it and I know you did too.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said. “I think we have work to do.”

  “I know you,” he replied softly. “I don’t remember you, but deep down in my soul, I recognize you. My heart knows you. I know you use strawberry scented shampoo and that you hate rap music. I know that your job is the most important thing to you and I know that you are a very responsible and caring woman.”

  “I don’t have a job anymore,” she said rolling her eyes. “Thanks to you.”

  She told him about how he sang to her every day and how he made her lose her job. He listened and when she was finished, he looked genuinely concerned.

  “I needed to tell them something so bad that I made you lose your job,” he said. “I wish I could remember what it was.” He took her hand between both of his. “I am so sorry,” he continued. “I would never wish to cause you harm in any way.”

  “Well it’s done now,” Macy said. She didn’t want to be angry with him, but she was. The man had just come back from the dead and he didn’t need her attitude.

  She started to get up when he said, “Macy.”

  She turned her face and found herself nose to nose with hi
m. And then, he kissed her. He was soft and gentle, caressing her lips with his own as if they were precious. He didn’t try to press harder and he didn’t try to force his way in her mouth. Instead, he kissed her like he was thanking her.

  When he pulled away, Macy immediately mourned the loss. “I feel like I have waited a lifetime to do that,” he told her. “Let’s go find everyone else. You were right, we have work to do.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Frankie pulled Jessica by the hand up the stairs and to her room. They needed to talk and they didn’t need an audience to witness it. Frankie had been pretty damned good at getting herself in trouble in the past and Jessica had always been the responsible one who could always get her out.

  “What is wrong?” Jessica asked, doing her best to keep up with her.

  “We gotta talk,” Frankie said, shoving Jessica in the room and closing the door behind them.

  “Ok,” Jessica said, taking a seat on the bed. “I’m assuming that you don’t want it to leave this room?”

  “That’s right,” Frankie answered, sitting beside her. “What I am about to show you, you don’t tell anyone, especially Jacque.”

  “Frankie, I already don’t like where this is going,” Jessica said warily.

  “You can’t!” Frankie demanded. “Promise me!”

  Jessica had been friends with Frankie for years and she knew what her friend was asking. “I can’t promise Sebastian won’t find out,” she said. “We have a strong connection, ya know. I can’t promise he won’t just pluck it out of my head.”

  “Then make him promise too.” Frankie stared at Jessica until she agreed. Frankie pulled the scarf from her neck and turned her head.

  “Oh. My. God.” Jessica said. “I’m so happy for you!” She got closer and touched the swirling black tattoo-like mark that graced Frankie’s neck.

  “No,” Frankie stopped her. “Don’t be. I’m not telling Jacque. I didn’t mean to and he doesn’t need to know.”

  “But Frankie,” Jessica started.