His Dark Embrace

by Verika Sloane

  “You can deny till you die, but I’m pretty good at convincing people.”

  “What do you care? It doesn’t affect you.”

  “Care?” he scoffed. “I don’t give a fuck you have feelings for a bloodthirsty bottom-feeder. That’s your death wish. I’m looking out for me. My pack. I have goals and to meet them, I need money.”

  “Then get a loan like everyone else,” she spat.

  He unfolded his legs and set his feet flat on the floor, switching to a new tactic. “You don’t even like your pack. You admitted it.”

  “That doesn’t mean I’d betray them and rip them off. Families aren’t perfect, but they’re still my family. They trust me. I will not be blackmailed into stealing from them for you or anybody.” She rose, and he stood with her, coming toe to toe and staring hard into her eyes.

  “You’re only thinking of yourself, Kimber. What about your vampire? You think word would only spread through the shifter community? I’d make double sure it got around to his circles.”

  “They’d believe it even less than my pack would.”

  “You’re willing to take that chance?”

  It crossed her mind to beg him not to do this, to appeal to any shred of decency inside him. But Jackson didn’t seem like the kind of alpha who changed his mind or saw the error of his ways. That meant she’d have to play along, demonstrate cooperation, counteroffer, and appease him enough to get the hell out of there.

  Stepping back, looking down, she consciously portrayed a contriteness she didn’t feel. Nya took her cue and did the same to fool his wolf in turn. “Look. If I wire you that much money, it’ll be like setting off a bomb. They’d come after me and they’d come after you. How about I start with smaller increments? I can hide those with the expenses. Amos wouldn’t notice for months, if ever.”

  The alpha considered that for a moment, then eyed her like he knew she was lying. “A payment plan? No, no deal. I need the whole enchilada while you’re still in town. You’re a smart woman. You’ll figure it out.”

  “Either choice, you’re marking me for a death sentence, Jackson.”

  He tapped the tip of her nose, and she flinched back with a growl.

  “One week. Or pay a different price altogether.”

  Her ears rang the entire two-block walk to Shain.

  Their mutual worst fear had come true: Someone knew about them. Someone who mattered, who’d use it as ammunition.

  Kimber’s heart pounded in dread as her strides ate the sidewalk.

  What was she going to do?

  Giving Jackson the money wasn’t an option. Not her pack’s money. Shain had it, but once a blackmailer was paid once, they’d want to be paid again. There’d be no end. No resolution. Not with what Jackson knew.

  She stopped, putting her face in her eyes.

  Well, she knew what she wasn’t going to do, and that was tell Shain. Not until she had to. She had a week. If she couldn’t think of a way out by then, maybe she’d tell him, if she dared. The last thing she wanted—other than to be exposed—was Shain going after an alpha. Without a doubt, it wouldn’t end well. For anyone.

  She drew in a breath, pressing a shaking hand to her mouth, forcing the what-ifs aside. Minutes later, she passed the craft store, and the Tesla came into view, the rear lights glowing red.

  Shain leaned on the truck, arms crossed, dressed sharply in a dark red button-up and black slacks.

  Gods, how she wanted to run to him and hold him tight.

  All dark thoughts scattered with the night breeze. A calmness only being near Shain seemed to bring.

  The wicked, delicious smile across his mouth at her approach caused an involuntary, aroused growl from her throat.

  “Another storm on the way,” she murmured, coming toward him. How ironic she would say that; he had no idea what a double meaning that was.

  “’Tis the season.” He didn’t wait for her to come to him, pulling her in his arms and kissing her deep, inhaling as he broke away. His blue eyes glowed for a moment as he exhaled. “Gods, I’ve missed you.”

  “You’ve seen me every night, six nights in a row, in fact.” Not that she didn’t feel the same. She rubbed her palms up and down his hard chest. “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the house tonight?” Because being out in public, even late at night at places he’d vetted beforehand, seemed riskier than ever now.

  Jackson or one of his pack could’ve been following her the whole time.

  Shain searched her gaze, as if he could tell something wasn’t right. “I thought you wanted to go out tonight. This lounge is one of the few places in the underworld we can go to together without worry. Getting a reservation for us was almost impossible, but my newly bestowed status made it happen. What’s the matter?”

  She glanced back, but Nya told her all was clear. “Do you ever feel like we’re being watched? Or followed?”

  “What happened? Is it Lucinda? Your sisters?”

  Damn it. She shouldn’t have brought it up. “No. I just think we should be extra wary when we go out.”

  By the look on his face, he wondered where this was coming from, but blessedly didn’t ask. “I’m hyperaware. Always. Look, I’ll cancel tonight. We’ll go to the house and—”

  “No, no.” Stop worrying and enjoy your time with him. Every night together was one more toward being apart. “I’ve been excited about this mysterious place for days. Let’s go.”

  He assessed her for a few moments before apparently deciding not to interrogate her further. “Good. Because this is a one-of-a-kind experience.”

  She smiled as she got in the car. “One of many with you.”

  When they pulled into the parking garage, she remembered it well. It was where she mistook a demon’s car for Shain’s, the day she booked the meet-and-greet venue.

  The building above it, however, was office space, nothing more. In fact, the whole street was practically deserted, since businesses were closed, and there seemed to be zero nightlife in sight.

  “You made a reservation? Where? There’s nothing open.”

  “You’ll see. It’s curious that you thought of this parking garage the day we met up, out of the many you could’ve chosen.”

  “Why? What makes it so special? I only chose it for convenience’s sake.”

  They got out, and he took her hand, leading her to a metal door riddled with dents and an “Authorized Personnel Only” sign on it.

  A loud bang. Kimber jumped and looked over at the van parked in the no-parking spot. Its side door slid open to reveal a bald man with a neck tattoo sitting on a stool, dark eyes, and an even darker, sharp scent, like rust or oil. He mumbled something that sounded like German, but she couldn’t be sure. A demon, most definitely.

  Shain responded to the tattooed man. “Yes. Es laûft mir eiskalt den Rücken runter.”

  With dead eyes, the demon slammed the door closed. There was a buzz and a click.

  Shain opened the metal door with a smirk.

  “What did you say to him?” she asked, glancing back before the door closed behind them.

  “The phrase I was given when I made the reservation.”

  “What phrase?”

  “Literally translates to: ‘It runs ice cold down my back,’ akin to, ‘My blood runs cold.’”

  Where the devil was he taking her? Nya was curious, and so was she. Any place that required a secret phase and a watchman waiting in a nondescript van by the door could only get more interesting.

  They walked down a narrow hall to an elevator.

  “Well,” Shain said, bringing her inside the janky lift, “it just so happens there’s an underground to this underground.” He pressed an unmarked button at the bottom of the panel three times, then held it for a while the fourth time. If it took some kind of special code to get to the next phase of entry, then the place either took its security too seriously, or it seriously liked messing with its customers.

  The elevator made a startling shudder before it closed the
doors and started its descent.

  She grabbed his arm to steady herself. “Where does it go? Hell?”

  He sent her a sidelong glance. “Sort of.”

  “What?” she exclaimed.

  His sexy chuckle did nothing to soothe her nerves.

  The elevator came to a stuttering stop, the doors opened, and there was no light beyond, other than a red lightbulb down the corridor.

  He took her hand in his. “No need to be afraid. Trust me. It’s more like a speakeasy.”

  The door at the end of the corridor was massive and didn’t have a sign or even a handle. What was a speakeasy these days? She’d only heard of them in old movies. “Is it run by the mob?”

  He kissed the back of her hand, then banged on the door. “Worse. Demons. I’m certain you met one of the owners that day in the parking garage.”

  So that was why she’d run into one there. Suddenly uncomfortable, she shook away her hand from his. “While I know they don’t care about the shifter-vampire conflict, or anyone’s conflicts for that matter, should we really be coming to one of their establishments? Together? Shouldn’t you fear you’ll be recognized?”

  “Like I said, this place is special,” he reminded her. “Do you really think I’d be cavalier about your safety? Or mine?”

  She took a step back. “I…I don’t know about this, Shain.” God, her encounter with Jackson had put her on edge.

  “What does your wolf say? Is she giving you a warning?”

  It touched her he would even consider that she check with her wolf. Nya remained curious and quiet, not anxious. “Well, no.”

  “And she shouldn’t. You’ll be safe in there, you’ll be safe with me. You wanted to experience new things.”

  She stared at the door as if it might burst open to damnation.

  “Look at me.” He waited until she complied. “You know that demons don’t care, but do you know why that is?”

  She pondered that, then shook her head.

  Shain told her, “They thrive on taking souls who’ve committed violence against others. In my opinion, demons would prefer to see us eliminate each other in blood. Their very nature doesn’t allow them to judge or care what vampires and shifters do with each other. Especially something as banal as sharing a drink.”

  Kimber trusted he knew more about demons than she did. Besides, would he really risk everything for nothing?

  “What if there are other vampires?” she asked.

  “It’s especially dark inside. They made it so even a vampire cannot see much, even with our nightsight.”

  The door creaked open, and she grabbed his hand.

  “Ready?” he asked, ultimately giving her the choice.

  “Ready.”

  The unnamed “speakeasy” was enormous, with booths lining each side. It was even darker than the hallway that led to it; she could barely see in front of her, or the person who leaned in to whisper to Shain’s ear. Something about a table number.

  Trying to look around—covertly—she discovered he was right. She couldn’t see any faces. Only tables dimly lit by singular candles. Bodies and faces hidden in shadows in their cavern-designed booths. The conversations were so low; it was as if the other patrons were ghosts whispering around them.

  What a bizarre vibe. Strange and peculiar, but not scary. “You like to come here?” she whispered.

  “Once in a great while. It’s a unique experience every time.”

  They sat down and a lookalike Lurch from The Addams Family came to their table to light a wax candle without a holder, then left.

  Music was coming from somewhere. Something between Gregorian chanting and EDM.

  “He didn’t even ask what we wanted,” she said as the man vanished like a phantom.

  Shain leaned in and nuzzled her cheek, then the underside of her jaw. “It’s not that kind of bar. They’ll bring you what they want to bring you.”

  “Whatever they want? What if I don’t like it?” She felt dreamy with his lips grazing her skin.

  “You will.” He rested a hand on her knee. “We have until the candle burns out, then we have to go.”

  “There’s a time limit?”

  “Oh, yes. Moderation is key.”

  The same man brought two cocktails glasses, setting them down without a word or a smile. The liquid in Shain’s cocktail glass appeared almost black, save for the candlelight showing a red hue, and it was smoking. Kimber’s was a shimmering gold, flickers of the barest light swimming before her eyes. It was the most beautiful cocktail she’d ever seen.

  “What’s yours taste like?” she asked as he took a sip of his.

  “The perfect concoction of blood, spice, and everything nice. And a hint of…”

  “Sin?”

  He winked at her. “Pomegranate.”

  She grinned, and he gestured to hers.

  The sparkles mesmerized her. “Why do I have a sense this isn’t just liquor?”

  Shain scooted the classic coupe glass closer to her. “It’s difficult to explain because the effects of drinking here vary night to night, person to person. No two experiences are the same.”

  “What did you experience last time?”

  “Nothing more than a good buzz. Don’t worry.”

  Like she wasn’t going to try it. She took a taste, then a sip, and another. Tangy, but sweet and rich. “Oh, my God, Shain. It’s divine.”

  “See? They know what they’re doing. Relax. Enjoy.”

  She could see nothing beyond their candle and table, and the vampire beside her. Slowly, it felt like liquid, invisible heat was being poured down her top, and she arched her back at the sensation. Her nipples hardened, as if they’d been pinched and tugged, but Shain’s hand remained on her thigh.

  Her lips burned like she’d rubbed spicy cinnamon on them. She bit her bottom lip and ran her fingers over her them, testing their texture, then licking them.

  Shain made a sound. A sound she recognized immediately.

  Arousal. Need. Hunger.

  She met his feral gaze and whimpered, pulling him in for a slow, erotic kiss before roaming her hand up his leg, finding him hard as a rock. Wanton, she climbed in his lap without breaking their mouths, roving her hips. It’d be easy to undo his zipper, hike her skirt, push her thong aside, and ride him slow and silent.

  The little whimpers she was making? She was helpless to stop.

  Who was she kidding? She could never be silent when Shain was inside her. Part of her couldn’t believe the thought had even crossed her mind.

  She broke away and drank more of the gold liquid and Shain did the same, finishing his, before they found each other’s lips again.

  Was the naughty behavior and inhibition because of the cocktail, the room, her desire for Shain, or a combination of all three?

  Another round was on the table appeared while they continued to kiss and touch one another.

  Her buzz…wasn’t exactly a buzz. More like a hypnotic state. Better than a buzz, actually. Not quite a high; she felt more grounded than ever. And her teeth…two of them throbbed.

  As Shain reached past her to pick up his glass, his neck exposed, she swore she heard his pulse. Guh-guh. Guh-guh. Her mouth watered.

  Tracing her tongue over her teeth, she gasped, nearly cutting her tongue. “Shain.”

  He looked up at her. “You okay?”

  She wanted…blood? Oh, yes. His blood. The saliva collecting in her mouth wanted nothing else. What was going on? “I’m okay. But, I…something’s happening.”

  He looked at her as if he, too, was experiencing something strange. “I can see you so vividly now. Just you. Like by the bright light of day…”

  His eyes flickered with a soft glow. Not the brilliant blue she’d seen a hundred times, but yellow. Yellow like hers would be. Like a shifter.

  He grazed his thumb on her tooth, mouth slightly agog, embers of light glowing in his irises. “Extraordinary…”

  It was as if she’d taken on vampire traits and h
e had shifter traits?

  But there was no ignoring it, fighting it, dismissing it. She hungered and wouldn’t be denied. She ran her nose from under his ear, down his neck, inhaled, and the arousal multiplied to a heady degree.

  “Shain…can I?” Kimber drew back, almost embarrassed she’d asked.

  He knew what she was referring to, and in answer, nodded, grazing his thumb across her sharp tooth. It cut the skin easily, and the taste of his blood struck her hard. She made a sound of gratitude and grabbed his wrist, softly sucking on his finger.

  Shain groaned and pumped his hips up once while she licked.

  To her profound shock, it didn’t taste like the bitter, metallic flavor she expected. In fact, it wasn’t the taste; it was the result of tasting it. The nirvana. It was like climaxing without touch, without sex, without effort.

  She sucked once more, then closed her lips around his fingers and drew it out of her mouth, watching the wound seal before her eyes.

  Holy shit. Was that what it felt like to hunger and taste like a vampire?

  Their candlelight burned out, a coil of smoke curling from the wick. How long had they been there?

  Shain’s voice came out raspy as he said, “We need to go.”

  The rain came down as they left.

  Neither said anything in the car.

  It was still early; they had time to go to the country house for a few hours. But, God, it was almost an hour’s drive. She didn’t know if she could wait.

  Shain drove skillfully in the rain, but regardless, he couldn’t speed in these conditions. His low groan only made her squirm in heat, with need, her skin on fire, her clit throbbing.

  The next thing she knew, he pulled over on a deserted road and got out.

  She followed suit, watching him pace in front of the car. “Shain?”

  “Kimber, I’m still…I’m not myself yet.”

  “Nor am I.”

  Her short pants of breath were true, she could hardly breathe, yet there was no fright.

  The rain felt like a blessing.

  She tipped her head back, taking in the scents of the nature around them. The wood. The grass. The flowers. The animals.

  Oh, God, she’d never felt so sensitive to the energy of everything around her.

  When she opened her eyes and met Shain’s gaze, she could do nothing but go to him.