Forsaken Hunger

by Nikki McCoy

  “Don’t start that,” Erin admonished with tears in her own voice. She handed a tissue and the bridal bouquet to Daneya, made a few more last adjustments to their gowns, then ushered her from the room.

  “Remember,” she said in a hushed tone as they hurried down the main stairwell of the manor, careful not to disturb the white garlands draped over the banister, “You come in when the wedding march song begins. Try not to walk too fast and don’t lose sight of your target. I wish you’d put on the veil I got for you. Are you sure you don’t want anyone walking you down the aisle? Floyd could do it. He wouldn’t mind, really.”

  When they came to an ached trellis placed in front of the doorway to the living room meant to close it off with hanging vines and irises, Daneya took Erin by the shoulders and gave her a little shake. “I’m fine! Shouldn’t I be the nervous one here?”

  Erin’s high chuckle crackled with the tension and excitement she was emanating. “You’re right. On the other hand, you’re so damn calm, it’s disgusting. I’d slap you but I don’t want to ruin your makeup. All right, I’ll see you in there.” She pecked Daneya on the cheek then vanished on the other side of the hanging flowers.

  Two minutes later, the wedding song filled the air and Daneya took a deep breath before entering the living room. Then instantly froze as she gazed out on the sight in front of her.

  The whole scene could’ve been plucked directly from a bridal magazine showcasing a millionaire’s wedding. Not only had the room been extended by several tens of feet to accommodate the guests, but it had also been excavated then filled with rows of chairs on either side. Colorful bouquets adorned the chairs lining the center aisle and more sat atop short, standing pillars placed at intervals against the side walls.

  A pianist sat at a grand piano toward the front and played the music seamlessly while sunlight streamed in through the new skylights that had been installed. Although there was no color scheme to the multitude of decorations adorning the walls, everything flowed with a breathtaking grace that sent chills over her skin.

  More impressive than all of this was the assortment of guests that sat waiting patiently with their eyes fixed on her. Much of Roshon’s clan was gathered on one side of the room with half of their geis perched on chair backs or laying between the rows. The rest, she knew, were out exploring the expanse of Saden’s land. On the other side of the room was a large cluster of Vampyres. Mostly those who owed a debt of gratitude to Saden for his mercy in their sentencing. There was even a handful of members of the DCM who had put aside their unease for her and Mckenzie’s sake.

  As one of them had put it, if they couldn’t convince Daneya to change her mind, they may as well join in on the festivities.

  A year ago, these people likely would’ve scoffed at the idea of such a diverse group gathering to celebrate the wedding of an ex-vigilante and ex-Drakon. Yet, here they all were, bearing smiles and gifts. It was all too incredible to take in at once.

  She looked straight ahead and felt a shiver of electricity race up her spine when her gaze caught Saden’s from across the room. He stood to the right of the dais wearing a black tux that molded to the contours of his tall, lean frame. His hair was slicked back to display the handsome lines of his face and green eyes lit with a familiar flare that always caused her skin to tingle. Behind him was Roshon with Erin standing opposite them, but it was only Saden she saw as she made her way slowly down the aisle.

  Deep within, she could feel the spark of his aethra that was irrevocably entwined to her own soul. A faint, warm sensation that grew as she moved closer until it was a vibrant hum echoing with the beat of her heart. It pulled her toward him, giving her strength as surly as her energy gave him life. A perfect, reciprocating bond that would endure until death took one or both of them.

  Which wouldn’t be for at least the next six hundred years since his aging had been mostly suspended as a Drakon.

  She recalled the night of their Sek’le Taunt. The sacred bonding of their souls that had changed her physiology as well as marked her as his preyuna. Unlike a human marriage, this was performed in private and more evident than a simple piece of paper. A part of her belonged to him now, and he to her. The memory of it sent a surge of heat coursing through her blood.

  Saden took her hand as she stepped onto the dais then turned with her to face the human minister. The rest of the ceremony passed by in a blur. They repeated their vows and exchanged rings, though it wasn’t until a thundering roar went up from the crowd that the significance of the event hit her. She was living the happily ever after she’d never have dreamed of before. Suddenly, she wished her parents were there. Especially her sister, Emily, and Marco. They had given their lives, their future, to protect her. She would give anything to let them know it hadn’t been in vain.

  Her next thoughts were banished when Saden captured her mouth in a drowning kiss that brought another deafening cheer from their audience. Seconds later, a small body collided into them and Daneya laughed as Saden picked up Mckenzie and twirled her around.

  He faced the crowd and shouted above the din, “Let’s eat!”

  The following half hour was a barrage of cheerful energy and enough to make her long for a gun. Apparently, the custom of wishing the happy couple well and offering unsolicited advice on the future crossed the lines of all the species in attendance.

  They bombarded her and Saden, one by one, with well-intentioned platitudes on the way to the back yard where the reception was being held. Freestanding torches and paper lanterns chased away the darkness of the night and lent an ambient feel to the festivities. Somewhere along the way, Erin relieved her of the bridal bouquet. They’d decided to forgo trying to explain that particular oddity of human tradition, as well as the tossing of the garter belt.

  After a while, Roshon took pity on them and pulled them aside in a hurry as if he had a pressing matter to discuss. Eventually, the people around them caught on and dispersed across the lawn. The three of them picked their way through lavish picnic tables and open tents containing elaborate platters of food until they came to an outdoor wet bar. Roshon handed over two glasses of champagne then ordered a snifter of brandy for himself.

  He held up his glass for a toast and puffed up his chest. “To the oddest couple I’ve ever had the good fortune of knowing. May your days be marked by joy and your nights filled with sinful pleasures.”

  Daneya lifted a brow as she tapped her glass to theirs. “Speaking from experience?” His wide-toothed grin told her more than she wanted to know.

  “I’ve been mated for almost two centuries. Gotta keep the romance alive somehow.” To Saden he said, “Congratulations on becoming an official father. A word of advice for the future, if you two plan on having another kid, try to make it a boy.”

  “Why?” Saden asked suspiciously.

  “With a boy, you only have to worry about one penis. A girl…you have to worry about every penis in the world.”

  Daneya hid a smile behind a sip of champagne when Saden blanched considerably. She put her glass down then kissed Roshon’s cheek. “Thank you for coming. If you’ll excuse me, I’m just going to take a quick breather.”

  She left them at the bar and made her way toward the nearest line of trees. Gradually, the noise of the party faded to a distant buzz. In the cool shade of the foliage, she let her thoughts trail back to the issue that had been bothering her for weeks.

  Where does she go from here?

  It had been months since they’d rescued the latest batch of human survivors from Gabriel’s operation. While they hadn’t managed to discover where the females in the last facility had been taken, it was likely they never would after so long of an abeyance in new information. The Djinn had gone underground and there was even a lull in the activity of Vanaras.

  Of late, the only actions that could be taken were the rebuilding of the leisonguarde force in the house of Avram and the continual search for halflings that had been sold to Vampyre buyers. Both tasks which fell to
Saden as most others in authority refused to work with her.

  She realized she missed the constant bustle of her old life. The feel of being essential to a cause greater than herself, and the rush of fulfillment that came with it.

  “Something’s bothering you.”

  She turned to find Saden standing behind her with a look of concern on his face. There was no point in lying. Their bond would tell him the truth whether she tried to hide it or not. Before she could answer, he stepped in close and curled a hand loosely around the column of her neck.

  “You’re wondering what to do next, aren’t you?”

  “How did you know?”

  His lips curved in a small smile. “You never were one to settle for the simple life.”

  That was an understatement. Nothing about her life had been simple, except her love for her daughter and him. “I’m fine, really. I still have my degree in weapons design and engineering. I could open a shop in town.”

  He cocked his head to the side then took her by the hand and pulled her from the privacy of the trees. “Come on, I have something to show you. I wanted to wait until we got back from the honeymoon Erin set up for us, but I think you should see it now.”

  “Where are we going?”

  His only response was a mischievous, backwards glance. They skirted the edge of the lawn to avoid the guests, eventually coming around to the front of the manor. He led her past the rows of cars to where his Maserati sat along the side of the driveway and gestured for her to get in.

  “What about Kennie?” Daneya asked. It wasn’t like Saden to leave guests unattended, let alone their daughter in the midst of virtual strangers.

  Their daughter. The reality of those words sent a warm shiver over her skin.

  Saden climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. “She’ll be fine. I asked Roshon and his mate to watch her while we’re gone. We’ll only be about thirty minutes.”

  She bit her lip to keep from asking more questions, her trust in him implicit. He turned onto the main road at the end of the drive then took an immediate right onto a dirt road she hadn’t noticed before. It was somewhat set back and lined with trees on both sides that nearly obscured its entrance. Ten minutes later, it curved to the right and ended at a wide, open area where the evergreens and brush had been culled back.

  Daneya stared in stark amazement as he brought the car to a stop. In front of them was a massive, two-story colonial-style house with cultivated hedges surrounding it. It was lit by security lampposts erected in the front and on both sides. The second story boasted at least twelve small balconies outside of tinted, sliding glass doors and its red brick exterior was softened by white, arched paneling framing each of the many windows. Two thick pillars stood on either side of the extended porch with a pair of solid oak doors between them.

  She got out to get a better look then shook her head slowly as she realized the house’s location. They were still on Saden’s land, which meant he’d had this built in secret. It was too clean, the planted lawns too fresh to have been there for more than a year.

  “It was Kennie’s idea,” Saden said next to her. “She told me she wished there was a place you could’ve gone after she was born that wasn’t as harsh as the DCM. A safe house where you could’ve been protected without a price.”

  A sliver of pain stabbed Daneya’s chest. “She thinks I paid a price?”

  His expression became tender as he squeezed her hand. “We all know the DCM will only support civilians of their own kind and only for a short while. The women we’ve rescued were turned out after six months regardless of whether they were ready to live on their own or not. Unless they agreed to take a position at the DCM. You became a vigilante, but not everyone is a warrior like you.

  “This refuge house can harbor both humans and demons who need a new start in life. We can offer them more alternatives and longer protection. Lady Ilsa has already conceded to let us take in any Vampyres who need time to heal for whatever reasons. They deserve shelter and security as much as humans do. Here, we can give others the kinds of choices you never had. Kennie wants to use her power to help those we take in. She wants to become a doctor.”

  Daneya continued to stare at the house in stunned disbelief. A wave of pride swelled within her and tightened her throat. Her daughter wanted to help others―humans and demons alike without prejudice or hatred―despite the chaotic upbringing Daneya had given her. All this time she’d been worried that the issue with Gabriel may have had lasting repercussions.

  This put all of those fears to rest, and so much more.

  “Erin and Floyd want in on it, too,” Saden went on. “Erin says she wants to retire from the DCM and start a family of her own. When they heard of my plan, they insisted on being a part of it. Roshon also wants to include his Thorien clan and the Mirkshaws. They’re tight-knit but even they have members who could use a place to recover from the recent activity of the Djinn. You’ll be in charge, of course. Once the inside construction is complete, you can set up a system for the refugees and start taking them in. I’ll provide as many leisonguardes as you’ll need.”

  When she didn’t answer for several seconds, he said, “Leisontee?”

  Tears pricked her eyes when she finally turned to him. “You did this all for me?”

  He framed her face with both hands and moved in close. “I want you to be happy. I would do anything for you.”

  She melted into the kiss he pressed to her lips. Breathed in his masculine scent as his tongue gently guided hers in a slow, passionate dance and his arms encircled her smaller body.

  This was her happiness. Right here in his strong embrace where she knew she was safe. She wanted to throw time away, put the hours aside and stay with him in this moment. Forever and always, he would be her savior, as much as she was his.

  Also available from Totally Bound Publishing:

  Huntress Chronicles: A Demon in Dallas

  Amy Armstrong

  Excerpt

  Chapter One

  “I can’t see a freaking thing down here, it’s too dark,” Matt whined.

  Hands clenched into fists, I glared at him, my jaw tense. “If you don’t stop whining, I’ll leave you down here to find your own way out.”

  Matt shut up. The trip to Texas had been his idea, and only two days after arriving, he had me combing the sewers, knee deep in God only knows what. As we headed farther into the labyrinth of tunnels, my already sour mood worsened. Why had I agreed to this? I should have known better.

  After a few more minutes of walking on in the worst kind of uncomfortable silence, Matt mumbled, “I was sure he came this way.”

  He might have missed the glare I tossed in his direction, but I’d be surprised if he couldn’t feel my gaze burning a hole in the back of his head. I’d never have admitted it to Matt, but I was angrier at myself than I was with him. Yet again, I had let him talk me into one of his idiotic plans. Apparently, my stupidity knows no boundaries.

  It wasn’t as if we didn’t have enough work to keep us busy in Maine, and you didn’t melt in Maine when you stepped out into the midday sun. That was always a bonus. But no, the idea of a nest of vampires that were getting too big for their cowboy boots had seduced me. It was always the damn vampires that did it. I felt drawn to them like a wolf to the moon—which made sense in its own perverse way. I was a hunter, after all. The need to exterminate the vermin was in my blood, embedded in my DNA.

  Matt stayed by my side as we traversed the intricate network of tunnels. He didn’t have the sense of direction that I had been born with, so we had to stick together. If we split up, Matt would be sure to get lost and the last thing I wanted was to have to spend more time in the damn sewer than I needed to.

  Placing a hand around my upper arm, Matt pulled me to a stop. He was about my height, if marginally broader, so when I turned we were standing face to face and close enough that I could see his remorseful expression. He let out a long sigh.

  “I’m s
orry I dragged you into this. You were right. We should have stayed in Maine.”

  His repentant tone dispelled most of the anger I had been holding onto. There was a reason I hadn’t wanted to come back to Austin, but Matt didn’t know about that. As far as he was aware, I’d walked out on that part of my life two years ago and I hadn’t looked back. I was good at hiding my feelings, even from Matt, who had become like a brother to me over the ten years we’d been hunting together. Or maybe I was just a damn good liar—too good.

  I shrugged. “Don’t sweat it. I’m a big girl. I agreed to come along. Now that we’re here, let’s kill us some vamps, yeah?”

  A goofy grin was his only reply. When we turned a corner, the dimly lit, narrow passageway opened up into a cavernous room. The stark brick walls held small fitted lights, but they let off hardly any illumination. Our prey was standing in the back, casually leaning against the wall when we entered. His eyes glowed yellow in the small beam of moonlight that filtered down from an overhead grating. Even from ten feet away I could smell the stench of death and decay on his breath. The room was just bright enough to see the vampire’s wide, toothy grin.

  “Well, it’s about time y’all showed up,” he said with a lazy Texan twang. “I ain’t got all night, ya know.”

  I took a few steps farther into the room to get a better look at the creature. He was wearing pale blue, flared denims and a floral shirt. He wouldn’t have looked out of place in the seventies—in fact, he probably hadn’t taken them off since the seventies. That would certainly explain some of the stink. But the strangest thing about him was his relaxed stance and calm demeanour. Most vampires feared hunters on sight. Reaching into my jacket, I pulled out my favourite silver-tipped stake.

  “Oh, I’d put that away if I were you.” He swaggered towards us and the stench increased, clogging up the already stale air until it was all I could smell. Some days, I really hated my damn job.