Honeymoon Bite (Golden Vampire Legacy) (20 page)

 He felt her breasts, then moved his hands down and behind to encircle her waist and pulled her to him. “I wanted to be tender. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” His statement was genuine. He wasn’t some animal, after all. He looked at the mark, rubbed his fingers over it. He could see it almost disappearing right before his eyes. He looked at the end of his finger. Nothing there. Maybe he had a healing touch. Who knew?

“You see, you didn’t hurt me.” She ground herself into his crotch. “I like it when you taste me.”

“Well, I’m not used to tasting my ladies’ necks. I prefer other parts.” His voice became husky again.

“Oh. That’s nice too. Want to try it?”

He nodded as he kissed over the remains of his punishment. She moaned and melted into him.

“But, Robert, one thing. If you taste me, you have to give me just a little bite, okay?”

Robert wasn’t sure whether she liked the sex or the bite better. Just his luck he managed to find someone who he could hurt and would heal so quickly. He was thrilled.

“So, we have to talk now.”

God, Maya was beautiful. Seemed to become more and more beautiful every minute he spent with her. Robert loved kissing her everywhere. Her skin was so white, so completely white. But her nipples were deep red, as were her lips. And the nice slit between her legs was blood red when he peeled back the petals and tasted her, bit her. She came when he did it. He thought that was what he liked doing most to her.

“Robert?”

“Yes.” He lay next to her, looking up at the ceiling. He couldn’t concentrate when he looked at her.

“Do you know where your wife is? You don’t seem to be very afraid of having her come home and finding us naked together. What’s going on?” She rolled over, then propped her head with her arm.

Robert inhaled and then decided to just tell the truth. “She kicked me out. I have to be out this weekend. We’re splitting up.”

“What?” Maya sat up straight and looked down at him, a sneer on her face.

“What difference does it make?”

“All the difference in the world.” She whirled around and presented her back. Robert rubbed her there. Her skin was so pale, and smooth. Like alabaster. He leaned over and kissed each of her ass cheeks and the base of her spine, moving up.

Maya stood and put on Anne’s robe again. She sat in the chair Anne sat in three days ago, when she’d told him it was over. Same robe. Same chair. He hoped the message wasn’t the same as well.

“You have to tell me where she is right now.”

“How should I know? For all I know she’s gone to visit her parents in Portland, or over to a friend’s house. I don’t think she will be back over here today.”

“What makes you say this?”

“Her suitcase is gone.”

“Damn.”

He could tell Maya was thinking hard about something. “Um, Maya. Why all this interest in . . . in . . . Anne. I thought you and I . . .”

“Oh, shut up and let me think.”

This offended Robert’s sense of dignity. He felt like he was the last one in on a dirty little joke. Maybe the joke was on him. “Wait a minute. What the hell is going on? I need to know this minute.” Robert thought that sounded pretty strong. Manly.

Maya flew off the chair and landed on top of him, pinning him to the bed. She almost knocked the wind out of him. He was suddenly very afraid. She looked down at him with her dark eyes. A golden ring began to form in the middle. Robert squinted as her expression changed from docile kitten to ravenous beast.

No wonder she liked the bites better than the sex.

Bile rose in his stomach. Maya turned her head at an awkward angle and smiled at him. Her mouth looked like she was working hard to keep her lips covering her teeth. She sat still, her eyes closed, and sighed. All of a sudden, she was calm. None of the wolfish face remained. Robert was a little relieved.

“Did she take a big suitcase or small one, dear?” The dear part was added a bit too late. Like she was masking something, feigning affection.

“Big.” Robert didn’t care if she saw he was shaking. He had the urge to pee.

“Thank you.” She traced his lips with her forefinger. “And where, Robert, does she keep her passport?”

Robert couldn’t speak. He pointed to the dresser. In an instant she was off him, rummaging through the top drawer. Then through the next one, then the bottom drawer. She wasn’t putting things back. Anne would be pissed. He was thinking what he would say to her if she found out. Of course she would find out. He was the one leaving. She was staying.

Robert sat up, making sure to cover his crotch. What did he know about this woman? Nothing! Nothing except she was wicked fast, wicked strong, could light candles faster than anyone he had ever seen, worked in an adult bookstore, and took men home to her red bedroom. And she liked to bite, in strange places, too. And . . .
I bit her!

His stomach gave up on him. He put his palm over his mouth, bolted for the bathroom, and almost made it. What he threw up on the floor didn’t make him happy. His bile was black, and it seemed to burn holes in his brand new linoleum. There was that burnt feathers smell again.

Shit, what have you done, Robert?

Maya stepped behind him as he was wiping up the mess. She didn’t look surprised at the damage to the floor. When she bent over to touch his back, he leapt up and pinned himself against the opposite wall, protecting his privates with both hands.

“Don’t touch me.” He didn’t care he was sounding like a first-rate coward. He had gone along with everything, the biting, the blood stuff, but now he was poisoned as well. And this bitch was looking for his wife! His
wife
!

As if she read his mind, Maya held up his cell phone. She extended it out in front of her while spearing him with that look in her eye. Robert flinched. He carefully took the phone, not wanting to touch her skin as he did so.

“Call her.”

“Who?” He sounded like a fifth grader. He swore to himself.

“Call your wife. Ask her where she is.”

Robert was going to say no, but one look at Maya’s face told him that would have dangerous consequences. Not lethal, but more than likely painful. Well, hell, it was
just
a phone call. Not like he was going to set a trap for Anne or something. He had to have time to consult Gary, who would know what to do about this situation. And then maybe they would go to the police, or visit his friend who was a security guard at Wal-Mart. At least his friend owned a gun and knew a lot about law enforcement, although Gary
had
flunked the police exam.

Maya was still wearing Anne’s robe. She was not in a sexy mood. “I said call her, or I will make you call her. Do it now, before I get mad.” Maya walked up to him very close. He felt trapped, helpless. “You really don’t want to get me mad, Robert, do you?”

Chapter 19

Paolo stepped into the entryway and perused the bags by the front door. A cell phone chirped in the pocket of a jacket hanging on a hook by the door. The jacket didn’t look to be Laurel’s, so he took it to be one belonging to his brother’s woman. He fished through the pocket, grabbed the phone, and looked at the phone and noticed the name “Robert” flashing on the screen. He put it back without answering it.

Laurel joined him.

“Are they upstairs?” He pointed to the ceiling.

She nodded.

A smile graced Paolo’s lips as he thought about his brother in love at last, after all this time. Perhaps there was hope for him, after all. He wondered if Marcus ever really loved Maya and guessed not.

“What’s she like?”

Laurel looked up for a minute before answering. “Anne is beautiful, but then, Marcus has never been interested in anyone but real beauties.”

Paolo nodded. This was true.

“She’s small, petite. They look nice together.” She stared off into the distance, through kitchen windows to the orchard. “I have never seen him bending over so much. He shows her things and almost kneels down to her eye level. It’s very sweet. He’s so tender with her.”

Both he and his brother had a fondness for small women, made even more is distinctive by the fact that they were both so tall.

“Nice.”

“Yes, it is. Nice to have lovers in this house again. You notice how the air smells better, the flowers seem brighter?”

“Yes, we are basking in the glow of their love.” Paolo hoped she didn’t pick up his sarcasm.

“You will too, some day.”

“I love my wife now.” He looked at his hands. “But it is different. Not like this.”

Laurel hugged him, burying her head in his chest. “Promise me, brother, your next choice won’t cause you so much pain. You should choose from your own kind.”

“I am not human, but I choose to live and love that way.”

“At what cost?”

“She is worth the price. Any price.”

“Why not bring her here, let her meet the rest of the family?”

“She’s ill now. Cannot travel. Maybe if she gets better I will, but I think this may be the end for her.” Paolo sighed and stroked Laurel’s hair. “Does he know I’m here?”

“No. There wasn’t time.”

Paolo smiled. “That anxious to get upstairs, hum?”

“Afraid so.” Laurel broke their embrace and looked into his eyes. “We must be happy for him, Paolo. He mustn’t see our pain, our loneliness.”

“Agreed.” He said this as he nodded.

The cell phone in the jacket rang again.

“Who’s Robert?” Paolo asked. “He seems to become calling Marcus’s woman.”

“I don’t know. Marcus would. Should we bring it to them?”

They looked in each other’s eyes and both shook their heads.

The door to the master opened and Marcus descended the stairs with Anne in tow.

“Paolo! What a surprise.” Marcus almost crashed into him as he gave his brother a big hug and slap on the back. They stood at the same height, eye to eye, regarding one another, looking for changes that would never occur on their faces.

“This is Anne,” Marcus said, presenting her hand to Paolo’s bow.

“Enchanted.” Paolo kissed the back of Anne’s knuckles and traced a lovely citrus and vanilla fragrance. He instantly wanted to bite her.

Anne giggled.

He dropped her little pink newly turned fingers and noticed her face flushing. She seemed bashful. Paolo could read the sigh of contentment in his brother’s demeanor.

Marcus beamed, looking at Anne, obviously proud of his new love. And protective. Then Marcus became serious. “How long are you staying, Paolo?”

“I leave tomorrow. Sorry, but this was just a quick trip. My wife is ill, in her final stages of cancer.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Where do you live, Paolo?” Anne seemed genuinely interested.

He knew he and Marcus could pass for twins if it weren’t for his sandy brown hair compared to Marcus’s black locks. Did this female find him attractive as well?

“South of France.”

“Beautiful countryside. I was there earlier this summer.” She dipped an arm around Marcus’s waist, adding a seductive look that Marcus returned along with a caress to her cheek, followed by a little kiss.

How Paolo longed to have a female look at him like that. He was suddenly filled with longing. It was difficult to see the flesh of his human wife whither and gray before his eyes. And the pain of watching her age was probably more difficult for him to bear than it was for her. How would it feel to have someone love you who was so young, who would look budding and luscious forever?

“You going to finish the tour, Marcus?” Anne’s eyes were bright as she looked up at her man. “Paolo, you want to come?”

The flash in her eyes quickened his pulse. He hoped Marcus didn’t notice. This female was indeed intoxicating. He looked at Laurel, who was fanning herself and shaking her head.

Yes, my sister. Some things never do change.

“Actually, Marcus, let’s have Laurel give her the tour. I need to speak to you alone, if you don’t mind.”

Before Marcus could reply, Laurel took Anne by the arm. The two women got into quick conversation, their heads bowing to each other as they walked through the hall to the kitchen and out the back door.

Secrets. Women always had secrets, and whispers. Were they talking about him?

“She’s lovely.” Paolo said as he watched the women.

“And she’s mine.”

“Of course.” Paolo smiled at the slight verbal slap on the cheek.

The two brothers went into the study.

“Something to drink, Paolo?”

“Two fingers, please.”

They retired to the leather chairs in the corner. Marcus handed Paolo the tumbler with the hundred-year-old whisky without ice. “So, what’s up?” Marcus asked.

“I met the boy today. He’s a handsome one.”

Marcus’s brow furrowed but he nodded his head and took a sip of the deep amber liquid.

“Does Anne know?”

“No. Not yet.”

“What are your plans?”

“First I have to meet with the council, so we can marry. I will ask Maya for permission to adopt Lucius, if Anne will agree. I think she will. I hope she would grow to love him, as I do.”

Paolo looked at his glass and nodded, a faint smile toying with his lips. “You’re probably right. You are sure, then?”

“What, about the fating? I am sure about being fated to Anne. I have no explanation for the fathering of that child. But I sense he is mine, just as I feel I was meant to wed Anne and not Maya.”

“How can you feel for the boy and not for the mother?”

“I don’t know, but that’s the truth of it. I just hope the council sees it the same way.”

“Marcus, I wanted to speak to you because I feel you must decide to raise this child as your own no matter what the council says. He shouldn’t be allowed to spend any time with Aurora and the rest of Maya’s family. You know they are long suspected of having part witch blood. I cannot think any of them would ever make a proper guardian. All those women are deadly to the boy. I even fear for his life.” He looked up at Marcus, feeling the weight of the difficulty of his position. “That boy needs a father. Deserves a father.”

“First things first. Once Anne is approved and accepted, anything is possible. I think she will help me do this.”