Love in the Time of Zombies (15 page)

She
was losing her mind.  She could feel it happening.

All
she knew was chaos and noise and… Zeke

The
man who was nobody’s hero protected her with his body, the scent and feel of
him breaking through the confusion and giving her something to hang onto. 
Scotlyn focused on his strained face, which was hovering inches from hers.  He
was the only real thing left.  Green eyes met lavender.

Without
even thinking about it, Scotlyn leaned up to press her lips to his.  He understood
what she needed.  His mouth opened against hers, kissing her back.  Keeping her
grounded.  Everything outside of him ceased to exist.  There was just the taste
of him and the warm feel of his skin and the absolute rightness of the man. 
When she was with Zeke, she always felt safe.

When
he finally lifted his head, Scotlyn realized that the terrible sounds had
ended.  Whoever had been shooting must have killed all the zombies, because she
heard voices calling out, looking for survivors.

“Princess
Darcy!”  Someone bellowed.

“Where
is Darcia Laurent?”  Another man demanded.

“Those
are Joseff’s men.”  Darcy scrambled to her feet and clambered over the
refrigerator.  She pushed open the swinging door against the weight of the
bodies blocking it.  “I’m here!”

Instantly,
a dozen vampires decked out with an arsenal worthy of
Predator
were
shoving
their way into the kitchen.  For a second, Scotlyn thought they were there to
help.  Then, she noticed they had their guns aimed at Caleb and Zeke.

And
her.

“In
the name of King Joseff, you’re all under arrest.”  The largest of the men
reported grimly.  Two more guys seized Darcy and began shrouding her in some
thin reflective fabric.  It looked like a thermal blanket, so it must’ve been
designed to allow vampires to go safely into the sun.

“This
is bullshit!”  Darcy tried to shove them off.  “Joseff wouldn’t okay you
manhandling me.”

“He
said to do whatever was necessary to get you back alive.”  The biggest vampire
retorted.  “And to bring whoever was with you, especially if they were
shifters.”

Other
vampires were already slapping some kind of weird looking handcuffs on Caleb
and Zeke.  The brothers automatically tried to resist, but they were
staggeringly outnumbered.  Scotlyn gave a cry of alarm as one of the vampires
slammed the butt of his gun into Zeke’s face and Caleb was shoved to the floor.

“Joseff
has no authority over shifters.”  Caleb snapped.  “What the fuck is this
about?”

Not
seeing another choice, Scotlyn held up her palms as a vampire stalked towards
her.

“You
touch her and I’ll stake you out in sun.”  Zeke snarled.

“What
the hell is she?”  The vampire demanded, checking her wrist like he expected to
see the jagged tattoo Caleb and Zeke shared.

She
swallowed.  “I’m a Scotlyn Summerline.”

“She’s
mine.”  Zeke’s attention stayed fixed on the guy, even as other vampires tried
to drag him towards the door.  “Be careful with her.  Unless you want to
explain to Joseff why you let the most valuable person here get hurt.”

“Valuable?” 
The biggest vampire scoffed.  “The woman’s got a nice rack, but…”

“She’s
a human.”  Caleb interrupted.  “Possibly the last one in Vegas.”

All
twelve vampires stared at her like she was the Holy Grail.

Scotlyn
suddenly realized what Darcy had meant by calling her “important” and what both
shape shifters were now doing to ensure her safety.  She was part of an
endangered species.  A species that the vampires desperately needed to survive. 
These men wouldn’t harm her, if they knew what she was.

“Her
blood can help keep us alive.”  Darcy put in, in case the other vamps couldn’t
piece that together for themselves.  “No matter what happens to the rest of us,
the human has to be protected.”

Bright
side to the zombie apocalypse:

Ever
wanted to live in the White House?  Well, now’s your chance!

The
pedicurist painted her nails a vibrant red.

Darcy
might’ve work as a mechanic, but she
loved
nail polish. 
The combination meant she had to visit a salon twice a week to maintain a
respectable mani-pedi.  Darcy didn’t mind.  The new vibrant color she’d chosen completely
fit her mood.  Darcy was a girl who knew when something interesting was about
to happen and today called for Sinful Scarlet.

When
the dark shape swept into the day spa, she smiled like she’d been expecting him. 
Maybe she had been.  They’d been playing this game for a very long time.

Joseff
the Unconquered scanned around the interior of the room, dismissing everyone
present.  “Leave.”  The deadly voice and the mind control behind it had the
humans meekly filing out the door.  He very slowly closed it after them,
sealing the two of them into the pink, frilly space.

Alone.

Darcy
stared up at Joseff’s rough, unhandsome features, every nerve ending in her
body lighting up like the 4
^th
of July.  He was the most dangerous
vampire in the world.  Hewn through battle and command and endless death.  He’d
never lost a fight.

From
the time she was a little girl, this man had been a threat to her very
existence, but she’d never been afraid of him.  She’d always known that Joseff
wouldn’t hurt her.

“Come
for a waxing?”  She asked casually.

“I’m
here to kill you.”  He snapped.  “Someone who’s eluded me this long deserves
death by my own hand, so I’ve come to finish you myself.”

But
he didn’t move to attack her.  Instead, his eyes flicked down to her bare feet,
lingering on the cherry red polish.  There wasn’t any hatred for his greatest
foe burning in their ebony depths.

Instead,
she saw lust.

Joseff
glanced away, as he always did when they reached this point in the game.  He
wanted her so much it charged the air, but he never made a move towards her. 
Darcy deeply suspected he never would, without a little push in the right
direction.

It
was the one battle he didn’t think he could win.

“You
should be far more careful about scheduling your days.”  He muttered, lecturing
her about a future that she couldn’t possibly have if he carried out his threat
to annihilate her.  “I’ve told you before, anyone can track you if you don’t
take more precautions.”

“Why
would anyone
want
to, though?  Even you?”  She
tilted her head, deliberately allowing the white spa robe to slip down her
shoulder.  “Do you think I’m such a big threat to your empire?”

His
gaze slipped to skin she’d revealed and she saw him swallow.  “You could…
challenge for the crown.”  He tried.  “You’re the rightful heir.  Many would
follow you.”

“But,
I don’t like to be followed.  Except by certain people.”  Black eyes met hers
and she smiled knowingly.  “So how will you do it?”

“Do
what?”  He was distracted by the red polish, again.

“Kill
me, of course.  Are you going to chop my head off?”

Joseff
blinked.  “No.”

“Burn
me?

“No!”

“Briar
patch?”

Joseff
made an annoyed sound.  “Stop it.  You know I’m not…  I wouldn’t…”  He trailed
off, looking like he was out of things to say.

Darcy
smirked.  The man had sacked kingdoms.  He was the most feared vampire alive. 
But he was always so adorably unsure when he faced her.  It was like he had
some badass threatening speech all prepared… and then he saw her and his mind
went blank.

She
loved that.

Suddenly,
Darcy knew how to sweep the board, once and for all.  Or maybe it
wasn’t
so sudden.  Maybe it was inevitable.  Maybe that was why she kept dangling
herself under his nose, daring him to find her.  Because, she’d been waiting
for this.

For
him.

“Well,
since you’re not going to heave my naked body into the sunlight, what
are
you planning to do with me?”

His
jaw ticked.

“Hey,
I have an idea.”  She purred and played the biggest trump card in vampiredom.  “Pleasure
me, Joseff.”

The
three small words changed everything.

It
wasn’t like Darcy could force him or anything.  As near as she could tell, the
words just made it really hard for a male vampire to resist.  The request
supposedly felt like the woman taking the length of him into her mouth and
suckling.  A virtuous few said no, but most of the time the males were thrilled
to comply.

She
already knew Joseff wasn’t going to be one of the ones who walked away.

In
fact, he just… stared at her, his expression going slack.

There
was something almost vulnerable about his disbelief.  Did other woman not
demand his services?  Apparently not, since he looked flat-out astonished.  Everyone
else was probably too frightened of him.  Or not attracted to the rough angles
of his brutal face.

Fucking
idiots.

“What?” 
He finally blurted out, sounding utterly lost.

Darcy
deliberately untied the sash of her fluffy robe.  All she wore under it was a
thin undershirt and panties.  “I want your mouth on me.  Feel free to begin
anytime.”

“You
can’t use that trick with me.”  He snapped.  “Do you have any idea how powerful
I am?”

“Sure
I do.  That’s why I’m expecting you to ruin me for lesser men.”

His
breathing grew harsher.  “You can’t do this.”  He repeated like she’d broken
the rules of their game.  Which she totally had.  “Have you forgotten that I’ve
stolen your throne? That I’m going to kill you?”

But,
he was already so aroused that she could hear his heart pounding.  The king of
the vampires liked being surprised.  He liked being ordered to go down on her. 
He liked the idea of pleasuring the only person who could challenge him.

He’d
come to the right girl on all counts.

“I
don’t want that stupid throne.  And you’re never going to kill me.  We both
know that.”

Black
eyes locked on hers, burning hot.  “So fucking sure of yourself.”

“I’m
sure of you.”  Darcy tossed her robe aside.

“You
can’t manipulate me.  There’s no purpose in…”  Her undershirt hit the ground
next and Joseff trailed off.  “Oh… fuck.”  He whispered.

Darcy
sensed victory.

Joseff
stepped forward as if in a trace, dropping down to his knee.  Big, rough hands
reverently covered her breasts, dazed to see them responding to his caress. 
“Why do you have to be so goddamn beautiful?”  His thumb brushed over her
nipple and it tightened to the point of pain.

Darcy’s
head went back on a gasp.  Oh God, how she’d needed this.

Needed
him.

Joseff
looked annoyed by her triumphant smile as she watched him fondle the soft
globes.  “Do you think it’s funny to allow someone hideous to touch you?”

“I’ll
let you know when I try it with someone hideous.”  She arched into his palms
and met his eyes.  “Pleasure me, Joseff.” She parted her legs for him.  “I’ve
waited a long time.”

His
control snapped.

Joseff
ripped the panties straight off her body and gazed down at the core of her.  “Fuck.” 
He whispered.  Then his head was dipping forward and he was ravaging her.

No
softness.  No preamble.  He just
took
.

“Oh!” 
Darcy’s fingers tangled in his hair, their red tips tightening in the dark
stands.  He was demanding and powerful… and she was suddenly not so sure who’d
defeated who.

“Joseff.”
 Her eyes went wide. “Oh, yes!”

The
sound of her panting his name had his tongue slipping even deeper, claiming
more.

She
wasn’t even going to last a full minute.  He was too forceful.  She tried to
shift away from the unrelenting pressure, wanting it to last, but his hands
latched onto her hips dragging her back down.  Holding her still for his
invasion.

He
let out a low growl of warning that made her sob.

Her
thighs squeezed the sides of his head.  “Please.”  She’d instigated this, but
he’d seized control so suddenly that all she could do was plead for more. 
“Please, Joseff.”

He
loved that desperate appeal.  The more she squirmed and begged, the more he
demanded from her, until she thought she was going to die.  It was like he was
starved for her and determined to have his full.