Rule (18 page)

Chapter 24

Tessa

Lips kissing down my spine pulled me from a deep sleep, bringing a smile to my face as the memories of the last two days and nights replayed in my mind. Happiness was something I’d only caught glimpses of since I’d been turned, but if my new life had anything to say about my future with Marko, I’d gladly take it.

We were in heaven. A dream that promised a blissful existence so long as it stayed the way it was now. Of course, we hadn’t left our room since our vows. We were given two days of uninterrupted honeymooning, but one I knew would end tonight. Then, I’d take my role as the new leader, and everything would change.

Marko and I hadn’t spoken one word about what would happen now. Maybe we didn’t want to know. Maybe we didn’t want to imagine the ups and downs we both knew were coming.

“You want me.” His voice purred as he lowered, letting his tongue swirl over my lower back before he sucked against my skin. Fingers wedged between my thighs, separating my legs while he began to rub over my wet slit.

A moan left me as I arched through the contact. “Only you,” I managed, finally opening my eyes. In my peripheral I could see his dark hair falling over his forehead as he watched where he touched. I spread my legs wider. The sounds that left him sent satisfaction wrapping itself around me. My vampire loved pleasing him, just as much as she loved teasing him. To see his obsessive need went beyond right. It’s what I longed for more than anything.

I yawned, closing my legs and rolling to my back. The look on Marko’s face almost had me laughing. The tightness of his features went lax and his eyebrows drew in, determined, as he pulled me more in front of him and spread my legs once again.

“Stay.” He licked his lips, moving his fingers back to my pussy as he explored the distance between my opening and my clit. In slow circles he built me up, applying just the right amount of pressure to the sensitive nub, only to make a path back down to nudge into my channel. I rocked, clutching to the sheet as he slid one digit inside of me. “Fuck, you’re so wet.” Another finger followed, stretching me as he eased in deep. Just as my orgasm began to come, my legs shot up to close and I pushed to sit. Marko’s eyes flared and once against I was pulled to lie down.

“I think someone forgot how to follow orders. You may rule this city, but that doesn’t mean you lead in our room.”

Again, he pushed my legs open, gripping to my inner thighs to drive his point home. My stare rose to his and uneasiness set in at the reality of what waited outside of our room.

“Don’t speak of that right now.” My hand rose and he lowered enough for me to grab the back of his neck. “Kiss me. Make me forget everything but us.”

“A leader never forgets what is outside of his walls,” he said, lowering more of his weight on me. “It is something you will have to accept, ma minette. These vampires need you at all times. And someday, it’ll be our entire race. Our future will be far from easy. You do understand this, yes?”

I nodded, swallowing past the concentration on his face. He was reading me. Trying to see if I had what it took to be that strong. I never broke our gaze as I let him inside of me to witness my desire. When he pulled back from his hypnotic daze, he took a deep breath.

“God, you’ve come so far. It’s actually quite scary if you want me to be truthful.” He dipped down pressing his lips into mine. “But you’ll be a great leader. You want it.” He paused. “You’ll teach me what you learned?”

I laughed, pulling his mouth back to mine. “Later. Tell me more about how much you love me.”

“You mean, show you how much I love you. I would be happy to.”

His tongue pushed into my mouth, massaging into mine, while he rubbed his hard cock against the outside of my pussy. My arms wrapped around his neck pulling his closer.

“Marko.” I moaned into him, wiggling to try to get him to make love to me like he had the numerous times already. I couldn’t get enough.

“I’ve never loved my name more than when it falls from your lips during these moments.”

Thickness stretched me and my breath caught as he inched his way inside. My legs locked around his waist and I cried out as he surged the remaining distance. In slow thrusts he withdrew, only to plunge even harder. The tease of his chest against my nipples only made them tighter and my breasts ached, causing me to thrust them into the muscles that flexed with his movements. Every inch of my body was screaming for more, and my voice was echoing those screams.

“Faster,” I begged. “You’re holding back. Give me more.”

“You get more when I’m ready.”

Marko lifted, spinning me to my stomach. His arm wrapped around my waist, lifting me to my knees. When I started to rise, he pushed my head to the mattress, keeping a firm hold as he began to fill me again.

“You want me?”

I screamed as he slammed into me.

“Yes,” I cried out, adding pressure to his hand as my head tried to lift. A slap to the side of my ass had me biting my lower lip. Since I’d been turned, everything had been passion-induced fucking or making love. But we had shared something once that I was dying to delve back into and Marko seemed to pick up on that as he spanked me again. Harder. And then harder.

Fingers weaved into my hair, keeping my face to the mattress, but angling my head back. Swift, deep thrusts became almost brutal. Pain raced through my scalp and I could feel myself on the edge of an orgasm so powerful that it was almost impossible to control. When claws raked down my back, almost breaking the skin, I screamed through the spasms that tore themselves free.

“You didn’t have permission to come, did you?”

Another spanking had my pussy clenching around his cock. My whole body jolted from the twitching of my limbs.

“God, more.” I pushed back, only to suck in air as he squeezed the side of my ass, letting his nails break the skin at my hip. Stinging left my gasps coming out loud. The scent of blood flooded the room with a sweet fragrance and I could smell my power intoxicate the atmosphere.
Intoxicate us.
The need to cry out again for him to do more was there, but he was already beginning to fuck me so hard, I didn’t think the words could leave me. I could barely breathe, more or less speak from the jarring thrusts.

A loud groan filled the room and Marko pulled me up by my hair, placing me on all fours. His chest molded to my back while he went even deeper. Still, he held to my hair, controlling me.

“It’s laughable if you really think about it,” he said, nuzzling into the side of my face. “You may someday rule the world, but here you’ll always be my slave. I’ll have you trained to my every sick, twisted desire and you’ll love every minute of it. Won’t you?” he asked, giving my hair a tug.

“Yes. Show me everything.”

“Everything? You so sure about that?”

I was past the point of caring what he meant. Every part of me craved every hidden secret within him. I wanted it all, no matter how dark it was. For so long, my human self had hid things I only dared to fantasize about. Now that the fear was gone, I was dying to push the limits on the forbidden.

“Whatever you’ve dared to dream, I want it.”

Marko’s arm locked around my throat in a choke hold and he brought me to my knees, growling low in his throat as he cut off my oxygen almost entirely. “Ma minette, what a dangerous path you wish to walk. It’s not safe to hold hands with the devil. Are you sure? There’s no going back. It’s all or nothing.” He withdrew his cock, inching back into me slowly. I knew I didn’t need air to live, but the uncomfortableness left my hands coming to his arms in a slow building orgasmic panic.
Submission, fear
… Not only did my vampire need the balance of not being in control in my personal life, but the real me craved the treatment.

“I’m yours … however you want.” The words were almost impossible to get out as I held tighter. For seconds he did nothing but cut off my air supply while he used my body. Tears poured down my cheeks and air came in a gush. I sucked in a greedy gulp just in time for his fangs to tear into the side of my neck. It wasn’t the bite of a lover, but of a predator. I screamed, feeling myself being pushed into the mattress. Moaning vibrated my neck and his thrusts became slow, passionate as he reached around, playing with my clit. My vampire went from defensive to unabashedly in love all over again.

The tugs on my veins had my lids growing heavy with bliss. Just when I began to enjoy it too much, Marko bit down harder, giving me that slice of pain I needed. The stinging mixed with the need in my core and I could feel the impending release building to unimaginable heights. Venom oozed into me and I cried out at the delay I didn’t think was coming.

“There, there. Now your treat.” His tongue licked over the wounds, closing them. Pleasure shot through me with such force that I teetered on the brink of the drugged orgasm. “I want this new beginning to be what you’ve always wanted. What
both of us
have
longed for.” More of his weight settled as he continued to thrust. “No matter what happens outside of this room, it’s trivial. Let the world be on fire around us. None of that makes a difference. As long as we’re together, ma minette, that’s all I want.”

Arms wrapped around me, holding tightly just above my breasts. Even through one side of my face was buried in the mattress and my hair was nearly blinding me, I had never felt so aware of the room around me. Tingling from Marko’s breath gave me goosebumps and the energy in the air fluctuated, making my brain pick up on every little detail of not only us, but the entire city. My mind was so open I didn’t have to physically see to witness the ongoing events. And it had been like this since I’d taken rule here. With Margo’s words and Marko’s blood, the realization of who I was had never been clearer. And there was peace in that. Peace within myself where Marko and I were headed.

“That’s it,” he whispered, going faster. “You’re so close. I can feel your pussy tightening around me. Let my poison take your over, love. Come for me. Give yourself to me.”

And I did. My face turned more into the mattress and I cried out, arching as his cock grew heavy inside of me. Trembling left me jolting through the forceful release and it was only prolonged as Marko’s cum shot deep and hot.

“Fuck,” he said, rolling us over while he still pumped into me. My legs were spread with my feet firmly on the mattress, and I was facing the ceiling, lying with my back against his chest. When he slowed, I buried my face in his neck, content to keep him in me forever. I never wanted to leave this moment, but I knew I would have to. And soon.

Comfortable silence filled the room while he held me. Minutes went by, drawn out as I breathed him in. The exotic scent had me smiling.

“You’re in a good mood.”

“I think I have you to thank for that.”

He chuckled, rolling me to the bed. As he hovered over me, on his side, I reached up, running my fingers through the hair that fell forward. It was so much like the scene before our first bounding ceremony. My hand froze and my stomach dropped.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “We don’t think about that night. It didn’t happen. I didn’t lose you and you didn’t die.”

“But I did,” I whispered. “Hunter killed me. Now it’s our turn to return the favor. Aetas might have him under his wing, but he can’t hide there forever. We’ll all meet again, and when we do, he’ll be finished for good.”

I wiggled free, standing from the bed to head to the shower. Marko was right behind me the moment I walked through the entrance.

“If anyone is going to kill him it will be me. You have no idea what I went through when I thought you were dead. Hell, I was dead, too.”

“I know.” I turned on the shower, spinning around to face him. “I saw you. I heard you. I lived your pain. It destroyed me not being able to do anything about it.”

Marko’s hands gripped my biceps gently as he lowered his head down closer to mine. “Then you know that it is I who must do this.”

My head shook and I could think of more than a couple of reasons why I had every right, too. He’d violated me with Sayer. He’d betrayed me and disrespected me. The bastard had driven a dagger through my chest. And even as I thought it, my human tried to give excuses. Ones that my vampire saw as unforgiveable.

“Maybe neither of us will have the chance,” I said, climbing in the shower. “Maybe Aetas will see the light and end this for us once and for all.”

Chapter 25

Marko

To say I wasn’t upset by being dethroned by my concubine was far from the truth. I’d spent my vampire life dreaming of nothing but reaching the top and not long after I’d gotten my own city, she’d come in and taken it right out from under me. I knew Tessa didn’t know what Margo planned on doing, but it still pissed me off that it’d gone down that way. I couldn’t even think about it without reacting negatively.

As I led her out of our room and was faced with her guard, reality sunk in. Our honeymoon period had been more than I could have dreamed of, but it was over, and the city needed its leader. It needed
her
and I was meant to just sink back into the shadows as if the citizens here hadn’t taken to my rule so well. It upset me and left me in a sour mood. Tessa immediately felt it and I could have cursed myself for making it more stressful for her.

“Remember what I told you,” I said, leaning in as we walked.

Before I could go further, the strength of her power surged, weighing against not only me, but her guard. Their presence forged with hers leave a suffocating cloud around us. It was meant to show the community who was in charge and there was no doubt in my mind that they’d believe she ruled. I could hardly fathom the toxicity, myself. It had me studying her through the darkness. Was this really the Tessa I had stalked that night outside of the church? My blood slave that I’d abused and ravaged when I got the whim?

The smile she flashed at me said it was. The crown and confident air that blanketed around us was what left me questioning it. She was so different.

Light radiated ahead and I slowed our pace, coming to a stop just feet away. “I love you,” I whispered. “You’ve got this. I’ll be at your side if you have any questions.”

Something flashed on Tessa’s face and my brow creased in concern.

“I love you, too. I…” She glanced toward the heart of the city and shook her head.

“Shh. There’s nothing to worry about. Your fears are mine now, remember?”

White teeth flashed at her smile and she took a deep breath. “You’re right. Everything will turn out fine.”

Although I didn’t know exactly what was on her mind, I didn’t try to force my way in to find out. Tessa would inform me if it bothered her too much.

We headed toward the light and she never missed a beat as we entered the heart of the city. Talking died out and I gripped to her bicep tighter as I led us to the member’s table. Eight were present, minus John, who was still in lockdown. The anxiety as we approached was all too clear. Weary glances were thrown Tessa’s way and I had to remind myself that barely anyone had seen her since she was turned. When they had, it was usually because Tessa was getting herself into trouble.

A loud blast sounded from the corner and Tessa’s power flared to asphyxiating heights at the announcement of her arrival. It had been so long since I had heard the formal horn that I had to swallow past the spike of my own pulse.

My arm dropped from hers and I pulled out the leader’s chair, giving her one last look before I stepped off to the side. The action felt alien. As if this was all wrong. I was the male, the one who should have been the one who ruled … but I didn’t, and I never would again.

“Thank you, Master Delacroix.” Tessa’s hands lowered and her palms pressed against the table. When her lids closed, I found myself scanning the faces of not only the members, but of the surrounding tables. If I hadn’t been able to read her actions, I would have been as lost as everyone else. But because I could, I felt even more panicked at her approach. Where most leaders tested blood, Tessa was reading their energy.

“Marie.” Completely blacked out eyes met us as Tessa’s lids fluttered opened. Marie was so stiff and that I felt sorry for her as she looked toward me questioningly. “Come forward.”

Tears shone as she focused on her new leader and obeyed. The moment she made it to Tessa’s side, she lowered to her knees, waiting for what we all knew was coming. With Tessa leading, I’d move down in rank, as would everyone. That left her going back to the ranks of the commoners.

“Stand.”

The command was soft, but did the job as Marie rose tall before her.

“Do you accept my rule?”

Wide eyes shot to Tessa’s face, only to lower submissively. “I do, Princess.”

“Then you’re willingly accepting your dismissal from this table?”

The tears spilled over and Marie nodded. “I am.”

“I’m not,” Tessa said, loudly.

Gasps came from a few of the tables and I felt my own expression of shock surface.
Tessa couldn’t do that.
She couldn’t increase the number of members to eleven. It had never been that way. It was against our laws.

“I’m sorry?” Marie shook her head confused. “I … don’t deserve to be here.”

“You’re wrong.” Tessa grabbed Marie’s hands, moving in closer so the vampire had to look into her eyes. “I see so deep inside of you right now that I am convinced this is right. You’re going to be a vital to not only me, but everyone in this room. But I don’t merely want you at this table. I want more. I want your vow.”

Shifting further down the table had my eyes going toward Demetrius, who was staring at them threateningly. The expression alone had my claws pushing out.

“What sort of vow?” Marie asked, softly.

“One of loyalty.
One for life.
I want you as my secretary. My own personal lady-in-waiting, so to speak. I want you as my number three.

A roar echoed through the large room. “You can’t do that!” Demetrius yelled. “That’s not fair.”

“She has the right to do as she wishes,” I countered. “Plenty of leaders do the same thing.”

“But the vampires they move up aren’t members, they’re slaves. She can’t just skip a number ten to the number three spot because she fancies a fortune teller to do her bidding. It doesn’t work that way.”

Tessa’s hand came to rest on Marie’s shoulder while she eased the vampire back. Longer, my claws extended. The need to move in her way, to take care of Demetrius myself almost had me flying over the table to get in front of her, but I couldn’t. Tessa had to lead, and to do that, she’d have to fight her own battles. She had to prove herself.

Silence once again became unbearable as Tessa stopped before Demetrius, eying him up and down. She didn’t say a word. It left the male vampire shifting uneasily in her presence. He looked at her, and then at me, before starting with his attitude once again.

“What are you doing?” he snapped.

“Waiting for you to say it to my face. I’m right here. Why don’t you tell me I can’t make her my number three. I’d like to hear you say it.”

“You can’t—”

Black fog blew in a fast stream from Tessa’s mouth, right into his, causing him to choke on his words.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you. Would you like to try to say it again?”

Demetrius began coughing, grabbing at his throat while his face turned a deep shade of red. Fear had some of the other members moving behind their chairs as they looked on in horror. Crimson began running down Demetrius’s neck as he started clawing at his flesh.

“I still can’t hear you,” Tessa said, louder. “Maybe you really didn’t have anything to say at all. Is that it?”

Wide brown eyes shot to her in desperation while he nodded furiously.

“I thought so,” she said, smiling. “I knew I must have misheard you. Here, let me fix this.” Her claws shot out and the fake sympathetic look melted as she glared and jerked his face toward hers. “If you ever so much as doubt my actions again, there will be no second chances. What I do, I do for this city. Marie has a gift. One you’ll be thankful for when her prediction saves your life. War is coming. Let’s hope you’re smart enough to survive it.”

Tessa’s lips crushed into his and blood poured from their chins, dripping onto the table in a constant trickle. My vampire went crazy at the sight. I knew what they were sharing was far from intimate, quite the opposite, but I could barely keep in place.

“Now apologize to Marie.” Tessa wiped her chin, stepping back.

“I’m … sorry, Mistress.”

Marie’s fist clenched over her chest as she nodded.

“Good. Now that we have that settled, we can continue.” Tessa jerked up her sleeve and headed back to the throne. “For the next week you will no longer feed from the servants. You will take my vein and my vein only. Is that understood, Mistress?”

Marie once again nodded while Tessa took her place. She sat down and we all slowly followed. Even Marie, who kneeled on the floor next to her side. The gesture to feed was given and Tessa’s attention went to her arm as she pulled the sleeve up higher. I watched, curiously, reaching for the arm of the servant before me.

“A week should be more than enough,” Tessa said, lowly. “My blood is strong and continues to grow by the day. You do understand we will share a tie from my previous … feeding of you, yes?”

Her French accent rang out as she studied Marie’s face.

“I do, Princess.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“I am.”

Tessa glanced at me, almost a silent request for my approval—as her mate. I didn’t like the thought of her holding a tie with another person, but I trusted her instincts and it would be good for Marie to grow stronger.

I gave a quick nod.

“Feed.” Tessa let her arm dangle to the side as her free hand came to weave in the human woman’s hair before her. I noticed her fingers tightened at Marie’s bite and she only paused for a moment before she moved in and fed, herself. I held to the servant’s arm, watching Tessa’s every expression as I let my fangs sink into the bend of blond girl’s elbow.

A good minute went by and when ma minette lifted, her eyes were back to a light green. She closed them almost immediately, clenching her jaw as she took deep breaths. I knew she could feel the pain from the first mark, but she didn’t so much as budge. Marie was another story. Her cry was loud, pulling attention in her direction as she lowered her head and made continuous sounds. Her shoulders tensed and she reached up, gripping to the arm of the throne as the currents and power took over.

“Slow your pulse,” Tessa said, soothingly. “Roll with it and don’t fight the currents. It’ll only be worse.”

Marie’s eyes peeked over the edge of the chair. Her pupils were dilated so wide, her eyes almost looked as black as Tessa’s had been.

“Too … much.”

“It’s not more than you can handle,” Tessa snapped. “You’re stronger than you know. What the body can endure is only as much as the mind tells us. Strengthen your mind and your body will follow. Accept this. No more fear, Marie. Fear shows of weak leadership and I will not have it.”

Tessa’s eyes shot to me and I could read her impatience. Her determination to build us all up stronger. She shifted in her chair, and I could tell she was getting antsy. But we were far from over. There was the meeting, the reports, and the most important thing, the calls to the surrounding leaders. I was curious to see how they took to her. It could be a great partnership or impending doom. They wouldn’t be able to feel her power over the phone. All they had was word of mouth, and if rumors of Sayer had made its round, which I was sure they had, leaders just might want to put Tessa to the test. It was a test they would lose. That could be even worse. Not just for her … but for me as her protector and mate.