Rule (8 page)

“Rise,” Aetas yelled, angrily. “Rise, Master Delacroix and tell your beloved goodbye.”

Marko’s head snapped up and confusion filled his features as he slowly pushed to his feet. I didn’t wait for Aetas to say anymore. I sprinted for the stairs, taking them as fast as I could. Marko jerked from the grasp that held him and raced past Aetas, toward me. My heart was pounding so fast that the ache was returning, but I didn’t care.

“Tessa!”

I kept my eyes on Marko, barely even seeing where I stepped. When I got to the bottom, he had already covered the distance, sweeping me in his arms.

“God, I knew you were alive.” The grip in which he held me was so crushing that I fought to breathe. He seemed to catch himself as he pulled back, pressing his lips into mine. “I was so lost without you. I…” Again he kissed me. I held around his neck, taking in his scent, trying my best to memorize everything about the smell, even though I already had.

“I’ve been lost, too. I’ve miss you so much.”

The sob couldn’t be contained as I locked myself to him tighter.

“Look at me, ma minette. Let me see you. You don’t look well.”

I didn’t want to pull back and leave him. If I could close my eyes, perhaps I could convince myself this was just a dream. Maybe I’d be back in his arms the night we were meant to become bound. I could kill Hunter before he killed me and reverse this horrible path.

Fingers buried in my hair and I let Marko ease me out of his neck. His brown eyes searched my face for so long, I couldn’t help but wonder what was going through his mind. I couldn’t read it and I knew why. He didn’t want Aetas hearing, but I doubted what he was doing was working. Aetas heard almost everything.

“You’re not well.”

My head shook. I knew I wasn’t. I was growing weaker by the minute. Marie’s blood had lasted for a while, but not long enough with what our leader was having me do.

“I’ll take care of you when we leave here. I’ll make you better.”

Again, my head shook. “I’m not going, Marko. I … have to stay for a little longer.”

“Stay? To learn?” he asked, quietly.

“Yes. Aetas is making me stronger.

“No, he’s making you weaker. Look at you. You’re sick. You need to be resting and taking in my blood. You need to heal.”

I wanted to peer around Marko to see what Aetas was doing, but thought against it. Instead, I placed my hands on his cheeks, letting him feel the energy of how much stronger I’d already become. His wide eyes rose to mine and my new knowledge of Aetas pushed through his depths, flashing before his vision. My journey of being here followed. My leader wouldn’t be able to pick it up. Marko was too high in rank to let our information slip though. As long as we didn’t speak internally, we’d be safe.

“Shh,” I breathed out, under my breath. “You have to give me time,” I whispered. “You have to leave me until I’m ready to be released. Will you wait for me?”

“I can’t leave you,” he said, pained. “I can’t…”

“You can,” I assured. “You see I’m here. I’m yours. All I need is your word that you’ll be ready for me when I’m finished.”

Marko’s arms came around me tightly, hugging me close. “I would wait a million years if it meant you’d become mine all over again.”

“You just might have to,” Aetas ground out as he walked around to the side of us. “You interfere with what I wish for her to learn. You were a problem before, but you’re an even bigger problem now.”

Marko turned, glaring in his direction. Heat, so intense it was almost unbearable, penetrated into my chest from his anger. I reached up, bringing his attention back to me.

“I will learn fast. You will see me soon.”

The furious heat dissipated as he gazed into my eyes. “I believe in you. When you return I will be honored to announce our newest member, and my concubine. You’ve come so far. You hold great power, ma minette. I’m proud of you. What you’ve been through would break most, but not you.” He glanced at Aetas, bringing his focus back to me. “I will wait for you. For as long as it takes.”

I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t that Marko would take to this so easily. He was thinking something and although I wanted to know, I knew better than to take another chance at seeing with Aetas watching. I had faith that I’d see soon enough. And I would. With the knowledge that came from Aetas, Marko and I could see each other sooner than I imagined.

“Tell the Princess goodbye, Master Delacroix. She has more lessons to learn.”

The glint in Aetas’ stare made me feel sick. I was going to pay for what I’d done. It was etched so deeply in the way he looked at me, I was afraid to know what it was.

Marko gripped the back of my neck, pulling me into his throat. I wrapped my arms around him pretending to give him a hug. What he wanted was clear and if I was already going to be in trouble, I might as well be strong enough to face my punishment.

My fangs lowered and I bit down, brutally, needing more blood than a small puncture would allow. Fingers tightened on my neck and I didn’t think as I let my claw extend to slice into my wrist. Blindly, I jerked my arm before me and Marko found it almost instantly. His lips locked on the wound, taking me into him as I sucked him in with everything I had. Shooting pains, exploded in my stomach.

The final mark. The last tie to bond us together forever.

An inferno flared, shooting through my body so intense that my lips broke suction. The intensity was like I’d never felt before. A scream tore from my throat and I was suddenly being pulled back and held against a body. It took me a moment to realize Marko was standing a few feet away. Aetas, he had me.

“Get out!” His voice left my skin vibrating even more. I screamed again, feeling my body bow in his arms. The fire was growing, feeding me in all the right places. My heart expanded, only to draw back in with such force that the thump in my ears was like a cannon. Marko was holding to his stomach, staggering backwards as he kept his stare on me. He didn’t want to leave. I could see that. Aetas’ order would have pushed him to the door whether he wanted it or not.

“Out!” He yelled again.

The blaze grew in my stomach as I twisted roughly through the pain. Marko was so strong. So amazingly potent that having us linked together completely was excruciating. More of his powers were becoming mine, and mine, his. It was a shock to my weak system, just as Marie’s blood had been. But Marko’s station make it ungraspable.   

“Breathe,”Aetas yelled at me. “Do you know what you’ve done, Master Delacroix? You could very well kill her for sure! Her heart wasn’t ready for this. Why do you think I’ve been feeding her weak blood? Why do you think I’ve kept you away!”

My feet slid out from under me and I realized I couldn’t feel them anymore. My whole body seemed to be disappearing. If it wasn’t for Aetas’ grip, I’d be on the floor.

“We have to stop this. We have to…” Aetas lowered me to the ground and I could see his true fear. He wasn’t pretending or over-exaggerating like I had thought he’d been doing. Something was seriously not right.

“Okay…” His hands rose to my cheeks while he blinked repeatedly. He had no idea what he was going to do and I could read into it too easily.

Movement settled next to me and Aetas’ head shot up. “What the hell are you still doing here? I said leave.”

“The devil himself couldn’t keep me away. If Tessa’s in trouble, I’m going to be here until she’s better. Do you seriously think I’d depart thinking there’s a chance she might die … again?”

“You will both pay for what you’ve done.”

“Do what you have to, but first focus on her or I will.”

My feet were able to plant and I pushed against the floor, sliding through the round of electrical currents that attacked my internal system. Deep breaths were leaving me and I couldn’t slow my pulse from hammering wildly. The expansion was so hard and fast that I almost could feel the wound in my heart tear back open. I thought I had been healed … I was wrong.

“The two of you stop fighting. Put me to sleep.” I choked out the words. “Knock me out!”

The men looked at each other, but Marko reacted first. He locked with my eyes and I was sucked into darkness. Into the heaven within him. It was peace … serenity, and it wouldn’t last. Hell would be waiting when I awoke. Aetas would make sure of it.

Chapter 13

Marko

The pain in my chest wasn’t my own. My heart was beating so fast that I felt like I could run the distance from here to the underground city and not break a sweat. And Tessa was feeling the same thing whether she was unconscious or not. My eyes kept darting around wildly and my lungs were sucking in air every few seconds. The vast amount of power my bonded held was too shocking for me to grasp. I knew someday she’d be one of the strongest in the world, but to feel it within myself, even I couldn’t hold both of our strengths, combined. She hadn’t surpassed me yet, but she wasn’t far off. The fact that she had come so far so fast had me afraid for her. Not just because of her heart, but because of what our leader wanted. What were his motives?

“You can barely hold yourself together.” Aetas snapped at me. “Look at you. You’re a fucking wreck.”

I glanced at Tessa, glad I had gotten her under before she had a chance to see me. “You did this. It’s your fault. Had you not pushed her too hard, too fast, I wouldn’t have felt the need to try to save her. The bond… I hadn’t expected her to do that, but I couldn’t deny her, either. Never.”

“You’re stupid in your love-stricken state, Master Delacroix. Who is the real leader, here?
Me.
There’s a reason for that. I know what is best for her. Had you left this situation alone and continued to focus on your human, I could have healed her and sent her home to you in amazing shape. She would have been ready to rule. Now you might have ruined everything.”

Footsteps pounded across the large room as members rushed forward. I could feel their power emanate as they grew closer. One wasn’t even as strong as me, barely as strong as Tessa, and my bonded was only beginning to tap into herself. Jesus. She was going to be in trouble. She couldn’t handle what Aetas had unlocked inside of her. Now with the added abilities she’d just received from me, she was going to be worse. Too supreme for her own good. Maybe for all of ours. And her personality would change because of it. That was a given. If she had felt entitled before, it wasn’t going to compare after the blood combined completely.

“Master Aetas.” Margo and three other vampires came to a stop before us. They looked at me nervously as I stared them down.

“Draw a cold bath in the Princess’s room,” Aetas said, lifting her. “Get her a Valium and a large glass of water.”

“Valium? Have you lost your mind? She’s a vampire. It won’t last five minutes in her system.”

Cold eyes cut toward me. “The initial shock of her waking is what I’m trying to calm. Anxiety will kick in the moment she becomes aware and I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready for the wrath that will follow. Her heart can’t handle any more excitement.”

Maybe he had a point, but I couldn’t see what difference it would make. Tessa didn’t have short fits. When she was angry or upset, she could go for hours. Days, even. At least she had me. Surely, that would help with the side effects.

Aetas started up the stairs and the moment I began to follow, he threw me a look. I didn’t stop and I wasn’t leaving until I made sure Tessa was alright. Regardless that he was the leader, she had rights. Now that we were bonded, I had a say in what they were. Our kind worked as a system. Aetas might have had a hand up over the laws, but he still had to follow them.

A hall stretched out on both sides and we turned right. He walked at a fast pace, turning into one of the rooms toward the end. Her scent engulfed me the moment we walked in. If I wouldn’t have been so hyped up on our bond, it would have calmed me. As it was, I couldn’t stop fidgeting.

“There we go,” he said, quietly, laying her on top of the blankets. He turned her on her side, jerking the lacing free in one hard yank. The moment he reached to pull down her dress, I couldn’t stop the growl that left me.

“I can take it from here. I think you’ve done enough. You’re not me,” I said, staring right into his eyes. 

A smile tugged at his lips and he raised an eyebrow, taking a step out of the way. “Go ahead, your time here is limited, anyway.”

My head cocked to the side and I stopped myself from speaking. I didn’t have to say words for him to know he was pushing me further than he wanted to. I didn’t care who he was, I wasn’t going to back down, concerning Tessa. Not as her ruler, and sure as hell not as her new mate.

Bonded.
Yes … we were finally getting where we needed to be.

I stepped forward, taking his place. The water was already running and I turned as a blonde woman stepped from the adjoining restroom.

“Mistress Gina, set the Princess out a nightgown. She’ll be confined to bed for at least twenty-four hours. I want her as comfortable as possible.

“Gina,” I repeated. I straightened as she paused to look at me. “I do believe I owe you something.”

The blonde took a step back at my advance and I didn’t care if she was male or female. I reared back, slapping her across the face. She gasped and jerked her palm to her cheek.

“If you ever raise your hand to one of mine again, you will face
me
. I don’t care that you’re a member here. Marie was a guest under this roof and you treated her horribly. I will not forget that.”

Margo paused at the door, looking between me and Aetas. “How did he know that? How did you know that?” she said, walking at a brisk pace in my direction.

“I know things,” I said, coldly. “You all-mighty vampires think you’re untouchable. Truth is, you’re not as good as you think. Your gifts have flaws. Ones I have no problem deciphering. Let that tell you something. Politics or not, I know where I deserve to be.”

I turned, sweeping Tessa into my arms. My gaze stopped on Aetas. “You should stop holding this grudge against me and maybe think about bringing me in. Tessa belongs to me and together, we’re one hell of an asset. You trying to get her alone will only weaken what you’re attempting to accomplish. If you want her to be the best, let me be by her side. She’ll flourish.”

There was no point waiting for an answer. I didn’t expect one.

“Pill.” I held out my hand and Margo cautiously came forward, handing over the tablet. I shut myself in the restroom, slowly undressing Tessa. The sound of the water had her stirring and I separated her lips, pushing the pill through and rubbing her throat until she swallowed.

“Ma minette.” I leaned against the counter top and caressed her face, waiting. Aetas was right in assuming she’d come to in hysterics. It was natural. What I didn’t expect when she opened her eyes was for them to be completely black like when she was a newborn. “Slow breaths, love. It’s just me and you.”

A large intake had her chest rising. Aside from her obeying, she stayed eerily quiet and still. It was either a good sign or a disastrous one.

“I’m going to give you a bath. It’s going to make you feel better. I want you to prepare yourself though, it’s going to be very cold.”

I eased to stand, making sure my movements were slow. Anything could set her off. The last thing I wanted when she held so much power was to defend myself against it. I could throw a shield all day long, but the action took its toll. And who was to say she wouldn’t make her way through. This new Tessa was pretty damn strong and the more she used her gifts, the fiercer they would become.

Slowly, I lowered, easing to my knees as I let her hover over the full tub.

“Remember. It’s cold. This is best for you. It’s going to slow your blood-flow.”

Tessa’s hand dropped lifelessly to the side, sliding into the water. I felt myself tense as I waited for some sort of reaction. Still nothing. I let my arms begin to lower, jerking to a stop as the water began to boil beneath us. I jumped to my feet, pulling her hand up to inspect for any damage. It wasn’t so much as red.

“Shit,” I breathed out. My eyes went back to the steaming water. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. She shouldn’t be able to affect the temperature. I didn’t hold that gift and neither did she… But Tessa had showed me things. Things she taken from Aetas when she had breached his mind. It had my pulse racing even more. This wasn’t good. She shouldn’t have been able to get in his head to begin with.

I leaned over, pushing down the knob to drain the water. As I stood back up, Tessa still stared at the ceiling, more in a comatose state than anything.

“Ma minette, can you speak to me? Can you tell me if you’re alright?”

Silence.

I waited for the water to drain and turned the cold back on, refilling the tub. I had to slow down this process. The cold would stall the effects. It would bring her back, slowly, but surely.

“Let’s try this again. Don’t heat the water, okay? Cold.” I said the word as I began easing her down. The frigid iciness soaked into my jacket and I paused in holding to her, waiting to see if I needed to lift. I wasn’t going to chance her getting burned if she increased the temperature again. When seconds went by and she didn’t respond, I sat her down. In a quick pace, I stripped my jacket off. Tessa’s eyes were still black. Still empty of anything. As time went by, I kept my stare locked, waiting to see some type of change.

Get me out.

The voice was robotic in my head. Almost devoid of tone. It was enough to have me pause as I processed it. The delay mixed with my refusing thoughts. I didn’t want her to get out. She needed to slow her blood. To be brought out of this state.

Within the mere seconds it took to gather my thoughts to speak, they were cut off by water exploding from the tub. The shock wave that surrounded the freezing liquid sent me flying back against the far wall. The door blew from its hinges, sliding into the bedroom. And the invisible force didn’t stop. I stayed glued to the wall as I watched Tessa stand from the tub. The anger she held radiated off of her in an aura so powerful I couldn’t do anything but stare as she headed past me through the door.

Aetas and Margo stood a few feet away. He was yelling at the female, telling her to prepare. It took every ounce of force I possessed just to get to my feet.

“Tessa!” My hand reached for her, breaking through some form of thick shield that surrounded her nude frame. Black eyes shot to me and she turned her head.
Evil.
The killer she was put all of its attention not to my physical self, but to the real me, within. For the first time, I feared her. What she wanted to take wasn’t just my life. She wanted my soul. The essence of who I was and I knew where she’d gotten the knowledge to do that.

“Come to me,” I said, cautiously. “Let me hold you. I’ll take care of you.”

Some sort of awareness flickered in her black gaze. She was coming to. She was going to be okay.

“Gina, stop! Go back outside!”

Margo’s voice had Tessa’s head snapping to the side … and suddenly she was gone. My heart stopped in that moment. Nothing I’d ever seen in all of my years could have prepared me for witnessing an actual disappearance of a vampire. Masters could make themselves invisible all we wanted, but that’s not what had happened. I would have still seen her, felt her. Tessa was gone.

“No,” Aetas said under his breath. “No!”

I ran my hand through my hair trying to suppress the shiver that raced down my spine. My clothes were soaked, but it wasn’t because of that. My eyes searched the room in panicked movements as I searched for some type of difference in the atmosphere. I wasn’t sure if she was still here or if she’d gone somewhere else.

“Do you see what you’ve done?” Aetas asked, advancing toward me. “Do you see what you’ve created?”

“Me? It’s your fault,” I exploded. “Had you protected your mind better, she wouldn’t have learned this from you.”

A strangled sound had both of our heads whipping around to Margo. She was stiff, rigid, as her fingers twitched and her eyes rolled back. A sickening sensation rushed through me while I watched with dread.

“Jesus,” Aetas said under his breath. “She’s absorbing. She’s…”

“What?” I yelled. “She’s what?”

He raced to Margo, placing his hand over her eyes. I could
feel
his strength as he used his powers. An energy filled the room so thick that I fought to breathe. From out nowhere, Tessa’s body appeared hovering, only to drop, crumbling to the ground. I rushed to her side, watching as she gasped, repeatedly. Her eyes were closed as if she were sleeping.

“Aetas.” A cry sounded through the room and he caught Margo’s body as it began to fall. Sobs left her and he immediately began to escort her to the door where Gina watched fearfully.
She had witnessed it all.

“Take Margo to her room to rest. Have her feed. I’ll check in shortly.”

His voice was almost hollow sounding and I didn’t miss it as he dismissed the two females. When he came to kneel before me, on the other side of Tessa, I could read his shock.

“She’s an absorber. A snatcher. She reads and steals.” He lowered his gaze, staring into her face. “It could have been a one-time occurrence due to her condition, but I’m not so sure.”

“Are you saying she just did to Margo what she did to you?”

“Took in my knowledge…?” His eyes cut up to me. “Yes.”

There were no words as I let my stare drop. “What are you going to do?”

To say I didn’t know there were consequences were ridiculous. Tessa was unstable. A danger to our race if she decided to be. And I had felt her ability to steal who I was, even if Aetas didn’t. Tessa could have killed me from the inside if she have chosen to do so.