We watch Rafe disappear through
the kitchen and a quiet tension fills the air between the master, Jon, and me.
“Stephanie?” Vivian calls to the chef just returning on duty in the kitchen.
“Yes?”
“Prepare pots of blood coffee and bring them into the lobby, please.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The bustle of the mocha-skinned cook snaps a bit of the strain swirling around the three of us, which allows the heated voices in the lobby to press in upon us again.
“You warm enough, Asa? Or do you need a few minutes in the sauna?” Vivian asks. Her face looks calm and she doesn’t appear to be as angry as when I saw her last. Of course, she was beating me at the time so anything else is a step in the right direction.
“I’m good. I haven’t been outside all that long.” Joanna’s energy still sings through my veins, even with the feeding Emiko took. Pointing this out to Vivian would be akin to a death wish, so I wisely keep my mouth shut.
“Okay. Head back out and search for Donald. Call Drew to see if he can give you his last known location.”
I nod and remove my cell. Jon and Vivian wander back into the lobby to join in the heated debate the vampires are having regarding Emiko and the hunt.
The phone rings twice and the line picks up. “Drew?” I ask.
“Yup?”
“When did Donald last report?”
“About forty minutes ago. He was near the apartments.”
“Where does the GPS locator say Emiko is?”
“About five hundred yards southeast of the first apartment building.”
“Thanks. Call me if Donald checks in via another route. I’m pretty sure it’s his cell I have.”
Storing the phone, I zip up and prepare to go back out into the howling winds. I pull a black, high-tech fabric down over my face and shove my hands into sturdy gloves. Slipping past the arguing vampires as they discuss the best course of action, I ease the lobby door shut and head into the frosty darkness. You’d never know it was after eight in the morning with the lack of light being so complete. Living up here in the winter feels like being on another planet.
The all-consuming cold snakes past my facemask, biting my skin and shaking me to my core. Heading to the right, I make my way past the west wing, following the plowed one-lane road deep into the resort property. The morning shift has reported for work already and with any luck, no one from the previous shift plans to disregard the mandatory curfew.
It takes about a ten-minute jog to make it within a quarter mile of the apartments. An inhuman screech ricochets from deep in the trees and pulls me up short. Changing direction, I angle toward the noise and click on my flashlight.
A black form comes hurtling through the darkness toward me, crashing into a bush on my left. A flash of the beam stuns the vampire and possibly dulls his night vision for a moment.
A vicious hiss escapes the grey-haired hunter as he turns his face away. “Bastard! Do you mind? She’s kicking my ass—I don’t need another disadvantage.”
The scent of vampire blood seeps into the air, sweet and enticing.
“Then let’s make it fair,” I say, sweeping the light around the trampled clearing to land on the Asian vamp’s fine-boned, broad features. Her pupils shift while I watch and her arm moves in a lightning-fast gesture. The beam cuts off and their fight circle falls into blackness.
The clean-cut Donald shakes his head before jumping to his feet and barreling back the way he came.
My eyes adjust quickly, but I still can’t see much. I fumble with the Maglight to see what the hell happened to it and find a frozen stick protruding from the lens. Damn. Without a working bulb the black canister is nothing more than a makeshift club.
Even with acute vampire eyesight, it looks like I’ll have to rely on my hearing for this fight. The lighting near the Gen One building allowed me to watch Emiko kick Bebe’s ass earlier, but here we’re far from any structure and the shadows wrap around us in a suffocating hold.
“Can you see her?” Donald murmurs into the blackness.
I’ll be damned if I call any more attention to myself on purpose by speaking.
“He won’t help you,” comes an answering female whisper.
I close my eyes, hoping to place her by reaching out with my other senses. There. Up above and straight ahead. I feel her waiting. Her strong energy appears coiled, barely harnessed.
The sound of splintering wood and crunching branches follows for the next few heartbeats. Male grunts of exertion reach me, but Emiko fights in silence.
Donald comes flying through the air twice more, crushing bushes and widening their clearing even more. Each time he shakes himself, brushes off the snow, and approaches the direction he flew via a different path. By the sounds of it, Emiko predicts his attacks and meets him head on.
Watching the grace of her movements as she executed a complex series of strikes on Bebe was eye opening to say the least. It revealed she was toying with me in the bowling alley from the very start. I’ve never seen such precision and perfection in fighting, and if I play my cards right, I hope I’ll never have it directed toward me again.
The minutes go by and I worry the damage to the hardy, but scant, vegetation around us continues to grow.
“Would you honor it if I cried ‘uncle’?” says Donald.
The stillness encourages me to creep forward, as silent as I can, through the thick crust of snow beneath my boots. Ten feet in, darker shadow forms appear, almost outlined against the inky surroundings, exposing the two vampires locked in battle.
Emiko stands with a raised, sharpened stake, which looks like a broken tree branch, poising it directly over her opponent’s heart. “You’re good, I’ll give you that. But you are not trained as I am in the art of war.”
“It was a rousing, good fight. Why have it end on a bad note?” A smile spreads across the pale skin of his face, visible only because of my close proximity.
His blasé attitude has the desired effect; it pulls a laugh from Emiko. “You’re a charmer all right. Is this you’re way of asking me to spare your life?”
“I’m not old enough to add to your power signature,” he says while she grips his coat tighter. “Why not let me bow out with honor and you continue with the others? I’ll retire to the inn for the remainder of the week and won’t track you any longer.”
This guy must have the slipperiest silver tongue I’ve ever heard. If he’d caught her and managed to kill her, he’d be gladly sucking the blood from her corpse right now. The same woman, who mounted me like a freakin’ stallion in heat, looks like she’s considering his request.
“I’ll admit—it was fun tearing apart Bebe. She asked for it with her sharp tongue.” Her grip loosens and she drops the polished, gray-haired vamp to the ground. “Keep your word or I’ll cut out your tongue and shove it up your ass—
before
I carve out your heart and drink you dry.”
Donald rises, brushes off the snow once more and gives the black-haired beauty a solemn bow. “Never fear. I’ll stay indoors, nice and toasty. I owe you.”
Emiko shakes her head at the man’s easy acceptance. “But first,” she raises her face mask and steps toward him with barely controlled malice wafting across the chilly air, “I will enjoy the spoils of the victor. Do you truly yield?”
Donald goes to his knees and tilts his head to the side, exposing his throat. The Asian leans in and latches on to his exposed, pale skin.
I’ve never seen this type of behavior before, but then again, I’ve never been in a fight to the death with another vampire, either. Will she stop? I imagine if this were simply another way to die, Donald would be fighting.
Emiko sups at his neck for a minute or so before releasing him. “You are older than you let on.”
“Maybe,” he says while rising. “Maybe I’ve had my share of powerful lovers… or kills.” He winks.
Donald doesn’t wait for her to question his suave answer; he turns and blends seamlessly into the trees, heading back toward the main building. He’s a survivor. I wouldn’t doubt if he were older than he’s been letting on just to discourage her.
“You’ve become my watcher, haven’t you?” she asks while turning to my position within their cleared patch.
A touch of fear zips up my spine and I lock it down. This new sensation is disconcerting and I need to squash any reaction from showing in front of Emiko. It’s a little humbling to be afraid of such a tiny woman. Perhaps what she did to me in the bowling alley is weighing on me more than I’d care to admit. “I’ve been assigned to keep tabs, yes.”
“But not interfere?” She stalks closer, pushing right up into my personal space.
“No.” I glance away to avoid meeting her intense gaze. “Strict orders not to.”
“Hmmph,” she says, while grabbing my chin and forcing me to look her in the eyes.
“Vivian wants to talk to you.” I manage to keep my tone steady, but not by much.
“I bet she does.”
I raise an eyebrow, before remembering I have a facemask on and she can’t see the gesture. I shrug instead.
“Your boss made a lot of enemies in Argentina.” Her voice travels through my skull like an exotic whisper of death. “Do you have any idea why?”
“No.” I wrench my chin from her grasp and take a few steps back. “It’s not my place to question my master.”
Emiko’s snort sounds across the space between us; the skin along my back prickles with the need to defend my words. Doing so would be stupid, so I keep quiet.
“The corruption within the ranks of those who care for the Tribunal spreads deep. Coraline is only the tip of it.” Emiko saunters up to me, her face uncovered in the cold and seemingly unaffected by it. Her delicate porcelain features look perfect. One would never suspect the strength and skill behind her visage. “I think there were more
material gains
involved with trying to pin the officials’ deaths on me.”
Vivian mentioned the Tribunal was in financial difficulties. It was the whole reason they accepted the offer to let a criminal loose on the resort. Could the depth of the deceptions be as simple as mere monetary gain?
“Who told you of Ivan’s wife’s whereabouts?” I ask.
My unexpected question surprises her; her face reveals it before she can shut the reaction down. “I received my instructions in writing. I don’t know who gave the direct order.”
“Why do you think you were set up with the Argentine officials?”
Her face darkens and anger cracks her calm appearance. “I think it was for a few reasons, but I can’t prove them while I’m in these.” She holds up her wrists, gesturing to the bracelets laced with liquid silver.
I shake my head and look away. “And you thought after you fed from me and forced a happy ending on me, I’d be willing to take off the only thing keeping you on the property?”
She smiles and tilts her head at me. “You didn’t seem to mind when you grabbed my hips and let all that pent-up aggression out.”
I stare back, refusing to show her any fear. The rogue waggles the wrist cuffs at me and I shake my head once. “It was worth a shot.” She turns and lopes off into the darkness “Tell your
master
I’ll talk with her. Alone.”
My phone chirps before I can formulate a response. I take a step toward where she stood last and see no trace of her between the trees. Digging in my coat, I pull out the phone and fumble with my gloves to answer it.
“Head back to the main building.” Drew’s voice pours out, low and controlled. “One of the wolves was attacked.”
“What?” Asa barks through
my earpiece.
“The bitch,” I say with a smile on the words, “Lori.” The sweet smell of her delectable blood still wafts in the air of the command center. “The pack came in to warm up, but the vampires hadn’t left the building yet. She was attacked in an empty hallway and didn’t get a look at her attacker, but she knows his scent.”
“She’s sure it’s a guy? That narrows the list down a bit.”
“Considering Bebe is dead and we know it wasn’t Vivian, no, it really doesn’t. It just cuts off Sanji as a suspect.”
“Hey, one is still better than nothing.”
I grunt in response, my mind whirling with the thoughts of sinking my teeth into the brown-haired bitch’s neck.
“Where is Lori now?”
“She’s in one of the rooms in the basement, on a cot. Dr. Cook is stitching her up to speed the healing along. I think she’ll be going back to one of the pack’s cabins afterward to mend.”
“Can’t we use her to confirm whether the scent at Melvyn’s cabin is the same attacker?”
“Yes,” I say, “but she’ll need a few hours. Her shoulder was torn up pretty good.” My cock starts to stir in my pants at the reminder of her aromatic, and messy, injury. Looks like I might be overdue for a feeding.
We sign off as the sound of Lori’s complaining enters the hallway.
“Fuck! That was my injured shoulder, Pat!”
A mumbled sorry from the rangy young wolf bounces down the corridor. “Here, Eric, you take her. I’m obviously doing something wrong.”
The larger, young Were with the dark blue eyes and crew cut comes into view, carrying the beautiful, but surly, young woman in his arms.
I smirk when I see the conniving expression on her face. She apparently wanted Eric to carry her all along. “I thought the injury was to your shoulder, not your legs?”
She shoots me a mean look. “I’m a little weak from the blood lost to one of your blood-sucking buddies.”
I don’t bother to hide my smile; it’s fun goading the manipulative young wolf. “Yes, of course I know who did it, right? Because we all plot together in one big group of the undead?”
The one who must be Pat, snorts—but quickly turns it into a cough when Lori’s ire turns his way.
“I know his smell,” she says. “I can find him.”
“Good,” I stand and trip the sliding wall door while advancing on the group. “We’re counting on you to see if it’s the same vamp who killed the loner wolf, Melvyn. When you’re feeling stronger call the main building and one of the seethe will meet you at his cabin.”
I lock eyes with each one— the tall, broad-shouldered Eric; the more compact, wiry Pat; and the sky-blue eyed, bitch Lori—and slip into their minds, in a group mind-control. The distinction being most vamps must work on individuals one at a time when trying to mesmerize Weres or humans.
“You will not remember being in the basement. When you get upstairs you will think you were in a guest room in the owner’s suite.”
I lead the way, continuing my hold on the group, while we travel through the workroom and ascend the tight stairwell to the main level. I release my mind-control when we reach the kitchen. Their coats and belongings are strewn in a heap on the scarred wooden table.
“Do you have a blanket I can use to wrap Lori in?” Eric asks. “Her coat shouldn’t be forced over the healing wound. Could ruin the doc’s stitches.”
“Not one handy. How about you drape the coat over her exposed torso?”
Pat grabs her bright pink parka and arranges it as best he can. “How’s that?”
Lori is silent during our whole conversation; her head lolls against the chest of the young Were holding her. Her blood loss must be catching up—finally overcoming the jolt of her angry adrenaline. Her eyes droop a bit and she appears ready to nod off.
“Looks good enough for government work,” says Eric. The two Weres exchange a look indicating an inside joke and Eric bumbles toward the door. “Damn, she’s heavier than she looks.”
Pat gathers up the rest of their things, not bothering with donning a coat, and opens the back entrance leading to the hot tub grotto. He motions Eric through. “I told that bitch to stop eating so many burgers.” Their laughter rings out into the dark as the young Were slams the door behind them.
Dr. Cook emerges from the hall leading to the basement entrance. “They get out okay?”
“Yeah. Looked like Lori finally ran out of steam.”
“She’s a strong one. Has to be to keep up with those two young boys. She’ll do fine.”
“Shall I clean up down there now?”
“Thanks, Drew,” she says while running a hand over her auburn hair, checking to make sure her bun is in place. “You’re a sweetheart.” The genteel woman pats my cheek lightly as she goes by. “I took care of all the medical equipment. If you could just strip all the linens from the bed and haul them up to laundry I’d appreciate it.”
“No problem, Dr. Cook.”
She exits via the back door as well and I take a few minutes to set the kitchen to rights—drying the floor and straightening up. I know Vivian hates us all traipsing through their personal space. The least I can do is try to minimize the damage and her subsequent annoyance. Keeping Vivian happy and stable seems to be Rafe’s main goal day-to-day, and the rest of us have followed suit.
Heading back down the way I came, my senses are flooded again by the aroma of fresh werewolf blood. The pull of hunger fills my middle and pressure forms in my pants. I reach for the phone to call for a donor. No need to ignore my needs when the inn is packed with ready volunteers.
In about forty-five minutes, Chelly shows up. The statuesque, full-bodied woman in her late-thirties has become my favorite over the past two months. She’s dressed in a simple blouse and flowing skirt. No doubt, the skirt is to ensure I do more than I did last time, which was pleasure her over her jeans with my hand while I fed.
“You rang, Drew?”
A smile blooms on my face, responding to the wicked grin and heat coming from the blond woman’s gaze. She’s sexy and hot. I’ve been aching to get inside her. I may look like I’m in my mid-twenties, but I’m not. After many decades, I’ve found I prefer a woman who’s past the giggly I-don’t-know-what-I-want-in-bed years of their youth.
“How are you feeling?” I ask.
“Good. No complaints.” Her smile becomes feral as she unbuttons the top of her blouse. “Are we going to take the next step, Drew? Are you ready?”
I love Chelly’s boldness, but the loss of my wife has made me hesitant to bed another, hence my reluctance even though I’m greatly attracted to her. “We’ll take a small step in the right direction. How’s that?”
She runs the tip of one creamy finger into her cleavage, tracing it back up along her slender neck. “I’m game for… whatever.”
I hit a switch on the control panel to slide the concrete wall in place, closing us off from the cares of the inn. The solitude of the basement, where I’ve spent more hours the past two weeks than I’d care to think about, feels welcoming in it’s familiarity. Rising from my place by the desk, I move to stand before the lush woman resting against the wall. I lean in—catching a hint of her now-familiar exotic bath gel, which creates a delicious mix when combined with her general scent of good health.
“You smell divine,” I say while nuzzling her neck.
She arches up, skimming full breasts along my shirtfront. Her arms twine around my neck as she tilts her head to the side. The heat and warmth pulsing beneath her skin fills my head, triggering images of me thrusting between her hips.
My cock hardens, demanding contact with her luscious curves. In a quick decision, I press her into the concrete wall, running kisses along her neck and trailing up to her mouth.
“Oh, yes,” she sighs. A moan escapes before I claim her mouth, her desire and longing spilling into the quiet room. Moist warmth and a teasing tongue dance with my own, meeting me thrust for thrust. A gentle flick of her exploring tip over my sharp fangs brings a shudder from her lush body. Pushing forward, I press my erection into her softness.
She matches my advances with her own, grinding her hips in a silent entreaty for more. “God. My pussy is so wet. Touch me, Drew.”
My heart lurches in a painful crush. What man could resist such passion? Undoing the remaining buttons, I reach in to cup her large breasts and tease the aroused peaks with my thumbs. Their weight and softness sends a jolt to my cock, causing another need to surface.
Before I can decide on how far I want this to proceed, Chelly slips her hand down and palms me through my trousers. She runs a tentative touch up and down, exploring the hard outline. “My, you’ve got a long one, don’t you?”
Instead of answering, I bend to suck the thin skin at her neck. She clutches my prick in response, the heat of her little hand branding my desire. I break off my suction and lick the freshly bruised and darkening skin. Her pulse beats in invitation just below the surface, calling out to my hunger.
The slight pain heralding my fangs descent feels insubstantial next to my longing to fuck this lush woman, but I need to take things slow to fulfill my plan.
Chelly grabs at my waistband, fumbling with the belt. Her eagerness to get to my cock sends a sharp pang of desire through my body, reminding me this experienced woman knows exactly what she wants from a lover. I still her hand with a gentle touch while whispering against her skin, “Not yet. Save it for next time.”
Her frustration comes out in a huff, “Why? Don’t you want me?”
“You can tell I do.” I say with a thrust of my hips. Before she can respond, I distract her by pulling up her skirt and reaching for the heat between her legs. The minx left off panties! “You’re a naughty woman, Chelly. Tempting a hungry vampire with your smooth, shaved pussy.”
A shudder courses through her as I slip a finger along her swollen slit. She changes her stance, spreading her legs for better access. Slick heat coats my questing hand as I stroke back and forth, massaging her outer lips open. “You tease,” she chokes out, “put those fingers inside me.”
Nibbling at her neck, aching to break the taut surface and feed, I do as she bids, plunging two digits in deep. The shock of their entrance causes her to moan and writhe. The strong walls of her pussy grasp at my fingers, drawing them in, encouraging me to pump faster.
I circle my thumb against her clit, driving her higher. Sensing the timing is right, I pierce the skin of her neck along one bulging vein. Her blood rushes forward to fill my mouth. Latching on around the wound, I suck down her life force while I continue to tease her higher.
“Yes! God, Drew, that feels so fucking good.”
The smell of her arousal fills the air in the small command center, causing my cock to twitch painfully behind my pants. I want more than a feeding, I want a whole night with her—pleasuring her, making her scream, thrusting into her for hours. After almost two centuries walking this earth, I’ve certainly learned enough restraint that we can wait a little while longer.
I slip a third finger into her hot hole, stretching her walls a little more. Chelly clings to my shoulders, lifting up onto her tiptoes to rub more forcefully on my hand. A low moan spills from her, shudders wrack her frame as her orgasm crashes over her. I draw deep at her neck, knowing the extra pull will push her even higher.
“Drew! Ahhh—” Her release continues, even after I’ve stopped taking blood from the small punctures. Chelly’s hips buck and her legs go soft. She sags in my arms as I lap the last traces of blood from the closing wound.
“If it feels this good without you inside me, I can only imagine what it’s going to feel like when we finally do the deed.”
Her words please me. I know she’s been with other vampires, but I’m sure it was a feeding fuck and nothing more. My hope is to build a rapport with her so it could be something more for us both.
“It will be good, my sweet. You’ll see.”
“You make me feel like I’m back in high school, Drew. Dragging it out and making me wait.”
“And that’s such a bad thing?” I hold both her cheeks in my hands, before kissing her lightly on the mouth. “I bet you think of me when we’re not together.”
A blush colors her flushed cheeks. “Maybe.”
Her response emboldens me, and my secret wants spill out into the snapping energy between us. “Can I see you? I mean outside of our bi-monthly blood donation?”
Surprise coats her features and a smile crosses her face. “You mean like a date?”
I chuckle at her happy tone. “Yeah, like a date. We could go skiing or bowling on the property…”
“I like the sound of that. Okay.”
“It’ll have to be next week after things get back to normal and this batch of guests leave.”
“Yeah, things are crazy right now with the mandatory
leashes
Vivian has ordered with the curfew.”
My brow furrows at her annoyed tone. “Promise me you’ll listen and follow her demands? We’ve got some dangerous characters on the resort and it really is for the best.”
She glances away, but not before I can detect her accelerated heart beat. The idea of my caring for her well-being excites her.
“Sure. Besides, I love my job and don’t intend to mess it up over some normal winter stir-craziness.”
We say our goodbyes and she asks if she can text me later. Text me? God, I thought for sure I’d be able to avoid this latest intrusive advance in technology. I feel my head nodding in response right as I sense eagerness blooming in my stomach. I’d better Google the texting thing so I don’t screw up.
The constant adaptation our species must adhere to just to blend into society can be mind-boggling. Right when I get used to women voting they start burning bras… although, the sixties were so much bloody fun I can’t complain.
About an hour later, hidden door slides open and my master enters. “Latest report?”
“Asa tracked Emiko down. She fought with Donald.”
“Shit! Is he dead too? Why didn’t you call me?”
“He’s not dead. He asked for leniency if he bowed out of the hunt and she granted it.”