Vampire King of New York (15 page)

She jumped. “Were you watching the whole time?”

“I did not. I was near in case you needed my help.” He offered his hand, and she took it.

They walked together through the trees to the beach. “What are you going to do with me?”

“I want you for my wife. What is your name?”

“Stevla.” She couldn’t breathe. Only hours before she’d been stolen from her village. Now a North man had taken her, not to be a slave but to be a wife? The idea was more amazing than she could comprehend. “Why?”

“I saw your eyes shine in the dark, and I want my children to have your eyes.” He sat on the beach and she beside him.

“What if I want to run away?”

He took a dagger from his belt and a bag of coins and gave them to her. “Walk north along the beach until you go around the peninsular, then head straight into the woods from there. You will find a village. Go straight to the priest. Tell him you are a chieftain’s daughter. They will believe you because of the markings on the dagger and the gold. Then tell him that you wish to marry a good man. The priest will help you. Now go.”

Stevla looked at him. His honor warmed her to her toes. Being his wife was bound to be an adventure, and since she had already experienced his kindness … Stevla handed the dagger and bag back to him. “I will stay with you and be your wife.”

He leaned forward and kissed her. “I will call you Svenna. You will be honored in my village as my wife, and the mother of warriors.” He took from around his neck a gold medallion and placed it around hers.

She kissed him back. “Yes, I will start a new life with you.”

He carried her back to the boat and together they lay on the furs in the stern.

Max tried not to moan, while his body healed itself internally. She rubbed his back and he turned.

“I cannot sleep. I should go home rather than keep you up.”

“I don’t want you to suffer anymore.” She brushed her lips against his.

He pressed against her possessing her mouth. “Evelyn, I love you.” She didn’t say it back. Evelyn just kissed him again. For an instant, that bothered him. He wanted her to say it, but perhaps it would just require more patience and coaxing on his part. Tonight it would be enough that she didn’t want him to suffer. Since that night in the museum, his hunger for her grew exponentially, but he had to restrain himself and go slow. He couldn’t afford to scare her away.

Their lips parted and he realized that she was looking at him, gazing straight into his eyes. She caressed his shoulders and it felt wonderful. Evelyn kissed every bit of his skin she had access to. His hands slipped down to her breasts, his thumb rubbing her nipples into tight peaks.

Evelyn threw back her head, her eyes closed. A small smile curved her lips. He lifted himself up then lowered his head to her breast where his tongue could take full advantage. He suckled and she whimpered. Max didn’t want to show his amusement when her hands seem to wander aimlessly over his body.

With one hand, he caressed between her legs. She was already wet. He was ready, too. More than ready. He slid inside her, filling her soft, moist velvet sheath. Evelyn gasped then moaned. Her eyes opened and gazed into his.

Max paused mid thrust.

A small sigh escaped her lips. She reached up and, grasping his hair, urged him down into a kiss, a deep, lingering kiss. He pushed into her, driving them both into a hot ecstasy. Her every kiss on his skin ignited the fire in his blood. His every kiss on her satin skin made her whimper. Her every movement and sound spurred him on, made him wild with passion. Still he held back, not wanting to hurt her. Evelyn was human and he had to protect her. Even if it meant from him. He nuzzled her neck and pushed deep into her.

“Max,” she whispered.

He kissed her taking her sweet breath into him. Faster he rocked, driving their love into a frenzy.

Her gasps grew more frantic. He felt her shudder. A wave of shivering satisfaction flowed into him. Max smiled, and increased his speed. Her fingers fell to the sheets clawing them, as another release spread through her. He basked in her enjoyment. Max continued, every part of him wanting to pleasure her further. She moaned, her fingers desperately clutching his back. The moment hit them and together they rode the delicious wave of contentment together.

Max moved onto his side, pulling her into an embrace. Evelyn rested her head on his chest, and he stroked her hair. Her life force moved through him in a funny way, healing him, but caressing him from the inside at the same time. He wanted to say a million things to her, but it was obvious that the day’s events and their passion had exhausted her. Evelyn wore the sweetest smile while asleep.

When he was sure she was deeply asleep, Max slipped quietly from the bed. He found one of David’s robes draped on a chair and put it on. Then he went into the kitchen, where David and Laura were sipping blood.

“How is Evelyn?” she asked.

“Sleeping.”

“You’re not leaving are you?” Laura asked.

“No, I wouldn’t dream of it. I just came out to get some blood.”

David got another glass and poured one for Max.

“Thanks.” He drank half of it down. “I also wanted to thank you for your help tonight.”

“What help would that be?” Laura asked.

“For the lightning bolt that destroyed Avron.”

Laura smirked. She and David looked at each other and shared a high five. “Well, you seemed to be in a desperate way.”

“I was. I’m glad you are accurate. A few inches and I would have been ash.”

Laura sipped her blood.

“Laura’s had a lot of practice. Her accuracy is dead on.” David couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Well, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I am an Arnhem Knight after all, and you looked like a supernatural in trouble.”

Max finished his blood and David poured him another. “How are you and Evelyn getting along tonight? She does love you.”

“David, you shouldn’t say that,” Laura warned in a half-whisper.

“Has Evelyn said that?” Max asked.

“You have to understand,” Laura interrupted, “she’s frightened.”

“Of me as a vampire?”

“No,” David added, “of you as a man. She’s been badly hurt by a man.”

He sighed and stared into his glass. “I know. I’m doing everything I can think of to help her trust me.” He paused and looked around at the simplicity of their kitchen. He knew they cooked here frequently for Evelyn. “How is Noblesse doing?”

“She’s sharing a guest room with Cassandra. Hatcher offered but she punched him.” Laura giggled.

Max laughed, “That’s good. It means she’s on the mend.” He got up from the table, washed out his glass at the sink, and placed it in the draining board. “Good night.” He left and went back into the bedroom.

When he slipped under the covers once more, a soft voice said, “I thought you had left.” Evelyn rolled over to face him. “I know you’re very busy.”

He hugged her close to him. “I’m never too busy for you, my love, my Evelyn. Thank you for helping me tonight. If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay.”

She brushed her lips against his. With a mischievous look in her eyes, she whispered, “I guess I’ll allow that.” Then she rolled over. “Good night, Max.”

“Good night, my Evelyn.”

He felt her twinge, but then relax in his arms. He nuzzled her shoulder. Evelyn sighed and rolled over.

“Max, may I ask you a personal question?”

“Always.”

“Do you have a relationship with Noblesse?”

Max caressed her hair, even in the dim light it blazed golden like the sun. “Noblesse is one of my children. It happened at the beginning of the French Revolution. She was a patriot shot down in the street. I was inspired; I could not let her die.”

“David made Laura a vampire, and they’re lifemates. She told me that frequently a vampire will make another to have a life companion.”

“Evelyn, Noblesse is not my companion. She never was. I am like a father to her. I never had any other feelings for her. Yes, it’s true that vampires will make another to have a companion. When David met Laura, he was excited because Laura showed all the signs of being a lifemate. Before then, lifemates were myths, something that was supposed to be true but no one had ever seen it happen before. Finding your lifemate is miraculous. Since David found Laura, two other Arnhem Knights have found their lifemates. The word has spread and vampires are arriving in droves, all wanting one thing.”

“Blood?”

“No. The chance to find their lifemate. I’ve waited over a thousand years to meet you, Evelyn.”

Chapter 11

The alarm went off, and Evelyn woke completely refreshed. When she rolled over, she touched Max. He was gorgeous when he slept. He was gorgeous when he was on top of her giving her orgasm after orgasm. She was glad he couldn’t read her mind. Oh, man, was that vampire good in bed.

She yawned and sat up.

“Are you going somewhere?” Max sat up and the sheet stopped on his hips.

“Time for work.” She said it automatically then she lay back down. “Oh, I forgot. I don’t have a job anymore.”

He pulled her into his arms. “Spend the day with me.”

Evelyn laughed. “Max, it’s daylight. You’re going to sleep the day away.”

His laugh was decidedly and deliciously evil. “Oh, Evelyn Cordelais, contrary to legend, vampires do not have to sleep in daylight. I have a good coat and hat. I have sunscreen. Where would you like me to take you?”

“Hmm. Let me sleep on that.” She closed her eyes and snuggled against him.

He nibbled on her ear.

“Hmm. What are you up to?” she breathed into his ear.

“Nine inches and growing.”

Evelyn giggled and punched him in the chest, gazing at him. “You are very bad, Max.”

“It’s always good to see the American Museum of Natural History in the daylight and without the benefit of savage vampires.” Evelyn smirked and whispered in Max’s ear.

Hand-in-hand, he led her around to the other side of the long ship. “They did a good job of cleaning it up,” he whispered back.

They paused at the diorama of Norway indicating where the long ship was discovered.

“Where was your village?” she continued in a hushed tone.

“Just north of where they found the ship.”

Evelyn watched the film playing overhead showing the scenery and it looked faintly familiar. It made her want to cry.

“It’s time for the planetarium show.” Evelyn loved the planetarium. She held his hand, and they made their way through the crowd in the museum. Getting into the planetarium and taking a seat in the back, they waited while the light in the room faded to black and the show began. The narrator explained the summer sky and the stars visible beyond the city. She had seen these stars when she lived in Connecticut. Feeling safe in the dark, with Max’s arm around her, she rested her head on his shoulder.

“There is Lyra, the lyre of Orpheus, given to him by Apollo,” Max explained quietly. “Orpheus made music so exquisite on his lyre that even immortals cried. No being was imperious to the charm of his music. He loved and married the nymph Eurydice. When she died, Orpheus was heart-broken, and he asked to go into the underworld after her. He played his lyre for Hades. The god of death was moved and said he could take his wife back to the mortal realm, if he did not look at her until they were out of the underworld. Orpheus couldn’t do it. He looked back to gaze on the one holding his hand and saw her lovely face fleetingly. Then she vanished. Broken-hearted he died shortly after. Zeus had his lyre placed among the stars.”

Evelyn sniffed. She disliked sad endings. Maybe she had lived through too many of them. First her mother, then herself. Only Laura’s love story had a happy ending, even if she technically was dead and married a vampire.

The lights coming on shocked her into reality. Max held her hand and together they left. As they reached the doors, Evelyn was surprised by the stormy skies. They raced for his car through the chilling rain. It looked like the sky was weeping against the black glass of the limo.

Once safely inside, Max said, “The Cloisters next, Vincent.”

The storm raged in the city throwing flashes of stark white and gray snapshots of life that dissolved like a watercolor in the rain. Having never been to the Cloisters, she was eager to see it. The limo pulled up to a medieval-looking structure that in the brightest sun might have appeared inviting.

In the gloom of the storm, the museum looked haunted. They waited for a lull in the tempest and ran for the doors. Very few people wandered the halls today. Through the stained glass windows, Evelyn could tell the sky was almost black. The paintings and tapestries enthralled her with their colors and intricate designs, walking from exhibit to exhibit. Then Evelyn came to “The Unicorn in Captivity.” Taking a seat before it, she neither moved nor spoke. Her gaze took in the splendor of the unicorn and the maiden.

They were alone in the room, the other visitors having wandered off. “It looks like a case of love if I’ve ever seen it,” Max said.

“How can you say that? The unicorn is trapped.”

“I meant you in love with the unicorn.”

“Well, it is a beautiful creature. Sadly it doesn’t exist.”

Max burst out laughing. “Don’t say that to Laura and David. They had a terrible time down south with a unicorn. It nearly killed Laura. Unicorns can be evil. They’re also known to be notorious liars.”

Evelyn gazed up at the tapestry. “That one has such a serene expression for a captive.”

“He’s probably plotting his escape. When you’re going to escape your enemies, it’s best to look serene. They will think you’ve accepted your situation.”

“Hmm. I’ve never looked at it that way. Well, there goes all the myth about unicorns being attracted to the pure of heart.”

“Actually that part is true. That’s what attracted the unicorn to your sister. But what they do after they meet the pure of heart is questionable.”

Evelyn laughed. “Until this conversation I always thought that unicorns didn’t exist. But then again, a year ago I didn’t think vampires existed.”

He put an arm around her waist. “You’re looking pale. Are you hungry?”