Zane’s Redemption (36 page)

“I’m sorry.”

Her throat constricted. Was she sorry? Truly, she didn’t know. She felt numb. He
had
saved her after all. Maybe one day she would find it in her heart to forgive him. But right now, the pain was too fresh.

An approaching siren pulled her from her trance.

“Fire engines. We’ve got to leave.” Samson raised his voice. “Into the vans, everybody, now!”

Vampires rushed to the waiting blackout vans that were parked at the curb. With a last look at the burning house that contained her father’s ashes, Portia turned and ran out to the sidewalk, flanked by Samson and Zane.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

They spent the entire day at the safe house in Seattle, tending to their wounds, guarding the prisoners, and making arrangements for transferring them to the council, the high court of vampires that punished infractions within their society.

The house Müller had used as his headquarters had burned to the ground, despite the swift arrival of the fire engines. Any knowledge of the vampires’ existence had been successfully contained, and according to Samson’s local sources, the fire department suspected arson but had no leads. No bodies had been found in the debris, confirming that only vampires had perished, their bodies dissolving into ash without leaving any DNA.

Zane hadn’t had any private time with Portia, the house being too crowded and people like Samson making sure that both he and Portia recovered from the ordeal, at least physically.

Thomas’ injuries were healing under Eddie’s and Oliver’s care.

When Samson finally gave the all-okay for everybody to return to San Francisco, Zane was relieved. He needed to be alone with Portia to talk about their future and didn’t want an audience for that conversation.

He squeezed Portia’s hand as they walked down the gangway from the plane.

“Zane,” Samson called after him.

He turned, not at all eager for a drawn-out goodbye when all he wanted was to get Portia home, into his arms and his bed.

“Yes?”

“Forgot to mention Isabella’s naming ceremony is next Saturday. As her godfather, we expect you there after sunset.”

He nodded. During that event, he would officially be recognized as her godfather, her mentor for life, and he would choose a middle name for her. “It’ll be an honor.”

“Oh, and another thing: I arranged for your dog to stay at Yvette’s tonight. I figured you wanted to be alone.”

Zane was stunned by his boss’ foresight and almost choked up. Shit, he was turning into such an emotional freak!

He glanced at Portia by his side and saw that she too was eager to be alone with him. There were still things they hadn’t talked about. “Yes, we have much to discuss.”

Quickening his step, he headed home, never letting go of Portia’s hand.

When the entrance door fell shut behind him, his eyes searched hers. For the first time in his life, he didn’t know where to start. They had barely had a chance to talk since the fire had killed her father, and except for the few words he’d said after they’d jumped from the window, he’d not mentioned her father’s death. But it was an issue they had to resolve.

“I know,” she whispered.

Could Portia really read him so well? “Know what?”

“That this is hard for you. I am his daughter. Nothing will ever change that. When you look at me, you must think of him, of the things he did to you and your family. I don’t know how I can ever make that go away.”

He silenced her by pressing a finger to her lips. “You have nothing to prove to me. I know who you are.” He pressed his hand to his chest. “I feel it in here. You’re nothing like him. When I look at you, I only see you. But I hurt you. The things I said to you, the way I threatened you …”

Zane closed his eyes, wishing he could undo it all.

“How can you even trust me after how I treated you?”

“You were willing to give your life in exchange for mine.” She sucked in a quick breath. “I would have never accepted it, of course, but to know that you were willing to do that … it showed me what’s in your heart.”

“I would offer it again.”

“I hope you’ll never have to again.”

Zane dropped his lids and studied his boots for a moment. “There’s something else you need to know.” When he looked up, she gave him a curious look. “Without a living parent, and considering your age, you’ll automatically be considered mature and legally of age. It means you can make your own decisions.”

A smile pasted itself onto her lips. “What kind of decisions?”

“Any.” He shifted his weight to the other foot, suddenly nervous.

Portia took a step closer, then another one, bringing her flush to his body. “Is there anything you want to ask me?”

Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and he suddenly heard a tremble in her voice.

“I have no right to ask you.”

Her eyebrows twisted. “I don’t understand.”

“You’re young, and I’m your first. It would be wrong of me to offer you a … a union.”

Startled, Portia jerked back. “You don’t love me?”

He swallowed past the lump in his throat. “I didn’t say that. But I can’t ask you to make a decision that will affect your entire life. You need time to figure out for yourself what you want. I can wait.”

He’d thought about it long and hard on the flight back. If he asked her to blood-bond with him now, he would be exploiting her vulnerability. She was still grieving for her father, even if she didn’t want to admit it. And she was on her own. He didn’t want her to choose him simply because she had nobody else to turn to.

“Wait?”

“Yes, baby girl. I’ll wait until you’re ready, until you know for sure that you want me. Because once you say yes, I’ll never let you go.”

Her eyes softened. “And in the meantime?”

“You could live with me …” Zane searched her eyes for approval.

“In sin?” Portia teased, her lashes swinging upwards gracefully.

“Lots of sin, I can promise you that.”

Her hand came up and stroked over his bottom lip, the touch electrifying, her gaze hungry. “Can I have a taste of that now? I wouldn’t wanna buy a pig in a poke, if you know what I mean.”

His lips nipped at her finger. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Without giving Portia time to think, he swept her into his arms and carried her into his bedroom where he set her onto her feet. Seconds later, their clothes littered the floor, torn off their bodies in haste and with impatience. It had been too long.

Only when he felt her naked skin beneath his hands and her warm lips pressed to his, did the tension of the last few days desert his body and fade into the distance.

There was no finesse in the way he brought her down on the sheets, his body simply demanding its due. He’d promised not to bond with her tonight, to give her time to adjust to her new situation, but now with a pliable Portia in his arms, he knew he had to fight every cell in his body to keep his promise.

Zane kissed a path down her neck and filled his hands with her breasts, kneading the firm flesh and thrumming her nipples with his thumbs. He had one leg wedged between hers, with his hard-on pressed against her thigh, impatient to find its home. He forced back the need to drive into her without any sort of foreplay, but his leg urged hers to part wider, not caring that he was behaving like a savage.

Portia’s body arched as she pressed into his touch. Her voice was hoarse when she spoke. “Don’t be cruel; don’t make me wait. You know what I want.”

He raised his head to gaze at her flushed face. “Tell me then.”

She slid her hand to the back of his neck and pulled him to her. “I want your cock inside me. And your fangs in my neck.”

Her blunt demand was all it took to free the barely leashed beast inside him. His fangs descended and extended to their full length, their tips peeking from between his lips. And his cock had never been harder.

Complying with her wishes, Zane covered her with his body. The scent of her arousal filled the room and drugged him, making him unable to hold back. With a triumphant grunt, he thrust into her in one continuous slide. Her muscles gripped him like a tight fist, robbing him of his sanity once more. Whether he would ever get used to the way she took him into her beautiful body, he had no idea.

A light sheen of sweat built on his body, and with every thrust he delivered, with every impact of flesh against flesh, more sweat accumulated. He tried to delay biting her, not wanting to lose his head and drown in her essence too quickly. But it was only a matter of time. He couldn’t ignore Portia’s soft moans, her panting breaths, and her scent that only intensified as sweat covered her own skin.

The graceful curve of her neck called to him, and the vein beneath it pulsed in a frantic rhythm, beckoning him to approach.

Her hips undulated beneath him, urging him to drive harder into her. Beneath her half-closed lids, her eyes shone with passion and love, silently repeating her request.

“Zane!” she begged.

The sound of her voice undid him. With a groan, he slid his lips onto the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Shivering, he grazed her skin with the tips of his fangs, the contact shooting a flame of liquid heat through his body. Portia moaned in response. Then he pierced her skin and drove inside.

Her sweet blood touched his tongue, her essence so potent and so rich, the effect hitting him instantly. A high spread through his body, which was humming with pleasurable electricity. He drew more of her blood into his body, and the feeling only intensified.

“I love you, Zane,” he heard her whisper.

He wanted to respond and tell her how he felt, but was unable to let go of her neck. He needed this; he needed her.

His cock worked her frantically, driving them both higher and higher, and the sounds of their lovemaking echoed in his house.

“I’ve made my decision, Zane.”

Her words pushed through the bliss he was cocooned in. His brain didn’t work fast enough to understand what she meant, when he suddenly felt her lips on his shoulder, her teeth scraping against his skin.

“I don’t want to wait.”

All of a sudden Zane understood. His heart stopped only to restart the instant he felt her fangs drive into his flesh.

By drinking from him as he took her blood into his body while they were joined in love, she was accepting him as her blood-bonded mate.

Forever together.

Forever one.

As their blood comingled and their bodies exploded in carnal bliss, Zane’s heart opened wide. There would never again be a wall around it or chains locking it down.

He was free. Free to love.

His mind reached out to her.
Baby girl, I love you.

And then, for the first him, he felt her presence inside him, warmth and love spreading in his heart and mind. When her voice sounded inside his body while her fangs were still lodged in his flesh, he knew that he’d never heard a sweeter sound.

You’re mine, Zane, forever mine.

Epilogue

One week later

Zane paced the full length of his living room, little Z running around under foot. Where was she? He’d awakened alone when it was still daylight, and that fact prevented him from chasing after her.

“You could have woken me,” he chastised the dog. “Ever thought of barking when she left the house?”

Z turned his face up to him, turning on his puppy charm.

“Yeah, you’re a great help.”

Even a week after bonding with Portia, he still felt nervous about losing her. His nightmares of seeing her in the burning house were only just beginning to wane. Feeling her in his arms was the only thing that chased them away completely.

Where are you, baby girl?

A warm tingle reached his mind.

I’m almost home
, her response came.

Hearing her voice in his head settled his unease somewhat. Thank God for the telepathic bond that came with their blood bond. It allowed them to communicate when they were apart.

When he heard the key in the front door a few minutes later, his heart beat excitedly into his throat and as soon as the door closed, he rushed into the hallway and pulled Portia into an embrace.

Hungrily devouring her lips, he didn’t even give her a chance for a greeting. Only when the dog started barking did Zane release her lips.

“Now he barks. What a watchdog we’ve got ourselves there.”

“Going by that kiss,” Portia hedged, “you must have missed me.”

Her coquettish smile made his heart flip as if it were jumping up and down a trampoline. “What do you think?”

Her eyes locked with his. “Tell me you don’t love me.”

Zane smiled. “I can’t do that, baby girl.”

She brushed her lips against his. “Why not?”

“Because it would be a lie,” he whispered back and took her lips once more.

Breathless, he released her a few minutes later. “Now tell me what was so important that you had to leave our bed.”

Portia pulled away from him and reached into the inside of her leather jacket, pulling out a small plastic bag.

“You have no idea how hard it was to find this in the Mission.”

Curious, Zane watched her as she pulled a silken item from the bag. His eyes recognized the round piece of fabric. He raised his eyes to stare at her.

His mouth dropped open. “You bought a yarmulke?”

She nodded with a smile. “I want you to wear it at Isabelle’s ceremony tonight.”

His lips trembled as he pushed back the emotions that threatened to unman him. “I haven’t … it’s been such a long time …”

Portia put her hand on his forearm where his skin was now bare. Thanks to her, he wasn’t hiding his tattoo anymore and had started wearing short sleeved shirts instead of the long sleeved ones that had served him so well over the last decades.

“You should be proud of who you are.” She gave him a warm smile. “I am.”

Then she reached up and placed the yarmulke on his head. The unfamiliar piece of fabric slid into place right where it belonged, where it had always belonged. Suddenly he felt whole, the one last piece that made him complete finally clicking into place.