Alpha Mine (The Alpha Council Chronicles) (4 page)

He placed his chin on top of her head, and breathed in her honeysuckle scent, taking it deep into his lungs. It wrapped around his body in a warm embrace. For the first time in his long life, he felt content, truly content.

He wondered about the woman in his arms. He’d healed others before, but he couldn’t remember a time when someone felt better by simply touching him. He’d sensed something different about this woman the first time their eyes met. As his lids drifted shut, he silently vowed to discover what it was.

****

Kat awoke that afternoon feeling the after migraine fuzzies, but at least she was pain free. She squeezed the muscles around her eyes, trying to force the blurriness from her vision. Desperately needing to get a drink to dispel the cotton in her mouth, she attempted to rise from the bed. To her surprise, Kat found herself unable to move.

“Where do you think you are going?” asked a dark voice from behind her.

All her senses came back online. She could feel the hard muscular body wrapped around hers. Stephan must have remained all day with his arms and leg wrapped protectively around her. Kat turned to face the healer. Embarrassment made her press her head to his chest. The rich masculine sandalwood scent, that was uniquely his own, dispelled her awkwardness. After a deep breath, she pushed back slightly and studied his features.

He was every woman’s fantasy. When she looked into his sapphire eyes, her stomach knotted and heat pooled low between her thighs. Drawn to him, her reaction, animalistic and primal, concerned her for she knew what he was.

She placed one hand on his cheek, marveling at his features. “You look so normal. Human,” she mused.

Stephan’s eyes darkened. “You should never make the mistake of pretending that I’m human. I am a vampire, Kat, not a man.”

“I know what you are, and I don’t care,” she replied, moving her hand down to settle over his heart. “It’s not what you are, but who you are that matters to me. You are the man who took away my pain. You are the man who helped me last night. You didn’t have to help me, but you did. You are a good man, and I’m not scared of you,” Kat announced with all the bravado she could muster.

Without warning, she found herself rolled onto her back. Stephan loomed over her, his hands planted on either side of her head. He bared his fangs, a low growl rumbled in his chest. Kat looked him in the eye. Her heart raced, though she wasn’t sure whether from fear or excitement.

“I am not a man, not any more. You should fear me, run while you can, before I give into my...” He paused, his eyes darkened to the color of pitch. “I am a thing of nightmares.”

“More like fantasies,” Kat muttered and kissed him.

He pulled back breaking their kiss, his eyes wide with shock. Then he descended on her. The soft satin of her robe shifted across her chest, the silky material gliding over her nipples when he lowered his weight onto her. Her lips parted in invitation. Their tongues dove back and forward between their mouths in a dance as old as time.

The taste of his kiss consumed her. He pushed all thoughts from her mind. Only he remained. The ripple of his corded muscles as he moved. The sensation of his body pressing her into the mattress.

He trailed kisses down her neck until his lips rested over the pulse beating a steady rhythm in her vein. His teeth scraped sinuously along her neck. Her hands kneaded his flesh. The muscles of his back tightened beneath her fingers. Her nails dug into his skin, her passion threatening to consume her.

His lips left her throat. She only had a second to look into his dark eyes before he leapt from the bed.

“Get out,” he commanded harshly.

Kat looked up at him, confused, frozen in place.
What the hell?

“Get out, now!” he repeated, pointing to the door. It opened, untouched by any hands.

Katrina’s eyes darted from the door back to the male standing over her. The look on his face, a mixture of pain and anger, terrified her. What had she done to deserve this cruel treatment?

A warning growl from his throat pushed her into action. Grabbing her neck with one hand and holding her robe closed with the other, she ran out the door, her robe streaming behind her.

Chapter 4

Stephan crossed to the door with two angry strides and slammed it shut behind the fleeing female before returning to sit on the bed. He covered his face with his hands, disappointed in himself. What was it about this woman? Being near her drove all rational thoughts from his head, leaving only her.

He could still hear her blood calling its siren song to him. His hunger beat at him, his fangs, fully lengthened, pressed against his tongue. Taking blood from a donor could be an intimate act, capable of bringing pleasure to both the donor and drinker. For many vampires, often intercourse and drinking from the vein were done in unison. He’d wanted to take her as he sank his fangs into her creamy neck, absorb her very essence into himself, surrounding himself with her heat inside and out.

Luckily for both of them, he’d quickly come to his senses and left his bed before he could act on his instincts. Then he had growled, actually growled at her like an animal. Now she was probably terrified of him, and really he supposed she should be. Her lush body, the rush of her blood under her skin, her delicate features and wonderful scent all called to him, and he was only so strong.

There was only one thing to do with temptation like that—avoid it.

That was close,
he thought as he headed to the bath for a cold shower.
Too close
.
I almost broke my promise to Marcus.

And his honor would never allow that.

****

Stephan and Marcus sat across from each other at the marble table in the kitchen, drinking their first meal of the night. Human food, while tasting wonderful as it slid over their tongues, did not sustain them physically. They needed to have blood to survive.

They preferred to begin their evenings consuming the blood their bodies demanded for sustenance. Once their bodies were sated, they could then satisfy their hunger with more palatable items. Marcus was particularly fond of sweets, while Stephan preferred fine foods such as lobster and caviar. Unfortunately, one of the physical changes that occurred when they became vampires was their stomachs shrunk, so while they enjoyed human food, they could only eat very little in one sitting.

“Where is Katrina?” Stephan asked, downing the last of his drink.

“I don’t know.” Marcus shrugged his thick shoulders. “I guess she went out.”

Stephan took in his friend with a long pensive stare. As the Alpha leader, he was secretive by nature and had worked very hard over the years to protect his breed from being discovered by humans. It made him uncomfortable that a human he didn’t know well knew not only that Marcus was a vampire, but also knew he was one as well.

He was all too aware of what could happen if vampires were known to exist, and it wasn’t pretty. Many years ago just after what became known as the Spanish Inquisition, a human had learned of the existence of Vampires. That human spoke to other mortals about the breed. Fear and superstition spread through the village like a plague. The humans had formed a hunting society bent on destroying the vampires.

Stephan and his kind were hunted while they slept during the day and the population of vampires in Germany was almost completely wiped out. He and only a few others escaped the slaughter. Having lived through one genocide, Stephan vowed that year to do anything to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. And he intended to keep that oath.

“If you don’t know where she is, how do you know she isn’t betraying us, Marcus?”

An incredulous look crossed Marcus’ face. “Because she would never betray
me,
” he announced with absolute certainty, downing the last of his crimson drink before placing the empty glass on the table a little harder than necessary.

“It doesn’t take much for a human to betray a trust, especially one so callow. They don’t have the same code of honor we do.”

“Stephan, I think you have what humans call trust issues.” Marcus chuckled.

“This isn’t a laughing matter. You were not alive when the Germans hunted our breed almost to extinction. It was terrible, so much senseless loss.” Stephan shook his head sadly. “I will do whatever it takes to make sure such an event never happens again.”

Marcus stilled under Stephan’s watchful gaze. The Alpha leader saw anger flash in his friend’s eyes.

“I’m positive Kat would never betray us,” Marcus proclaimed. “She’s probably out shopping or something.”

“I hope you’re…” The sound of the front door to the penthouse opening interrupted Stephan’s reply. Kat entered the kitchen with a swish of her hips.

“Hi,” she greeted the pair with a smile.

“Where have you been?” demanded Stephan.

“What’s it to you?” she snapped, the smile disappearing from her beautiful face.

Not used to such insolence, especially from a mortal—a female at that, Stephan crossed his arms across his broad chest, leaned back in his chair and affected an intimidating look.

“I asked you where you have been?” he repeated slowly, enunciating each syllable.

“And I asked you, what’s it to you?” Kat said, equaling Stephan’s tone and slow enunciation.

Marcus stood, grabbed Stephan’s cup, and took it along with his to the sink to rinse them out. “Hey now you two, I think you guys need to break and go to your corners. Ding. Ding. This round is over.”

Kat took in a deep cleansing breath and let it back out slowly before speaking. “If you must know, I was at the Divine Mercy Shelter.”

“Why?” questioned Stephan, his voice heavy with confusion.

“Because I volunteer there.”

The Alpha leaned forward slightly in his chair, still suspicious. “What do you do at this shelter?”

“I usually work the soup line.”

“Why do you go to such a place?”

“Because I’m looking for a date,” Katrina replied sarcastically. Marcus’ deep laugh echoed in the kitchen as he rejoined Stephan at the table.

“Seriously, why do you go to such a place?” Stephan asked with sincere curiosity.

Before responding, Kat crossed to the refrigerator and poured a glass of water. “I guess I go there because it makes me feel like I’m giving something back. I like to help people.” Katrina looked pointedly at Marcus. “I remember a time I needed the help of a stranger. Now I can give a little help, so I give it. It’s like Karma.”

See,
sent Marcus across their mindlink.
I told you she can be trusted. She wasn’t out betraying us. She was out helping people less fortunate.

Stephan’s eyes flicked to Marcus
. Today. But what about tomorrow or the day after that? She’ll have to earn my trust as she has earned yours, Marcus.

Oh she’ll earn it. Just give her a chance.

Stephan eyed the lissome blonde from the corner of his eye.
I’ll be watching her closely.

I just bet you will
. A wry grin raised the corners of Marcus’ mouth.

Stephan turned his attention fully on the woman in the room and found her watching the two of them carefully with a strange look on her face. His curiosity made him push into her mind to glean what she was thinking. He found she could see that something transpired between them, but she had no idea what. Her eyes darted between the two men briefly before coming to rest on Stephan.

He diverted his gaze but stayed a quiet shadow in her mind, listened to her thoughts as she reviewed his features. His straight nose and strong jaw line made the heat of desire flood her body, tighten her belly. She loved his eyes, felt like they drew her in when he looked at her, the deep blue color calling to her like the sea calls its captain.

Stephan turned to look at Katrina with a grin on his lips. The flush on her cheeks betrayed her thoughts. She shook her head. “I need to get ready for work,” she said giving herself an excuse to leave the room and his scrutinizing gaze.

Stephan watched her leave the kitchen, appreciating the delicious view of her backside.

“I see you are already watching her closely.” Marcus chuckled.

Stephan raked a hand through his hair. “She is something worth watching, my old friend. I don’t think I’ll mind watching her one bit.”

Chapter 5

It had been a week since Stephan had told her to get out of his room, and Kat had done what she could to avoid him. Most days she made sure to get up by noon, so she could leave the penthouse before he awoke. On the few occasions she’d run into him, they had been cordial enough to each other; there were even times Kat thought he might be flirting.

Tonight, however, was not one of those times.

Earlier in the evening she and Marcus had been in her dance studio. The studio was small, but boasted floor to ceiling mirrors along one wall with a
barre
attached so Kat could practice her ballet and dance routines. The floor was made of oak, polished to perfection.

She and Marcus had a standing agreement; Marcus taught her self-defense lessons in exchange for her giving him dance lessons. This night they had been dancing the tango when Stephan entered.

Stephan stood in the doorway, watching as the two of them moved seductively around the room, their images reflecting in the mirrors. As Marcus twirled her in his arms, Kat only had eyes for Stephan. She watched his eyes follow her around the room.

Katrina felt his stare rake over her while she glided along in her stilettos. Her skin tingled, as if tiny champagne bubbles danced along her flesh. Stephan’s solicitude was palpable. She licked her suddenly dry lips, practically tasting the hunger she saw in his deep blue eyes.

When the music came to an end, Marcus dipped Kat and planted a kiss squarely on her lips in a dramatic finish. Stephan, clearly displeased, grunted his dissension, turned on his heels and stormed from the room. When he later passed Kat in the hall, he walked by without acknowledging her in the slightest.

Enough mixed signals from Stephan! One day he’d flirt with her, the next he’d ignore her. Tonight’s indifference was the final straw.