Reign of the Vampires (27 page)

“At the time?” he questioned.

She sighed. “William, please go and exchange information with Ian.” Danika waited until the two men left and the door closed before she looked at Neeman again.

“As you found out this evening, Lord Garon has requested my mating rights with the three kings. In an effort to avoid an all-out war, they’ve granted his petition, pursuant to my not finding another suitable mate. They’ve given me two weeks to find someone who’d be able to withstand Garon and any...pressure he might place on me.” She sat forward and lifted the piece of paper William had given her. “This paper holds the names of the ten most eligible males in the States. I’ve already ruled out six of the names, due to age, or proclivities. Your name is on this list.”

“Who else is on there?”

“Roth.”

“Of course, he’s making quite a good living at the slave trade. And he’s deadly as any tracker I’ve ever seen.”

“Owen Mist is on there.”

“I don’t know Owen.” Neeman shook his head.

“He’s about two hundred and twenty. He has a relocation business for vamps. He helps with their transitions. Lastly there is Mikal Chess.”

“The former Congressman from Louisiana?”

“Yes, he now deals in real estate and has holdings all over the world. He arranged the divisions of the States to the lords in the areas. He’s well-respected and fair to a fault.”

“And I’m number four.”

“You are.”

There was a long silence between them as they stared at each other. Danika sat back in her chair for a moment, collecting her thoughts before she spoke. “I haven’t made any kind of decision one way or the other. But it’s obvious that I have to make a decision, and I have to do it quickly.” She twisted her ring again and pushed forward. “So I figured while I have you here, I would ask whether you would even be willing to entertain the idea of possibly—”

“My feelings haven’t changed.” Neeman’s voice held the same sincerity that his eyes showed.

Danika nodded. She glanced at Mason; he was lounging on the couch feigning sleep, but his clenched jaw and tightened fists gave him away.

“We have our differences. I wouldn’t expect you to give up your Tracking Squad position for me. You’d be allowed to stay at the barracks, if you wanted.”

“I would give it all up for you.”

“Neeman...” She didn’t know what to say. It was more emotion than she’d ever heard from him before. He would give it all up for her, but to her, this would be little more than a business arrangement. She didn’t love him. She cleared her throat. “Yes, well, I haven’t made a decision yet, like I said. I just wanted see where you stood.”

“You have my answer.” He rose. “Let me know. I’ll be wherever you need me.”

“Thank you.” They stared at each other for another minute, and she thought he might come around the desk and try to kiss her, but instead he turned and strode out.

Danika watched him go, let out a huge breath, and hung her head in her hands. She wanted to cry, but to do so would show everyone how weak she was, and she couldn’t take the chance. Maybe being mated to Neeman wouldn’t be as bad as she thought. She cared for him, worried about him. Wasn’t that what mating was about? A mutual respect?

Mason still pretended to sleep. “Don’t pretend with me, Mason.”

He opened his blazing amber eyes and stared at her blankly.

“Don’t look at me like that either. What do you want me to do? I have to find someone to mate with.”

“Let me kill him.”

“Neeman?”

“Garon. Let me kill him, and then you won’t have to mate with anyone you don’t choose.”

Danika shook her head. “You don’t get it, Mason. The males on this list are the best shot I have at securing my position. Not just from Garon, but from everyone. From the European covens looking to get a foothold here in the States. From other lords getting the same idea, and from the kings interfering with me and my company anymore. I have to do this. If not now, then soon. I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. I’d thought that if I waited, I would find someone with whom I wanted to be mated, but—” She stopped, looking at him sadly. Neither of them spoke for several minutes. “If I tried to turn you, it wouldn’t work, would it?”

“No.”

She nodded. “Then it doesn’t matter, does it? At least with Neeman, I know what I’m getting into. He and I were together for years. I can learn to deal with it again.”

“Then why did you not accept his proposal before?”

“Because I don’t love him,” she said. “The difference between Neeman and the others is Neeman already loves me. And not just what I look like, or my money or my position, but me. And he’s strong enough to protect me and my coven, even though he wasn’t born a Pureblood.”

“Then will you set me free when you mate with him?”

“What?” A cold chill raced over Danika’s skin.

“Will you free me? Once you have Neeman, you won’t need me anymore. Will you free me, or sell me off to someone else?” Mason’s eyes betrayed no emotion.

Every fiber of her body wanted to scream ‘No!’ But he was right. What would he do once Neeman, or any of the others, was in the picture? “No, Mason, I won’t sell you; you will still be my guardian.”

“And so you and I’ll what? Go on the way we’ve been? Pretending that there’s nothing between us?”

“There is nothing between us. You are human…ish. I’m a Vampire lord. You’re my guardian, no more,” she said.

“Really?” He crossed the room in a quick movement. She hadn’t realized he was off the couch before he was standing less than inches from her. Danika froze at the nearness of him. Mason bent over her, letting his lips linger an inch from her throat. She clutched the side of her chair to keep from grabbing him.

“Nothing? Not a thing?” he whispered into her ear. “And when we made love, was that nothing? When you gave yourself to me, and took my blood into you as I made you—”

“Stop.” Her voice came out breathy. His warm breath tickled the hairs on her neck. The fog of desire overtook her senses. Her stomach quivered and her thighs tingled at the memories of him.

“I know you want me. Deny it. Tell me you don’t feel anything when I’m near you.”

Her brain tried to formulate the words, to tell him she didn’t. But it was a lie. The scar on her chest warmed. “I—”

She wasn’t able to get the rest out. Mason grabbed her by the hair and pressed his hot lips to hers. She melted like an ice cube on hot pavement. She wanted him. It didn’t matter what he was, or who he was, all she wanted was to mate him and make him hers forever. Her fangs burst from her gums as he kissed her. They grazed his hot tongue and blood poured into her mouth. It mixed with her saliva and sent her into a frenzy. More, she needed more. Ripping away from his mouth, she sank her teeth deep into his neck. Mason sighed and pulled her close as she drank from him. His blood exploded inside her. She would never let him go. He was hers. Her hands roamed the front of his pants for the belt buckle, but she couldn’t get it undone.

“Danika,” Mason whispered, kissing her cool neck. “Danika, stop. You must stop.” He kissed her, his tongue roaming her flesh.

Danika drew from him again. She untucked his shirt, running her hands across his abs.

“Danika, stop. Stop!” Mason pulled away.

“Why?” She growled in frustration. “You started this. You’re the one who wanted to prove that there is something between us. You want it as much as I do. So why stop, Mason?”

“Because—”

Danika pushed him away from her. “Because why? Why can’t you be bonded to me? Why can’t you be turned? Why do I now have a scar that warms when you near me? Why did you make love to me only now to tease me and say no?”

For a moment, she thought he was actually going to tell her. He opened his mouth and she thought at that moment she’d finally know what it all meant. But then he closed his mouth again.

“I see,” she said. “Well then, Mason. I guess you and I have nothing more to discuss. I’ll take Neeman as my mate, and you and I...will be as we are. Two people inexplicably drawn to each other, but unable to be together. Because when Neeman is my mate, if he so much as sees us glance at each other, he
will
kill you.”

Mason gazed at her, and in that moment she saw sadness she’d never seen in him before. She almost lost her resolve, but without another word, he stalked out of the office, leaving her there with her thoughts.

Danika crumpled to her desk and wept. Her life was spinning out of control. She’d be better off selling Mason so she never had to see him again. Her heart froze at the thought.

Thirty minutes later, there was a knock on the door. She swiped at her eyes, removing the shed tears, and sat up. William entered carrying a package. He stopped halfway to her desk.

“Are you all right?” His brows knit.

“Yes, I’m fine. Just tired.” She waved her hands. “What is that?”

“This came from the records building.” He proceeded forward and set the heavy box on her desk.

“Oh good heavens.” She shut her laptop, exasperated. “This is going to take forever! I meant for the stupid woman to send me the electronic files.”

“Are these all the business holdings in the city?”

“This is going to take weeks. Weeks we don’t have.” Danika stood and looked in the box. It was full to the top with papers. “I can’t do this, not tonight. Did you and Ian have a chance to talk?”

“Yes. They’ve visited half the bars in the city. There are about a dozen left.”

“Are they going systematically?”

“They started in the north and are heading south.”

“Fine, then we’ll start in the south and move north, meeting them in the middle.”

“What?” asked William, surprised.

Her body hummed with energy from Mason’s blood. “William, I can’t just sit here and read all these and cross-reference them, and keep going on and on. I have too many loose ends in my life right now. Bring me the list of bars and clubs they haven’t been to yet.” She glanced at her watch. “We don’t have enough time before sun up, so get me the list and we’ll start first thing tomorrow night.”

She had to do something. If she got the rogue situation under control, maybe she wouldn’t be forced into mating. If she proved she could do it on her own, maybe they’d let her be. It was a big maybe, but Danika was no longer going to wait for things to happen to her. She needed to stand on her own two feet.

She pushed at her hair and grabbed her bag. She was going to do things her way.

Chapter
19

The next evening, Danika was getting ready for a night of bars and clubs when the hunger hit her. She tried to remember how many days had passed since her feeding on Matthew. It had only been about three or four days, but she felt the weight of not feeding. It was strange, blood wasn’t lasting her as long as it had previously. She called down to Siad to have Matthew brought up, but was informed that he was still in Doc’s care. She set the phone down, a pang of guilt pierced her, for having almost killed Matthew yet again.

Her thoughts traveled to Mason. They hadn’t spoken since after she’d met with Neeman. He’d been there, ever her shadow, but he’d not looked at her, nor spoken since the incident. What was there to say, really? They couldn’t be together, no matter how much she wanted him. He was human, a slave who couldn’t be turned. That fact still bothered her.

Danika shook her head. She had no time to think about Mason. She had bigger problems. She needed to feed. If they did come in contact with rogues, she needed to be at the top of her game. There were other blood slaves in the house, but she hadn’t fed from any of them. Which left one option: Mason. Her heart leapt at the prospect. But her brain told her that feeding from him was not a good idea. She rang Siad again and asked that some Savor be brought up.

She hadn’t had to drink Savor for sustenance in years. There were Vampires who couldn’t afford the rare blood slaves, so they had to supplement with Savor on an almost daily basis, but she wasn’t used to it. There was a light knock on her door, and William stood there with a crystal goblet.

“You asked for this?” His eyes were bright with hunger.

“William, you aren’t a house slave, you didn’t need to bring this.”

William shrugged. “I was in the kitchen already.”

“You seem to need it more, I think.”

He stepped into the room, carefully carrying the full glass.

“William, when have you last fed?”

“I’m drinking the Savor every day,” he said.

“Yes, but when was your last human feeding?”

“I have not fed from a human since the celebration.”

“What? Drink that and I will send down for a blood slave for you.”

William didn’t wait to be asked twice, he downed the glass in two seconds. Danika called for a female blood slave. While waiting she threw on a pair of tight black leather pants, a red shirt with a black corset over top, and high, black leather platform boots. She looked at her pale complexion in the mirror and for the first time in a long while, she left her hair down. Brushing at the wavy curls, she left them to fall in ringlets almost to her waist. She hadn’t left her hair down since her mother died. It was the exact same shade and length. She swept on a layer of dark mascara and some lip gloss and walked back into the bedroom. Mason stood talking to William. When he saw her, he stopped and stared. William turned to see, and almost dropped the empty glass of Savor.

“What?” she demanded.

William cleared his throat. “Nothing... I just... That is...”

“We’ve never seen you with your hair down,” Mason said

“I haven’t done it in a long time.”

“You look beautiful,” William said.

A slight smile played on Danika’s lips. “Thank you.”

There was a knock, and Mason opened the door for the small female blood slave. Danika recognized her, but wasn’t sure of her name.

The girl walked in timidly, past Mason and William, to Danika. “You called for me, Lord?”

“Yes, but not for myself. You’re for William.” Danika walked to William and took the empty glass from him, setting it on the side table. She turned to Mason. “Wait here please. I’ll be a few minutes.”