Vampire Coven Book 3: A Vampire's Embrace (14 page)

“What did you write?”

“Hope was here.”

Hope pointed to a word. “That’s my name?”

“Yes.”

She was amazed. Somehow he had validated her, she did exist. Hope smiled, she smiled until she laughed. Rhett laughed, too.

“Please write Ann’s name.”
Validate her existence
.

Rhett took the white thing and again began to write. When finished he stepped back, then moved forward to draw something around the word.

“What’s that you drew?”

“A heart around Ann’s name. It’s a little tradition humans had of making hearts around the names of people you love.”

“You do love her, don’t you?”

Rhett coughed and cleared his throat. “Yes.”

“Can you not do anything to save her?”

Sadness wavered heavily as he spoke. “I can’t make her like I am. It would cure her, she would live but she’d have no life. It’s cruel to change a child, I saw it happen once and saw the result. Tavish showed me before Acca died. I’m a grown man in a grown man’s body. Ann would be a little girl forever—in body only. Blood lust in a child is a scary thing, Hope. Because Galf isn’t entirely a vampire, Tavish has mind control over him. Ann is immune. It would terrify you to see Ann kill. She might even go after you. It wouldn’t be her fault; the blame would lay with me. It wouldn’t end well. I’m sorry, but I won’t put any child through that, especially one I care for.”

“If she were like the other children, would you turn her then?”

“No. And before you ask the question, you know the answer—even if she were mine, I wouldn’t turn her.”

He was serious. He could have turned Acca but didn’t. Hope wanted to plead with him, but her mind was telling her he was right. To be a child of seven forever would be cruel.

“Come on.” Rhett suddenly grabbed her arm.

Hope was scared something was coming after them, but Rhett was smiling. They left the school and Rhett settled her into a type of loft in a large barn. Hope knew what a barn was; she remembered there was one at the coven which housed some very strange animals. This barn was thankfully empty. Rhett left for a second and brought back some musty sheets. He made a soft pile and covered it with the raincoat with the lining turned upwards. The inside of the coat was soft and dry.

“I’ll be right back, don’t be afraid. I’m not going far and can still hear you if you call.”

Then he was gone. Hope sat on the pile of blankets shaking her head. Vampires moved so fast it made her head spin. Rhett soon returned; he held something in his hand. It was a little ball of whimpering fur. Hope took it when he offered it to her.

“It’s a puppy, a little boy.”

“Oh my gosh, it’s so cute,” Hope squealed.

Its eyes were barely open and he sucked on her baby finger. It was so fuzzy and soft Hope held him up to her face.

“Can I keep him?”

Rhett chuckled. “No, sorry. The Anivamps would unfortunately think he was a snack. Besides, he’s not weaned. This little guy is only around three weeks old. All dogs are wild now. But I thought you would like to see him.” Rhett sat down beside her. He reached over to stroke the dog’s head.

“Rhett?” she asked shyly. “If you weren’t a vampire and the ice age hadn’t struck what would we be doing together?”

He leaned back on an elbow and smiled at her. “Play pretend? At your age?”

“I’ve always wondered what my ancestors were like back then. Please, humor me.”

“We would be married, and not in secret,” he started out saying. Hope cuddled the dog closer. His words brought a tingle to her spine. “I would have given you the dog for a wedding present. We’d live in a beautiful big house we’d fill with children—any children, because back then you could adopt. We would definitely adopt at least ten.” Hope chuckled.

“Then what?”

“Then, after all our adorable little monsters were safely tucked into bed I’d put the puppy on the floor and make love to you.”

“Make love?”

“Trust me; it would be like nothing you did with Ben.”

Hope instinctively knew it would be a little like what Ben had done, there would be penetration.

“Would it hurt?”

“No.”

“Ben betrayed me right after.”

“The coven has its own laws. Pleasure is a must. Besides, Ben was an ass.”

“That can be a pleasurable act?” She thought now he was lying.

Rhett took the puppy and returned within seconds. Hope was trembling. When Rhett’s lips touched hers, her eyes widened. Ben had never done that. Her eyes closed as the warmth of his mouth filled her to her belly and lower. Rhett dragged his mouth from hers and for the life of her, Hope’s lips smacked together and tried to follow him. Rhett nuzzled her neck whispering such sweet words into her ears. All Ben had said was, “Be quiet or they’ll find out.”

It had been hard to stay silent when Ben’s thick cock had rammed into her. He had banged against her ass three times and pulled out leaving a sticky mess. Hope had blinked and it was over, she couldn’t help but think,
that’s it?
Rhett’s teeth nipped her neck lightly and she wondered if he would feed from her again. His tongue licked at her wounds. For a second he moved back and took his shirt off. He was so well muscled everywhere Hope didn’t know what to touch first, and she wanted to touch.

Rhett was kissing her shoulders, leaving a warm wetness down the insides of her arms to her fingers. He groaned when her lips touched his chest. Hope felt her expelled breath on his skin. Both were on their knees facing one another. Hope watched as he shimmied from his pants, briefs, boots and socks. Every inch of him was rock hard, he looked like a man who was used to getting what he wanted, and then she remembered he was a vampire, he took what he wanted. The idea made her tremble.

He watched her face as his hand slid between her thighs and one by one she heard as each snap was released. Using both hands he glided her teddy up the length of her body. When her arms were in the air, his hand captured her wrists and he bent to suckle a breast.

Ben had definitely never done that.

Hope gasped wanting—something. Her nipple hardened under his teasing tongue. She moaned as his fingers traveled down her hip. She tensed as two fingers rubbed her mound then gently slid their way to her lower lips. Hope wondered what he would do.

“You’re tight,” he whispered, as a finger sought entry and Hope groaned, she was tight.

His finger was thick but Rhett was patient. In and out he stroked making her wiggle. More words were whispered into her ear. Words she had never heard in her life. She was beautiful, her smell was intoxicating. She should be made love to for the rest of her life. Love was not a word Hope was used to, at least by a man. So many wonderful things were being done to her body as Rhett released her wrists and touched her everywhere.

Soon Hope noticed two of his fingers were inside of her and they moved easily. Strangely, she was growing wet. Her body burned in places that had never burned before. Rhett let her go and sat back, he eased her hips over him. Hope could feel his hard erection press against her. Her knees pressed against the raincoat and the cool musty blankets beneath them as she settled over him. Being naked while making love was so different, so much less restricting. Also a little scary. Rhett’s gaze was intense as he pulled her up. Hope waited for the blinding pain but her insides were ready. Every part of her ached to have him inside.

Rhett didn’t plunder her as she thought he would. His power was striking when he lifted her effortlessly. Ever so gently she was lowered onto that massive cock of his. Inch by inch he slipped further while she gasped and moaned, biting her lip until she tasted blood. Rhett grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her forward to suck on her bleeding lip. Hope couldn’t take much more of him, but it was more he gave.

Hope groaned into his mouth. A hand was squeezing her right breast, then tugging on her nipple. His fingers sunk into her ass squeezing. She was moving against him in a rocking-rolling motion. Her breath caught when he flipped them over. Hope’s wrists were pinned above her head. He was more demanding this way, more controlling.

Her knee was captured and pulled higher. Hope cried out as every inch impaled her in a swift motion. In and out he pumped until Hope couldn’t catch her breath. Sweat dripped form her forehead leaving a lazy trail to trickle to her temple. She cried out his name and arched her back, screaming when an emotion so intense rocked her.

Hope was spent. Rhett continued to thump into her until she thought he’d never stop. His hands on her were tight but not too painful. He let her knee go and wrapped both arms around her head and neck pulling her further under him. He was cradling her. Hope loved the feeling. She didn’t realize he had stopped moving, he was lying there, holding her. His breathing was heavy.

“Rhett?”

“Hmm?”

“You were right. It didn’t hurt nearly the way I thought it would. And Ben
was
an ass.”

Chapter 9

Rhett lay quietly, running his fingers through Hope’s hair. She was asleep. From the cracks in the wood Rhett saw the rain splattering as the sky opened up. They were safe enough; the blankets they lay on were musty but dry. Rhett could smell blood. It had been a long time since Hope had a man, then she had given birth and wasn’t touched until him.

He supposed he should get her back to the coven. Caine should check her over. If Ann’s birth had been so bad to leave her barren there could be some damage. Hope seemed okay, she was peaceful. His mind kept returning to the puppy and how her eyes had lit up. Perhaps Tavish could have a word with his Anivamps about one tiny little dog they needed to leave alone. Ann would love it. But he would have to nab it before it went wild. He could only wait another week or so.

Rhett rubbed at his eyes wondering what he was thinking. He couldn’t keep Hope; she needed someone who would be strong for her when Ann passed. She needed someone who could make her want to live. That wasn’t Rhett; he was too hard, too cold and distant. Although this very second, Hope wasn’t distant; she practically lay on top of him.

The sky grumbled and Hope stirred in his arms. Night was settling in, but Rhett imagined Mercy had Galf and Ann tucked in together for the evening. In all honesty, it never occurred to Rhett to make love in a loft to a woman he wasn’t sure he wanted.

Wait, not sure, when the hell did that happen?

“It’s dark out,” Hope mumbled.

“We better get dressed. Ann will be fine.” Rhett knew Ann would be fine, but there was something in the air Rhett sensed.

No sooner were they dressed than three vampires strolled into the small barn. They remained on the ground staring up at Hope and Rhett, eyes glowing yellow. They weren’t from Tavish’s coven. Hope backed away. For a second she had looked tempted to press her body next to his. Her heart hammered so hard from her fear all three vampires turned their attention to her.

“She looks tasty,” one of the vampires said.

“You’ll be looking dead if you touch her,” Rhett retorted.

“He’s from Tavish’s coven,” another vamp said. Rhett knew they would guess the second his eyes blazed white.

One of the vampires leapt for Hope but Rhett was older than any of these rogues. Hope screamed when Rhett shoved his hand into the vampire’s chest, pulled his heart out and squeezed until it burst. The body was dropped off the ledge.

“Anybody else?” Rhett said as he shook out his hand. There was a strict law Rhett lived by—Tavish’s. Vampires loyal to Tavish were not allowed to battle to the death. These weren’t Tavish’s; still they should know better than to try and take what was Rhett’s.

“Your little female seems as afraid of you as she is of us,” one vamp commented.

Rhett cast a glance to Hope’s terrified features. No doubt watching a man have his heart ripped out wasn’t on her bucket list. She was as pale as snow and Rhett could see it was taking everything she had not to sit screaming in a corner.

“Hope,
come to me
,” Rhett demanded. She had no choice, he compelled her; he didn’t think her feet would move otherwise. They were due for more company and it was best she concentrated on Rhett.

Once she was at his side he tilted her chin to look into her eyes. Her breaths were quick tiny gasps. He went into her thoughts and asked her not to fight him. For a second she battled, but it was hopeless. He clung to her mind while below the screaming started. The vampires weren’t connected to Tavish’s coven and wouldn’t have felt him until last moment. Rhett knew the scene below would be a bloody mess. No one fucked with Tavish’s brothers.

Rhett couldn’t let her see what was going on, it was for her own safety. Tavish was with Caine and Tate. Tate was there for the learning experience, his first kill. Not only would the vampires have had their hearts removed, unpleasantly, they would also lose their heads so no other vampire could see their last thoughts. The sight would be too much for a human.

“You’re going to sleep now,” Rhett said to Hope. “I spoke to the vampires and all three left.”

“You—killed—him.”

“Damn.
Hope, you needn’t remember this. Let me help you forget.”