VampireMine (2 page)

Calm down? Is he serious?

Wolf and man came together, wanting to slam the female who
was staring—eyes wide in terror no less—at him from across the room. The words
computed but the meaning wasn’t entirely clear. Why should he care who the fuck
she was? The female was a means to an end, a way to get what he needed most.
He’d been denied for so fucking long—too fucking long.

Sadie.

“Let go of me, pup,” he ordered, words garbled.

“You will calm down.” Nathan’s eyes changed color, becoming
an unrecognizable shade of neon green. “Right fucking now!”

Power slammed into Trey’s body with the force of a train.
Anger, frustration and need bled together, collected into a fireball of
anguish. In an instant the feelings slid from his skin, taken from him before
he could prevent it, there one second and gone the next. The wolf went silent,
no longer snarling in his head, forced to retreat.

Nathan let go, wincing as though pained. Trey watched the
Beta sway from side to side, spreading his arms for balance. Nathan almost
toppled over but landed against the counter, using his arms to remain in an
upright position. He bowed his head, taking deep breaths, his face no longer
tan and healthy but sickly pale.

“Oh Goddess,” the small female pressed into a corner
whispered, her fear so potent the smell burned his nostrils. “I shouldn’t have
come here.”

“Don’t be afraid,” Nathan said, sounding as weak as he
looked. He tried to move to her. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Trey knew the Beta wasn’t in any shape to get to the woman. Until
Nathan regained some of the power he’d used to subdue Trey’s wolf he’d be weak
as a newborn. He took a step back, knowing better than to approach the girl.
Even in his current state Nathan wouldn’t allow anyone anywhere near his
female.

“He needs your help.” Trey commanded quietly, “Go to him.”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” She glanced between
the men and then stared frantically around the room, as though she was
pondering the best way to escape. “Neither of you seem stable.”

Nathan eased his head upward, pivoting just enough to see
his mate. “Leigh.”

“Help him,” Trey said, keeping his tone light. “He won’t
hurt you.”

“You don’t know that,” she countered, her sapphire eyes
almost too large for her face.

“Yes, I do. He can’t hurt you. Not ever. It goes against our
very nature to harm our mates.” Nodding at Nathan, he informed her, “From now
on you have that man by the balls. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for you.”

“Y-Your mates? What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she
squeaked and squirmed out of the corner, moving toward the door, keeping as
much distance between herself and the men in the room as possible.

The human reaction coming from a vampire confused him.

Sadie had phased with ease. He’d seen it with his own eyes.

Why isn’t she using her ability if she’s so afraid?

Nathan moved—his body graceful, muscles flexing with the
motion—faster than Trey anticipated. The Beta trapped Leigh against the wall
and wrapped his arms around her waist. Then he bent so his head nestled at the
crook of her throat. She tried to fight her way free, slapping weakly at his
arms.

“What’s wrong?” Nathan’s words were strained but steady.
“You’re sick. I want to know why.”

“I’m not sick,” she snapped, as though his observation
pissed her off. Despite that, it was obvious the vampire was weak. Her
struggles didn’t gain her an inch of freedom. “I just…I’m fine. Let go!”

The Beta slid one hand up her side and twined his fingers in
the hair at her nape. He forced her to look at him, tilting her head back,
examining her face. After several seconds he found what he was looking for. It
was impossible to keep secrets from Nathan. The male excelled—and was a
master—at reading people.

“No, you’re not.” Nathan growled. “You’re fucking starving.
I scent your hunger. I sense your pain.”

Shit.

Shifters experienced shame and outrage when they didn’t see
to the needs of their mates. It was instilled from the moment of conception.
Then, to make sure the message hit home, the males of a pack always led by
example. A female was to be cared for. The male provided shelter, comfort and
nourishment.

Unexpectedly, Leigh’s fear faded and she narrowed her eyes.
“I didn’t come here to discuss my eating habits, thank you very much.” She
whipped her head around and looked at Trey. “I came because Sadie’s in trouble.
I’m not sure what she’s gotten herself into but it’s got to be bad. She hasn’t
returned to the coven and she’s not been to our healing caverns.”

Terror lanced Trey’s chest and he stopped giving a shit
about Nathan’s reactions or how terrified the woman in his Beta’s arms might
be. “How long has she been missing?”

“Almost a week.”

Normally Nathan’s influence kept the wolf in a tranquil
state for a few hours. Trey hadn’t thought it was possible for the beast to go
from zero to sixty following the sapping of emotion. The transfer of hate and
animosity to understanding and tranquility was stunning. Some wolves put their
tails between their legs for months after Nathan gave them an ample shot of his
mojo.

So much for that.

The wolf roared in his head, returning with a vengeance,
causing his vision to change. Crimson tinted the objects in the room, making
Leigh’s eyes appear pink instead of blue. He wanted to rage at the female, to
ask her why in the fuck Sadie had put herself in harm’s way. Afraid he might do
just that, he grasped a nearby chair and sent it soaring across the room. Wood
splintered, breaking into pieces. The tips of his fingers prickled, his nails
lengthening to claws.

“That’s why I came.” To her credit, Leigh didn’t sound
scared. Even if he could smell her horror at his behavior, she was attempting
to hide it. “I can find her.”

“How?” The question came out a snarl, the man and wolf
asking at the same time.

“The same way we found you after you went and got yourself
in trouble,” she muttered, her gaze turning to a glare. He scented her
hostility then, as though she viewed him as an absolute piece of shit and
detested being in his presence. He wasn’t sure why. What reason did she have to
dislike him? “I have something that belongs to her,” she went on. “I can trace
her with it.”

“Why not go to your coven?” Nathan interrupted. “Why come to
us?”

“They don’t know she’s missing.” Leigh lowered her head and
fidgeted. “I’ve…uh…” Forming her hands into tiny fists, she continued, “I’ve
been covering for her.”

“Why?” Trey asked, grateful he’d started gaining ground over
his bestial half. The wolf was still there, pissed as ever, but at least it was
listening.

The sound of a door opening was the most unwelcome noise
Trey had ever heard. He spun on his heel, braced for his unexpected guest. He
immediately identified the visitor’s scent—a combination of leather and Dial
soap. Just great. Anyone else he could boss around and order to get the fuck
out. This one, however, would smile in his face and take a seat at his table.

Fucking A.

The only human in the pack—Caden Stone—waltzed in. The
enormous motherfucker had ditched his facial piercings—keeping only the
earrings that stretched his lobes—but that didn’t make him less intimidating.
The bastard’s size alone screamed fuck with me and die. Since Cade had covered
himself with a leather jacket so his numerous tattoos didn’t show—and he wasn’t
scowling, which brought attention to the wicked scar along his chin—Trey hoped
Leigh wouldn’t freak out and rush from the room screaming.

“Honey, I’m home,” Caden said as he strode over the broken
chair at his feet. “Looks like I made it just in time.”

Fine. The cocky asshole wanted to take part in the mix? Then
by all means.

“You sure did,” Trey drawled, taking a step to the side to
block Leigh and Nathan from full view. “Since you’re here, I’m guessing you
know about the pack meeting at noon. I have some shit to do so I’ve got to jet
for a while. How about you entertain the guests and take notes. Be my secretary
for the day.”

“Like hell,” Caden retorted, standing like a fucking brick
wall in the kitchen. He folded his arms over his chest and spread his feet
shoulder width apart. “I’m not your bitch.”

“Diskant has new information on Shepherd compounds. They think
they have a line on the group who does their dirty work,” Nathan offered. Trey
heard shuffling—more than likely Nathan and Leigh rising to their feet. “You’ve
been waiting for this. There’s a good chance you’ll get the names of the men
you’ve been searching for.”

Several emotions flickered across Cade’s usually
non-expressive face.

Disbelief. Hope.

Happiness?

Then his gaze became troubled, almost desperate.

Everyone knew to leave the human alone. He’d suffered more
than any man should, losing his wife and unborn child in the most violent way.
Afterward, when he’d lost all hope, Shepherds had swooped in. They’d tricked
Caden, telling him shifters had been responsible for the death of his family.
It wasn’t until he’d met Trey’s pack that Cade had learned the truth.

The horrible information and knowledge he’d gained had
nearly destroyed him.

Those first few weeks with the pack had been tough. Cade was
a smartass at heart and loved to push people’s buttons. Then he’d taken a break
and returned. Something had changed, although Trey couldn’t put his finger on
precisely what it was.

“You’re sure?” Cade asked, sounding grave.

Nathan appeared in Trey’s peripheral vision, his arm snaked
around Leigh’s waist. He’d turned so she wasn’t entirely visible, her face hidden
by the long fall of her dark hair. “I got the call last night. Diskant wants to
reach out to other packs and share information but he promised you first dibs.”

Trey knew Nathan was nervous. He and the Beta had agreed it
was best to inform the pack about their mates after things settled down. Right
now the members didn’t trust anyone who wasn’t a shifter. If both of them came
clean at the same time—confessing they’d mated to vampires—chaos would
certainly ensue.

Which meant Cade couldn’t know who or what Leigh was.

Thankfully the gargantuan man was distracted and caught up
in his thoughts. His gray eyes were glazed over. He seemed to be looking
through everyone, toward something no one else could see. With a wave Trey sent
Nathan and Leigh from the room. The wolf didn’t like waiting—wanting to go to
Sadie right then and there—but he managed to maintain control. He had to take
care of Cade first. Then he could put an end to his own misery.

After the couple disappeared he put a hand on Cade’s
shoulder. “You can go it alone or you can let us help you. As a member of the
pack you have a voice in this. We’re bound to your decision.” Cade didn’t
respond, staring ahead, jaw clenched. “This is your choice,” Trey reminded the
man. “You call the shots this time around.”

“Go take care of your shit,” Cade said, remaining still.
“I’ll cover until you get back. I need to think.”

Not wanting to push, Trey lowered his arm. He didn’t want to
leave Cade alone but he didn’t have any other alternative. Once Sadie was safe
he’d return for the meeting. The pack would decide what they wanted to do and
they’d have their vengeance. Then he could come clean, introduce Sadie to the
pack and see what waited for them in the future.

It’s not going to be that easy and you know it.

Pushing negative thoughts aside, he left the kitchen and
went in search of the tiny vampire who was about to start a domino effect.
Actions always had consequences. Like any other individual, he’d just have to
face them as they came. Even if it wasn’t going to be happy or nice, he’d find
and claim his female. Like it or not she was stuck with his stubborn ass. He’d
waited what seemed like forever to find her. He wasn’t going to let her slip
from his grasp a second time.

After tonight, you’ll never see me again. You have my
word.

Fuck, it wasn’t going to be easy.

Not by a long shot.

You’re such an idiot.
Leigh tried not to panic as she
yanked her arm from Nathan’s grasp and rushed across the room he’d brought her
to.
What did you think would happen? That they’d sit down and listen to what
you had to say over a nice cup of tea? They’re werewolves! Not people.

The way he’d touched her said it all. The delusional man
thought she was his mate.

Like hell.

It didn’t matter that she was attracted to Nathan. It also
didn’t matter that she’d had numerous fantasies about him since their first
meeting. The man looked like a freaking Adonis—all muscles, tanned skin,
perfect features and big brown eyes. She’d have to be
really
dead not to
notice how good he looked. Her fascination was physical, nothing more.
Emotional stuff was something else entirely. She’d sworn she’d never give her
heart to another man.

How could she when it belonged to someone else?

Brett might not know she was alive but that hardly mattered.
As long as she lived she couldn’t betray him. They’d vowed to love each other
no matter what. Even if she couldn’t go to her childhood sweetheart and tell
him what she’d become, she was determined to uphold her end of the promise. It
was her fault she’d gone out on an errand too late one night and had ended up
in the path of a crazy vampire who’d destroyed everything innocent about her
and ruined her life.

“No you don’t,” Nathan chided.

A step to the side to avoid him didn’t work, her freedom
short-lived. Whatever had happened to him earlier no longer affected his
strength and coordination. He slid his big arms around her waist and tugged her
toward his chest. His smell swamped her—so clean, so tempting.

“You’re so weak you can hardly stand,” he murmured. “That
won’t do.”

She fought her hunger as he palmed the back of her head and
bent so his neck was directly in front of her mouth. His pulsing vein beckoned,
so close she could almost feel the splash of his blood against her tongue. He’d
taste spicy and sweet. She knew he would. Shaking the notion off, she shoved at
his chest. Perhaps he didn’t care what would happen if she sank her teeth into
his throat, but she did. Sadie’s current predicament painted a vivid picture.
Even if he smelled like heaven—even if she wanted him like hell on fire—she
couldn’t chance a taste.

“Stop crowding me.” Hearing the despair in her voice, she
gritted her teeth and demanded, “Back off.”

“No.” The huge man met her determination with his own. “I
won’t have you hurting. Especially when there’s no reason for it.” Nathan
yanked her upward, lifting her feet off the ground. Her nose bumped his throat
in the process, the aroma of his blood so strong she couldn’t see straight.
“Take what you need from me, imp.”

For the first time in months her body responded to the
closeness of a male. Her nipples hardened to points as a ripple of arousal
rushed from her tummy to her sex. Her canines threatened to extend, her gums
tingling and burning. The fantasies she’d had of him took over—of her lying
beneath him, welcoming him into her body, begging him for more. Sweat coated
his chest, allowing her fingers to glide over his pectoral muscles with ease.

Another man’s face flashed through her mind. He was nowhere
near as big or handsome as the man holding her tight but he was beautiful in
his own right.

Brett.

You’re forgetting him.

Her heart lodged in her throat and the burgeoning sense of
hope in her chest shattered. She realized how quickly she’d let lust and hunger
cloud her judgment. All it had taken was a lost moment with Nathan and she’d
all but forgotten her promise.

No. No. No.

Her magic—although weak from her lack of nourishment—flared
to life. Desperate, she sent a burst of pure energy shooting from her palm,
hitting him directly in the center of his chest. If she hadn’t been mortified
at the result, she’d have laughed. While the mild electrical current would have
shocked the hell out of a human, it didn’t do squat to a werewolf. Her legs
folded beneath her, no longer able to bear her weight. Thankfully her would-be
meal rescued her, swooping down to catch her, lifting her as though she weighed
no more than a bag of sand.

“This ends now.” While the statement was firm, there was so
much concern in his voice it made her heart skip a beat. He strode toward an
empty chair with purpose. “You will take from me, mate.” She shivered at how
possessively he said the word, as though he’d finally been given leave to
announce it to the world and he had no intention of taking his proclamation
back. “It’s my right and privilege to care for you.” He gentled his tone,
rubbing a hand down her back. She wondered if he sensed her feelings somehow.
“Best you accept that. I’m not letting you go. The last couple of months have
been hell.”

Days of worry, frayed nerves and lost sleep caught up with
her, changing the flaring bit of tenderness toward Nathan to full-fledged
resentment. The last couple of months had been hell? What did he know? He
hadn’t watched his only friend slowly starve to death. Sadie had suffered
horribly as she’d felt the effects of malnutrition, the muscles from her
training becoming nothing more than skin and bone.

She kicked out with useless legs, scrounging up the last
energy she had left. “You’ve suffered? What a crock! You have no idea what
suffering is. Not a fricking clue.”

“Settle down,” he grumbled, taking an elbow to the gut with
a soft grunt.

Like hell.
“I don’t think so.”

The tighter he held her, the more she squirmed. She didn’t
have the strength to get away but she wasn’t going to make things easy for him.
When he gained the advantage and brought her mouth to his neck, holding her in
place with a hand at the back of her head, she ground her teeth together. It
was agony smelling his blood and knowing he’d put an end to her thirst, but
she’d weathered worse. Hunger was something she’d learned to ignore and
overcome. She didn’t have to drink blood all the time. In fact she could go
weeks without it.

Hold strong. It’ll go away. It always does.

This time the reminder didn’t feel so reassuring. Nathan
brought feelings she felt incredibly uncomfortable with to the surface. Not
only did she want to sink her teeth into his throat to curb her appetite, she
also wanted to hold him close and breathe him in. Her vampire nature—the thing
she hated most—wanted her to lose control of her inhibitions and give herself
to the man. To surrender to the desires she’d denied since her transformation.

Get hold of yourself. Sadie’s in trouble, remember?

“We’re wasting time,” she huffed, wriggling as much as she
could.

“Then take what you need.” Nathan’s rebuke was firm, his
grip unbreakable. “I’m not letting go until you do.”

“It’ll kill me.” She let her fangs drop but made sure her
teeth remained clear of his skin, hoping that a half-truth might get his attention.
With a tilt of her head, she met his amber gaze. “Is that what you want?”

He froze, staring her in the eye, the muscles in his arms
like granite. “What are you talking about?”

Good. He was finally listening.

“Once a vampire drinks from a shifter they become bound to
their blood. No other source will do. If something ever happens to you, I’ll
starve to death. Rumor has it your pack is in the middle of a war. Force me to
drink from you and I’ll be gambling with my life. If you go, I go. I’m not
willing to take that risk. Now,” she tried to force her fangs to retract,
hating the way her gums burned and itched, “back the hell off and give me some
room.”

“I don’t believe you.”

One firm tug on her hair and she had to meet the werewolf’s
intense gaze.
Oh hell.

Three months ago she’d been able to walk away. No fuss, no
muss. But now? His woodsy scent called to her, his face sexy and captivating.
Her breath caught and her pussy flooded. Time had definitely worked in Nathan’s
favor. No longer neat and tidy, his dark and unkempt head of hair went
perfectly with the goatee he’d decided to grow, taking him from a man you
introduced to Momma to the bad boy you welcomed each night through the bedroom
window.

“Sadie,” she blurted, grappling to stay focused. Why was it
so hard to think clearly? Why couldn’t she get her raging hormones under
control? This wasn’t the time or place for her libido to kick into high gear.

“What about her?” Trey snarled.

Nathan’s fingers slipped from Leigh’s hair, allowing her to
whip her head around and address the man who’d been listening to their
conversation. A hot wave of embarrassment crept up her cheeks. Not only had
Nathan gotten under her skin, the bastard had also lowered her guard. Anyone
could have heard what she said, which could have been devastating not only to
her but the coven.

“If she’s hurt, you’re the one to blame.” She tested
Nathan’s grip, grateful to discover he’d decided to let her go. Sliding free
from his embrace, she rushed to drive her point home. “As soon as she drank from
you, she was doomed. She can’t feed from anyone else. That’s your fault.”
Humiliation hit, an awareness that she’d caused her friend’s slow demise. Sadie
had tried to warn her of the consequences but Leigh hadn’t listened. Instead
she’d forced Sadie to drink from Trey, naïvely believing the asshole werewolf
would do right by the woman who’d saved his life. “If I’d known how things were
between you two, I wouldn’t have pushed the issue.”

“What are you talking about?” Trey snarled.

Nathan surged to his feet, taking a stance between Leigh and
his Alpha. Another prickle of awareness made her lightheaded, a dizzying hum
droning inside her skull. Trey had been unconscious when Sadie had taken his
blood but Leigh had assumed he’d remember some small part of the encounter.
Even though he’d been fully clothed, she’d seen the enormous tent in his pants.
And the scent of his and Sadie’s combined lusts had stunk up the basement where
he’d been held captive. Leigh had assumed he wanted Sadie as his lover and
partner but after that night he hadn’t attempted to seek her out.

But what if he didn’t have memories of that night?

Was it possible he had no idea what he’d done?

Nathan hadn’t believed her when she’d told him how things
worked when a vampire fed from a shifter. It was very possible Trey didn’t know
he’d sentenced Sadie to a slow death after he’d given her his blood.

That changed things.

She studied Trey, watching his movements, relying on her
instincts to gauge if he were being honest or avoiding the truth. “You don’t
remember me, do you?” Considering he’d charged at her earlier, she’d thought he
might. Now she wasn’t so sure.

“Should I?” A warning flashed through his eyes, the muscles
in his jaw clenching.

Holy crap. Oh no
. “Yes, you should.” She took a deep
breath and slowly rose from her seat. Time to get answers. “Do you remember
anything about the night we found you? Do you have any memories of what
happened?”

“I know Sadie managed to get me out of the hands of
Shepherds.” He balled his hands into fists and shifted his feet, his eyes
glowing yellow. “I know she brought me home before she hit the road without so
much as a goodbye or see you later. She left me high and dry. I couldn’t even
thank her.”

For the first time in weeks, Leigh felt a pang of pity for
the man.

He’d been unaware of the suffering he’d caused.

“It wasn’t easy to get you out,” she informed him softly,
treading carefully into treacherous waters. “There were a lot of men to go
through and we had to fight our way to the basement. Sadie got hurt.” Guilt
assailed her when Trey’s tan face paled and his fingers unfurled. Struggling
past her emotions, she continued, “Once we found you, we realized we’d have to
carry you out, but we were so weak and tired… “

He’d seemed so large to Leigh back then, almost impossible
to lift. Of course she was always weak since she refused to give her body what
it needed to thrive. More shame and embarrassment struck. If only she’d taken
more blood before she’d gone with Sadie—if only she’d given in to her thirst
for once—things could have gone so differently.

“Tell me,” he ordered, the words a harsh rasp. “I have a
right to know.”

“It came down to a decision,” she whispered, hating to be
the bearer of bad news. “Drink from you or leave you to die.” Fear made her
pause. Trey was barely holding it together. What would he do when he learned
how much Sadie had endured once she’d left the only person she could feed from
behind? “Once she’d taken what she needed, we managed to get you to the car and
bring you home. Afterward she went to one of our healing caverns but by then
the damage had been done.”

“Damage?”

Up until then, Leigh didn’t realize one word could convey
someone’s absolute devastation. Trey’s reactions were totally honest, holding
nothing back. He was prepared to listen to whatever she had to tell him, even
if it destroyed him in the process. Her plan to storm into his home and put him
in his place had drastically backfired. Although there was a chance he’d heard
what she’d told Nathan, she decided to put everything out in the open.

No more secrets, to hell with misunderstandings.

“She started starving to death.” When his eyes bulged she
hurried to finish. “She couldn’t drink from anyone else.”

“She what?”

“Vampires can’t drink from shifters. Something happens when
we do. We become tied to the person we drink from.” She couldn’t mask her
nervousness, not when she could feel Trey’s rage from across the room. “It
makes it impossible to gain sustenance from any other source—from any other
person.”

He took a step forward and Nathan countered the movement,
standing directly in Trey’s path. She didn’t think she’d be thankful for
Nathan’s interference but she released a shaky breath just the same, finding
that she preferred having the imposing werewolf on her side.