VampireMine (23 page)

He’d been around, seen a lot of things.

And he’d endured the worst loss imaginable.

Zachery Taylor didn’t appreciate the way Trey looked at him.
Hell, he didn’t appreciate the way the pack did. He loathed their sympathetic
glances, hated the way they whispered behind his back. He knew what they were
thinking and it pissed him off.

Katie couldn’t have been his mate. He’d have died if she had
been.

So far from the fucking truth.

A familiar pain lanced his chest. He thought about Katie
every minute, longing for her touch, wishing for a trace of her sweet scent.
He’d gone through the second bloodbonding stage with her, had been ready to put
a permanent stamp on their union. If he’d been smart he’d have pushed for the
third as well. She wouldn’t have survived the explosion but at least he could
have joined her in the afterlife.

He hated memories, especially when they took him back to the
night she’d been killed. Yet they rose unbidden, plaguing him with torment. The
moment her life had been taken he’d felt it. The sensation had been like an
amputation of his heart, an invisible enemy punching through his torso and
ripping away the most vital part of his soul. He’d fallen to his knees,
stricken by the blow.

But somehow—someway—he’d managed to make it to his feet.

At first his pain had kept him strong.

He’d wrapped the feeling around him like a blanket, using it
as a weapon. He wasn’t sure when things had changed, failed to notice the shift
in his beast. The animal was the reason shifters dwindled away and died
following the death of a mate. At first his wolf wanted to do just that. It told
him to find a place to rest and never get up again. The man, however, had
wanted to kill the people who’d taken Katie from him. Over time the wolf’s
gloom had eased.

Why? He didn’t understand it.

Even worse? Each day became a little easier.

He wasn’t sure he liked that.

“I stayed after you left,” Zach said. Instead of lingering
on Katie’s memory, he got to work. Trey wanted to see what he was made of as a
Beta. This was his opportunity to show the Alpha what he could do. “The pack
has calmed substantially. They’re mystified by what they saw, which is why
they’re willing to listen. Most of them have never seen anything like Aldon
before.”

“Did Diskant tell you everything?” Trey questioned.

“Yes.” Zach hadn’t wanted to believe it but he’d seen Aldon
with his own eyes. With a creature that powerful Diskant didn’t have to
sugarcoat the issues the pack faced. “I know what’s coming.”

“And you still want to be my Beta?”

“I do.”

As the second wolf in charge he’d be privy to information.
He wanted to be the first in line to kill Shepherds when they returned. And
they would return, coming back to New York with reinforcements. To him Aldon
was merely an afterthought. He didn’t care about Trey’s mating or any of the
rest. He wanted to feast on the blood of his enemies, watch the life drain from
their eyes.

“Nathan will eventually return.” Trey rubbed the back of his
neck. “When that happens you’ll have to step down. Are you willing to do that?”

Oh yeah, he was willing. But not for the reasons Trey
expected. “Yes.”

“Then I guess…” Trey lowered his arm, crossing to him. “It’s
official.”

Zach took the hand Trey offered, shaking firmly.

He’d do what he had to, be the Beta the pack needed. In the
meantime he’d continue collecting all the information he could, storing it
away. The wolf snapped its teeth, squirming under his skin. With effort he made
the beast subside. That was his ability, his gift. Like a mask that never
slipped out of place. He could control emotion, use it to his advantage. Trey
didn’t know what Zach had in mind. The Alpha wouldn’t, either, until Zach let
him in on his secret.

A vision of Katie’s face floated before him—beautiful,
sweet. Perfect.

He wanted to growl but didn’t. He’d gotten what he needed.

With addresses and names he’d finally be able to leave New
York and start hunting.

When the time came, he was going to kill them all.

One by fucking one.

Sadie woke but didn’t open her eyes. She studied her
surroundings using her other senses, her nose homing in on Trey’s scent. The
rhythmic ticking of a clock sounded like a drum, voices drifting to her ears
from the other end of the house.

She and Trey were alone in the bedroom.

It was safe to reveal that she’d finally healed.

Warmth spread through her, a love like no other speeding the
beat of her heart. Trey rested in the chair, his chin nestled against his
chest. He was too large for the furniture, his long legs sprawled out. Shadow
spread over his chin and jaw, the dark circles under his eyes proof of his
fatigue.

Flexing her muscles, she assessed her injuries.

No pain. Zero stretching in her torso. The wounds had closed
and mended.

Sleep was just the thing she needed.

How long was I out? A day? Two possibly?

She didn’t want to move and disturb the peace but she knew
Trey would want to know she’d finally come around. Her limbs were shaky but as
always they adjusted quickly, allowing her to peel back the comforter. Trey’s
eyes shot open, his face brimming with alarm. Then he saw her and his brows
relaxed, relief smoothing his features.

“Hey stranger,” she murmured, rising to a seated position.

“Don’t move.” Trey jumped from the chair, hurrying to the
bed. He ran trembling fingers down her cheek, his eyes drinking her in. “Take
it easy, darlin’. Do you need more blood? Do I need to get anything for you?”

His sincere concern melted her.

“Trey.” She captured his hand with hers, pressing her face
to his palm. “I’m fine.”

“Your chest closed yesterday.” He tried to hide how nervous
he’d been but she could see past the image he tried to project. “I thought
you’d wake up but you didn’t.”

Yesterday?
“How long have I been asleep?”

“Two days.”

Shit.
That was two days too long.

“What happened with the pack?” She hated shoving him to the
side but she needed to get out of bed. There was a lot to do. If things had
gone badly they needed to discuss where they were going to go. “What did they
decide?”

“Should you be getting out of bed so soon?” He balked at the
idea of her getting on her feet, trying to still her by grasping her arms.
“Don’t you need to take it easy for a while?”

“I’m not human,” she reminded him, swinging her legs over
the edge of the mattress. “And I’m not a shifter.”

Her rate of recovery was better than others’. That’s why
vampires used healing caverns. There they could sleep off their wounds. All
they needed was an ample meal and a good rest. She’d been shot, stabbed and
nearly had her head sliced off. None of those things had put her in the ground.
It’d take more than Aldon’s claws to keep her on the sidelines.

Spying her bag on the dresser, she rose. “Tell me about the
pack.”

“Sadie…” Trey growled.

She stopped, lifting her head, really looking at Trey. The
poor man had been through hell. Getting dressed would have to wait. He needed
to be comforted and reassured. Winding her arms around his neck, she pressed
her chest to his. The heat from his body radiated against her, the hands he
placed on her hips were almost painful as he snatched her closer.

“I told you,” she skimmed her lips over the deep hollow of
his throat, “I’m fine.”

“You have no idea how petrified I’ve been.” It almost
sounded like an accusation. As though she’d made him suffer on purpose. “I
could see you breathing but you didn’t move. Not even when Diskant came to talk
to me. You just kept sleeping. You’ve been in the same position. You didn’t
even shift your arms and legs. Every hour that you didn’t wake up I thought…”
His fingers dug into her skin, his body shaking hard. “I thought that maybe…”

“I might not wake up at all?” How could she not love him
when he was like this? There were no barriers, no lies. He was like an open
book, revealing everything. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you what to expect. A
healing sleep is just that. We don’t wake up. That’s why we have to do it in a
safe place.”

“Is that what the caverns are?” He’d stopped shaking,
gaining a hold of himself. “The place you heal?”

The fragrant aroma of his blood tempted her. She tried to
stifle her hunger, pulling her head from the enticing curve of his throat.
“Yes.” But she couldn’t return to the caverns. Not until she knew what Geneva
was up to. She put away that concern, fixated on the here and now. “Tell me
about the pack.”

“They had a lot of questions.” Nuzzling the top of her head,
he said, “Some of them I could answer. Some of them I couldn’t. When I told them
about Aldon they responded better than I expected.”

“You told them everything?”

“I did.” His fingers drifted from her hips to her lower
back, his touch leaving behind a fiery imprint. “Diskant thought it was best.”

“What about Leigh? Did you tell them about her?”

“I didn’t think I should but I told them about her. They
aren’t pleased but they adore Nathan. With everything going to shit they want
him to come back. They’re willing to give Leigh a chance if she and Nathan
agree to the same terms we did.”

“The same terms?” she echoed despite knowing precisely what
he meant. “They’ll kill her if she pisses them off?”

She could live with a target on her back. Unfortunately
Leigh wasn’t as capable of protecting herself, not until she learned how to
control her magic. Maybe it would be best for Leigh to stay where she was, out
of reach of the pack and Aldon.

“Yes,” he answered softly, pacifying her.

There wasn’t much else he could do, really. She’d never like
placing Leigh in harm’s way. Trey was smart enough to know he couldn’t change
her stance on the subject.

“What do we do now?”

“We call another meeting.” His shifted his feet, rocking her
side-to-side. “They want to meet you. You’ll have to answer the questions I
couldn’t.”

More questions. More answers.

What she wouldn’t give for a mental health day.

“I’ll do my best.”

She had a lot of knowledge but she wasn’t a vampire
dictionary. As much as she knew about white mage vampires she knew just as
little about black mage ones. Her kind avoided their counterparts. The Fallen
were dangerous and unstable. Aside from killing a few she’d done her best to
avoid them altogether.

Think about all that later. Enjoy the moment while you
can.

Silencing her worries, she just let him hold her, taking him
in. His hard body felt substantial against her, strong and proficient at
delivering damage. But when he held her like this—gently, reverently—she knew
he was far more than he seemed. He could destroy walls with his fists yet those
same hands were tender with her. His fingers were capable of working her body
like the strings of a guitar.

How could I ever have thought I could hate him? If he
keeps this up, I’ll happily wrap myself around his little finger. I’ll be his
to command.
A hot lick of heat slithered from her stomach to her pussy.
Or
maybe I’ll wrap my entire body around his. See how many positions we can figure
out.

“Damn,” he growled, rolling his hips. “You are feeling
better.” He took a deep breath, drawing in the air. “I love the way you smell
when you’re turned-on.”

“I should probably take a shower.” She’d have to face the
members of the house soon, as well as the pack if her hunch was right. There
was no way she was doing so in nothing more than a shirt and panties. “I need
to change into my clothes.”

“Later,” he expelled in a rush, pushing her back so he could
dip his head.

Their lips met in a kiss wild and wicked. The hunger she’d
tried to smother returned, creating an itch at the back of her throat. She
rotated her tongue around his, flicking the tips together. Her gums tingled and
her fangs descended. His pulse beckoned, thrumming in her ears. The spicy and
alluring scent of his blood called to her, she could almost feel the warm
liquid splashing over her tongue.

He tried to take her to the bed, bending her back.

Not so fast.

She wasn’t as strong as she should have been but he was
being so cautious with her that she easily wriggled free. With a quick glance
to make sure the door was closed she sank to her knees. He wasn’t denying her
this again. She’d fantasized about it for too long. Next time he could do
whatever he pleased. Right now she was taking what she wanted for a change.

Trey tensed, his eyes forming into thin slits. “Careful,” he
warned, words rumbly. “You might bite off more than you can chew.”

“I hope so.” She popped the front of his denims open and
lowered the zipper. He had gone commando, had nothing but bare skin to greet
her.

Excellent.

“Sit down and lay back,” she ordered, tugging at his pants.
He’d forgone shoes so undressing him wasn’t going to be difficult. “You’ll like
this.”

And so will I.

It wasn’t in Trey’s nature to submit but when Sadie looked
at him like that—with lust and hunger in her gaze—how could he possibly say no?
He plopped down and scooted back, allowing her to remove his jeans. With a
snarl, he ripped his shirt over his head. He’d waited so long for her to wake
up, fearing she never might. When she finally did so he’d meant to be
courteous, seeing to her every want and need.

He’d never expected her to get aroused.

The succulent scent of her pussy was a sexual stimulant,
making his cock go rock-hard. The wolf was also eager for her, longing for her
touch. He didn’t care what she did to him so long as she kept her hands on his
skin, her body in contact with his.

I’ve wanted to do this for so long.

Sadie’s thoughts were easier to hear, sometimes coming out
of nowhere.

In her sleep, when she dreamed, he picked up fragments from
her mind. Strange images and impressions. When the dreams were good she felt
elated, flying on a constant high. On the other hand when her dreams were bad
she felt desolate and empty, her sadness a nightmarish tomb.

Her palms brushed his inner thighs, obliterating rational
thought.

He sank back in the pillows, making sure he stayed upright
so he could watch. She ditched her shirt, ripping it open, sending buttons
flying through the air. Her bare breasts bounced, ripe pink nipples pebbled and
hard. Before he could enjoy the visual, she’d lowered her head. Her lips
breezed up one of his legs, her breath cool on his skin. Her hair cascaded over
his thigh, the blonde strands a stark contrast with his darker complexion.

He fisted the comforter to stop himself from reaching out
for her. “Sadie.”

She tisked at him, gazing up and meeting his eyes, flicking
her tongue over his flesh. Her fingers carefully squeezed and massaged his sac,
using just enough pressure. Her irises lightened, turning sky-blue. His gaze
went to her mouth. Her full lips were parted, her tiny fangs visible. His wolf
snarled and his claws lengthened. He itched to feel her hot little mouth
wrapped around his cock, drawing him deep, sucking him down.

“Tease me now,” he warned, fighting to breathe, “and I’ll
tease you later.”

Amusement lit her face. “Is that so?” She slid the tip of
her tongue from the base of his cock, gliding it all the way to the crown.

“It’s a fucking promise, mate.” He’d show her how it felt.
She wouldn’t like it much. He’d see to that. “I’ll keep you on the edge for
hours. You’ll be begging me to make you come.”

“In that case…”

She took him into her mouth, lips parting and making way,
her tongue cradling the underside of his dick. Then there was suction, the most
intense pressure imaginable. His eyes rolled back in his head, the comforter
ripping to shreds as his claws tore through the material. He pumped his hips,
feeling the softness at the back of her throat. She compensated for what she
couldn’t do orally, working the base of his shaft with her hand.

His sac tightened and his cock pulsed. She moaned, the
vibrations almost enough to send him hurtling over the precipice. Since the
comforter was ruined he had to make do with destroying the bed. He sank his
fingers into the soft mattress, determined to let her finish.

“
So good.
” Her voice flowed through his mind. “
I
knew you would be.
”

He groaned, grinding his teeth. Why did she have to go and
say that?

Son of a fucking bitch.

The pressure in his balls built, his entire body quaking. He
wasn’t going to be able to hold off. He’d waited too long to see her like this,
worshipping his cock with her mouth, enjoying the act as much as he did. His
wildest fantasies weren’t shit. The real deal was so much better, so much
fucking sweeter. With a plunge of her head, she took him all the way to the
back of her throat and swallowed.

That was all it took. “I can’t hold back,” he grated, losing
the battle.

“
Then don’t. I want to see how you taste.
”

His came with a roar, the sound so loud it echoed through
the bedroom. It dawned on him that the others could hear but he didn’t give two
shits what they thought. His female not only met his expectations, she kept
exceeding them. Her clever fingers continued stroking his cock, her mouth going
up and down the length. She swallowed blast after blast of his semen, drinking
him down. It seemed to go on forever but forever would never be long enough.

Not when it came to Sadie.

“Mmm,” she hummed, sliding her lips from the head, slowly
backing away.

She fed him the image of what she wanted to do next.

The vein on his thigh beckoned, the blood pulsing under his
skin. She wanted to feed from him there, watch him come a second time. But if
that happened there was a chance he wouldn’t be able to go another round. His
mate might be content to give him release without achieving her own but he
wasn’t keen on letting it happen.