Viking Seduction Blood Slave (4 page)

A small grey fur ball streaked out of the room and under the couch. I couldn’t help but chuckle at Dekker sucking a bloodied finger.

I caught Nate staring at me with an odd look, something like sympathy on his face. “I’ll be goin’, Dekker. Listen, darlin’, Dekker’s a good man. He’ll take care of you. Just give him a chance.”

I scowled at him. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me. This is kidnapping, and now you’re an accomplice.”

He sighed and leaned close. “Darlin’, Dekker’s just trying to protect you. Ferine’s a nasty piece of work. But I think you know that already. If you leave here, he’ll find you and finish what he started. Or the inner circle will see to it you have a nice accident. Either way, you’ll be dead.”

He sounded so earnest, like he really believed my life could be in danger. He shoved off the counter and swaggered to the door Dekker held open for him. He looked just as hot from the back. But my gaze still drifted to Dekker in his formfitting blue jeans and black T-shirt. I remembered how good he’d felt tight against my naked body. Try as I might, I couldn’t deny the man still made my panties wet.

I finished eating an unbelievable amount of soup. A few sacks and boxes sat on the counter and floor.

“Why don’t you get that stuff put away? Nate and I put the stuff in the fridge already. Feel free to arrange things any way you want. It’s not like I use the kitchen.”

“Right, because vampires don’t eat. But apparently they cook.” I waggled the pot of leftover soup at him.

His lips twisted in a wry grin. “If you call opening a can and adding a few things cooking, then sure, Nate cooks. I don’t. So if you want to eat, you’ll be doing your own cooking -- and cleaning up after.”

A quick survey showed most of the cabinets to be empty. That’s when I noticed the bowl I’d eaten out of was mine. Along with the pan Nate had cooked it in. I started digging around in the boxes and bags. All of it from my kitchen. My gut clinched and cold fingers ran up and down my spine.

“You really aren’t going to let me go, are you?” I felt a lump rising in my throat.

Dekker pulled out a stool and sat. “I can’t, pet. You’re my blood slave now. I didn’t want it this way, but we can’t go back.”

I kept my back to him so he wouldn’t see the tears welling up. “So even if Ferine wasn’t after me, you’d still make me stay?”

I heard him draw in a deep breath. “Pet, you can’t go home. You know about us now, and the inner circle won’t leave you alone even if Ferine doesn’t go after you. I can keep you safe as long as you’re here.”

“And the price of my safety is my freedom. That’s hardly living.” I’d watched my mother go from one domineering man to another looking for safety and never finding it. Of course being certifiably crazy didn’t help. No way would I be like her. I pushed the bags aside. Unpacking them felt too much like giving up.

“You aren’t going to put that stuff away are you?” His voice sounded sort of sad, even though his face betrayed nothing of what he felt.

“I’m not moving in with you, Dek. I won’t be anyone’s slave.” I leaned on the counter and looked him hard in the eye. “You can’t seriously think you can just keep me against my will. And if you drug me again, I’ll…”

He cocked a brow in challenge.

“OK, I don’t know what I’ll do other than hate you. I don’t for one minute believe you’re a vampire or that my life is in danger. I think you’re crazier than any of my completely nuts family. And that’s saying a lot.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. “So if I can convince you, will you believe everything I’ve done has been to protect you?”

I snorted. “Like drugging me so you could seduce me? Or insisting that I’m your property? Nope, not buying it.”

He sighed heavily. “Kierra, I had no choice but to claim you as my blood slave or watch Ferine tear you apart a piece at a time, just like those mortals you saw at his warehouse. As your master, I have to provide for you. Hence, Nate brought some of your stuff. You’ll also need food and other things. So make me a list of what you need.” He came around and dug a pad and pen out of a drawer and set them in front of me.

I glared at him with my arms crossed over my chest. I had no intention of cooperating.

He leaned close and took my chin in his hand hard enough to hold it but not leave bruises. “If you don’t make a list, you won’t have anything to eat but canned soup. And after that runs out, you go hungry.”

A shiver of fear ran up my back. I’d never seen this Dekker, cold, hard and without mercy. I swallowed hard and reached for the pad. He wanted a shopping list; I’d give him one. Hmm, what really expensive things would I like to eat?

Chapter Four

“Pet, join me on the terrace? I’d like to watch the sunrise with you.” I tossed back the first glass of whiskey and poured a second. “Please, I have something to show you. You’re welcome to some whiskey or wine if you want it.”

The main living area went to the edge of the building, but on either side were stone-walled terraces. I chose the terrace where the sun would hit first. “I think the view from here is spectacular, don’t you?” I leaned against the rail looking over the city. The rising light filtered through the tall buildings of downtown.

She joined me at the rail but kept a cautious distance. “Shouldn’t you be getting under cover? I thought vampires turned to ash in the sun.” Her brows drew down in confusion and perhaps a bit of concern.

“Actually, it only burns the part that the sun hits, and we melt more than burn. Still hurts like hell and if enough surface gets roasted, it will kill us.” I shrugged. “The older a vampire gets, the more sun he can tolerate. Which is why you often saw me out before full dark.” I turned to face her with a slight smile. “I did wear a hat if you recall and kept my hands in my pockets or left my bike gloves on.” A beam of rising sunlight hit the railing. I trapped her gaze with mine and stuck my hand in it.

“Dekker! You have porphyria. Of course you’ll burn. Now stop this.”

She tried to grab my arm but I easily held her off with the other. “Not yet, pet. At my age, it takes awhile for the burn to start.” I gave her a wink and tried to decide if that was really concern on her face.

“I’ll bite. Just how old are you?” Her lips drew into a line that clearly said she thought I was nuts.

Could I trust her with the truth? If I wanted her trust, I’d have to offer some first. “I don’t share that information lightly. The older a vampire gets, the more powerful, and there’s always some young buck looking to make a name taking out an elder. I prefer to live quietly without looking over my shoulder all the time.”

She snorted. “How could I tell anyone when you’ve got me locked up?”

I could feel my skin start to burn but I needed a really bad burn to break through to her. She glanced at my hand and looked like she might protest. So I distracted her. “I was born in what’s now Norway. My mortal life ended in 1066 at Stamford Bridge with Harald Sigurdsson, also known as Hardrada.”

Her face paled. “That would make you a thousand years old.”

“Almost, yes.” I leaned forward and spoke firmly. “Very few know this, pet. I prefer it not get around.”

“Oh. My. God. You’re a real
Viking
.” Now her eyes went wide.

“That’s what history calls us. I thought of myself as a soldier, more than a pirate, which is what Viking means. We were neither as savage as older histories told or as noble as some romance stories make us out to be. As a people, we weren’t that different from the rest of Europe.”

She snorted. “The rest of Europe didn’t terrify the known world.”

I shrugged. “I was born at the end of that era. Christianity and the growth of kings, nations changed it all.” God damn my hand was starting to hurt like the devil.

She looked down to see my red, swollen hand. “Dek, stop it.” She tried to shove me into the shade. I only moved enough to keep just half my hand in the sun.

“Why are you doing this?” A look of horror and guilt flooded her face.

“I want to make sure you understand what I am and how serious this really is. I want there to be no doubt in your mind that everything I have told you is true.”

She gasped and turned away, looking more than a little sick. Half my hand burst open like a cooked sausage leaving a raw bloody mass behind. Yep, that’d do it. I shoved past her into my loft.

She hurried after me. “Dekker, let me help you. We need to call an ambulance.”

I ran cold water over my hand and all four fingers and the tip of my thumb sloughed away as muddy wet ash.

She clapped a hand over her mouth and ran for the bathroom. It hurt almost as bad as it looked but I’d endured worse. Now I just had to make sure she couldn’t deny what she’d seen.

“You are going to take a very good look at my hand.” I turned on the vanity lights over the sink, making the room extra bright.

She gasped and tried to back away but I grabbed her. “It will have regenerated completely by dark. I want to make sure you remember exactly what it looks like now and that I am not faking anything.”

When she gave me a quick nod, I gritted my teeth and laid my hand cradled in a bloody towel on the counter.

I got the feeling she felt like puking again.

I have to admit, it looked bad. My fingers had vanished and most of the flesh, leaving raw, bloody tendons and bone where the back of my hand used to be. Closer to my wrist it started to look just burnt. Then smooth healthy skin.

“Touch it, turn it over. Make damn sure I’m not tricking you here.” I shoved her closer. “
Now,
damn it. I’m not doing this again.” Shit, it hurt. I focused to drive away the pain. Sunburns hurt worse than any other injury to a vamp.

She sucked in a breath and hesitantly touched my charred flesh. She touched a piece of exposed bone and drew back with a grimace. Her face got even paler.

“More,” I demanded.

She examined my wrist and compared the length of both arms. Although in only a T-shirt, I don’t know how I could have hidden any prosthesis.

“It’s real.” Her voice choked to a whisper. “I didn’t mean for you to hurt yourself.”

I wrapped it back up. “If it finally convinces you, it’s worth it,” I replied softly as I turned for the bedroom. “I could use some help with my zipper.” I tugged on it but it just pulled my pants lower.

She swallowed hard but came to assist me. I watched her face flush when she saw I wore nothing underneath. She stood there stealing glances at the door.

“You sleep here, next to me. And you stay here until I wake, understood?” I lay back with a sigh. “Come on, I won’t bite you or try to seduce you, at least not tonight. And I’m not going to hold you down and take it either, not ever.”

She continued to fidget. “And if I don’t?”

I levered up on my elbow. “Even one handed I can drag you over here and I’m sure I can find something to tie you to the bed with.” I arched a brow in challenge.

With a resigned sigh, she joined me.

A slight noise woke me before I’d gotten fully to sleep. I could see her quite clearly in the darkened room digging through my pants, probably looking for my cell. Then she tried the locked door. I had to appreciate how carefully she ducked behind the curtains to check the door to the terrace. Not a single ray of sunlight hit the bed.

“Are you done stomping around? Come back to bed, I need to sleep.” I stifled a chuckle when she jumped.

She slipped out from behind the shades and gave me a guilty shrug.

“Wondered when you’d get around to that. Now, please, my hearing is quite good and you’re keeping me awake.”

She let out a deep sigh and crawled back into bed. I debated vamping her to make her sleep but I’d already taken her freedom. I wouldn’t take her will, too.

* * *

The opening drapes pulled me from sleep. Pain and hunger surged through my consciousness. I smelled living blood, my blood slave. Sweet, hot and right there. I rolled over and pinned her down before I felt even awake. My cock throbbed and my fangs ached to be in her.

Too soon, too soon. I dragged myself back from the edge. “Get up, now.” I didn’t have to tell her twice. She scampered into the bathroom and locked the door. I smirked at the locked door. If I wanted her, that wouldn’t stop me. But if it made her feel better…

I could smell the fear on her. Damn. I should have let her sleep in the other room. I knew I’d wake hungry after burning myself like that. I flung off the covers and dressed.

“It’s all right, pet, I’m awake now. Won’t hurt you. You must be hungry. Come eat.” I unlocked the bedroom door and headed for the kitchen.

After a few minutes, she cautiously followed. “Feeling better today? Any pain or shaking?” I did my own visual inspection of her oh-so-tasty form. My cock twitched and my fangs dropped again. Tonight she’d put on a tight pair of jeans with a baggy T-shirt.

“Fine, thanks. Want to stop that? You’re making me nervous.”

I chuckled. “Just making sure my pet’s doing all right. You have very nice legs.”

She glowered at me and yanked open the fridge. “I left a grocery list. If you’re intent on keeping me here, I need food.”

I towered over her. “Watch your tone. You’re my pet, not my partner, understood?” I let my gaze bore into her with all the intimidation of my long life.

She swallowed hard and nodded. I caught the whiff of her fear.

I hated to do it, but she had to learn her place, or she’d be seen as a threat.

Time for a little show and tell. I peeled the bloody towel off my hand. Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped open.

“Take a good look. Touch it.” I held my hand out to her. It still had a red tinge to it and hurt just a bit, but the fingers had all regenerated. I waited for her to say something as she traced a single, shaky finger across the back of my hand.

A chime at the door interrupted us.

“Go in the bedroom, shut the door and stay quiet.” She ignored me so I grabbed her arm and gave her a little shove in the right direction. “Bedroom, now, make a sound and you will regret it.”

She stumbled slightly and turned to glare. I put on my
do it now or die
face. It worked. She whirled and ran into the bedroom, slamming the door almost in my face.

I keyed open the front door. “Bring it in here.” I pointed toward the kitchen. The delivery guy grunted and deposited the bags on the counter. He kept darting glances at me as I walked him back toward the door. I knew what he wanted.
Bite junky
. “When were you last fed off of?”

“Three weeks, sir.” His voice sounded way too eager but he didn’t look pale, so maybe he spoke the truth. I shoved him face first into the wall. He grunted excitedly and reached to undo his pants.

“You can take care of yourself. I just want your blood.” I licked the man’s neck, ready to feed.

“Yes, sir,” came the less than enthusiastic response. Bite junkies craved the sexual high that came from the bite. Tough. I didn’t feel like fucking him. After Kierra, no other would do.

I slid my fangs into a vein at the base of his neck. As his blood rushed into my mouth, I felt him shiver from the bite lust. His shoulder moved as he stroked his already hard cock. Soft moans oozed past his lips.

I heard a slight noise. Kierra peeked out of the bedroom, eyes wide as I fed. The man groaned and a shudder shook him. I could feel him coming and watched the shock and yes, sexual excitement on my pet’s face. My cock pulsed hard with need, a small wet spot growing inside my jeans. Her gaze snapped up to mine and I captured it as I finished licking the bite closed. I stepped back and gave the man a brief moment to collect himself before keying the door open. All without taking my gaze off her.

I stalked over with a slight smile on my lips. Damn, I wanted her so bad.

I saw her eyes widen suddenly. “Hmm, let a little slip?” I licked my lips slow and seductively.

Her eyes dilated and I smelled her arousal spiking higher. My body heated as she ran her gaze down me to my throbbing cock. “We call it bite lust, and it affects us almost as much as mortals.” I ran my hand down my hard cock. “Unless you want to help with this, go put your pet food away.” I pointed toward the kitchen. Wild eyed, she spun around and hurried to the kitchen. She glanced at me a couple of times, as if afraid I might sneak up on her.

I wanted to, oh, how I wanted to feel her tight little pussy surround me while I thrust into her. Her smell intoxicated me even more. A hint of arousal mixed with too much fear. If I wasn’t careful, I’d jump her right there in the kitchen. But her furtive glances told me I needed to give her some space yet. I put the island counter between us so we could talk while she put stuff away.

“So, now do you believe?”

Her hand shook slightly as she took things out of a bag. “Would they really kill me if I left here? This inner circle is sort of like a bunch of vampire mob bosses?”

“Yes, Adriana made that clear. Ferine took you unknowing and unwilling. You didn’t agree to join his house, or mine. We work hard to stay just a myth. That means not letting freaked out mortals run around telling tales.”

Her short bark of laughter sounded strained. “Like anyone would believe me.”

“You’d be surprised. And you know how to find a major vampire holding, as well as knowing me all too well. Even if I convinced the circle that you could be trusted, Ferine would just come after you again.”

“So the two of you have been rivals for centuries?” She stopped for a moment to meet my gaze.

“Yes.” I really didn’t want to get into it right now.

“I think I deserve more than just a yes. He attacked me because of you, didn’t he?”

She had a point. “Close to three hundred years ago I got into a bit of a jam with vampire hunters on my tail. Ferine was a wealthy man, but his money couldn’t buy him the one thing he wanted, a longer life. He found me and we struck a deal. He’d protect me and I’d turn him. Becoming a vampire is not a simple thing and not everyone who tries it survives. The first step is becoming a blood slave.”

Her eyes widened then a wicked grin spread across her face. “Oh my God. You were lovers.”

I shrugged. “That’s how Ferine saw it. Blood and sex go together for us, but it was just feeding, not like between two mortals. This isn’t well known, but we get a certain amount of our sustenance from sex. It produces an energy we feed off.” I ran my gaze down her body and back, then gave her a wink. “In fact, older vampires need sex more than blood. Once I turned Ferine, I had no more interest in being with him. I really don’t like men that way.”

She smirked at me. “Unless you’re sucking their blood.” Her brows drew down in thought. “So why not have sex with the delivery guy?”

I leaned across the counter and let my desire for her show. “Because I’d rather save it for you. I don’t have to get both from the same source and you are way more attractive.”