Vows of a Vampire (11 page)

“Varick, can you hear me?” Through a haze he glimpsed Aubrey crawling toward him and resting her head on his chest. Her faint voice brought him relief. “I’m so weak,” she sighed.

He breathed in her sweet essence and choked back a sob. He’d vowed to protect her and he’d done anything but. “I know, and I’m so sorry for everything. If I hadn’t come into your life, you’d be fine.” He never should have gotten caught up in his feelings for her.

Raising her head, she stared into his eyes. “No I wouldn’t. I’d have gone over a cliff. You saved me then, and you saved me just now from being bitten again. You are my hero, Varick.”

In his mind he felt like a killer. “I should have prevented it. I didn’t want you to be harmed by anyone. It’s my fault they found you.” He paused a moment, his chest tightening making it difficult to catch his breath.

Fear filled her beautiful eyes. “What’s the matter? I can tell you aren’t okay.”

Here she lay, weak and frightened, and she asked how he felt? “Don’t fret about me, love. I’m more concerned about you right now.”

She gripped his shirt in her fists and tugged. “Please, talk to me. I’m worried.”

He tried to offer her assurance with a smile, but the pain made him flinch. “My body is starting to shut down. I haven’t fed for several days and I’ve lost a great deal of blood. It’s weakened me.”

Her eyelids flickered. “Why haven’t you been nourishing yourself?”

He tangled his fingers through her hair, enjoying the soft strands against his flesh. “You fuelled me with your beauty and love. Since we’ve been together, I haven’t thought of much else.” Varick craned his neck to where he’d last seen Luke.

A tear slid down and rounded her cheek. “I’m sorry you had to fight your brother.”

He’d have given anything to find reconciliation between them. “It was inevitable. He despised me. At some point we would have had an all out war. He wasn’t happy, now maybe he can feel a sense of freedom.”

She laced her hand in his, sending much needed warmth through his body. “Denzen fled while you two were fighting.”

He’d had a feeling that would happen. The loyalty of the coven had ended with Dante’s death. “I doubt he’ll return.” Varick winced as he inhaled.

“He mentioned something about blocking your senses. It’s not your fault.”

His brows furrowed. “I’m the one who brought you to my home. I went against my instincts and the laws of our coven. I should have left you alone.”

She pressed her cheek onto his, nuzzling close. “Don’t say that. I love you.”

His heart soared to hear those words from her lips. “I love you, too, which is even more of a reason why I shouldn’t have put you at risk. I hate that Luke got to you before I could save you. You might…”

Varick stopped himself. He couldn’t even bare to think it.

Her eyes searched his, fear present in her expression. “I might what?”

His lips trembled. “Luke fed from humans who were sick. His blood is tainted and when he bit you, the disease may have mixed with your blood. It could make you very sick. Even if you don’t get sick, having been bitten still puts you at risk of being hunted by other vampires.” It sickened him to say the words.

The terror in her eyes made his pain worse. “How soon can it affect me?”

He swallowed hard. He should’ve been stronger and kept control of his feelings. It had been a mistake to ever let her in his home. He’d never forgive himself. “Days, maybe months. Right now you’re weak from blood loss, so your immune system is shot.”

Another tear etched her face. He wanted to reach up and wipe it away, but his arm wouldn’t move. “What about you? How can I help you get better?”

Varick looked away. He’d be damned if he asked her to do something that would only endanger her further. “You can’t.”

She cupped his chin and forced him to look at her. “Of course I can. Tell me what to do.”

His body shuddered as he tried to take a breath. “I need blood to heal.”

The look in her eyes noticeably changed to determination. She wiped at her tears and rested her hands along the sides of his face. “Tell me what to do and I’ll bring you some.”

He tightened his grip on her. “I can’t allow it.”

Aubrey clicked her tongue. “Stop being so damn stubborn.”

In that moment he was grateful for the time they’d spent together. Even in anger she was beautiful. “Aubrey, I love that you want to try, but if you leave, you’re at an even bigger risk, and right now I lack the strength to protect you. Because you’ve been bitten, every vampire around the city will pick up your scent and be hot on your trail. They’ll want to feed from you and make you their mate. You’ll never make it to the coven.”

She sobbed into his chest. “There has to be another way.”

Varick couldn’t stand to listen to her cry. At this point he couldn’t even comfort her. What good was he to her? Maybe death proved the best solution. It might buy her some time. “I shouldn’t have allowed myself to go so long without anything.”

Her head shot up and a hopeful look passed along her eyes. “But you drank from Luke, wouldn’t that help?”

He shook his head. “I’m afraid not. I knew when I drank from him that it would poison me.”

Aubrey raised up an inch and frowned. “How could you do something like that? To me?”

An icy draught shot through his body and made him shudder uncontrollably. He didn’t want her to see him like this. “I did it for you. Otherwise he’d never stop hunting you. It’s okay. The time we shared means everything to me.”

She held her wrist up and brought it to his lips. “Drink from me.”

Varick speared her with a glance. “What? No. I can’t allow that. Don’t mention it again.”

“Please, I don’t want to lose you.”

Gently he kissed her wrist. “I won’t do anything more that might hurt you.”

Anger flooded her eyes. “How can you hurt me? There’s a way isn’t there, but you won’t tell me. Please, I beg you.”

Did she realise what she asked of him? Of herself? “To heal us both requires my turning you. It means you give up this life for immortality. I won’t ask you to sacrifice your world for me.”

Her forehead creased. “Don’t you care about what I want? If we can heal each other, and spend an eternity together, how is that wrong? Please, I offer myself to you willingly.”

He wouldn’t let her live this kind of life. She deserved so much more. “No.”

She took his hand and kissed each knuckle. He’d miss the feel of her, the smell of her, the precious sight of her. “What will it take? Explain it to me.”

His jaw clenched as a spasm ripped through him. “I can’t just feed from you once, I’d have to feed from you again, which means turning you. I won’t let you become a vampire.”

She knelt over him, her full breasts pushing along the top of her dress. “You said Dante wouldn’t change my mother. Did he want to change her?”

Dante’s words replayed in his mind. “No. He loved her the way she was. He believed the risks they took far outweighed making her become something he feared she’d regret later.”

She chewed at her lip. “It would have made things easier for the both of them if she’d become a vampire.”

Varick shook his head. “Not necessarily. Her number one concern was you. Bonds of blood come first.”

Her adorable nose scrunched up. “Does it hurt, to change?”

“When combined with pleasure it lessens the pain, but I don’t think this is right. Luke spent his whole life angry for being changed into something he didn’t want to be. I know he claimed it was all my fault, but I don’t think he ever came to terms with being turned into a vampire.”

She jutted out her chin. “That won’t happen to me.”

Her courage moved him. “How do you know? You can’t predict how you’ll feel years from now.”

“I know because of entries in my mother’s diary. She didn’t have enough time to with her true love, and I believe she’d do things differently if she had the chance.” She pursed her full sensual lips. “You go ahead and say anything you want, but I’ve made my decision.”

His vision blurred. He could hardly make out the outline of her face. Right then he wanted to die. At least it would keep her from making a mistake. “I can’t agree to this. Believe me, it moves me how deeply you care, but you need to walk away now and not look back. Let me go.”

“Not a chance,” she hissed. “Maybe this will help to change your mind. If you don’t drink from me, and you die, then you’re leaving me to fend for myself. You’ll be leaving me for someone else. Is that what you want?”

Varick let out a whoosh of air that hurt like hell. “You are your mother’s daughter. Dante always said Laura was the most stubborn and opinionated woman he’d ever met. And he loved her for it.”

“Well, there you go. Argue yourself out of this one.”

He couldn’t help but smile. “You’re very brave.”

She brought her face up close and nuzzled against his cheek. “No. I’m in love. I want to save
you
for a change, and in turn it will save
us
.”

Love radiated from her body and soothed his pain. How could he give up the chance to spend the rest of his life with her? “I’m moved by your words. If you’re sure this is what you want, I will honour your request. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”

Her lips brushed against his ear. “It is what I want.”

Varick fought against his weakened state and knelt over her body. He pulled her dress up and over her head, admiring her immaculate beauty. Temptation had never looked so good.

“How about you part those beautiful thighs for me?”

He’d never feared anything more, but he wouldn’t hurt her.

Varick covered her lips with his. A sweet, hot, passionate kiss. He sought her tongue as he readied himself to enter her. A growl escaped him as her juices coated the tip of his cock. Fuck he loved the way she was so easily aroused.

He savoured her heat, how it penetrated his body and gave him one hell of a hard on. Wanting to make sure she was lost in his touch before feeding from her, he pumped his fingers inside her wetness and thumbed her clit.

Her body trembled beneath his touch, her whispery mutterings of “more, more, more” steadily gaining volume. He had a hard time not coming right there on the spot and realised he’d have to wait before thrusting his cock into her. For now he’d get her off with his fingers, propelling her closer to an incredible orgasm, and time it just right to bite her.

“Talk to me, Aubrey. I need to know when you’re just at the edge.”

She moaned, her head tilted back, nipples taut and teasing him as she arched, driving her hips against the cadence of his fingers.

Varick bit back his own climax. The flush of her skin let him know she was close. Bent over he eased her neck to the side, whispering softly. “Spill your cum along my fingers, baby. Let me feel that orgasm burn through you.”

“Yes,” she moaned. “Yes, uh huh, so close, I’m so close. I’ve gotta come. Oh God, I’ve gotta come right now.”

Her pussy clenched around his fingers and he pierced her neck.

Varick hadn’t fed from a human in so long he’d forgotten the difference in taste and texture. Her blood swept through him, pulsing like electric currents, restoring his body to full health. She tasted sweet, like spun sugar, her loving essence coating his tongue.

Her body relaxed after a series of spasms, making it easier for him to feed. He thought her so brave. She didn’t even cry out. The blood made its way down his throat, blazing a sizzling path of seduction and lust. His pulse sped up as he drank. His heart pounded loudly in his chest.

Varick stopped shaking and again felt alive. Her life pulsed through his veins, filling him with her beautiful agony. Careful to not get caught up in her decadence, he withdrew his fangs and licked up the remaining droplets of blood from around her neck.

The craving grew faint and things went back to normal within his body. Suddenly he became conscious of his surroundings and the peaceful look on Aubrey’s face.

“Are you okay?”

Aubrey’s mind whirred. There hadn’t been a second of pain. Only pleasure.

“Yes, I’m fine. I hardly noticed anything, just some pressure against my neck.”