A few months later…"Are you sure about this?"I turned away from the bathroom mirror, the curling iron still wrapped around a section of my hair. Zaine leaned against the doorway, watching me with a frown on his face. I hated him looking so glum like that, especially with where we were going tonight."It won't be that bad." Trying to reassure him as best as I can.He crossed his arms over his chest, not answering me back. Turning back around, I dropped the curl and let it bounce before spraying it with product to keep it tightly wound. I could feel Zaine tracking my every move, the soft pulses of his desire for me rang through the bathroom. It flattered me in a way that was hard to describe accurately. He'd been respectful of my time today, knowing I'd set aside a certain amount of time for myself to get ready for tonight's dinner and that derailing those plans by seducing me into bed would piss me off as soon as I came to.I'm sure he'd be able to sw
Gabriel's POVThe newspaper was strewn out on the table before me as I sipped my morning coffee. My glasses sat at the base of my nose. Nothing very exciting. Seemed to be a dry season within stories. Perhaps that was a good thing to some people, but in the world of investigative journaling, it meant missing out on a good paycheck. My phone was always on the table next to me, face up, just in case one of my contacts sent me a tip. My wife, Lucy, and I were freelancers. New to the game, waiting for one big story to come tumbling into our laps.I graduated a few years before her before getting eaten alive at a newspaper press. I wanted to find my own stories. Write what I wanted to write, but all they used me for was getting coffee and lunch. For two years. They never assigned me anything. Always the person next to me.Lucy was the one that told me to leave. Said we'd find our own stories. And we did—a few here and there, but nothing big enough to get our names out there. But we w
Lucy's POVI never liked flying, but the excitement of going someplace new completely overrode my fear of airplanes. I was absolutely elated by the new adventure laid out in front of me. While Gabriel grew up flying all over the world, I rarely stepped foot on a plane.He slept next to me the whole flight, not even jostling when we hit an especially rough section of turbulence. Adrenaline fired through my system, and I wouldn't have been able to sleep if I tried. Gabe could tell I was nervous and left his hand on my lap to squeeze whenever I wanted. After we landed in London, around 4 AM, we had quite the endeavor trying to get to Northpass. Bus to cab to bus to cab. Gabriel was useless without his coffee in the morning, but thankfully, he laid the itinerary out for us before we left. The last cab driver took us over the rolling hills where I could just barely see a little clock tower. My reception started to get a little spotty as we got closer. But I didn't care, absorbed i
Gabriel's POVWe dropped our luggage off at the bed and breakfast I booked, and the host was more than accommodating when she took it off our hands and told us to enjoy the small town. Lucy wanted to stop by the fishmonger. I wasn't sure why she wanted to stop there considering how much she hated fish, but then I saw an older teary-eyed woman handling the fish. A picture of her and a man hanging on the cluttered walls. James and Patricia. Fishmonger has been open since 1932. But the photos on the walls, I'd say James took over after his father, who inherited it from his father. A family endeavor like everything in this town seemed.Patricia apologized, saying that they didn't have anything fresh today. Lucy took point. Her empathetic nature made her perfect for handling situations with gentle hands. Yes, she was always full of energy, but she was also the sweetest woman I'd ever met. From the moment I met her, I knew she was the one for me. I observed, and she absorbed.
Lucy's POVGabriel's hand pressed over my mouth, muffling my cries as he pinned me against the wall. I couldn't help it. I cried out with every pump of his hips, fucking me harder and deeper against the wall of the shower. I whimpered his name over and over into his palm.The water had gone from hot to room temperature, but I wasn't cold at all. I released a few muffled sobs, eyes rolling to the back of my head. I wriggled, seeking more pressure, but I couldn't move. He dominated my body completely, controlling my pleasure exactly how I liked it. "Shh, baby," he whispered against my ear, very aware of how I writhed against him. He groaned as I clenched around him, wordlessly begging him to let go and take me with him. His groan turned into something like a growl, his other hand slipping between my legs to stroke the needy swollen bundle of nerves. I nearly screamed, thrashing at the sensation. "I need you to come, Lucy. Right now." He made a deep anguished noise in his thr
Gabriel's POVI didn't like how Vivianna looked at Lucy. Like Lucy was a sweet dessert to cap off a satisfying meal. The entire time I had to resist pulling my wife over my lap to make a point. I noticed how Lucy's cheeks flushed, her body tightening at the attention. The confusion muddled her mossy eyes like she didn't understand why she was reacting so strongly to the Countess.I did.The French called it l'appel du vide, or "call of the void." The urge to jump when you're standing on a ledge. Darkness allures. Gazing into the abyss, even though you know you shouldn't, it calls you to let go and let the black engulf you.The Countess was all darkness. I could feel it. I recognized the pull. It might as well come with a big red DANGER sign. Regardless of that, she still enticed me.Oozing raw sex appeal. Lips painted red. Legs that went on for miles clad in leather pants. Long black hair and a bustier accentuated her generous tits. Guilt churned in my stomach as I looked ove
Gabriel's POV"Where did you go last night?" I asked, walking aside Lucy as we were on the way to the bakery. Phillip offered me free coffee during our stay and I sure as hell was going to take him up on it. That man brewed the strongest, tastiest blend I'd ever tasted. Lucy froze, stopping in her tracks. "Oh…I was exploring."I hummed. I didn't know how long Lucy was gone, just that I woke up when she came back to bed, undressing and curling up against my back. Her heart was beating fast in her chest like something unnerved her, but I was too exhausted to ask. "I found a library and Vivianna gave me a book," Lucy said, rubbing her hands together like they were dirty. "Vivianna?" I echoed. "What was she doing in the library?" The thought of that woman being alone with Lucy didn't settle right with me. I didn't trust Vivianna. I certainly didn't trust her with my wife.Something about her was familiar. Dragging up ghosts from my past. Ghosts I'd rather not deal with. I tu
Lucy's POVI promised Gabriel I'd be back at the castle before dark, but with a journal full of interviews. Notes of my afternoon. I thought he'd be pleased to see all the secrets I've unearthed. I hoped his day was as fruitful.The threads were starting to come together, forming an intricate knot. Connections in every form. Apparently, the families of the missing men have lived in this town for centuries. Helped build the foundation the town sat on. Originally Hungarian citizens fled with their daughters to escape Elizabeth Bathory's reign of terror in the late 1500s.Oddly enough, the castle was here longer. Built by unknown hands nearly a thousand years ago. Perhaps Vivianna knew the origins of the castle, assuming her lineage stemmed from it. It sat on miles and miles of unexplored caves. But even when I brought up Vivianna's name, the locals seemed clipped, almost afraid of saying anything in vain. Like there would be dire consequences if anyone spoke against her.Think
Gabriel's POVSix months later…"Who's next?" I asked, flipping through paperwork at my desk. The blinds were open, letting sunlight stream into my office. I'd admit that was the biggest thing I'd miss from my humanity—the sun. But I could enjoy the warmth as the high-end glass protected blocked out the rays. My tie was loose around my neck. Still hated the things. That didn't change. My suit jacket thrown on the coat rack behind me. I rolled my sleeves up, gazing over the recently closed cases, and filing them into the proper categories.VampireShifter.Ghost.Demon.Boogeyman.Etc. I'd make a new file if we came across a new type of monster.The scent of strawberries filled my nose as Lucy plopped onto my lap, setting her laptop down to scroll the schedule. I brushed her longer blonde hair over her shoulder, peppering kisses against her throat.When we were human, her pulse would jump, but her reactions were still the same. She'd lean against my mouth, h
Lucy's POVI was floating in the black. The call of the void beneath my feet. A bottomless ocean. Deeper than the heavens above. I watched the clouds split apart, beckoning me to rise, but I chose to sink deeper and deeper. Finding warmth in the abyss.A burning pain seared my throat, churning my stomach with an insatiable hunger as my eyes shot open. Air clawed into my lungs, even if I didn't need it. I felt cold. Usually, I could hear my heart beating in my ears.Blood rushed under my skin. Warming my cheeks.But I heard nothing.Felt nothing.Except for this nauseating hunger.Disorienting. The first face I saw was Gabriel's, leaning over me, fully dressed. The last thing I could remember was intertwining myself with him and Vivi. Finding a mind-bending pleasure as I soared.Intoxicated in the sensations. Until everything became cold. Chills and pain settled over my body, and it paralyzed me. I remember the pain heightening to a point where I couldn't breathe, my
Vivianna's POVI felt powerful.Like I was siphoning Lucy and Gabriel's power for myself. The more time passed and the closer they got to a full transformation, the more strength surged through my body. It was like nothing I had ever felt before.And there was a reason for it.All the pain had vanished, leaving euphoria in its wake. Addicting. Enough to drive mature vampires into madness. I blinked hard, holding on tight to my mind, not letting it sweep me away.Gabriel and Lucy were mid-transformation. The initial heat of my blood had worn off, sending them spiraling into a lust-filled hunger. I remembered my transformation. Delirious lust. Hunger. But I was confused. Lost in the haze. Pain embedded into every fiber of my being. My muscles ached as they stretched and strengthened. Agony clenched my heart as it slowly stopped beating.Alistair left me alone during the change. Let the fear consume me as I felt myself die. I was in the dark, buried in a box in a shallow gr
Vivianna's POVI leaned against the headboard, my body flushing with heat. I could taste Gabriel and Lucy on my lips. Decadent and sweet. Rich and bright. Exactly how I imagined they'd taste together. Perfect accompaniments. My core tingled, wetness spreading down my thighs at the sensation of Gabriel's cock rocking against my slit. Lucy stared up at me, dazed with lust. Her pretty pink-tipped breasts asking to be licked. The taste of her pussy in my mouth. Heady and sweet, and I couldn't wait to sink my face between her thighs and use my tongue to make her come.But there was something I needed to say first. They had to know what was going to happen. "Once this starts, it won't stop," I murmured, my throat bobbing, the ache burning between my legs. I brought my nails to my collarbone and slit across the skin.The desire I felt kept me from feeling the sting, and I released small ruby droplets from under my skin. My blood would heal Gabriel now that I was strong again. All his
Lucy's POVThere was no time to react. Vivianna shoved Alistair against the wall, cracking the stone as Vivianna sliced through him with claws. Her face had morphed into that of a monster, with fangs and veins, while Alistair morphed into something resembling a wolfman. They disappeared into the darkness of the cave, but I could hear them.Every hit sounded like grinding stone. Heavy impacts. Blood spraying across the chasm. Hissing and snarling echoed off the walls, but I wasn't sure who had the upper hand, and I was afraid to think it was Alistair.Gabriel crumpled against the ground, and I ran to him, beaten and bloody. His shoulder was torn open, riddled with bite marks just like Alistair had shown me. God, he felt so cold. No shirt to protect him from the chill of being underground."Gabriel," I whispered, cupping his handsome face, bruised and pallid. Lacking his natural healthy, honey gold tan. "Baby." I stroked his cheeks with my thumbs and he groaned. A noise of pai
Lucy's POV"Are you sure, Lucy?" Vivianna asked like she desperately wanted me to say no. She wanted me to withdraw my consent. Give her a reason not to hurt me.Her heart cried out to me, begging me to leave her. Run before it was too late. But I wouldn't. Not when my husband was on the line.Rage burned within me. Alistair showed me Gabriel, chained up against a stone boulder, wounds weeping with blood. His chest was heaving, willfulness apparent in the cut of his rib. Even with his shoulders strained, riddled with teeth marks, he didn't lose himself. He was going to fight.And so would I.Anything for him. I was going to get my fucking husband back.My neck ached, bruised where Alistair claimed me. It felt like I was breathing smoke. Suffocating like ash in my lungs. Burning my insides. Searing me from the inside out.I could feel him in my head like he was wiggling his fingers in my brain. Trying to figure out what buttons to press to get me to do what he wanted. I
Vivianna's POVA sinking feeling filled my gut.Where was Gabriel? He hadn't returned after his meeting with William. The moon was high in the sky, the middle of the night. He should have been back by now. I turned to look at Lucy, still barely coherent, mumbling nonsensical words.Alistair wasn't ready to use her yet. I didn't like thinking about what he would use her for. All the things he did to me under his thrall…took centuries to heal from. Some I'm still healing from. She was sweating, small sobs breaking from her chest like he had her submerged into an eternal nightmare.Seeing Lucy in so much pain. So much terror on her face. It broke my heart. I reached out to comb my fingers through her matted curls, and I swear my touch relaxed her a little. Her nose unwrinkled, and instead of being afraid, she just seemed exhausted.So much sleep, but so little rest."Wake up, Lucy," I whispered, leaning down to press a kiss against her forehead. "Come back to me." Her eyeli
Gabriel's POVThe sun was setting.I was so close to town. Just a little further. No longer than a thirty minutes drive. Northpass had already slammed their doors, locking up for the night. I was absorbed by my thoughts.By my plans. Billy had answered most of my questions, and I wouldn't have gotten very far without him. In fact, I'd probably be dead in the water. Billy was callous and resistant, but he was good for his word.The sunset painted the sky with all sorts of colors, violets, and oranges. Beautifully disappearing into a night sky, only lit by a full moon. A brewing storm cloud perpetually floated above the castle, waiting to storm, but never able to. Like it was trapped in eternity with Vivianna.My mind wandered to them. How Vivianna would care for my wife. I should be there. Dampening Lucy's forehead with a cool cloth. Easing her fever and erasing her chill. I should be listening to her cries, holding her hand, and keeping her from falling too deeply.Bu
Gabriel's POV"So Elizabeth Bathory really was a vampire?" I asked, the journal open on my lap. My leg was crossed over the other, giving me a flat surface to work on while I face Vivianna.I took notes as I analyzed everything she had to say. It was like a dam of information had cracked wide open, spilling and overflowing the river beneath it.All of the pieces were falling together. The mystery of the portrait under the library. The missing people. How Vivianna enticed me.Vivianna had her legs parted, speaking easily, freely. She didn't have anything to hide now. She nodded, gazing at me with interest. "Elizabeth liked virgins. She'd host extravagant parties and every guest had to bring her a virgin. Alistair was a frequent attendee.""You said you slayed her. How?""The first fifty years of my curse was a bloody blur." She paused. "Pleasure. Death. Emptiness. I was so empty until one of Elizabeth's citizens grabbed my arm in passing, begging me to save his daughter from