“Mars? Where are you?”
I sighed, pressing the end button on the steering wheel of Rhayden’s Alfa. Speeding through the darkness, tears streamed down my face. I had packed everything I could manage to fit in a bag and had slipped from the Mansion before both vampires had noticed.
In the time since, Abe had called my cell phone almost constantly and Rhayden had called the car on more than a dozen occasions. I didn’t like the idea of keeping them at bay, or out of the loop, but this I had to do on my own.
After the altercation with Abe, Rhayden had come and helped me clean and re-stitch my wound, the whole time telling me he would rip his brother’s head off… but I had managed to keep him form doing that. In the end, he had offered to come with me… that too, I had managed to stall. I didn’t need Rhayden with me. He was a distraction, and after my fight with Absinthe, the safest place for Rhayden was away fro
“Did you, do it?”Rhayden’s voice dug into the tiny sliver of peace I had managed to find in the last few hours. I opened my eyes and stared at my brother. “Do what?”“Did you send Johan to kill Linda?”I rolled my eyes, closing them again and sank further into my chair. “Don’t be stupid. Why would I do that?”“Because Marley rejected you when you first asked her to work for you. The first person; a human woman; to reject you, in close to half a millennium.”My eyes opened again, and I looked at my brother. And although at the time it had been satisfying to inflict the wounds to him, I was glad to see the slashes on his face had healed, the broken nose, set, his face back to the beauty he had been gifted with. I’d always been annoyed of how much he looked like our beautiful mother. Whereas I was harsher—more like our father in appearance.“Just
I felt like shit.The motel I’d found was gracious enough to let me have the room for the day, and once I had collapsed onto the bed, I had fallen asleep almost instantly. Now I was sitting in a small diner down the road, thinking about what had led me to this.It had been so long since I had seen the anger, I knew Absinthe Raynes was capable of, and it just reaffirmed what I already knew. He was fucking dangerous.Abe had almost killed me once before… I knew it wouldn’t have taken much for him to have ripped my throat out. It would have been easy for him… and that’s what scared the shit out of me. I thought our past troubles were behind us… but obviously they weren’t, and I was seriously reconsidering my future.Could I do this for the rest of my life?Be Abe’s hunter? Lover?How long would it take for him to grow tired of me constantly pushing at him? Constantly wanting answers? Well, I wo
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.I’d listened to Marley’s message at least five times now, and each time, my stomach churned with sickness and worry for my human lover. Now I was on my way to the library to see my brother. “Absinthe! We have a proble—”I slid to a halt at the sighed of the man sitting at the head of the table.It wasn’t my brother.“Rhayden Raynes. Just the man I wanted to see.”Othello Martin was a formidable Vampire. Older than both Absinthe and I put together, his skin leathery, thin; showing the age of our Lord and I dropped his gaze, showing protocol. “Sire.”“Sit. What is so important?” My gaze shifted to Absinthe. His gaze was on the table; curtailed by the older man. Fuck. This was about to get really shitty. I sat, pushing my hand with my phone into my jacket pocket, but not quick enough and Othello noticed the device. “What is that?”My gaz
Another dirt road.Why the fuck did the vampires think it was such a good idea to seclude their safehouses like they did, down dirt roads and away from civilization. Especially since they had a penchant for nice cars which didn’t handle the dirt overly well. I’d already stopped Rhayden’s Alfa from ending up in the gutter more than once.But I guess, when you were a secret race of humans who were scared of being discovered, because of what might happen to the wider vampire community… it didn’t seem so ridiculous.The road seemed to stretch on forever… until it broke into a clearing and I slammed on the brakes, coming to a screeching halt in a large expanse of dirt.I stared at the dilapidated building; hidden back against the huge trees; the peeling paint, the blacked-out windows… it screamed fuck off and I knew I’d found what I was after. Shoving the map back into the glove compartment, I stared
I was starting to think I’d never find Marley, until Mathias threw her corpse at my feet.Why, of all vampires, did she have to kill one of his? Mathias would stop at nothing to have Marley’s head on a spike and there would be sweet fuck all either Rhayden or I could do about it, once the 24-hours was up.The library doors burst open, and I lifted my head, hoping to see Marlene standing there.Instead, it was Tony.Normally calm under pressure, this was the fourth time in a month I’d seen him less than calm. “Tony?”What had happened? I’d given him and Maddison permission to complete the Mated Ritual, knowing it might make them a target… had it gone wrong?Tony walked over to me, “The New Orleans safe house has been activated.”“Orleans?”The Safe-House in New Orleans was one which rarely got used.It was owned by Othello, a safe house for everyone, the o
The night air was chilled as I stepped out of the building, bag slung over My shoulder. My gaze moved to look at the horizon, the sun almost ready to poke its head over the edge and light up the morning sky.I’d managed a couple of hours sleep. But it had been fitful. Constantly jerking awake, thinking the door of the vault had been opened; even though I knew it couldn’t be opened from the outside, once someone sealed it from within. I’d tried that before and failed.I had to keep moving, make sure I was ahead of what was coming after me.I’d killed a Vampire.He might have been a rogue, killing an innocent girl, when the hunting of humans was forbidden; but he had been an unsanctioned kill, and I had broken the Rules.I was only ever allowed to hunt and kill rogues which had been sanctioned by Absinthe, or in the event of Norman, I’d had been given permission by Korin, because the Vampire had been killing in his territory.Not that I had killed him, that had been Rhayden, while I ble
I woke to warmth.Turning my head, Marley was curled beside me, her hand over my long dead heart and I smiled. Leaning over, I kissed her forehead, making her stir, her beautiful eyes opening, looking up at me. “Hi.”“Evening Marlene.” I replied quietly, my hand coming up, caressing the soft skin of her cheek, loving the warmth transferring to my fingertips. “Are you okay?’“I hurt…” she replied, and my stomach knotted.“Hurt?”Marley nodded, rolling to the side. Blood from her chest, soaked into her shirt—into my shirt. I sat up, reaching for her, ripping open her shirt. Her dark bra; holding her magnificent breasts, making my body stir. But the fresh bout of blood which oozed from her wound made me hiss.It should have healed by now and my gaze went to the bruises on her body. They were dark black. “What happened?”“The Vampire I killed. He th
Abe held out a shirt and pair of sweats he had managed to pull from a cupboard on the side of the room. I took them and hissed as the shirt caught on the grazes on my back. Abe turned and looked at me, as he put on the jeans he had found. “Are you okay?”“I am bruised and not just by you.” I winced. I lifted the shirt and looked down at the bruises on my ribs. “I don’t think he liked me.”My gaze moved to the bruises on my hips, and I smirked, looking up at Abe.“But I know you like me…”Absinthe’s gaze moved to the bruises on my hips and frowned.“Shit. I shouldn’t have been so rough with you.” He turned, picking up the syringe and turned, taking my arm in his hand. “This is going to sting.”He pushed the needle into my arm and I hissed, feeling the serum quickly working into my veins making my head swim. Fuck, I hated serum with a passion and t
My hand went to my mouth, and I looked at Absinthe. Tears were on his lashes, and he closed his eyes, letting the drops slide down his cheeks. “Oh my god.”“Now you know. You know why I didn’t want to tell you about Johan, or where he was. It’s not the fear of you leaving Marley. Honestly, I could live with that, to know you are safe…” He opened his eyes, his irises almost white and I heard the pain and anguish in his voice. “It’s the fear of him taking the one thing—which is worth more to me, than my own immortality. That is what scares me.”My hand reached out to him, and I gripped his hand in mine, squeezing it. “As much as I want to be angry with you, I understand why you did it. But Abe… he has to be bought to justice for what he did.”“I know, and he will. I just need time to make a pla—” The phone rang, making us both jump and Absinthe reached out, pick
My hand went to my mouth, and I looked at Absinthe. Tears were on his lashes, and he closed his eyes, letting the drops slide down his cheeks. “Oh my god.”“Now you know. You know why I didn’t want to tell you about Johan, or where he was. It’s not the fear of you leaving Marley. Honestly, I could live with that, to know you are safe…” He opened his eyes, his irises almost white and I heard the pain and anguish in his voice. “It’s the fear of him taking the one thing—which is worth more to me, than my own immortality. That is what scares me.”My hand reached out to him, and I gripped his hand in mine, squeezing it. “As much as I want to be angry with you, I understand why you did it. But Abe… he has to be bought to justice for what he did.”“I know, and he will. I just need time to make a pla—” The phone rang, making us both jump and Absinthe reached out, pick
“Abe?”Absinthe slowly lifted his eyes, looking at me. “I was wondering when you would get here.”I closed the door to the library, and leaned against it, looking at my dark-haired lover.He looked sad. Lost almost and I sighed, walking over and sat next to him. We didn’t speak for a few minutes.His gaze couldn’t hold mine… that’s when I understood, and my heart broke into a million pieces. “You knew about Johan and Johnathan.”“Yes.”He knew… I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Why didn’t you tell me?”Absinthe’s bottom lip trembled, “Because I knew you would have a one-track mind about it. That it would cloud your judgement.”“What judgement? That he is as crazy as his ancestor—”“Father.”“What?”“Johnathan was Johan’s father
It had been twenty-four hours since the trial, and while things should have been feeling fairly normal… something was niggling in the back of my mind. Something didn’t feel right.I hadn’t seen either Absinthe or Rhayden tonight, but I knew I would probably have Rhayden between my legs any time—“Hey, what are you doing?”I looked up at Rhayden, seeing him standing at the door, arms crossed over his chest. He still sported the remnants of the braids I’d done the night before, and I smirked, returning my attention to the device in my hands. “Recovering from your brother.”“Was he rough with you Mars?”There was not an inkling of concern in this ass’ voice, and I rolled my eyes at him, flipping him off, which earned a chuckle. After Absinthe had fucked me three times, and sent me insane with pleasure, we’d laid quietly and not spoken. I had been drained, not only mentally,
I waved to Othello as his entourage took him out of the mansion grounds to a hotel owned by our kind, which would house him and the other coven leaders for the rest of the night.There was no fucking way I wanted them in my mansion any longer.It had been a rough night.There were moments where I thought I would have to fight Mathias, or tear my brother off him. But in the end, justice prevailed and Marley was safe.Speaking of Marley.I turned and walked back into the mansion, seeking out her scent.I knew she would be with Rhayden. Hopefully not impaled on him again. That, I had only just barely tolerated. While I knew they fucked, I didn’t want to see it.There.Turning to one of the four parlors in the lower halls of the mansion, I stopped at the doorway. Marley was sitting a small armchair, Rhayden at her feet and she was… was she braiding his hair?I chuckled as the pure bliss on my brother’s fac
The vampire at the end of the table had everyone’s attention. Even his so-called supporters stared at him as if he had just sacrificed a small child in their presence.Mathias sat down and leaned back in his chair, looking at us all. “It wasn’t Johnathan.”Wasn’t…? this guy was just so fucking negative. What the actual fuck?“It was. I saw the tatt—”“It wasn’t.” Mathias snarled, crossing his arms over his chest. “It was his brother. Kendrick didn’t like the fact his brother had been slaughtered by Absinthe.”“I did not slaughter him. He attacked me.” Abe spat and Mathias rolled his eyes.“Whatever. Kendrick said Absinthe had no right to ruin his family’s legacy like he had. Johnathan’s final wish was to destroy his own coven, kill out the bloodline. He never liked the fact he was a vampire. Never accepted what he
You could have heard a pin drop in the room… well, you could only hear my breathing, and I thought that worse. Why the fuck did I have to be surrounded by dead things?“Mathias, you called this trial, I call for you to make the opening address.”My attention turned to the man at the end of the table. Surrounded by other vampire coven leaders, Mathias tried to look impressive as he stood. But in reality, I could see what a weak creature he really was, and I wondered if he had been like this when he had been human; because I could tell with the fang marks on his neck, he wasn’t born a vampire like my lovers.Mathias leaned forward, his knuckles going to the table as if to be intimidating, and glared at me. “This human, killed one of my Senior Coven, without evidence of any wrong doing on my member’s behalf. She needs to be punished for it. And I would gladly punish her if you cannot.”He was kidding, right
I walked beside Marlene, Rhayden on her other side, as we moved through the quietened mansion toward the library and to her fate.This was going to be a shit show.I could feel it in my bones.Never in the history of the vampire nation, had a human stood trial for killing a vampire. They were usually dealt with quicker than this. Slaughtered, or drained of their blood, or left in the wilds to die. This whole situation was unheard of and the fact it was happening to our human, set my teeth on edge.This could go one of two ways.Marley would be found not-guilty, in which she would be free and we would be able to continue on how we had been.Of she would be found guilty and her life would be forfeit; and I would not be okay with that. This meeting could potentially be the death of my beautiful lover, and I had to decide if I would stand for it.Would I allow Othello end Marlene’s life?No. I knew I wouldn’t.An
My heart fluttered. God damn it. Again?I hated serum so fucking much. My head pounded, and my eyes slowly opened.Absinthe and Rhayden were leaning over me, their hair curtaining their beautiful faces. I smiled, reaching up and stroked their cheeks, my touch melting the tension from their features as they looked down at me.“My boys…”“Marley.” Absinthe cooed, leaning down. He gently pressed his lips against mine, before Rhayden did the same.“We thought we’d lost you Mars.”“I’m not going anywhere just yet.” I smiled, moving to sit up and Absinthe helped, propping pillows behind my back.Rhayden smiled, looking to his brother as he climbed from the edge of the bed. “I’ll go tell Othello she’s awake.”Absinthe nodded, turning back to me as Rhayden closed the door. “You left a dead Lycan on Othello—”