"Ran wants to know why other New World vampires have been tried and executed for crimes but ours haven't? After all, they want us dead, so …"Alexis gave me a look as if I was stupid to ask, and Paul was the one to answer."To guarantee that your Council would have no sympathizers," Paul said. "By doing this, your Elders have made you out to be the enemy to every other Neratomay.""Which is why no one has been sharing information with us …" Ran thought, finally focusing on our impending doom instead of the loss of his body.It was very late in the night, and my human family looked weary. "We can talk more tomorrow. Alexis, you can stay here. There are many comfortable rooms below ground. It might be best for you to retire below ground because Ran … Ran's body cannot withstand daylight. "Alexis' expression grew instantly dark. "I will not stay where you are not present.""Oh, fuck that!" Paul spat, obviously reaching the end of his limit. "You're not staying in our house!"Alexi
I flashed myself home well before Paul would arrive by motorcycle. I would hear the Wolf Pack's motorcycles long before they reached home. Tyler and Jason still lived in the small cottage behind ours. It was cozy but adorable for the two of them, and it allowed them free reign over the lands to hunt and bay at the moon without garnering the attention of curious neighbors.I checked in on BJ who slept through the night now. The sound of her breathing calmed my frazzled nerves. I sent my trusted human aid home. She was one of the first ever to utilize a safe house and was now a true willing donor to a young vampire whose turning had been sanctioned only this year. I resisted the urge to pick BJ up and feel her weight in my arms, to listen to the regular beats of her heart, to smell her baby scent and to feel the soft brush of her blond curls. After closing her door, I went to my bedroom and washed away the makeup and then changed into lounging pajamas.Moments later I heard the Pack'
When I ended our connection, I saw that Paul watched me in curiosity. I wiped away my lost expression. "Tony is going to have everyone gather at the manor." I focused on Paul, knowing that my thoughts were chaotic upon finding out that Tony and Monica …I cleared my throat. "Tony and Monica … I guess they are …" My voice faded. Paul nodded in understanding, not requiring me to voice it.I did anyway. "I don't know why she didn't tell me that she and Tony were together."Sam listened but remained silent. BJ's world remained unaffected as she held her bottle in one hand ready to take a hit off of it when necessary, while her actual attention stayed on a dancing, mechanical stuffed animal that could do somersaults without ever losing its balance. Freaky.I stood. "I better get dressed and ready."I was in my walk-in closet staring at an array of clothing though not really seeing them when Paul walked in."Are you okay, babe?"I looked at him. He didn't seem angry at me at all any
Paul and I stood in the doorway of my walk-in closet staring at the carnage that our passion had left behind. We were both nude and smeared in blood—both his and mine. Most of my clothes still hung on hangers except for where the shelving units had been crushed or wrenched from the walls. I grimaced at the amount of blood smeared on my clothes, my wall, and my once pristine white carpet.I reached out unconsciously to touch the love bite on my shoulder … one of the love bites. There had been many.Paul's eyes were hooded as he weaved on his feet completely sated. When we turned to meet each other's eyes, I saw my blood on his lips. I licked my lips tasting his blood on mine. "Are you okay?" he asked.I nodded. "And you?" He nodded. Despite our desire to do so, we had never ripped flesh during lovemaking before. This was the first time we had included pain with sex. It was the first time we had both completely given in to our most secret desires to bite and fuck and rip.I tur
I found myself wondering if their relationship had been apparent to all but me. I'm sure I was giving my thoughts away as I glanced at Kaniji, who stood impatiently by the fireplace. She seemed too calm to know about it. Tony was in a wingchair while Monica sat on the couch. Frank was on the other end of the same couch. Cyrene sat in the matching wingchair facing the cold fireplace and Kaniji. Paul had trailed into the room after me, his expression neutral. But the vampires in the room perked, ignoring me as they watched my husband. I took a moment to look back at him in a black T-shirt, a leather jacket, and jeans. Oh …His bloodied wounds hadn't completely healed. And even though they weren't visible beyond his clothes, the smell of his recent bloodletting was unmistakable. My nostrils caught the faint scent that I had become accustomed to; sex, blood, and werewolf. Shit, vampires were notorious for knowing when you've had sex and now they knew that we'd spilled each other's blood
"They will kill you!" she hissed, her teeth dropping either from her attempts to hold me or from the sound and smell of battle and blood.But they were killing each other! I couldn't stand by and watch it! And suddenly I wanted to smack the fuck out of Monica! I wanted to smack her and shake her, and as I tried to do these things we spun, crashing into furniture and breaking everything in our path. There were now two battles happening simultaneously."Fuck you, Monica!" I growled. "You two-timing sneaky cheating bitch!" "Me cheat?" she replied telepathically. "It's not me trying to hold two men emotionally hostage!" Ah, so that's what she really thought behind all of her smiles and cheek kisses. I felt my beast rising in frustration and anguish, the worst thing that could possibly happen. "You'll never be me!" I growled out loud, and instead of trying to reign in my anger and yes, jealousy, I felt my body begin to thicken—not as quickly as Paul and Alexis had but fast enough t
I sucked in a sharp gasp as if I was drowning and then bolted straight up into a sitting position looking around me frantically. "It's okay, baby," Paul said. "You're okay." Paul placed his hand on my shoulder to keep me settled down. I weakly pushed his hand away as I tried to collect my thoughts, not sure why I didn't want his touch although not quite sure why. Oh yeah. Paul had goaded Alexis into a fight, and I had gone insane. I looked around quickly at the sight of everyone surrounding me as if nothing had happened."What the what?" I would have thought it was all a dream. The room was put back in order and everyone including me was dressed as if clothing had not been imploded on several of us less-than-human individuals.The human Ran, Mara, and Karen had joined us, and everyone was hovering around the lounger. I was half tempted to crack a joke and ask if I was still in Oz. Instead I scanned Paul's face for injuries. His lip was swollen and there were furrows running down
"We each need to gather our Master vampires," Cyrene said. "They're targets, too." Cyrene appeared more than a little anxious."I can't say that I completely trust my Masters," Frank said. "What if they are in on this plan to get rid of the Council so that they may take our place?""See what happens when 'rogues" are allowed to kill our Councilmen and take their roles on the board?" Kaniji asked snidely.Alexis' face darkened. "It sounds as if you are questioning someone's appointment to this Council, Kaniji-san. Evidently my time away from this Council has done nothing to improve your attitude. If it wasn't necessary to determine if you have anything of value to add to these discussions, then I would remove your tongue … again." I saw the blood drain from Kaniji's already too-white face. Although I don't know exactly what Alexis had done to her when he had punished Kaniji after she gave me the information that would allow me to take the death sentence of my Sire, I knew that it h