Flesh and Blood

‘If Creek hears about the blood ritual, he’s going to want to know more. And maybe he should. As a precaution,’ Mal said. He hated admitting his weakness, but he’d hate hurting her more.

‘As a precaution for what—’

‘Did I hear my name?’ Creek called out as he approached.

‘Yes,’ Mal answered. Humans didn’t hear that well, but KM probably did. Creek might actually be telling the truth about who he was. ‘We need to talk.’

Upstairs in the guesthouse in one of the few bedrooms not destroyed by the Nothos, Tatiana gazed down at Octavian’s outstretched form. He trembled upon the bed with an ecstasy so palpable it coated her tongue like warm treacle. He seemed on the verge of orgasmic bliss.

That, she imagined, would disappear rather quickly as death took hold of his mortal brain. She would not pamper him through this experience. The vampire that had taken her mortal life had devoured her like food. If Octavian wanted this existence, he must learn its harsh realities.

Her staring seemed to make him twitch. ‘Your mortal life ends tonight. You understand that?’

‘It will be my greatest joy,’ he panted. ‘I am ready, my lady. Take me now.’

She laughed. ‘You are such a whore, Octavian. I believe that will serve you well in the centuries to come.’

Before he could utter another sycophantic word, she fell on him, thrusting her fangs into his tender neck. His breath ruffled her hair as he cried out in pleasure, but those sounds eroded into strangled gasps the more she drank. There was pain now, she knew that, but worse, he would feel the press of death’s shadow upon his soul. The promise of immortality would seem a very distant thing at this moment. She expected him to fight, but he went utterly quiet as the last of his sweet, life-filled blood drained down her throat. She took one last draw to be sure. The mouthful tasted of death.

She spat the bitter draught onto the floor and checked his pulse. Thready and fading. She jagged one fang across the inside of her wrist, then pressed it to his lips.

He came alive so quickly she wondered if she’d taken him down far enough, but there was no mistaking the death she’d tasted in his veins. This was just his eagerness to change on display. He lapped greedily at the blood she offered him.

He drank and drank until a faint buzzing rang in her ears. ‘Enough.’ She yanked her hand away and counted down. Three … two …

With a cry, Octavian convulsed like a bolt of lightning had struck him. His body arced between tense and limp as the invisible currents of life and death surged through him. As with all turnings, death – the permanent kind – occasionally came out the victor. She had no doubts this time. Octavian’s will was too strong.

At last, he lay still. The color drained from his skin. Facial lines smoothed. His slightly crooked nose straightened. The fine polish of nobility settled upon him as though he’d been born that beautiful. She studied him. A fine creation. She would train him to be the loyal companion she’d always deserved.

His lids fluttered and he opened his eyes. They’d gone from dull brown to a luscious cognac that matched his now-glossy hair. ‘Am I … ’ His chin quivered as if he couldn’t bear to speak the words lest they somehow become untrue.

‘Yes, you are. Welcome to the glorious and powerful Tepes Family, Octavian.’

He sat up, blinking his eyes like he’d gotten dizzy. Running his hands over his face, he felt the new angles and edges of his vampire visage. His fingers went to his teeth. He pricked one on a fang and stared at the pearl of blood shimmering on his fingertip. He turned to her. ‘I’m hungry.’

She nodded. ‘You want to feed, don’t you?’

‘Yes.’ His face darkened with the pleasure of anticipation. ‘I want to kill.’

Delight bubbled up inside her and she clutched at her dead heart. ‘Oh, my sweet, that is exactly what I’d hoped you’d say.’ She took his hand and licked the blood from his finger. ‘Because I am the most wonderful sire, I have prepared something for you.’ She patted his leg. ‘Wait five minutes, then come back to the house. Stay downstairs. When I call you, come up.’

Busy running his tongue over his teeth, he nodded. She left and hurried into the house and upstairs to the bedroom.

Nasir was naked on the bed, just as she’d anticipated. ‘What took you so long?’

Bloody prat. ‘I had to deal with the Nothos. I told you that.’ She shut the door behind her and walked toward him, swaying her hips in a way she knew distracted him.

She trailed her fingers up his leg. ‘You’ve been a naughty boy being away from me for so long, haven’t you?’

‘Yes, very naughty.’ He nodded eagerly.

‘Then you should be punished.’ And punished he would be, but for an entirely different reason. She unbuttoned her blouse and let it fall to the floor. Nasir reached for her, but she moved away. She wriggled out of her skirt, keeping her expensive French bra and panties on along with her heels. Nasir was suitably distracted. From under the bed, she took the black briefcase she’d planted earlier.

Nasir’s eyes widened with pleasure. His body tightened and he tried for her again. She slapped his hand away. ‘You are a bad, bad boy. Lie back and do as you’re told.’

Biting his lip, he stretched out on the bed. She took out the lengths of rope and teased them across his stomach and groin.

His eyes shuttered at the sensation. ‘You’re killing me.’