Aspen Valley Wolf Pack (The Complete Series) by Amber Ella Monroe (132)

DONOR

Love comforteth like sunshine after rain.” ~ William Shakespeare

---

Without her Glock 43, Elaina was no match for a bloodthirsty vampire.

Her tracker intuition told her she was being followed by one. The vampire made no attempt to mask its presence. Dark shadows loomed over the pavement around her as it hastily shifted from one area to the next, but it never fully materialized. Revealing their true form to a human wasn’t something vampires were known for...unless they planned to kill said human.

Elaina kept her gaze on the ground and quickened her pace. Although the parking garage wasn’t that far away, it seemed to take her an eternity to reach it. The worst thing she could do at this point was run. There was no escaping them, and no point in fleeing once you became a target. Death was the only outcome. Theirs or yours. One shot to the head or a clean slice through the neck proved to be the quickest way to destroy these creatures. But tonight was her unlucky night. Mid-day, she’d left all weapons in her SUV. The metal detectors at the Courthouse would have immediately exposed her if she hadn’t. As a tag and title clerk at the local government office, her position never required her to go beyond the onsite metal detectors. However, two of the clerks had called in sick in another department and she was chosen to cover for one of them. It was also the reason she was working late. She never stayed out past evening.

But here she was with nothing to defend herself with. Not even a damn razor blade.

Something told her the vampire would not allow her to make it to her SUV, but it was worth a try. Continuing toward the covered garage, she contemplated her limited options.

The tall wrought iron street lamps gleamed on the sidewalk, and her heels echoed into the night as they hit the asphalt. Gusty winds blew against her exposed face, lifting the hair off her shoulders. She caught the scent of two more presences directly behind her on the breeze, but these two weren’t vampires. One smelled of cheap aftershave and the other of pine-scented soap. They were human. Both were men. And they were the only ones between her and the vampire.

Customarily, vampires didn’t discriminate when it came to a feeding. Blood was blood. The nourishment that kept them alive. Maybe he or she was just hungry. Could the men be the decoys she needed to make a clean escape? Or would her plans backfire?

If this thing were one of the greedier, younger vampires, then more than likely he’d chase all three of them down and feed until their bodies were lifeless.

Resisting a vampire was like struggling to stay awake when fatigue had set in. Sooner or later, the body succumbed. There was no denying these creatures a feeding. Death came swiftly to those who opposed them.

Elaina had once been a vampire tracker until she had made one false move that had cost her the job. Now, she was being hunted by both the organization that had employed her and the very beings she’d been contracted to kill, but not for the same reasons.

Both sides would have to put up a good fight if they wanted her because she refused to become a research rat and would never welcome death.

Tonight was no different...

She stopped cold on the pavement...and so did everyone else. Elaina spun around. At that moment, she had confirmation that she was the one being tracked this time around. She stared directly at the barrel of the gun that was being pointed at her by one of the humans. The next events happened like flash animation in rapid succession right before her eyes.

The vampire caught the men who had been following her by surprise, rushing up behind them and grabbing them both by the throat. They were stunned and—like her—unprepared for the ravenous predator.

Just as she was about to make a break for it, a gun fell from one of the victims’ hands and skidded across the pavement. The other man gripped a rope. Had these two actually been pursuing her?

She scurried backward, nearly tripping over her own feet, yet her eyes would not leave the scene.

The vampire must have held them in a death grip. All she saw were the whites of their eyes and a large dark shadow behind them. The creature honed in and struck the first victim in the jugular, sucking the life right out of him. The second victim’s arms and legs began to shake and then he was completely still.

Damn. The Dresdan had drained one while choking the other.

It tossed their limp carcasses onto the grass along the sidewalk. From deep within the shadows, it eyed her—the main course. Deep crimson eyes burned bright like fire. The ends of the trench coat it wore fanned outward with the breeze. It was moving toward her.

Her legs finally obeyed and she fled, the wind whipping across her ankles as if urging her to hurry. She shrugged off her long pea coat in an attempt to run faster. Her heels clicked the pavement, echoing against the stone walls.

She parked on the same level every day, but tonight it seemed like she had to cross mountains to get to her SUV. Taking the elevator was not an option, of course. Standing still for even one second would be disastrous.

Elaina heard the familiar swooshing sound the vampire made just before they shifted from one place to the next. The sound was closer than before. He was gaining on her.

Her heart pumped frantically and her lungs burned from exertion. She picked up her pace, pushing herself to reach her destination. Her Tahoe sat in the corner. The last one on the right within what was now a desolate parking garage. If she died tonight at the hands of a vampire, it was likely that no one would find her body until morning when it was cold and rigid with death.

The moment she thought she’d reached her SUV successfully, the vampire unfolded in front of her, blocking her path. He was huge, and her eyes leveled with the lower portion of his chest.

Before she could raise her gaze higher to confirm that the killer had caught up to her, he reached for her. He grasped her by the waist and lifted her off the ground. She opened her mouth to scream, but a gloved hand clasped over her lips.

Elaina kicked her feet, connecting sharp-heeled pumps to her captor’s shins. She might as well have been fighting with a sumo wrestler. His grip was firm. Her cries were muffled by his grainy leather glove, and she focused on wriggling out of his grasp. There was no mistaking what type of vampire he was now. The ancient spicy aroma gave him away.

Dresdan, for sure.

There was only a handful of vampire species, but Dresdan were one of the most powerful, and the most ancient of the group.

Her captor lowered her heels to the pavement and his massive frame pushed her back into the metal pole behind her. The hard beam felt alien digging against her spine. Her eyes turned left and right, looking for a savior. Someone. Anyone. Still, he pressed his palm to her mouth, preventing her speech. The SUV was only a few feet away, but she’d failed to reach it.

Elaina strained to peer up at him, but the height of her captor prevented this. Only the black shirt stretched over his taut chest muscles could be seen from her line of sight. He bent down farther, so close that his chin touched her forehead, and then he inhaled deeply.

Oh, my God. She would die. But why tonight?

“When I let my hand up, you keep your trap shut,” her captor hissed into the side of her face.

She sucked in another breath and clasped her fingers onto the chilly metal behind her. Her heart drummed with the consistent cadence of a marching band. Dammit, she was stronger than this! Had she turned into a wimp after all this time?

“You got that?” It demanded when she didn’t answer.

She squeezed her eyes shut and nodded her head.

“You scream...we’ll both be executed.”

His harsh, warning tone frightened her, but she bounced her head in agreement once again.

Executed? Those were the only words that had registered.

He straightened his posture and slowly lifted his hand from her mouth. She parted her lips, taking a gulp of fresh air. It burned her lungs as she recovered from lack of oxygen.

Gradually, she lifted her chin, then her eyes to identify the brute. He wore a black leather hooded cloak. Sleek hair framed and covered most of his face. The blood from his last snack had leaked from one corner of his mouth, and some of it had settled on his chin. His fangs were exposed, and they were a good three inches long. Red glowing orbs glared down at her. The rest of him—a black shadow in the night.

On her next exhale, she released a belated scream.

---

The high-pitched scream wrenched from Elaina’s throat and echoed through the atmosphere. The Dresdan’s palm clamped over her lips, this time with more force.

It was over for her. She had no chance of escape. Should she even try? Once a Dresdan got ahold of something, anyone could bet on destruction and death. Always in that order.

He’d discarded two grown men like a dissatisfying snack. There was no doubt that the Dresdan was ready for a meal. Female blood gave the male Dresdan an instant high. Many human females had been captured and carted away by the most ruthless of Dresdan. There was something about an excited, scared, or aroused female’s blood that appealed to them. An abundance of fear mixed with the adrenaline running through her system was sure to appeal to him.

The Dresdan was so close now. The smell of hungry anticipation was thick in the air. Her body went limp again against the pole. Her resistance undoubtedly excited him. Maybe if she fought less, he would grow uninterested and find some other chick to feed on.

He turned her quickly away from him and positioned her face to look in the window of a car. “Is this your vehicle?” His voice was a forced whisper.

The bastard! He planned to drain her blood in her own SUV.

Elaina looked through the window anyway. She glimpsed a newspaper and a stack of books on the passenger seat. Her Glock lay hidden on the driver’s side under the floor mat.

He shoved his hardened groin into her ass. “Is it?”

A jolt of pleasure swirled in her stomach. Confused by her body’s choice of sensation, she nodded. She could understand the fear of being caught, the excitement from finally reaching her weapon, but why the heck was she aroused? Fuck, she was so dead.

Her captor brought his free hand around, producing her keys. Somehow, he must have snatched them from her. She couldn’t remember it happening, just the struggle she put up to break free. Of course, it had all been in vain.

Opening the front door, he held her body against the SUV with his own. He used the controls on the inside frame to unlock the other doors, then led her to the back of the Tahoe.

So much for reaching the gun under the front seat.

A commotion came from the other side of the parking garage and both their heads whipped in the direction of the sound. Something was headed their way. Hope tingled in her belly. Thank God! Maybe someone would see her being attacked. Would they help her? Would they see the vampire and run?

She took a deep breath and tried to build up enough courage to fight off her captor so she could get their attention.

Dark figures moved about, casting shadows against the concrete. Two of them.

“You hear that?” He hissed into the back of her hair. “Four were sent to take you in. Two are now dead. These two are looking for you. Do you want to spend the rest of your life in a research lab?”

This brute was crazy. If two men were trying to kill her and he knew it, then why the fuck would he hold her hostage?

When she didn’t answer, he continued, “Get in the damn vehicle. Don’t make a peep.”

There was no time to accept or reject his demands. Feet shuffles and the voices of two men approached. He shoved her onto the floor of the SUV behind the front seats and came down over her. Elaina had never felt more claustrophobic in her own space before.

Blazing red eyes bored into her. He pressed his pointer finger to his lips and shook his head.

Strange. His hard dick pressed into her stomach, and that was all she thought about. It once again awakened a sexual urge that she thought had dissipated.

Her captor’s head snapped up as footsteps pounded outside on the pavement. While her heartbeat quickened, he remained still and calm.

The men’s hushed voices echoed throughout the garage, just beyond the SUV.

“You sure she ran up to this level?”

“She could have circled back around to the front. Let’s hurry before we lose her. The District wants her turned in alive.”

Her heart skipped a beat. They were talking about her. After all this time, the District had found her location.

They spoke in harsh tones before moving on. After moments of complete silence, Elaina was certain they had moved to another area.

She exhaled and looked at her captor. He’d no doubt saved her from being taken in, but what for? “What do you want from me?”

Fire eyes slowly turned on her, but the Dresdan didn’t let her up. He lifted his hand and brushed sweat-dampened hair from her forehead.

Elaina shrank back, confused at this stranger’s actions.

He stroked his fingers through her strands as if he admired her and had known her before their encounter. “Elaina.” Her name rolled off his tongue like magic.

She gasped. She knew this voice. It couldn’t be. No. Wasn’t he dead? Executed by his own kind?

Glowing ruby eyes disappeared and turned to a deep hazel. She knew that gaze.

She had to be dreaming. This could not be possible, but past memories of those eyes matched this one.

“Vicq.” She’d missed him.

“Mi amor.” He bent his head as she slipped her fingers around the nape of his neck. His hair was longer now and the soft strands caressed the back of her hand.

Delicately at first, he settled his mouth onto hers. Her fingers tangled in his hair and his firm lips molded desperately to hers. She parted her lips, inviting his tongue to tangle with her own. The taste of him was not forgotten. Delicious. Sweet. Comforting. It had been so long since she’d been embraced like this.

The dormant spark awakened in her torso and loins. It consumed all of her. Her body temperature escalated as he shoved his hand under her skirt and smoothed it down her thigh. His fingers gripped her flesh, kneading the tension away.

Their lips fused, and tongues flirted together while her memories flooded back to the day when Vicq had lured her into his bed. Because of him, she’d failed her mission. Because of him, she was no longer the hunter, but the hunted. Even now, he captivated her and made her forget why she had left him in the first place.

Elaina backed away from the kiss to gaze into his eyes again. Just to make sure that this was real...that she wasn’t dreaming.

Vicq pressed a kiss into her forehead. “You’ve been thinking about me? You kept your memories all this time, mi amor.”

He’d delved into her thoughts. For the strongest Dresdan, blood wasn’t the only thing they used to know an ally or an enemy. The essence from a kiss, fear, and arousal had been used by Vicq to enter her mind many times before.

Her palms molded to a firm, solid chest and confirmed that he was real. There was just enough light to admire his smooth olive complexion, and she ran a few fingers against the side of his face.

“Vicq, I thought you were dead. Your Master sentenced you to death.” The words rushed out of her on a breathless whisper.

“No, not dead. I live for you, remember?”

“But where have you been?”

“I have protected you from the shadows too long, Elaina.” He licked his lips, the way he always used to do when he’d craved her blood. “They’re getting closer and closer to finding you. Your life is in danger. More now, than ever before. You’re coming with me.”

---

“So, you didn’t die?” Elaina exclaimed, as Vicq helped her up off the floor of the SUV. She sat down, making sure to keep away from the windows, and leaned her back against the frame.

“I died decades ago, Elaina.”

He’d grown his jet black hair much longer than she’d remembered it four months ago. He was also much slimmer and leaner. In human years, he was ninety-two, but he didn’t look a day over thirty. He still had the young, vibrant aura of a man in his prime.

“You know what I meant,” she said.

“I have a lot of explaining to do,” Vicq said. “But now is not the time. We have to move out before they circle back around.”

“We?” She frowned. “We aren’t going anywhere until you explain to me why you had me thinking you’ve been dead for the past four months.”

“It was safer for you.” Vicq pulled himself up on his knees and then offered her his palm. He nodded towards the driver’s seat. “Let’s head out.”

Elaina crossed her arms over her chest. “I could have taken care of those men.”

“You could have—,” he raised an eyebrow, “—if you knew they were coming. You didn’t even know I was there.”

Without the monthly supply of the District 5 drug that sustained her ability to detect and track Dresdan, she was absolutely useless. The truth was, she never would have known Vicq was present if he hadn’t revealed himself. Apparently, she was getting rusty. She’d been so distracted, that she’d hardly noticed that two District 5 trackers were following her.

“So, you admit that you’ve been stalking me?”

“I have been with you for quite some time, Elaina.”

“With me?” She exclaimed.

“Let’s save this small talk and discussion for later.” He gestured again with a nod of his head toward the front seat. “Can you drive?

She narrowed her eyes. “Where do you think you’re taking me?”

“A safe place.”

“Where?” She demanded.

“My coven.”

“Last I checked, your followers thought I was a traitor.”

“They understand you better now.”

Vicq held out his hand again and she took it, allowing him to help her into the front of the SUV. Instead of taking his seat like a normal person would, he used teleportation.

“I can see you haven’t lost that touch.”

He leaned over slightly, shocking her by lifting his palm to stroke her cheek. The skin was cold but soft against her. His breath was warm against her lips. “I lost a lot of things, Elaina, but you...I won’t lose again.”

Elaina shifted her gaze away from him. “How can I trust you? It was so hard...” She swallowed.

“I came to you every day at the same time. It took everything in me not to reveal myself. Bringing you into my world once again when we were constantly hunted because of what we stand against was too risky.” He lifted her chin with his fingertips so that their eyes were level again. “Your plan was perfect. The new identity. Moving far away from your District base. Cutting off all ties to past connections. I didn’t want to ruin it.”

“It obviously wasn’t so perfect if they found me.”

“Just last week, you called your parents’ home.”

Elaina’s mouth fell open in shock. “But it was from a pay phone. Miles away from my house or job.” She couldn’t stand the loneliness anymore, and had only wanted to hear their voices. She had to know that they were okay. All she had gotten was an answering machine, but that had been good enough.

“They traced the call. There’s a possibility that they have a bug on your parents’ line.”

She shook her head. “How did you know?”

“After you left the phone booth, I had Logan trace the last number dialed.”

“Damn.” She dug her fingernails into her palms. “I knew it was a bad idea.”

“I’m sorry, Elaina. I’m sorry I had to leave you alone.”

She frowned and pulled away from him. He’d been watching her all this time and knew she was unhappy. Hiding. Running for her life.

“We have to go.” He unfolded his hand and produced her keys on his palm.

“I need to grab some belongings from my house.”

“No. Your location has been compromised.”

“What do you mean, no?” She turned to face him. “There’s something I need to get. It’s very important.”

“Fine. We’ll stop to get what you need and move out immediately. It won’t be long before District 5 finds those dead trackers.”

“You’re right.” Elaina slipped the key in the ignition and started the SUV.

She wondered what would have become of her had Vicq not been around. Had those trackers really come to take her in? It was odd. Why not just kill her now? But if District 5 had really wanted her dead, they could have easily sent a sniper.

Glancing over at Vicq, she realized now that the vibrancy in his skin tone was likely due to feeding on one of the trackers who’d pursued her. He needed blood to sustain him. Dresdan had a healthy appetite. Just like most humans have a favorite food, the normal Dresdan have a preferred blood type.

According to the Dresdan, blood types went beyond the four main ones and were further expanded into subtypes. Each subgroup had a different flavor and scent. It just so happened that Vicq preferred her subtype to all others.

Five months ago, Elaina was sent to execute Vicq. He was one of the most powerful Dresdan and notorious for getting in the way of District 5’s missions. Instead of killing him, she fell under his spell and became his Donor.

---

Elaina stashed her keys in her handbag and maneuvered around the parked rows of cars in the gravel parking lot leading to her home. Vicq followed closely but silently behind her, his boots barely grazing the ground.

Wind blew across her face and she briefly caught the scent of fresh lake water under her nose. Each day, coming home to her small houseboat in a tight-knit community that pretty much kept to themselves was comforting. No one asked questions here. The landlord had accepted her cash every month without a word. She’d become a loner in such a short time, relocating from the East Coast to the West Coast, traveling thousands of miles across the country to make a new name for herself. Evidently, District 5 had caught up with her. If Vicq was right about how they’d found her, it had taken them about a week after the phone call to her parents’ house to send out trackers for her.

Vicq fell in step beside her. “Remember when you told me you were eighteen before you could swim?” He chuckled under his breath. “I never thought you would choose to live on a houseboat.”

What a sheltered teen she had been. Her parents had never allowed her luxuries and freedom like her counterparts. She was homeschooled by her mother and had successfully completed her K through 12 studies by the age of 16. When she was old enough to move out, she’d made the drastic decision that had put her in this predicament. Her parents had always taught her that her upbringing as a child would mold her into the adult she’d become in the future. They were right. However, this future wasn’t what they’d had in mind.

She grinned. “Becoming part of District 5 is like joining the Marines. They push your ass in the deep end of the pool. If you want to live, you learn to swim—immediately.”

“You’ve managed quite well on your own. When I first started coming to you, I had to keep in mind that I needed to keep a sizable distance between us since you were once a tracker. You had a great nose, even before they started injecting you with their drugs.”

“I always had a feeling I was being watched.”

How didn’t she know the man she loved was only yards away from her? Had she been that reliant on the District drugs to detect a Dresdan?

The full moon reflected off the river, creating an eerie silver gleam. As they neared the dock leading to the row of houseboats, short bursts of wind brushed the water, causing ripples to form at the surface. As always, no one greeted her when she crossed the threshold into her home. Aside from the maintenance crew that came to do repairs when needed, no one else had ever been invited inside.

Elaina had always leaned toward cozy, small living spaces rather than large mansions. Many of her ex-colleagues at District 5 had earned their stripes in no time and moved on to live extravagantly and without worries by day. At night, when they were given their assignments, they took on a different persona. Being alive the next day was never promised, so most of them splurged and spent their healthy earnings. She had chosen to live well below her means. A rented room on the highest floor of a condominium had been her sanctuary before she went AWOL. A glamorous lifestyle had never been something she’d envisioned for herself anyway.

The houseboat she now called home was smaller than most efficiency apartments. She didn’t require much, only a place to sleep, eat, and wash up. This place allowed her to do all of that. Now she would have to leave it.

Vicq picked up a leather bound book, held it in his palm, and thumbed through it. His gaze roamed over the interior of her living space. “I can see that you still hoard books.”

“I don’t hoard them.” She only kept the good ones so she could read them again.

“Why do you keep so many?” He stalked across her room and peered out of the small window over the kitchen sink. “Seems that if you’ve read most of them, they wouldn’t be collecting dust in your home. Why not donate them to your library? You were always stingy, you know. With your blood...and other things.” He licked his lips.

“And you were always greedy.” Elaina lined up four empty duffle bags and began to unzip them one by one. “With your appetite and libido.”

Vicq’s breath swept the back of her ear and she tensed. He’d moved so quickly that she hadn’t even seen it. He nuzzled her, holding his moistened lips to her heated skin. “I needed you, mi amor. Back then and right now.”

Her body responded positively anytime he used his native language to woo her. Before he’d been turned, he worked in this country as a migrant. As a child he’d been separated from everyone he knew when his parents died in a house fire. He kept fond memories of his Fillipino father who had a kind heart and his Mexican mother who made all of his clothing.

“Mi reina…I missed touching you,” he whispered.

Her eyelids closed and she parted her lips. Vicq’s fingers gripped the expanse of her hips and he nudged his nose against her vein, inhaling deeply. The insides of her thighs grew warm from the heat of her arousal. Her pussy clenched at the thought of his cock, smooth like leather and hard as steel, thrusting into her wet sheath.

She bit her bottom lip, squeezed her eyelids tighter together, and tried to rid herself of the image. He slid a hand downward until his fingers slipped past the waistband of her jeans. He stroked her mound with hot, roving fingers, and she cursed silently. She couldn’t deny that she wanted this, wanted him, even if it killed her.

His fingers slid between her wet slit and found her bud of pleasure. Elaina moaned as he stroked and flicked gently over her clit. Fear and tension were replaced with lust as she arched her back and pressed her ass against his cock.

“You see, Elaina, I can give you whatever it is you need.” He smoothed his cheek against her hair. “I’m greedy, yes, for your body and for your blood, but would you deny yourself what I can offer in return?”

Spoken like the true predator he was…

This was why it was too lethal to be with him. District 5 research proved that Dresdan males could seduce any female, satisfying more than just their sexual needs. They could send anyone on an emotional high...whatever they desired at the time. His kind, especially the males, thrived because of this. They had no problems enticing a potential meal into a dark alley or abandoned building. In order to live, they feasted on the weak and helpless. Some overindulged and killed their prey by draining them of life.

It didn’t help Elaina that she’d given her blood to him before. Once she’d let him inside her mind through the blood, it was compromised forever. She’d become his Donor. Her blood, his addiction.

He teased her clit with his fingers until she craved an ending to the torture—her release. She wanted it so much...but at what price?

Her eyes flew open, and she pulled from his grasp. “I don’t need a quick fuck.”

He laughed under his breath. “You have me mistaken for someone else. I have always taken you long and hard.”

A sharp tingle raced up her spine and her knees grew weak. She couldn’t concentrate on this escape if she was thinking about what he could do to satisfy the sexual awakening throbbing throughout her body. Elaina shook the vision of sex with Vicq from her head.

“Make yourself useful.” She grabbed two duffle bags and started toward the tall, wicker chest on the other side of the room. “Help me dump my clothes into these bags.”

Vicq caught her forearm and pulled the duffle bags from her grip. “I said one bag. Pack five days’ worth of clothes—that is all.”

“That would be two bags.” Not surprised by his stubbornness, Elaina jerked away with her bags. “My shoes and other incidentals go in their own bag.”

He frowned. “Incidentals?”

“My weapons,” she said.

“Fine! Pack it in two and let’s be on our way.”

She glanced over her shoulder and rolled her eyes at him. “What makes you think I want to roll with you for five days? We’ll part ways once I reach safety or they ca—”

He moved behind her before she’d even gotten the complete sentence out. “What do you mean...part ways?”

“If they catch up to us, I want you to leave me.”

“What? I came to you for a reason. I’m not leaving you anywhere.”

His eyes changed to a deep red, a sign of his aggression and his nature as a killer. How could she even think of him in that way? He killed, yes...but not mercilessly like others she knew. Vicq wasn’t a bad guy, yet he was targeted by many.

Elaina couldn’t meet his gaze anymore, so she looked away. “They’ll kill you. They only want to study me.”

“You’d let them?”

“To save you, yes.” She sighed. “If I give them what they want, I’ll have a chance to live. I’ll have a chance to return and get the information I need to save others.”

“What do they want from you, exactly?”

“The blood in my veins, Vicq.” She turned and searched his swirling red eyes. “Part of District 5’s research is to create a human with superior abilities much like yours. They’ve tried mixing the blood before, but the results were futile. The agent in the Dresdan blood never lasted long enough in a human to complete the tests. It has lasted longer in me.”

“I haven’t feed from you in months, but I can sense something is different about you.”

Elaina bit her bottom lip. “I know, Vicq. I feel different.” She shook her head. “I can’t explain it.” She looked down at the patterns on the area rug. “That’s probably why they’re still looking for me.”

“You’ve not crossed over...” His eyes shifted quickly back and forth over her face.

“You infected me with your blood, but not enough to change me.” She met his gaze. “You’ve known all along.”

“So, this is your plan? To go back to your mafia organization so they can study you? Is that really your choice?”

“What other options do I have? I bear the mark of a tracker. If another Dresdan were to find me, they’d kill me. Isn’t that why you didn’t come for me before? You’d be labeled as a traitor once again to your kind for helping me.” Elaina swallowed the fear rising in her throat. “I pose a danger to you both ways. I can’t stand to think of what will happen to you if you’re caught. Do you know what District 5 does to Dresdan these days?”

District 5 followed a set of procedures she knew all too well...

Capture. Torture. Observe. Execute. Salvage. The mission ensured depletion of the Dresdan...and the enhancement of a new human race.

Vicq grabbed her hand and snatched her into his body. He circled around to stand behind her, her back pressed up against his chest. She couldn’t deny that she needed him, craved touching him. His hand brushed the hair away from the nape of her neck. He breathed cold and heavy against the top of her spine.

She knew the symbol was there, emblazoned into her flesh, the mark... The five.

The palms of his hands smoothed down her bare arms. His fingers, cold at the tips, soothed her heated skin. The edge of his nose nudged the sensitive area behind her ear.

His lips grazed the cartilage. “There is an option.”

Yes, she knew about that option, the one that would turn her completely. It was why they hunted her in the first place. She’d given up the protection of District 5 to save the one vampire she couldn’t live without. If they aided each other now, and if she took the Dresdan bite, they would both be hunted for eternity.

“I don’t want to be what I am anymore. I never should have signed on with District 5,” She didn’t want to be hunted anymore. Why not just give District 5 what they wanted? Maybe, just maybe—

“You’re on the verge of transformation. You can let it happen, or go back to your organization, or wait and do nothing and see what happens.”

“I’ve waited for months as you can see. You were watching me. You and I both know I’m something other than human. If I accept change, what will I become? A human killer?”

“You forget, some of us aren’t human killers.” His breath blew against her hair. “Have you forgotten about your Vicq? Who I am?”

“Only a small percentage of your kind values human life. You feed on innocents.”

“By innocents, do you mean the weak and helpless or the unruly and murderous?” His tone was calm and patient as he challenged her conclusion. “I feed only to stay alive, as my promise to you. Do you forget?”

“Once the bite is delivered, there is no guarantee that I will live through the rest of the change.”

“You will live. Didn’t you already say it? My blood lives within you. You’re strong enough to withstand the change. Even your mafia knows it now.”

“They aren’t the mafia! There’s a mission, Vicq. The current leadership of the District has forgotten those values, but there are some of us that live by the initial mission. Human survival. Scientists estimate that if we don’t do what we can to preserve the human race, then we risk extinction, just as dinosaurs and so many other species have.” She shrugged from his grasp. “You think I will accept your bite and become reliant on human blood as the only food source?”

“Once we are bound, and you are turned, you can live by feeding off of me.”

“How? The District’s research shows that Dresdan need human blood to stay healthy and strong.”

“Not always. They misunderstand us. Some of us, anyway.”

Vicq swallowed, and the red disappeared from his eyes as his normal color returned. Elaina didn’t need to ask him if she’d offended him. The pain in his expression said it all. She slid her palm up the side of his face. “Vicq, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say those things to hurt you.”

“You can talk to me about anything on your mind. I promised that I could keep you safe and if you plan to do anything drastic, I think I should know.”

“I’m not your responsibility.” She kissed the dimple on his left cheek. “You’ve never seemed to understand that I gave my life to District 5 when I signed up. It’s my problem to bear.”

“No...”

Vicq’s head dipped low so that their lips leveled with each other’s. Butterflies swooped low in her belly as he took her into his arms. He beckoned her lips open and meshed his tongue with hers. Passion ignited in her chest and she forgot everything, even the fact that her life was in danger. Time floated just above them as Elaina let her needs overcome her doubts. They delved deeper into the kiss.

This was peace, and she wanted this feeling forever. It was too late to shut her thoughts off from him now. She’d left her mind open too long. Open to seeing visions and dreams that both of them knew could never be.

A hard thud sounded on the roof of the houseboat.

They jumped and tore apart from the kiss.

Running footsteps pounded the dock just outside her door. Shock lodged in Elaina’s throat. Without a doubt, she knew that District 5 trackers had found her again.

Vicq jerked her to the farthest corner of the room just as a spray of bullets shot down from the roof.

Her pistol lay just beyond reach, but if she could make it...

Elaina jerked away from Vicq, but not before he gripped her again and urged her toward the side near the bathroom.

“What are you doing?” He demanded over the thumping at the door. He kept a firmer hold on her arm as he scooped up the bathtub and held it perpendicular to the floor.

The door rattled violently as the would-be intruders tried to jostle it loose. Bullets continued to penetrate from above, and one ricocheted off the porcelain tub and pierced his side.

“Argh...fuck!” He flinched slightly, but held a steady grip on the bathtub. “Hide here.”

“Vicq...” She reached out to his wound, but the padlocks on the door faltered as the attackers barreled it down.

“Now!”

Elaina knelt on the floor, and the tub descended over her.

“Don’t get out until I tell you!” Vicq strained to speak with fangs dropped in full attack mode.

She sensed his rage. Her own blood rushed through her veins in panic. Was it the frantic heartbeat against her eardrums or the loud pumping of bullets that wracked her nerves the most? Both. She’d given up on that life of a tracker because of this.

There was no way in hell she would emerge from under the tub. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to bust a cap in the asses of the trackers who dared encroach on her home. It was because the damn thing would be too heavy to lift.

---

Fresh blood.

Metallic fumes steamed out from the enemies’ pores as the adrenaline ran through their veins. The aura floated up to Vicq’s nostrils and between his slightly parted lips. He inhaled deeply as his empty stomach clenched and his taste buds swelled.

Four hearts pulsed at a frenzied pace. One tracker noisily climbed down from the rooftop to meet the other two at the entrance to the boat. Their eyes focused in the dark behind their night-vision goggles. The last heartbeat belonged to the woman Vicq had pledged to protect.

“Why, hello...” Vicq grinned as the trackers’ gazes froze on the corner of the room where he stood. “You never even gave me a chance to open the door.”

“Dresdan!” One tracker shouted to the others in warning.

They lifted their revolvers. Aimed. Fired.

Vicq teleported from one side of the room to the other as the bullets tore through everything that couldn’t move from their path. Dishes shattered and crashed. Metal tore through the walls. A large jug busted open and water splashed over the sides of the countertop to spread out onto the tiles. A shelf toppled over, sending Elaina’s collection of books to a heap on the floor. All that ruckus just to shoot one vampire. How amateurish.

It confused Vicq that the District would open-fire among civilians. Then again, they were always sloppy in their execution. They were desperate, and resorted to outrageous measures, but Vicq would be damned if they’d leave here with Elaina.

The gunfire continued. They would have to stop and reload soon. Oh, yes. One of these motherfuckers would pay for the bullet still lodged in his gut.

Vicq flashed himself to the outside of the door. “Are we done yet?”

The trackers swung around in the direction of his voice, frantically reloading their weapons.

Vicq rushed one of them and grabbed him by the throat, lifting his feet off the ground. The redhead’s eyes threatened to burst from his sockets and he opened fire.

Several more bullets joined the one already in Vicq’s side. Blood leaked from his midsection and his cells worked to dispel the bullets and close the wounds. Vicq clutched his fingers tighter around the shooter’s voice box. The tracker’s neck snapped and his head lolled forward. Vicq tossed the lifeless body over the rails behind him into the dark, murky waters below.

He stepped over the threshold into the home again. “Anyone else care for a swim?”

His rage intensified. The lights flickered, dimmed, and then went out. He lunged at the men and jerked one of their weapons by the barrel of the gun. Shots fired and missed his toes by a hair. He tossed the gun across the room where it skidded out of reach.

He positioned the shivering male’s body in front of his own and glared at the other man, who pointed the gun toward Vicq and his hostage. “Go ahead. Pump him with bullets. He’ll die tonight anyway.”

“Where is she?” The gunman’s finger shook on the trigger.

“Why should that concern you?” Vicq squeezed the back of his captive’s head for a firmer grip.

“Shoot him,” the captive yelled through clenched teeth.

“I can’t!” The gunman leveled his weapon and then shook his head in frustration. “I don’t have a clear shot!”

“Pitiful.” Vicq laughed. “You have ten seconds to tell me why you came here. “Diez…”

He clawed the captive’s neck with a fingernail. A scream curdled in the man’s throat as the blood dripped down Vicq’s fingers. “Nueve…ocho…”

“Shoot him, you idiot!” The tracker writhed in Vicq’s grasp.

Vicq bent his head, eyeing the gushing blood and the open wound in the man’s neck. “Lots of memories reside in the blood, you know. I can take information willingly—,” his eyes shot to the gunman, “—or unwillingly.”

The gunman began to back away and leveled his weapon again. “I’m sorry, John. I can’t let him do that.” He blinked. “You know the rules.”

The gunman opened fire.

The captive never got what would have been his last words past his lips. No.

The bastard had killed his colleague to keep his memories hidden. Protocol. How clever. How stupid.

The shooter turned and hightailed it down the docks.

Vicq allowed the bullet-riddled and lifeless body to drop from his hand to the ground. He teleported in front of the escaping gunman and stopped him in his tracks. After grabbing him, Vicq carried the struggling male back to the cabin of the boat.

He bashed the human male’s head against the metal frame of the door on the way inside. “That was a dirty thing you did, traitor. You killed your partner in crime.”

“Vicq!”

At the sound of her call, Vicq’s head jerked to the tub where Elaina hid.

The traitor turned his head in her direction, too, but Vicq grabbed the gunman’s chin, forcing his attention away from Elaina.

“Please. They only want her. Just hand her over and you are free to go.”

“You’re telling me what I am free to do?” Vicq laughed. “Idiota. What do they want with her?”

“We know about her infection. They won’t hurt her.” The male held up his hands. “Please…”

“Mentiroso!” He shook the male hard. “You lie! What will they do with her after they have the specimen?”

“K-keep her. What do you care? You need human blood. She is of no use to you now.”

“You’re wrong,” he growled.

The gunman’s heart beat in panic. His breath labored and his body quivered. District 5 had come for her. Probably knew all along that her blood was infused with the vampire agent and that she was on the verge of transformation. Now that they knew where to find her, they’d be back, but Vicq wasn’t going to give them the head start they needed.

The gunman’s eyes widened in realization only moments before Vicq’s teeth sank into the thick jugular pulsing with life. He feasted on the gunman’s blood. The memories of his meal repulsed him. District 5 was a grimy organization, now hiring scum of the earth to do their dirty work. This man—a rapist, and murderer—would die tonight.

Before the criminal’s last breath exited his body, Vicq extracted his fangs. The gunman’s eyelids fell shut. The body slumped over. The pulse within the neck ceased. The sound of the heartbeat became slower until it finally stopped altogether.

“Get me out from under here!” The little tiny voice belonged to Elaina.

Vicq used his telekinesis to raise the tub from over her without moving. “Grab your shit. Let’s go!”

He didn’t have to tell her twice. Elaina’s gaze swept over what was left of her home only once before she grabbed the duffle bags and stuffed them with the rest her things.

Vicq tossed the bodies into the river while she worked. Some of her neighbors peeked outside with terror in their eyes, cell phones gripped in their palms. It would only be a matter of time before the cops swarmed this place.

“We gotta go.” Elaina darted past him with her bags in tow.

They rushed from the houseboat, never looking back.

---

The sirens blared from all directions as they threw baggage in the back seat of the Tahoe. They made haste to the main highway, away from the authorities. Elaina drove with Vicq grimacing next to her in the passenger seat.

She would never be able to return, to the houseboat or the new life she’d started for herself. She’d made one call, District 5 had caught on, and now they were on her tail. They wouldn’t let her rest until the odds were in their favor. She’d heard the tracker—they wanted her blood.

Not only that, but the cops would be after her made-up alias. What had gone down back at the houseboat would be dubbed a crime scene. Concrete evidence could be at the bottom of the lake. It wouldn’t take long for the bodies to float to the surface and be discovered. Then she’d be wanted for questioning...or murder. Or maybe they’d see the vampire bite on one of the victim’s necks. And to keep the findings from the public, the cops would sweep the details under the rug. District 5 would paint the Dresdan as animals, further proving their claim that they needed to be destroyed. The government would continue to fund their immoral research and experiments in the name of protecting humans. As a result, the case would be handed over to the District.

District 5 had their own way of covering up the mess they’d made. Their involvement would never make it to national headlines. That included paying off investigators with inside connections to ensure evidence and files were promptly destroyed. That’s how it had all unfolded in the past. Before. When she’d been a tracker.

Minutes passed before Elaina’s pulse slowed and her erratic breathing subsided. “I’m running on a quarter tank of gas. We’ll need to stop.” She glanced into her rearview mirror and saw nothing but darkness. That was a relief. No cops or District trackers were after them—yet. They would be though—soon.

“How long should that last us? An hour?”

She nodded. “We’ll need to get rid of the Tahoe soon.”

Vicq slipped his hand inside his leather cloak. “Yes, but keep driving.”

Elaina turned her head just in time to see another painful flinch etched onto his face. Usually, it only took him seconds to heal, but one of the bullets must have hit a major artery. “You’re still hurt?” The SUV swerved off the road as she focused on him instead of it.

“Watch the road. You’re driving.”

“You need more blood, don’t you?” Her fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter. She’d stop and feed him if she had to. “The bullet’s lodged inside, isn’t it?”

“Elaina, just drive.” Vicq’s fingers dug into the seat. “I can endure this for at least an hour until we reach cover.”

She looked ahead in the darkness at the interstate signs. “No, you can’t. I’m gonna stop at the next rest station.”

“Go thirty more miles. We’ll ditch the SUV and catch a ride to a hotel.”

Dresdan were difficult to kill. Similar to humans, but with more effort, they could be destroyed one of two ways—shoot them in the head or destroy a major artery. One ensured instant death. The other was slow and torturous, draining whatever life force they had from their veins.

“Look at you, Vicq. Why don’t you just teleport and get help from your coven and then tell me where to meet you. I’ll follow. I promise.”

“I’m not leaving you!”

His lips were set in a grim line against his teeth. There was no mistaking that he was in pain. The familiar smell of singed vampire flesh filled her nostrils with each breath.

After tugging on her seatbelt, Elaina pressed the gas pedal harder and kept her eyes on the dark path before them.

“You’re trying to get yourself killed one way or the other, aren’t you?”

“I should’ve been dead months ago, Vicq.” She squeezed the steering wheel hard, her palm on fire against the leather.

“I’m trying to keep you alive. Isn’t that what you want now? To remain human?”

“You won’t succeed if you become a dead vampire carcass in my passenger seat.”

The grin disappeared from Vicq’s face. “Just drive and don’t stop until you see the eighty-ninth mile marker.”

A dead Dresdan was what she had thought Vicq had become. Was he so invincible that he could escape death, once, twice...three times? Damn! He’d told her more than once that he had been bitten and made by an old, powerful vampire, but she’d had no idea that he was this resistant to death.

“How’d you escape? When you were caught, one of your coven members came to me. She said you were sentenced to die by Master Russo because you betrayed the Court.”

He frowned. “I’m not the one who betrayed the Court.”

Several years before she and Vicq ever met, he and a group of other Dresdan had removed themselves from Russo’s leadership. Even before Vicq had become a prime District target, he’d been wanted by the Dresdan Master for breaking other laws within his coven.

“Then what happened to you?”

“After I was caught, Soldiers took me in to receive judgement from Master Russo. I was sentenced to be executed as soon as I arrived before him.” He leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. “The execution failed. My Master sentenced me to starvation and then exposure to the sun. They estimated it would take three weeks to get rid of me. One day for every decade following my creation.”

“So they wanted you to burn slowly?” Elaina cringed as a visual came to her of the District’s use of UV rays to interrogate captured Dresdan.

He nodded. “They didn’t expect a male victim held for blood to unlock my shackles.”

“A human helped you? How did a human come to be in a Dresdan cell?”

“He was being kept as a Blood Slave. The cells were so overrun, they had nowhere to put them all. They could have also thrown him in to taunt me. He was a clever human. He’d made a key from a piece of scrapped wire. Instead of using it to unlock the prison doors, he unlocked my shackles.” Vicq rubbed his wrists as if he were still bound by chains. He chuckled. “I guess he knew he could break free but wouldn’t get very far. He needed help, and I needed his.”

“If you escaped together, then how did you get the Dresdan to believe you had burned to death?”

“I threw a Fledging in the cell under the sun, after draining him, of course. We escaped during daylight.” Vicq lowered his head to gaze at her. “The human who helped me to escape had a price. He told me he’d gotten caught up with some District 5 recruits and decided to bail before being inducted. But before he could escape, his group was captured by our kind and kept for blood. Now...he is our kind.”

Elaina gasped. “You turned him?”

“He’d been bitten by the time we made it through the gates, so the change was forthcoming. But it wasn’t me who turned him. That happened later at my coven,” Vicq said. “We thought we killed all who saw us attempting escape. It wasn’t that easy getting out of the prison and into broad daylight where no Fledgling would venture. I could barely withstand the sun, but I knew if I wanted to escape I’d have to dance with death first. It’s a good thing I’m a very good dancer.”

She smiled. “You’re still cocky. What was the price the guy gave you for helping you escape?”

“That one day we would infiltrate District 5 research labs in search of his twin sister. She escaped death by Dresdan the day they were captured, but he believed that she was forced into District 5.”

“Have you found her?”

“She’s tried to contact him, so we know she’s there, but we can’t get to her.” Vicq frowned. “The perimeter of the compound is heavily guarded. Their lasers are engineered to detect our movement, even when invisible. The only way to get in is to have inside knowledge about how they operate. We’ve been in contact with other District 5 members like you who want out and are willing to help us. Some, we never heard from again after a couple meetings. Others were discovered and murdered by District members. We have plans underway but are waiting for the right moment to do the most damage.”

“So you needed more help?”

“Yes. But more importantly...we needed evidence and inside knowledge.”

Elaina nodded and focused on the highway once again. “You’ve always known I have the inside knowledge.”

---

The rest stop sign couldn’t have come soon enough. With Vicq fidgeting on the passenger seat and the blood slowly leaking from his ruptured side, it was enough to send her stress level soaring. He needed more blood than what he’d taken from the tracker back at the houseboat to heal. It would’ve been easier for him to teleport to his coven to recuperate, but he’d always been one stubborn Dresdan.

Less than a half hour after Vicq had busted the tire on the Tahoe to make it appear as if they had encountered a flat, three truckers passed them before one stopped to answer their hitchhikers sign. The trucker, a big, burly man with a Santa beard, was too friendly, asking too many questions. Elaina let Vicq do the talking. He’d always been a smooth talker, but at least it worked on this man, who seemed to want to talk forever about his travels.

The trucker dropped them off at a quaint bed and breakfast miles from the interstate. Just before he drove off, Vicq wiped most of his memory clean and sent him off with a sizable chunk of cash. They checked into a room with no problems. There had been nothing on the news or the trucker’s radio about the shootout at the houseboat. As she’d thought, the attack had more than likely been kept hush-hush from the public.

Elaina hadn’t eaten since lunch. Although the complimentary popcorn and chilled bottled water waiting on the kitchenette counter wouldn’t put a dent in her appetite, it had her stomach grumbling thinking about what she could eat. Vicq made a show of checking the outside perimeter before retrieving a steak knife from one of the drawers. His tanned skin had turned a murky gray, indicating that his blood levels were low. He should have been healed by now, but his body simply didn’t have the energy.

Vicq took the knife with him to the bathroom where he discarded his shirt. Darkened older blood curdled around the wound, but the bright, blackened liquid still leaked from the injury.

“Did you get hit in the artery?”

“No, but close. My body’s just too weak to purge this last bullet.” He poised the knife over the wound.

Elaina grimaced and turned her head. She’d seen injuries like Vicq’s before, but the self-inflicted cut he was preparing to make in his gut sent her stomach rolling in revulsion. How many more bullets would he take for her? He’d already escaped death numerous times before.

The bullet clanked and bounced against the tile floor just before landing near the shower. Vicq pressed a towel to the wound and dropped the bloody knife on the counter next to him.

“I need to sleep.” His eyes fluttered closed and he rested the back of his head on the wall.

“Vicq.” Elaina knelt next to him and attempted to the pull the blood-soaked towel from his middle to see the damage. “When will it stop?”

“I just need to rest.” He cupped his hand over hers. “Keep pressure on it.”

Panic shot through her veins and her heart sped up. His hand became lax over hers, and his eyelids were completely closed. She rose to her feet and shook him. “Vicq!”

He took her by the waist and lowered her to straddle his thighs. His eyes opened. The deep hazel had turned pale. “Elaina.” His colorless lips stretched across his teeth in a forced smile. “You know how this works already.” His fingers caressed the back of her neck, and she brought her forehead down to meet his cold, clammy one.

“Sometimes you sleep and I never know when you’ll wake again.” Dresdan slumbered to regain strength in the absence of blood, but they didn’t rise and shine like humans. When they willed themselves to sleep to recover, it sometimes took days before they rose again.

He chuckled. “Are you referring to that time when I slumbered after I saved you from your traitorous posse?” His lips brushed softly against hers. “Don’t worry. For you, I’ll rise.”

She parted her own in invitation and their lips meshed together. Pressing her fingers to his bare chest, she reveled in the sweet taste of him. He thrust his tongue against hers, devouring her. His fingers dragged softly through her hair in a gentle caress. She didn’t want to pull away, but he rendered her breathless.

“What if you don’t wake up?” She asked as his fingers traced her hairline.

“Head to my sanctuary. Remember how you always told me about your dreams of escaping to the mountains? You’ll be welcomed by my coven members. They know who you are.” His breath tickled her face. “Black Mountain—”

“No, I’m not leaving you. Never again.” She lifted the steak knife from the bathroom counter and slit the skin just above the vein in her wrist. Blood pooled immediately.

Vicq jerked upright. “Elaina!”

“Drink.”

His eyes widened at the sight of the thick, red fluid draining down her forearm. “Despite the Dresdan infection, part of you is still human and delicate enough to harm if I were to take too much. The amount of blood I require to completely heal will kill you. Slumber is the safest solution.”

“I’m stronger than you think.” She shoved her wrist at him. “I’ve always trusted you with my life. You know when to stop feeding. I’ve told you before...I’ll be your Donor for life.”

Vice lifted her wrist to his mouth and licked the wound. “It has been your heart I have wanted all this time, not just your blood.”

His eyes closed and his forehead creased in concentration as he savored the small amount of blood. The sip was not enough to give him the strength he required.

When she looked down at her wrist, she saw that the regenerative properties in his saliva had healed her split skin. “You refused me?”

“One of us must stay strong. You do understand that, right? You remember how it was before.”

Elaina nodded. Not only did she need to stay strong for him, but she also needed to stay strong for herself. “I remember.” He protected her. She protected him.

“I need sleep. When night falls, we’ll journey again.”

Before she could voice her protest, Vicq rose on shaky legs, cradling her in his arms. He carried her into the bedroom and laid her across the covers then stretched out beside her and stroked strands of hair back from her face. As his eyelids fell over his irises, his facial features softened and his hand grew slack, then stilled on her cheek. He’d willed himself to slumber with his arms wrapped around her.

She lifted her fingers to touch his neck. He’d even stopped his pulse. She buried her head against his chest but couldn’t feel or hear the familiar rhythm of his heartbeat.

Curling against him, Elaina sighed. She closed her eyes and followed her lover into a deep sleep.

---

Elaina’s eyes flew open and deep hazel ones stared back at her. The adoration in them brought her back to reality, but so did the feet shuffling and people moving about outside of their hotel room door. Her memories came back to her in flashes. The night before and escaping with Vicq. An attempt by District 5 to capture her. Their escape.

Vicq grinned. “You still snore when you sleep.”

How long had he been awake staring at her, listening to her snore? “It’s not funny.”

Yet, she was silently elated to have woken up next to him. For the past four months, she’d slept alone in her bed, taking in each day for what it was. So many mornings she’d risen, thinking that she’d never know what true love felt like again. She’d never experience how it felt to have someone care for her, more than they cared for themselves.

He made a straight face. “I wasn’t laughing.”

She reached out to touch the skin on his stomach. The wound in his torso had healed completely. New skin covered where the deep gash had disappeared.

Her gaze traveled up to take in his appearance. As a result of his heritage, he had an even, dark olive complexion that complimented his silky black hair. She loved the way it gleamed under the moonlight whenever they’d spent time under it together in the past. Four months ago, he’d kept his hair trimmed and cut short, but now it had grown slightly past his shoulders. He’d also lost weight, either from being held so long in his prison without feeding or because he’d failed to seek the nourishment he needed thereafter.

“I don’t like seeing you suffer. I’m glad you’ve healed,” she said.

He moaned as her fingers slid across his soft, tight skin, following a trail of hair to his waistband. “The pain is gone from there, but I ache in other places.”

Her cheeks grew heated at the same time she caught sight of the erection behind the zipper of his jeans. It had been so long since she’d been with him, yet she remembered how it was. How generous he could be as a lover. He was skilled in the ways of giving her pleasure. Their past endless nights of practice had seen to that.

Vicq drew her closer and his kisses rained down on her forehead. His lips pressed to hers and she accepted his kiss and returned it with love. Moments later, their breaths came in pants and their tongues entwined in a sensual frenzy. His fingers played in her hair, coaxing her deeper into the kiss.

He dragged her against him, then over him. Her thighs fell into place around his waist as he came to sit in an upright position on the bed. His lips flirted along the edge of her face, chin, and finally found the crevice of her neck. The heat of his tongue laved against her skin, trailing along her pulsing vein. Her loins clenched in hunger for the release she knew he could and would give. Tingles rose up her spine, and her chest grew heated with lust. Her body had been neglected for too long. Now, it craved Vicq’s caress like never before.

“Vicq.” Elaina lifted her chin as he nipped at the underside of her jaw. She wanted this so much, but... “You won’t want me anymore if I don’t stay human.”

Vicq pulled back and narrowed his eyes. “What makes you think that?”

“You prefer my human blood.”

“I prefer you. They don’t know anything about the Dresdan. They don’t know what we prefer. Have your District ways set in again? Do you believe their lies?”

She frowned, a little hurt by his accusation. “Don’t ever again imply that I find reason with District practices. What I meant was that you accepted me before as your human Donor. I’m not quite human anymore, am I?”

“There is no other for me. Whether you are vampire, human, or hybrid…you are mine.” His gaze drifted down and then back up at her. “We’ve discovered a way for Dresdan to live without large amounts of blood from humans. An earlier mentality still exists that we need to kill to survive. We don’t.”

“How is that possible?”

“A scientist within my coven has found a link. We’ve always shared our blood with each other in the past because the agent in the vampire blood is even stronger than human blood. This is why Dresdan who murder their own kind drain them until the last drop.”

Vicq took a deep breath and pressed his eyes closed for only a second.

It was one reason why the District thought Dresdan so heinous. Because many of them killed their kind to grow stronger. Was he suggesting that all Dresdan lived off the blood of their kind? Would that not lead to their extinction in the end?

She shook her head. “What does that mean?”

“We have a bonded couple in our sanctuary. They’ve not taken an ounce of human blood since they were mated.”

“So they feed off each other?”

Vicq nodded. “And other Dresdan. There is a taste for human blood, but for them, it is no longer needed to survive. Do you remember how I told you that I grew up on a farm?”

She nodded. He’d been a migrant worker with no family or friends after the premature death of his parents, trying to feed himself with whatever he earned that day. He had labored as a crop harvester until he’d befriended a vampire who had inducted him into the Dresdan lifestyle. Turned out the vampire had led the Dresdan for hundreds of years as their Master. He was later slain by one of his most trusted Superiors, Russo—who then became Dresdan Master.

“There is a saying...you make do with what you have because you are completely satisfied with it, and you never long for anything else. Contentment. Leo describes his feeling as not only love, but contentment,” Vicq said.

“Who’s Leo?”

Vicq smiled. “The human male from the Dresdan prison I mentioned earlier. After helping each other escape, I brought him to my sanctuary. He found a friend in Leila, one of the few females at our sanctuary. He was literally halfway through the transformation upon arriving. It was Leila’s bite and their blood exchange that ultimately changed him.”

“Halfway...? Like me?”

“Yes, like you, Elaina.” Vicq rubbed the back of his hand gently against her face.

“In that case, there must be something in Leo’s blood like mine that allows the vampire agent to remain in a state of stasis.”

Vicq nodded. “Like a host...”

The perfect host was exactly what District 5 was after. Being a host was not fun. It was torture. Wanting and craving but not knowing why. Never satisfied because the human anatomy wanted something completely different than the vampire side.

“Is it still a struggle to resist feeding from humans even when you share?” She asked.

“The will to resist is what sets us apart from the other breeds of vampires.” He locked his gaze on her. “And, of course, we sometimes take it upon ourselves to rid your streets of murderers, abusers, and the like.”

Biting her lip, Elaina glanced at him. “Was that your other option? You think we can share a bond like Leo and Leila.”

“We share a bond now, Elaina.”

“What if I stay this way? In-between.” The frustration in her voice alarmed her. “What if the Dresdan drugs that I’ve been given stay in my system forever, preventing my change? Will you leave me? Would you give up on me then?

“Elaina, I love you.” He cupped her chin with his palm. “I first loved you as a human, and I will continue to love you no matter what you are or become.”

“I love you, too. I just want to be strong for you. You’ll only want more and more of my blood, and eventually, I will be too weak to supply it. If I can’t give you as much as you need, I’m no use to you and can only get in your way. Isn’t that what a Donor is to the Dresdan? A blood slave only until the vampire finds a new treat?”

“Absolutely not. Not for me. You are what I need.” He kissed her. “Let me show you how much I need you.”

Vicq grabbed her waist with both hands as she leaned in to kiss him. He devoured her lips hungrily, pulling her closer into his embrace. Her center grew heated on his lap and she gasped when he slid his fingers down into her jeans.

“Vicq?”

He continued to nibble softly at her lips.

“We both need a shower.” She pushed gently at his shoulders. “There’s blood all over us.”

They both looked down at each other’s clothes.

He grinned. “You’re right.”

Before she could move, he lifted her and placed her on her feet. He lured her to the bathroom, pressing his lips to hers, forcing her to walk backward. His legs moved forward and she moved backward. His breaths were rushed and she could almost smell the bloodlust surrounding them. It always happened this way. Nothing was more sought after by the male Dresdan than a female whose blood ran wild with sexual lust. Even though he’d denied it last night, he needed her blood.

In the bathroom, he yanked her from her feet, pressed her back against the wall, and pushed his pelvis against hers. He ground his cock into her and her sex clenched, wanting something more. Fumbling with her button and zipper, he peeled her pants open. He slipped his hands down against her stomach and abs. His fingers flirted with the curls covering the center of arousal. She bit her lip, closed her eyes, and lolled her head back on the wall.

Vicq’s teeth scraped against the vein in her neck. His dick grew rock-hard against the front of his jeans. Her heart pulsed erratically against her breastbone, threatening to pounce from her chest. Her blood raced in arousal. It felt like she was on more than just a sexual high because a mix of emotions ran rampant through her body. He slipped a finger between her heated folds. Her breath hitched as he teased her silky wetness, stroking upward to tease her aching clit.

“Vicq, I need it. Now.” Spending months without him, thinking he was gone forever had been tough on her.

He carried her, placing her next to the shower, and turned on the water. The jets of water from the showerhead pounded against the floor of the stall and it took only moments for hot steam to rise up.

They started with her shirt, raising it over her head. His tongue ran along his bottom lip, and then he bit one corner of it as his gaze swept her body. She reached behind her back and unclipped her bra. The fabric stayed molded to her breasts, but he slowly peeled the material away, revealing her to his inspection. Her nipples thrummed with pleasure under the sensitive touch of the pads of his fingers.

“Me encantes,” he whispered, leaning forward to cover her nipple with his lips.

Elaina felt as though her legs would melt beneath her and she grabbed on to the back of his head as he stroked her lovingly with his tongue. He sucked and molded her nipples until they were firm to the touch. She needed to feel him in her grasp, without the clothes covering him. She pushed him against the nearest wall just outside the shower and peeled his pants down his legs. His cock was erect and ready, throbbing and pulsing with arousal. On the way back up, she stroked the length of him in her palm. The veins trailing along the length of him plumped with his excitement. She wanted him to bury his rod deep within her and take away the emptiness.

Elaina dropped to her knees and took the taut head into her mouth, rolling her tongue in the salty sweetness of him. He groaned out loud and brought his hand to her head to lead her into a rhythm. His balls tightened and constricted against her fingertips as he pumped within her mouth, inches from the back of her throat. She pulled away to remove the last article of clothing he wore, leaving him panting, his back still against the wall.

Stepping into the shower, she beckoned him to join her. The warm water cascaded through her hair and down her back. She lifted her face to the stream and ran her hands through her tresses, gliding her palms across her cheeks and down her neck. The water did nothing to cool her heated core, and she opened her eyes to find him enjoying the show from outside the stall.

The moment she turned her lips up into a teasing smile, he joined her under the stream. As the water beat down on their bodies, he took her lips once more in a kiss. “It’s been so long...”

I know. Elaina turned around in the shower, facing away from him, and swiped her hair away from her neck.

He grazed the top of her shoulders with his nose and lips, breathing deeply. His fingers splayed against her stomach from behind, and he pulled her gently against his hardened groin. He licked her neck as if preparing it for what she so desperately wanted. Feeding had become a part of sex for them before they were separated. Now that she understood his plan, all the options led to one path—remain his Donor or complete the blood bond. A choice given to her months ago. It was hers to make, and she knew what had to be done.

Vicq bent down, showering kisses along her spine. He glided his palms over the curves of her ass, molding and massaging. Her position didn’t allow for her to view the show, but she did share in his anticipation. His lips and tongue felt hot against her curves and she grabbed at the slippery tiles in front of her, pressing her forehead against the porcelain. He kissed the bottom of her spine, just above the rounded globes of her ass—where he knew he would find a weak spot.

Her body shivered in arousal. “Vicq, please take me.”

He rose, brushing his rod against her. “As you wish...”

Elaina readied herself, bracing her forehead against the stall. Small droplets of water collected on her skin, but they did nothing to calm her rising desire. His hand gripped her waist to prop her up for his entry. Fingers played with her clit and his cock slid against the folds of her sex. She shivered uncontrollably as he teased her and sent hot breaths to the back of her neck. A hand came around to press next to hers on the tiles.

“Please—”

He pushed up into her with one deep stroke.

She gasped out loud, and then pressed her lips together to hold back a scream. He was outrageously hot and large, just like she craved.

He thrust upward again, burying himself to the hilt. She bit her bottom lip and grabbed on to nothing but slippery tiles. A shudder ran through her core as he rocked his pelvis, adjusting her to his size. Liquid warmth flowed over his cock and the beginnings of an orgasm stirred within her.

He pounded into her without warning, gradually increasing the speed and strength. Jolts of pleasure ran from the top of her spine to her clit and back again. Promiscuous hands traced along the front of her body—nipples, stomach, mounds, clit. She couldn’t hold back any longer. This type of release was long overdue. He’d conquered her body and soul. In that moment, she forgot about the predicament they were in.

“Elaina. Amor verdadero.”

She felt his control burst apart, and his hands tightened around her hips. Cold fangs connected with the flesh on her back. So near. Her climax danced just beyond the entrance to ecstasy.

“Do it!” She commanded him.

He groaned out loud, his rhythm now agitated but fierce. His groin slapped against her wet ass as he rode her from behind.

Fangs pierced deep into her neck, and she cried out in pleasure-pain. She shuddered in release and joined him in climax. He siphoned her blood and sucked the tension out of her. His thick rod pumped hot seed inside of her. He gave and took, shivering in pleasure against her back. The wrenching orgasm flowed through every nerve ending in her body. Her toes curled under her as the euphoria from his feeding began to wear off.

Vicq extracted his fangs slowly and gasped like a runner after a sprint. He rested his forehead against the back of her neck. It took a long while for them to regain their strength. The shower stream, once steaming hot, was now chilly. As she expected, his dick pulsed to life again against the folds of her sex.

It had been this way since day one with him. He was only just getting started.

With round one complete, most times he gave her a chance to recuperate before taking her again. He could go on and on until one of them tapped out.

---

Elaina glanced up from her plate for the tenth time. She and Vicq both had a clear view of the entrance, and each time the chime rang over the door of the quaint restaurant, her heart fluttered. She’d been running in fear, and she was tired of it. As a tracker, she’d learned to focus and keep her eyes peeled for threats, and it was in Vicq’s nature to observe.

“You have quite an appetite,” Vicq said. A glass of chilled water sweated on the placemat in front of him.

Elaina’s gaze trailed to her food. She’d ordered an assortment so she could choose which omelet she preferred, but she had succeeded in eating more than half of each one. None of them really satisfied her, but she needed the fuel. “I think you know why.”

Vicq fidgeted with the salt and pepper shakers. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken you so many times.”

“Don’t apologize.” She met his calm, hazel eyes. “I enjoyed it.” Numerous rough rounds of sex had been just what she’d needed to forget her plight, if only for a moment.

A glint of sharp fangs flashed against his lips and then disappeared. “I wish I had been there for you these past months. I just didn’t know how, without putting you in danger. Now I’m certain that I have a better chance of protecting you with you by my side. Once my coven members know you, you won’t have to worry about who has your back even when I’m not with you.”

Guilt rose up in her throat, along with the aftertaste of the last bite she’d taken. She lifted the cool glass to her lips and took a long sip. “You were never dangerous for me, Vicq. I’m the one who made you believe that.”

“But I am dangerous for you,” he said. “There’s already a price tag on my head. What right do I have to save you from one predicament only to bring you into another that is the fucked up democracy I’m ruled by right now?”

“But you’ve made it clear that you’ve separated yourself from Russo’s rule. Haven’t you?”

“That’s the problem. No vampire ever leaves Russo’s leadership and exists without being harassed or executed.”

“And he’s already sentenced you to death…” she offered.

He nodded. “And sentences are binding. Once word gets out that I still live, things will change. My coven has grown tremendously since my return. We’ve been trying to prevent this knowledge from getting out, but with so many trying to leave Russo’s leadership and seek a coven elsewhere, it’s difficult. In the meantime, you are my concern.”

She swallowed. “If there are more important things you need to handle—.”

“No,” he said firmly. “One of the reasons I no longer answer to Russo’s commands is because he encourages the destruction of the human race and rewards those who prey upon them. It gives us all a bad name, puts us unnecessarily in the spotlight, and threatens our existence. It gives organizations like District 5 their reasons for treating us like fucking animals.” His hands were crushed into fists on the table. “Russo chooses to enforce those rules that benefit his goals in the short-term.”

“I wish I had known all of this before I signed that one-sided contract. That there are others like you who respect humans.”

“You were young and you were brainwashed by District 5. You signed up for a mission with the purpose of ensuring human continuity. You had no idea what lengths this organization would go to in order to succeed, especially when their experiments didn’t unfold as quickly as they hoped. We can’t play God—we were never meant to. Many lives, human and others, have been thrown away in the name of bad scientific research. I’m not saying that there isn’t a way to ensure the human race lives on, but this is not one of them.”

Vicq was right. How could she have fallen for District 5 tactics? She should’ve known something was wrong when they’d prevented her contact with her parents during her training period.

“Unfortunately, the corruption at District 5 has reached the management level and beyond,” Elaina said. “They teach recruits and experienced trackers that the world would become overrun with vampires, and that it would eventually lead to human extinction. That makes it seem okay for them to kill and study what they capture. They believe Dresdan have no working brain and no real conscience.”

“So they assume we are only good for using as lab rats?”

“And when there are shortages of Dresdan, they resort to experiments on humans. They told us that the humans gave their lives or signed away their bodies in the event of death to be used for the cause.” She frowned. “It was a lie. I see that now. Some crazed people might have done it willingly, but the majority of them were taken by force.”

“What happens to the recruits or trackers who don’t believe or follow orders?” Vicq pushed the issue but already knew the answers.

Elaina averted her gaze to the door where the bell rang as a couple walked out. “District 5 never tolerates weak links.”

“What happens to the weak links?”

She swallowed. “The District employment contract is lifelong. The weakest links work in the labs...and they’re experimented on, as well.”

“That’s why I chose not to make contact with you. As long as the District left you alone, I forced myself to do likewise. I won’t let them have you. Not to use like that.”

Why couldn’t he have left that decision up to her? Why leave her to feel as if she were alone in the world?

Elaina swallowed down the hurt and outburst she would not allow herself to make in public. She dropped her fork and then stood. “I think we’d better leave.”

The place had become too crowded for her. She needed to get away. Without waiting for his reply, she made a beeline for the door.

Raindrops curtained her as she hurried across the parking lot. Only one of the street lamps worked. The glass that should’ve covered the light bulbs was cracked, as if someone had intentionally thrown rocks at them. The scent of the rain was one of salt and acid, and the clouds were dark gray against the evening sky. Music from the club behind her invaded the night.

Elaina maneuvered her way through the parked cars until she reached their borrowed Trailblazer. She ignored Vicq, who now leaned on the SUV, and opened the door.

“What is the reason for your attitude?” He wrapped his fingers loosely around her waist, forcing her to turn and look at him.

“You’re here for me now, Vicq, but we can never be content. I am on the run, and so are you.”

He lifted a finger and pushed wet hairs from her face and lips. “I am content now that you are with me. We can’t let our past run our lives.”

He was right. That was exactly what she was doing. Had Vicq not come for her, where would she be? Sitting in her houseboat with little connection to the real world? How long would she have to run and hide? Until she was old and gray? Until she was dead?

She met Vicq’s gaze. “How long do I have to run because we know too much? How long will you hide because you have too many enemies?”

“I don’t know, Elaina. As long as we have to.” He leaned in and pressed his forehead against hers. “I can protect you, but don’t run from me. Trust me.”

She lifted her lips to meet his. They were soft and inviting, and before long, they were wrapped in each other’s passion. The rain drenched their clothes and plastered their hair against their faces. Her body meshed with his and she gripped his arm as ripples ran up her spine.

The past year had been a roller coaster ride for her. Afraid she’d be stripped from those she loved again, she never trusted anyone. She withdrew from friends who wanted to become too close. She had practically labeled everyone an enemy until proven otherwise.

Vicq lifted her onto the seat, and she moved closer, pulling him between her thighs. His rod, already hardened from his excitement, nudged her heated center and he groaned. She arched her back and her pebbled nipples scraped against her damp shirt. He dipped lower and pressed his warm lips to her neck. Her fingers became tangled in his matted hair as she accepted his roving tongue. The hot trails were like silk against her skin. Her body didn’t shiver from the cold and rain, it vibrated from being consumed by lust.

“Don’t ever make me leave you again, Vicq.”

He stepped back to look at her. “I do what I can to protect you. I promised you that.”

His meaning was clear. He would protect her, no matter the cost. Chills raced across her skin and she hooked her fingers into the waist of his jeans, pulling him closer. She unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, and his cock strained against the inside of his briefs. He didn’t protest when she stroked him, but let his body respond in acceptance.

“Take me again,” she whispered. “Now.”

Vicq glanced over his shoulder, then back at her questioningly.

“Yes, right here.” Elaina wiggled her feet and allowed her heels to drop to the asphalt at his feet. The parking lot was empty, only rows and rows of cars blocked them from being seen by others.

He leaned in and kissed her, fidgeting with the buttons on her jeans. She lifted to help him as he peeled them from her hips and down her legs.

Pressing his ear to her chest just over her heart, he breathed in deeply. “Your heart is racing. Is it from the anticipation of feeling me inside of you, loving you deeply? Is it because you fear we will get caught out here with your legs wrapped around my back as I plunge into you with dick and fangs?” He chuckled and lifted his head to trace the outline of her chin with his lips. “Do you love it when I take you in two places at once? When I feed from you, does it give you as much pleasure as it does me?”

“Yes.” Her core twisted in both pleasure and agony of waiting and wanting.

“Si,” he whispered. “Esto me agrada demasiado.”

This pleases me too. Elaina’s Spanish was still a little rusty, but over the last few months she’d made it a point to learn some of the language. She had missed Vicq so much.

His fingertips snuck up her shirt and grazed her belly until he cupped both breasts. He kneaded them, igniting a flame deep within her core. Moans escaped her lips, and the rain became heavier on the hood of the car. Much of it splashed against her legs and his arms as he held her in his grasp.

Elaina gasped when his fingers smoothed against her skin. Her clit throbbed as he slid past it to reach her moist warmth. He held her gaze, and his irises swirled with red-hot intensity. Her hips moved of their own accord, encouraging his wicked fingers to dip in and out of her. He added another finger and stroked at her clit with his thumb, nearly taking her over the edge. His digits were slippery with her juices and drops of rain slid down his fingers onto her.

He bent his head and took her with his mouth. Laving at her softly with his tongue and then sucking her firmly between his lips. Her back arched up off the seat and she gripped the leather beneath her. At the same time lightning cracked and rocked the truck on the ground, he plunged his tongue within her and started fucking her slowly. His fingers grabbed her ass, holding her open.

Thunder rumbled above them, and her heart pulsed erratically as pending release danced throughout her loins. He feasted until she came, and a river of emotions washed through her.

“Vicq,” she panted, as he continued to love her with his lips. “Enough. I need you now.”

Ready for him, she lifted herself and released his cock from the confines of his briefs. She admired the hard, leathery contrast against her smooth, toned skin. Licking her lips, she reminisced how the thick head of his rod felt inside her.

Vicq hardened even more in her palm. “Open for me again.”

Without hesitation, she leaned back on the seat, spreading her legs for him.

He gripped her thighs and pulled her closer so that his dick was poised near the entrance of her pussy. With her ass up to the edge of the seat, he guided himself inside of her. Her muscles clenched around him, adjusting to his width. Dropping kisses to her lips, he rocked his pelvis back and forth. Her body burned with pleasure, and before she knew it, she’d fallen back onto the seat.

Elaina screamed in ecstasy when his cock plunged deeper. He grabbed her waist and pumped into her long and hard. His gaze never roamed from her face. He loved watching her as he took her into a climax. Even now, he paid keen attention to her body’s responses to him. His expression that of man on the brink of ecstasy.

He lifted his hands to grab the roof of the SUV and drove into her intensely. She clawed at the hard seat cushions and held her heels to his back as another orgasm rushed through her. Her body shuddered, and pleasure coursed inside her, causing blood to rush feverishly through her veins. She cried out, unable to hold anything inside.

Vicq’s fangs ripped from his gums, but he didn’t bend to feed from her. It would have been too much, even she knew that. So he gave. He slowed his pace, prolonging his erection. Her clit continued to pulse as the remnants of her climax stayed with her. Gripping the undersides of her knees, he opened her wider, thrusting deeply. The Trailblazer rocked, the metal frame squeaking to the rhythm. Rain pounded furiously around them. The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the interior. Their breaths were synchronized and their pulses were reaching a crescendo.

He tilted his head upward and groaned. His cum seared her insides on contact, taking her over the ledge once more. She arched her back off the seat and joined him in his receding cadence, milking him. Taking all of him, until there was no more to give.

They panted until their breathing returned to normal. Ironically, at the same time, the rain began to subside into a mere sprinkle.

Elaina had not fully regained her strength when Vicq helped her into her jeans and slipped on her heels. Without saying a word, he carried her to the passenger side and set her on the seat. There was no doubt now that she belonged with him. Damn the consequences. She’d never had an easy life and she didn’t expect it to get any easier.

“I’ll drive. I want you to rest.”

Elaina grabbed his hand before he could close the door. “Promise me one more thing.”

“What is it, mi amor?” His brows creased together as he gave her his undivided attention.

“The other option you were talking about...I want that. District 5 has regulated so much of my life and my decisions, but I want to make this choice for myself. I want it to happen in peace, not while we’re on the run.”

Vicq squeezed her hand. “I will get you to the sanctuary as soon as I can. You will know peace one day, no matter what your choice.”

---

Vicq maneuvered off the interstate and onto a main highway. The roads were getting longer, and their surroundings had become sparse as they’d traveled from state border to state border. A normal trip from the West Coast to the East Coast would have taken Vicq a matter of minutes. With them taking turns driving and stopping for rest and food, he’d estimated earlier that it would take about a week to reach their destination. He was thankful that they were halfway there already.

The intimacy they shared, as well as the blood that she’d allowed him to consume, caused her more harm than good. His seed wasn’t as potent as his blood, but it would infect her in the same way.

How many more times could he take from her before she grew too weak? She was still partly human, and could only stand to give a little at a time. How many times could he give to her before she crossed over as Dresdan? Although she’d confided in him that that was what she wanted, he felt that he regulated her choices just as the District did. Damn, but he needed her in every way possible.

Elaina snored lightly in her sleep with her cheek pressed into the travel pillow, her face turned toward him. She had perfect, rosy lips that had been the highlight of his dreams whenever she starred in them. Her neck was graceful and long, and the jugular pulsed with the life she thought about trading to keep her sanity. Smooth brown hair framed her delicate round face. She was just as he’d remembered her months ago, and it seemed that she hadn’t aged a day. He couldn’t get enough of her and yearned to touch her honey-kissed skin even now. Every time he sunk his fangs or cock into her sweet flesh, he lost all control.

Vicq tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He wanted her badly, but how could he ask her to sign her life away again? She’d essentially be repeating the same path she had before. Although this time, she wouldn’t be pledged to hunt the Dresdan...she’d be Dresdan. Fully turned, the District would have no use for her. They would kill her if she were caught, just like they did all of his kind.

When he’d been with her, he’d sensed the hunger pounding in her gut and the anticipation in her veins. It must’ve been easy for her to mistake her blood hunger for sex hunger or food cravings, but Vicq knew a deprived soul when he saw one. She had the vampire agent in her veins and still resisted the urge to consume blood. Perhaps the human part of her anatomy balanced Elaina’s cravings somewhat. However, it was only a matter of time before she would not be able to withstand the hunger any longer.

Right now, she was the closest thing to the hybrid District 5 was trying to create. Elaina was exactly what her organization wanted as a result of their experiments. Taking human recruits daily in the hopes of finding a candidate whose immune system could withstand the vampire agent without a complete change. From his understanding, none of it had worked. Not for long, anyway. Sooner or later, the humans either died or changed. Only when he’d met Elaina had he discovered that District 5 had successfully created a drug that postponed the change when the candidates failed to maintain the stasis phase.

As part of her employment contract and District 5’s plan to maintain their tracker population, Elaina had been taking the drugs. Many trackers had been infected before while under Dresdan attack, and the drugs were one way of ensuring that they never crossed over. It had taken him weeks to convince Elaina that the drugs were bad. It had taken him even longer to gain her trust.

Ultimately, Elaina had escaped the District to be with him. She’d nearly lost her life because of it. To live, she’d taken his blood. He’d given just enough to save her, but not enough to change her. Through their frequent sexual encounters, they’d discovered that the more she took from him, whether by his seed or blood, the more it reactivated the vampire agent within her. During those times, she lusted after the blood of her enemies and craved more and more of him.

Elaina had formulated another plan during their courtship. She wanted to expose District 5, and he had agreed to help her.

They’d run out of time when Master Vampire, Russo, had sent out a band of his Soldiers to capture Vicq. Rather than risk Elaina’s life along with his, they’d parted ways. One week later, he’d escaped from the cell of the Dresdan prison with Leo. Because of the blood bond Vicq shared with Elaina, he was able to find her after she’d been labeled AWOL by her organization. He’d discovered that she had made a new life for herself and had been safe from the District and his world. His conscience would not let him interrupt what appeared to be the normal life that Elaina had always wanted. The one she’d always talked about when they would walk the streets at night. So he’d remained in the shadows...until now.

Elaina’s snoring fell silent as she hitched in a deep breath. She shifted on the seat, and then her eyes fluttered behind her lids before she settled back down.

Vicq knew Elaina had love for him, but he’d seen the doubt in her eyes, as well. He was still a killer. And blood had always been his favorite main course.

---

Vicq pulled into a battered parking lot and a cinder block warehouse came into view. This would be the last pit stop they made to change cars. For the most part, Vicq had taken over the driving, but during daylight hours they switched. The routine reminded her of when she’d left District 5 and joined Vicq. They’d always had each other’s back. He’d protect her from the dangers of the night, and she’d cover for him when he was most vulnerable, during the day. If he ever needed to venture out into direct sunlight for any reason, his age and strength would allow it, but he wouldn’t be able to withstand it for very long.

Elaina peered out through the windshield into the darkness. If it weren’t for the two luxury cars parked out front, Elaina would have thought the place was abandoned.

“How do you know this guy?” Elaina asked, as they rolled to a stop.

“Emory is a friend of mine.” Vicq exited their truck and shifted toward the other side to help her down.

“Is he Dresdan?” She couldn’t help but ask. It was always best to prepare before meeting one of them. It didn’t matter if they were friend or foe. She needed to know what she was dealing with or, unfortunately, going up against.

“Last time I checked...he wasn’t.”

Something told Elaina that there was more to that story.

They headed toward the double doors, making do with what little light the one street lamp provided. Smoke billowed above them from the old paper mill they’d driven past on the way here. The smell seriously reeked, reminding her of how she missed the fresh ocean air from closer to the coast.

“So, how do you know him?”

“A few years back he got laid off from his job as a computer technician. Somehow, he got connected with the wrong crowd, began chopping cars, and ended up in prison. He was released a year ago due to criminal overflow at the facility where he was being held. He still has a thing for cars, and so do I. I tell him what I want. He finds it.”

While they’d roamed the streets, Vicq’s addiction to fast, exotic cars and motorcycles had become just as great as his craving for blood. They would race up and down the interstates dozens of times, moving from city to city. Every few days, he’d change rides. Of course, the high-profile, top-of-the-line cars, he only kept for a day. Bringing attention to himself while on the run and with a warrant out for his capture by Master Russo would have been just plain stupid. He couldn’t indulge like he used to anymore. He was no longer regarded by his Master as a high-ranking member of the Dresdan Court. A Superior was what he’d been called. Made by a former Master, he possessed enough strength and power to uphold such a ranking. The title had been stripped from him, but his willpower to survive and carry on with his purpose had not been.

“He’s expecting us,” Vicq said.

He opened the doors to the warehouse, and the smell of leather and car polish disrupted her thoughts.

They were greeted immediately by a raven-haired man looking to be in his thirties, who Elaina assumed to be Emory, and a very young, tall, blond woman wearing a red bodysuit.

“Emory.” Vicq nodded in greeting and then shook the other man’s hand.

“Long time, no see.” Emory smiled. “I thought you’d cut me off.”

“I’ve been keeping a low profile.” Vicq placed his hand in the small of Elaina’s back. “This is Elaina.”

Emory regarded her slowly, taking in every inch of her before saying, “How does it feel?”

Elaina shook her head. “Excuse me?”

Emory laughed. “My apologies.” He held his hand out. “Nice to meet you.”

She accepted his hand and they exchanged a quick handshake.

“That’s Paige,” he said.

The blond behind him held her palm up and gave a short wave before backing away and then moving to the other end of the warehouse where some suitcases were sitting atop a table. It looked like she was counting cash or engrossed in something else that was clearly more important than exchanging greetings with them.

Elaina’s attention was diverted when Emory motioned for them to follow him to the back of the warehouse. They moved between about a half dozen luxury cars of different brands parked with only a couple of feet of space between each one. The exteriors were so flawless, immaculate, and glossy that she could see her reflection against the panels as she passed. She also noticed the shelves of car parts and buckets of wax and paint flanking each wall.

They were led behind a wall of glass enclosing where there was a desk and file cabinets set up. Emory opened up the safe sitting out on the desk.

“I’m glad I could be of assistance again,” Emory handed Vicq a set of keys. “This barely puts a dent in the debt that I owe you, but—”

“Consider it paid in full.” Vicq pocketed the keys.

“I owe you my life. Don’t be a stranger. If there is anything else you need...”

“I’ll send word out to you if I do. Elaina and I will reach the sanctuary in a few days. You’re still welcome.”

Emory’s expression turned solemn before his gaze shifted to Elaina once again. “I like to hold on to a little bit of my humanity while I still have it.”

That was when Elaina saw it. A flash of fang as Emory bit his bottom lip while studying her. They were small and sharp. Far from the noticeable and larger fangs that Vicq had. Nonetheless, they were still there. She narrowed her eyes, countering his stare, and saw swirls of ruby red within his irises.

“You told me that he wasn’t a Dresdan,” she addressed Vicq, but never took her eyes off of Emory.

“He’s not. Yet. He’s like you,” Vicq replied.

“You, too?” Elaina’s lips parted slightly and her mouth became dry. She didn’t think it likely that she could be the only one capable of carrying the vampire infection, and in the past, it had dawned on her that others like her were living free from the clutches of District 5, but now with physical evidence, she found herself actually surprised.

Emory nodded. “How long have you been infected?”

“For months,” Elaina said. “By Vicq. And yourself?”

“Sit, please.” Emory gestured toward the chairs.

They took a seat with Emory sitting behind his desk facing them.

“I’ve been infected about six months. The dealings that landed me in prison are ironically the same ones that led to my infection. It seems many vamps have a thing for fast rides. I got in way over my head when I tried to help out someone who I thought was just another innocent man trying to turn his life around after exiting the PEN. He turned out to be a Dresdan. A hungry one at that. He drained me until I was certain I was dead. During the fight to escape him, I must have come into contact with some of his blood, which I believe was what infected me. And it spread quickly. My body felt like it had frozen, my muscles were on fire. Without enough blood inside me, I was too weak to move, and in pain, but I just wouldn’t die. I prayed for death to come. It didn’t happen. Morning came and my skin burned like a wildfire. If it weren’t for bags of trash being thrown over my body throughout the day, I probably would have fried to death. Salvation came to me that night.” Emory paused to exchange glances with Vicq.

Elaina turned to Vicq. “You saved him?”

“I don’t know if saving him is the appropriate phrase,” Vicq replied. “I could have put him out of his misery quickly, but he had not an ounce of blood left for me to siphon. I’m not sure what sparked my sympathy for him that night. I just couldn’t bring myself to end his life with my bare hands...so I gave him what was taken from him. I figured he’d either expire or change eventually, but his body remains in stasis.”

“You knew immediately that I was infected too. How?” She asked.

“It takes one to know one,” Emory said.

“Why couldn’t I tell?”

“You should learn to embrace who and what you are. If you never acknowledge your true nature, you will never see past your own disguise. Nor will you be able to distinguish your own kind. Dresdan. And those like myself who are infected,” he said. “You would have known earlier that Paige and I carry the infection if you had paid attention.”

Elaina was silent but knew that what Emory spoke was the truth. She was ashamed because she had become something she’d once been against. District 5 had fed her lies about the Dresdan. “Why haven’t you crossed over then?”

Emory grinned. “I’m stubborn. But unlike you, I embrace both sides. My human and Dresdan side. When was the last time you looked at yourself in the mirror, Elaina? I mean, really, truly took a good long look at what you are.”

There had never been any mirrors on her houseboat. She never so much as took more than a few seconds to glance at her reflection in a car window or her rearview mirror to make sure she was presentable before work. “I didn’t really want to see.” She shook her head. “Back then was different. I wanted it then because I knew it was the only way that I could truly be happy with Vicq.”

Vicq turned in his chair. “You know that’s not true. I’m happy with you no matter what you are or become. I’ve told you that many times.”

“You missed the point. I won’t be happy until I know that I can provide for you without failure.”

Vicq grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. The corners of his eyes wrinkled and his forehead creased. He wanted to say more but didn’t want to have the discussion in front of Emory. She could tell because the expression was reminiscent of what he projected when he meant to argue his point.

Emory sat back in his chair, lifted his legs up on the desk, and crossed his ankles. “New love is a beautiful thing.”

“Yes, it is,” Vicq said softly, and his eyes began to cloud over in red lust.

Elaina shyly looked away and made a mental note to carry on the conversation when the two of them were alone. “How come you have fangs and I don’t?”

Emory chuckled, showing his sharp pearly whites once again. “I take vampire blood regularly. I’ll drink from rogue vampires, and sometimes Dresdan, when I can dominate one, but I find that lesser species of vampires are much easier to trick. I take just enough to get me by from day to day. If I don’t drink at all, I’m as good as dead. If I drink too much, I risk crossing over sooner rather than later.”

“And crossing over is not something you want to do alone,” Vicq added.

“Then you’re deliberately postponing your change,” she said.

“Exactly.” Emory smirked. “I’ve considered succumbing many times and joining Vicq’s coven.”

“The offer has been on the table for months,” Vicq replied.

“I won’t join you while I’m still human,” Emory said firmly. “I have respect for what you’ve established, and I refuse to be a weak link while there.”

Vicq nodded. “Fair enough.”

“Where do you get the Dresdan blood from if you’re not already a part of Vicq’s coven?” Elaina asked.

“I hunt them down,” he said. “I stick to the ones who are driven to kill without reason. I call it my payment to society for being a menace during my criminal days.”

“Emory walks on the wild side. He lures them in with the promise of blood, and then he takes theirs instead.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Clever, but I can see how that could earn you a death sentence.”

“It’s not my first, and certainly won’t be my last,” Emory replied. “The rush is amazing. They’re amped up because they think they have hit the mother load.” He licked his lips. “The blood is more savory when those emotions are high.”

“And you gain more powers from feeding on vampires rather than humans,” she recalled.

Emory cocked his head to one side and winked. “You should try it.”

“I’m content.”

“I see...you run with a Superior.” Emory gestured toward Vicq with his hands. “I can understand why you have no desire to take from another’s veins. When you cross over, I imagine your strength will be vast.”

“How do you figure?”

“I suspect you’ve taken blood countless times from Vicq, who is a Superior of the Dresdan Court—.”

“Was,” Vicq corrected.

“Your bloodline doesn’t lie. You were created by a Master and are the only Superior in the Court who can say that.”

From what Vicq had told her, the Superiors were the next level down from the Master himself. Often, Superiors were elder Dresdan who’d proven themselves, risen in the Court ranks, and were delegated certain privileges. It was rare that a Master created any more vampires after taking the title. If he did, he risked being challenged, or worse—his powers stripped. In the Dresdan world, it was left up to the Superiors and Soldiers to create.

Just as she was about to ask another question, Vicq rose from his chair. “We should move out.”

Emory stood immediately and led them out of the office. When they turned the corner right outside of the office, Elaina immediately sensed that something was wrong. That was when she saw the blond in the red bodysuit laying lifeless on the floor and the Dresdan creatures that stood over her.

“What the fuck?” Emory exclaimed.

Her breath caught in her throat as Vicq teleported away from her, meeting the Dresdan in the center of the floor. There were five of them. Their skin pale and bones protruding as if they hadn’t eaten in days, yet their lips were red from Paige’s blood. Their eyes were glossy red. As they circled Vicq, they hissed and flashed their fangs.

Elaina reached into the inside of her coat and grabbed the hilt of her dagger. She licked her lips, tasting cold anticipation in the air.

The first Dresdan rushed Vicq and met death swiftly by a roundhouse kick to the head that broke his neck. The others folded in for close combat. Fists pounded flesh. Kicks snapped bone. Angry growls and protests rang out as the vampires sparred.

Elaina’s veins stretched and tightened as blood filled them. Up until now, her feet would not move. She was hungry for a kill. It had been months since she’d last fought a Dresdan. She pulled her dagger and took a step forward.

“Don’t move!” Emory warned, putting his arm out to stop her. “We got this.”

Her eyes trailed up from where his forearm brushed against her abs to his face. Before she could voice her protests, he was gone. He joined Vicq in the fighting, throwing punches and dropping kicks to the head. All of them, Emory even, moved with inhuman speed and strength. Most of the lights overhead had burst as a result of the rapid and careless movement. Had they not paused to spar between the shifting and transforming, she wouldn’t have seen a thing. Before long, blood was shed and the sparring became more gruesome.

Vicq grabbed another Dresdan solider, body-slammed him onto the hood of a truck, and gutted him.

Emory bashed his opponent’s head into the cinder block wall, and the Dresdan slithered to a heap on the floor.

All the while, the last two took that chance to hone in on Elaina.

The dagger was still grasped in her palm when they approached her. They were both covered with what could have been a mix of their own blood, Vicq’s, and Emory’s. She didn’t plan on having her blood added to the amalgam. Their feral red orbs told her that they had nasty motives.

“A human female. Lovely,” one of them said, his voice low and strained. “You would be a nice snack.”

They flashed fang, and saliva foamed at their mouths.

“You want a snack?” Elaina shrugged off her long trench coat and let it fall to the floor at her ankles. The chilly air washed over her exposed skin, smelling of sulfur and death. “Work for it.”

“Elaina,” Vicq warned, but it was too late.

Her survival instincts had taken over. Ripe hunger consumed her, and her stomach rolled over. It was a type of hunger that she had never experienced before.

They attempted to capture her, grasping at thin air as she thwarted their attempts. Her kicks weren’t powerful enough to land a deathblow, but they were strong enough to weaken. Not one time did she have to use her dagger. She didn’t let them get that close to her. As she swung left and right, she felt her knuckles connecting with cold vampire flesh and bone. They were beginning to get angry. She could sense this from their enraged hisses and panicked attempts to grab her.

There was no escaping a Dresdan once one got ahold of you. Death was the only outcome. Theirs or yours. And she would never welcome death.

The more aggressive of the two Dresdan shot toward her. She leapt into action, drop-kicking him in the face then straddling him on the ground. Without hesitation, she sliced the blade of her dagger cleanly across his jugular. His hands went to his throat, but it was too late. The blood spurted upward, gurgling in his mouth, and choking him to death.

Strike first. Don’t ask questions. No regrets later. It was one of her mottos, and she was sticking to it.

She felt cold, clammy fingers at the back of her head as the other Dresdan captured her. His fingernails felt like pins digging into her scalp. His other hand was around her waist, pulling her upward and against him. Before she knew it, she was being dragged.

As the Dresdan solider cornered himself against a row of shelves, Vicq and Emory followed. Her heart beat furiously against her breastbone. The inside of her mouth was dry and she ran her tongue across her lips and found droplets of the Dresdan blood there. She swallowed from the foreign taste of it and grimaced as the soldier yanked her head back and exposed her neck.

“I will fucking kill you!” Vicq spat. His body shook with rage.

“Is this your Donor,” the Soldier leered. “You oughta keep a better eye on her.”

Elaina struggled against the Soldier, but his grip only became more painful. His fingernails had pierced her hips and drawn blood. Ragged pain seized her body and her dagger slipped from her hand and fell to the floor.

“The 5,” the Soldier hissed. “A District tracker. What games do you play, Superior?”

“Drop her,” Vicq warned, “or I will tear you to shreds.”

“Russo will make you burn for this, traitor,” it hissed. Fangs scraped across her neck, and the Soldier’s body shivered against her own.

His teeth barely nipped her flesh when she lifted her foot and stabbed through his shoe with the heel of her boot. He hollered in shock, and his grip loosened on her.

Elaina took that moment to execute a spin kick, connecting her boot with his jaw. He crashed back first onto the floor. She snatched up her dagger, pounced on him, and stabbed him in the neck. This time, she did not let up. She tilted his head to one side and descended on him.

As she’d done dozens of times before with Vicq, she siphoned the blood. It tasted sweet and felt icy cold when it hit her tongue. When the liquid flowed down her throat, it chilled her insides. He struggled against her, yet she held tightly to him. The more she took, the more her body responded in satisfaction. The feeling that rushed through her was a different kind of high. Not the sexual or fulfilling high she felt when she took from Vicq. This high was different. She felt triumphant in her kill. The emotions of the Dresdan Solider washed through her. Anger. Hunger. Regret. Fear. Rage. The feelings sent her over the edge and her body convulsed with what felt like raw elation.

It seemed there was an endless supply of blood, and she took until his veins no longer pulsed with life.

Elaina tore her lips from the deceased Soldier’s neck and rose. When she turned around, both Vicq and Emory were frozen to the spot, looking at her wide-eyed and in shock. Emory’s eyes swirled with speckles of red while Vicq’s were a solid, fierce crimson. But Vicq’s expression was no longer clouded with rage. Somehow, his madness had transposed to fascination.

Emory’s lips turned up into a grin. “How does it feel?”

Elaina didn’t answer him. Instead, she licked her lips and sheathed her dagger in the belt loop of her jeans. She crossed the room to grab her trench coat. In two seconds, she’d shrugged into the garment again and was headed toward the door.

Vicq was on her heels. She could hear him rushing behind her as he attempted to keep up with her unusually fast pace, using his teleportation powers to eat up the distance between them.

He caught up to her next to a shiny black Lamborghini. Exhausted, she gave up, falling against it and into his arms. She drug the sleeve of her coat across her face to rid herself of the blood evidence before lifting her gaze to meet his.

He stared at her for a long time under the moonlight and then leaned in to kiss her. She finally exhaled as his lips brushed against hers like the finest silk. In that moment, she felt like a human again. A human capable of real emotions and devoid of all animalistic instincts. Yet she was still high. Her veins throbbed from the aftermath of the kill.

“What have I become?” She whispered when they parted to catch their breaths.

He smoothed his calloused fingertips across her face. “The woman I love.”

---

The morning after the attack, Elaina and Vicq rented a cabin to spend the next day and a half. Being raided by Dresdan Soldiers and the endless, nonstop driving to ensure they weren’t being tracked by any other vampire enemies had really taken a toll on their bodies. Both of them had agreed to stop and regroup. Come sundown, they’d pack up and head out again.

After all, Elaina didn’t know what to expect when she arrived at the sanctuary. Would they welcome her as she was? Unchanged? In stasis. Not quite human, but not truly vampire, either.

The cabin was situated far into the dense mountainous region. Once they left here, the winding roads, hills, and valleys would lead them deeper into the wilderness until they reached Vicq’s coven. Apparently, they had less than two days of travel ahead of them. Before long, she’d join his coven to pursue a greater purpose--to shut down District 5. She wanted to enjoy the uninterrupted moments in Vicq’s arms while they lasted.

“I don’t want to lose you, Vicq.”

“You won’t.”

“You’re going up against someone who everyone else fears,” Elaina said.

“Who does everyone else fear?”

“Russo,” she said. “I might not know the intimate details, but I know enough about your organization to understand how the politics work. You once told me before that Russo rules with an iron fist. He bends the rules to satisfy his own goals.”

“Don’t worry about him.” Vicq pulled her in closer, molding their naked bodies together. “Leave that to me.”

Her core was still heated from an intense round of sex, yet a cool breeze flowed across their skin through an open window next to the bed. She shivered and snuggled deeper into his embrace. “You’ve helped me deal with my problems, and I’ve gotten you into a deeper bind. We could have all been killed back there.”

“Those Soldiers were trailing Emory last night. He’d failed to clean up his mess after he fed,” he said. “And even if they were after me, you’re not the main reason.”

“What’s the main reason? Because you started your own coven?”

“That, too.”

Elaina didn’t know what he meant, or what he could be failing to tell her. She needed to figure it all out, and she wanted to return the favor by helping him. To do that, she’d have to delve deeper still.

A weary expression crossed Vicq’s face. “Don’t you trust me anymore?”

She narrowed her eyes. “You practically lied to me. I thought I had no one. It took a plan by some District 5 trackers to take me down for you to come to me?”

“I’m sorry for that, but I will do whatever I have to in order to keep you safe. And I do mean whatever. Do you believe that?”

“Yes.” There was no doubt about it.

He kissed her gently on the lips. “Then believe in me.”

“I do.”

“Things will work out...,” Vicq whispered. “Join me at the waterfall.”

Before she could respond, he’d teleported them from the confines of the cabin to see water cascading over the mountainside. The quick move was like a flash right before her eyes, giving her body no chance protest, even if she’d wanted to. They’d glimpsed a view of the water feature on the way to the cabin, but had yet to experience it up, close, and personal.

“You have to start warning me before you do that,” she said, as a fine mist of water coated their naked bodies.

“I imagine I won’t have to,” he replied softly, brushing his nose against the back of her head. “It won’t be long until you’re be able to do it yourself.”

“And more power brings more enemies, right?” Although, this time, she was referring to the later afternoon sun peeking through the leafy branches hanging above them. She glanced up towards the sky and basked in the rays.

Vicq brought her deeper under the branches, which provided just the right amount of privacy and shade from the glare. “Know thy enemies well. Some you will have no choice but to destroy, others you will learn to tolerate.” His breath was hot and heavy against her neck.

The water fell from the cliff and crashed thunderously against the rocks next to them. The sound of it was surprisingly soothing and served to release the tension that had crept up on her.

“Who will teach me the ways of the Dresdan?”

“You will learn them as you ascend.” His lips meshed with the delicate skin on her throat. “Through the blood.”

“As I am learning now...” The words left her lips as his tongue glided against her throbbing vein. She tilted her head to the side, allowing him easy access.

“And as you will learn them indefinitely...” His fangs dropped, cutting through the skin at the same time.

She fell back against him as he fed slowly and long from her. Minutes into the feeding and she knew that he’d breached her mind and now delved within her memories. He liked to ride them like a wave, as if they were his own. Shards of light flashed before her eyes as specks of the previous nights rushed through her: Her rationale behind not letting him get between herself and District 5; her anger toward him for hiding in the shadows and allowing her to believe that he was dead; her blind rage against the Dresdan Soldiers who’d threatened her life, as well as her lover’s existence.

It dawned on her that she’d do anything for Vicq. She would kill for Vicq. Even live a life on the run to enjoy secret, coveted moments like these. When she’d become his Donor, she’d given up everything. In return, she’d achieved some semblance of freedom and the courage to stand up to those who would—and had—harmed her.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, but her knees grew weak. Vicq sensed this and extracted his fangs from her vein. He swiped his tongue across the holes to seal them and gently turned her around to face him.

“The feeling is mutual,” he said, eyes blood-red and bright from nourishment. “I would kill for you, too.”

The lovemaking that followed was slow and sensual, just as he’d fed from her. With only the sound of the waterfall crashing behind them, they succumbed to all their desires, forgetting their troubles, if just for that moment.

---

Elaina pulled a handful of hotdogs, several bags of chips and nuts, and an assortment of snacks on the counter of the convenience shop. The man behind the register gawked at her as she slid two gallons of water next to them.

Being on the run entailed fast, quick, unhealthy drive-up-and-go food. She didn’t know when they would stop again since Vicq insisted on taking the roads less traveled. Just an ounce of Vicq’s blood would have satisfied her real hunger, but the processed food she was about to partake in would keep her content until she reached sanctuary for a more peaceful change. Since the attack back at the warehouse, she’d been ravenous to feed like that again, but what better way to practice the will to resist temptation than during one’s transformation.

“Twenty-nine dollars and eighty-one cents,” the cashier demanded.

Elaina handed the man a fifty. “How far is the nearest town?”

“Nickels is fifty miles northeast. After Nickels, you’ll reach the mountains.”

“The mountains, huh?” Vicq had said that they were close.

He handed her back some coins and wrinkled bills. “Yeah, are you a tourist? Where are you from?”

“Yes, I’m a tourist.” She averted her eyes, stuffing the money into her pockets.

The clerk’s eyes swept over her items. “Do you need a bag?”

Elaina’s gaze trailed across the pile of food. She bit her lip, feeling a bit of regret. Vicq had instructed her to bring back lunch only, but instead, she’d treated herself to a picnic. “Um, yes. Of course, I do need a bag.”

After thanking the clerk for bagging her items, she headed for the door and braced herself for another few hours or so in the Lamborghini. Warmth coated her skin as she exited the store. She’d forgotten how inviting East coast weather could be. The humid mist felt good against her, and provided her with comfort, if only for a few seconds.

In this type of climate, her Texas-native parents would’ve been stretched out on hammocks in the shade. She grinned just thinking about them. Her gun-toting dad would have been riding around on the lawn mower in an attempt to keep the grass on his two acres of land in check. Had she listened to their warnings and remained in small town Texas like the rest of her childhood friends, she might not have been in this situation.

Her eyes immediately honed in on Vicq, who knelt down to replace the air cap on a tire just as she’d walked out of the store. Dusk had settled less than an hour ago, and she had suggested that he stay in the car to reserve his energy.

Elaina sighed and shook her head. How on earth did they put up with one another? They were both stubborn and did the opposite of what the other asked. Still, she loved him and wondered how she’d ever managed to be without him for so long. She knew she’d met her match when he’d succeeded in talking his way out of the execution she’d planned to dole out to him so very long ago. Persuasion was something he seemed to excel at.

As if he knew what she were thinking, Vicq looked in her direction. Even now, his gaze showed desire for her. It didn’t take making love to him to prove that a passionate, loving soul existed deep within him. Because of what he was, he’d had to develop a thick skin. And the loving soul got lost sometimes. More often than it probably should have. Elaina was humbled that she had the ability to bring out the virtue in him in a world of evil. A world where his enemies wanted him dead. In spite of it all, it took a determined fighter to live. Vicq was that fighter.

Elaina stepped out onto the curb, and a van lurched out of nowhere.

Dust rose up and blinded her. She jerked back onto the walkway, and the bag slipped from her fingers. Something snatched her by the waist, taking her by force. In the blink of an eye, she knew what had happened. She’d been caught. Her body was dragged into the interior of the van, and someone threw her against the side panel.

“That Dresdan vamp is out there!”

“Close the fucking door!”

Their shouts drowned out the blood rushing through her veins, pounding between her ears. Panic set in as her heart fluttered in her chest. In the shock of it all, she’d forgotten to breathe. As her breath rushed out of her, the door was slammed closed. They’d locked her up like a prisoner in a cell.

Elaina opened her eyes just in time to see her captors—three of them. District 5 trackers, all of them. The mark emblazoned on their necks told her that. The biggest one lurched toward her, and she thrust her boot out at him, smashing the bottom of it against his face. The other grabbed her arms and legs as the man she’d kicked groaned out in pain, holding his bleeding nose.

In the struggle to break free of their hold, the van pitched forward. Her heart dipped down into her stomach. They’d finally found her. She wasn’t ready to die. Not today. Not any day. Not when the one person she wanted the most had promised a lifetime of happiness, even if they had to fight like hell to earn those moments.

She broke loose and jumped for the sliding van doors.

“Are you gonna open the doors and jump, Elaina?” The gruff voice of the big one she kicked in the face stalled her actions. The bottom half of his face was bloody. “Out of a fleeing van? You want to die, don’t you?”

Elaina swung around and glared. The interior of the van was so small they were hunched over, but they still stood on the ready to subdue her. One of them had a long, thick rope. Just like the others who’d tried to capture her back at the Courthouse after work.

“Where are you taking me?”

Bloody Face guffawed and snorted. “I think you know the answer to that question. Don’t you know where you belong? Don’t even act like you don’t know the rules, babe.” He turned to his colleagues. “Tie her up.”

She sidestepped the man with the rope and thrust him headfirst into the door.

“Grab the guns,” the maniac who drove spat.

Certainly, they didn’t mean to shoot her to death.

The van swayed as it sped down the road at a high speed. They had to have been going over eighty miles an hour. If she could get to the driver, maybe...

Catching her off guard, one of the men shoved her against the panel once again.

“Why are you fighting? There’s no escaping now.” Bloody Face picked up a needle from a suitcase. The other drew closer with the rope.

If given the choice, she would never choose to die in the presence of an enemy. She wouldn’t allow them the victory of watching her slow death. It may have been easier if they’d shot her dead on sight back at the store.

She backed away until her ass hit the opposite wall. “I’m not a dog, and you won’t tie me up.”

The tracker thumped the needle, readied it for insertion, and held it up for his inspection. She was familiar with the drug. District 5 used it all the time on anyone and everyone they wanted to, all for terrible reasons. The pale yellow liquid inside would render her unconscious for hours.

“Well, we won’t tie you up, then. We’ll just put you to sleep.”

A loud boom sounded overhead. They all looked up to see the dent in the ceiling of the van.

“Vicq!” Her scream pierced her dry throat.

The van swerved again, and their bodies plummeted to the floor. A string of curses flowed from her attackers’ lips.

Elaina stumbled forward on her knees to the front of the van. Before she could reach the driver, Vicq thrust his arm inside and grabbed hold of the steering wheel. The driver yanked the cigarette lighter from the burner with one hand while steering with the other.

Elaina cringed at the sizzle when the lighter made contact with Vicq’s arm. The smell of burnt vampire flesh filled the air. She rushed forward and grabbed the driver by the neck. He held his body firmly in the seat as she tried to impede his control of the van.

“Get her off me.” The driver attempted to shrug her off. Even bent his head to try and bite her arm.

Her scalp burned as one of her captors grabbed a fistful of her hair from behind. He yanked violently, pulling on her ponytail. She turned around and elbowed him across the chin. Teeth and blood flew up into the air, but she didn’t have time to finish him off. They were trying to kill Vicq.

Vicq stood atop the hood and punched through the front windshield, causing the glass to shatter in all directions. Shards of it flew back into the back of the van, striking her bare extremities.

Vicq’s eyes had transformed to blood-red, and fangs shot through his gums as he went into attack mode.

The driver swung at him with one arm while still trying to control the steering wheel with the other.

Vicq tugged the driver by the hair. “Stop the fucking van!”

A rope circled her neck and jerked her back. Her wrists were then tied behind her. The thing was wrapped around her so that the harder she yanked, the more she choked herself.

The van halted abruptly. Vicq had the driver by the neck. The driver’s face grew just as red as Vicqs, but for different reasons. The driver’s chin hit his chest and he slumped over.

Another struggle broke out as Bloody Face rushed forward and fought with Vicq to keep him out of the van.

Scraping sounds across the floor directed her line of sight away from Vicq. A small launcher was being dragged from its case.

“No!” She scrambled forward and kicked her feet out, trying to trip the tracker.

He swung his arm back and her body flung across the van so hard that her heart stopped. Pain crept through her back and chest as she heaved in an attempt to breathe again.

Elaina looked up and locked eyes with Vicq. Go. She wanted to tell him to flee, but no words would escape her lips. Her mouth filled with fluid, but it wasn’t the water she so desperately needed. The thick liquid tasted of metallic and salt. It was her own blood.

Time seemed to stop as Vicq stood atop the stalled van. His eyes flicking from her to the mini rocket launcher that was sure to kill him.

Go! Now! Her mind screamed and pleaded with him.

“Put a bigger hole in his gut this time!”

The explosion from the weapon rocked the van. Sparks of light and smoke from the launch nearly blinded her. But she did glimpse Vicq’s form tumble from the van with smoke surrounding him.

God, no! Please don’t let him be hurt. Gunpowder crept up her nostrils. The tears burned her eyes and her head swirled like a tornado. The sound of a roaring engine thrummed through her eardrums. Her heart fluttered in an uneven rhythm. She couldn’t breathe. Too much chaos and pain. She could barely keep her eyelids from falling over her vision.

Hard, cold hands pushed at her violently. The back of her head hit hard metal. Someone stabbed a needle in her neck. Her veins grew frigid and cold. The voices grew distant...