Drew

It's well past two a.m. and my latest call to Jon has gone to voicemail, just like the one to Asa did a half hour ago. If things are going well there the wolves may still be out running the property. The spring melt conjures images of really filthy wolves shaking all over our pristine inn. Ugh. If the damn beasts didn't taste so good, I wouldn't see the need to keep the species around.

Rafe informed me of Pat's close call in the woods before he and Viv left for Buenos Aires. I'm sure the young Were is fine; wolves heal almost as fast as we do. I wonder if the Alaskan crew has figured out which employee may have been hunting sooner than the season allows.

I pace back and forth in our suite, debating on calling Rafe since I haven't heard from them recently, either. They should have landed hours ago and, while I would normally wait until I'd heard from Jon or Asa, a nagging apprehension trickles through my connection to Vivian.

Calling her direct could rile her up and piss her off more, one thing I'm loath to do-or it might settle the discomfort niggling in the back of my brain. I snatch up my cell, grateful Chelly went downstairs to watch a movie with Tommy and Bob, giving me privacy to call. She really does have a good head on her shoulders, that one.

Decision made, I dial Rafe's number, knowing he's the more even keeled of the two. Managing a volatile master is nothing new in a seethe, no matter where you are. They don't become the masters of a seethe because they're pushovers.

After a few rings, the calm tones of the human radiate across the line. "Yes, Drew?" The sound of tango music grows fainter as if he's distancing himself from the source of the music.

"I hadn't heard from you and wanted to check in." I continue my pacing, unsure where the nervousness is originating.

"We landed a while ago and are currently holding our own at the event."

"Is Vivian okay? I think I'm getting a lot of hazy impressions coming through our connection. Like she's anxious."

"You 'think'?" he asks, puzzlement in his tone. "Wouldn't you be sure of your connection with her by now?"

I shake my head, trying to piece together what I mean. "I know I sound a bit like Paul right now-unsure and slightly out of sorts. But I've never felt such agitation through the link before. That's why I'm not sure if it's coming from her or not."

Rafe sighs, and I hear a door shut, muting the music. "It's a safe bet the agitation is coming from her, and that she just hasn't been shielding as well as she normally does. There are a lot of people here who dislike my wife."

"Any leads on who could be working with Coraline?"

Rafe is silent a moment, perhaps checking to make sure he's not overheard or weighing how much he should tell me, I'm not sure. "One named Lucas has motive to hate her, plus some guy named Jonah - possibly for the same reason. And three or four others who hide their hate and dislike rather poorly, but I don't know their names. They are avoiding us and watching from the sidelines."

I've never understood the grudges some of these older vamps hold onto. The hardest part in vampire politics is in not knowing whom you've slighted enough to make them want to bury a stake in your back when you aren't looking.

"That seems like an awful lot in so little time-you've been there only four hours, right?"

Rafe barks out a short laugh. "My lovely wife has had more than four centuries to make enemies of these bastards-even I don't know all her exploits."

I stop my pacing and slump into one of the club chairs in the sitting area. "What do you plan to do?"

A heavy sigh comes over the line. "Nothing tonight, as far as I can tell. I'm not sure how many of these guests will remain past morning. A few may stay for entreaties to the Tribunal."

Vivian briefed us that some seethe masters come to these events to play "court", similar to Europeans with the reigning monarchy centuries ago. Hobnobbing and mingling with peers to gain something for their family, arrange for a seethe transfer of a lower vampire, angle a marriage match among powerful undead, or for something as simple as securing a business loan from the Tribunal.

"Do you know when you'll be back?"

"We're still not sure, but the animosity swirling around is making this much harder than I thought to narrow the suspect pool."

"Getting Coraline alone might be what you really need," I say, hinting that Vivian could use her mind powers to force the information out of the blond vamp.

"We've discussed that, too. But she may have some protective magic around her like before-and triggering it so close to where the wielder might be is a big mistake."

"So effectively Vivian is flying blind? And you two are winging it?"

An edge creeps into Rafe's voice, "My wife and I have other strengths to get a job done, Drew."

"Right. I'm sure." I backpedal as best I can, realizing I'm close to insubordination and thankfully not messing up this call with Vivian right now.

"Have you connected with Asa or Jon yet?" Rafe asks, clearly willing to change the topic as well.

"No, both calls went to their voicemail."

A grunt sounds at the end of the line. "Give them an hour, and if you don't hear from them, call Cy."

"Sir?"

"Jon and Asa are both responsible. It's not normal for neither to pick up the phone, and Asa's training would ensure he'd call back asap, if he could."

A cold coils through my hand and I grip the phone tighter as I sit up straight. "Do you think something happened to them?"

"I'm not sure of anything, but we have protocols in place for a reason. If you don't hear from them, assume the worst and call in backup."

"Cy is pretty far away."

"He's less than twelve hours by plane, we're much further, and Vivian trusts him. That's the best we've got."

The realization this is not some getaway love-tryst with Chelly hits me hard. Tension tightens in my gut, and for the first time since we left Alaska I'm experiencing real worries. I'm next in line for making decisions with Jon unreachable and so far away. With less than six months in the seethe, I can't begin to guess the exact path my master might take in an emergency.

"Do you really think something might be happening up there?"

"Like I said, I have no idea. Vivian will take no chances when it comes to her vampire servant's safety."

"Yes, sir." I stand and turn to the balcony, gazing out at the sparkling lights of the tiny port town on the distant shore. "I'll call Cy when it hits two hours, okay?"

"Make it an hour. Asa is awake and there is no excuse for him, he's too good."

I glance at my watch and realize ten minutes will be an hour since I first called him. The music in the background grows, indicating Rafe has opened a door toward the noise and is perhaps about to end the call. "Rafe, wait!"

"Yes?"

"When should I check in with you again?"

"As soon as you hear from the boys on the resort. And if you don't, we check in every twelve hours. I don't trust this pack of bloodsucking fiends as far as I can throw them."

"Yes, sir."

We end the call and I run a nervous hand through my rumpled hair. The agitation doesn't end, and in my selfish mind, one thing stands above all others: I've not bound Chelly to me. She's not protected from other vampires.

I don't truly think we're in danger here in the couple's safe house on their remote island, but with the Seat of Darkness only a few hours away.... It's never good to let loved ones travel close to that danger without every protection you can provide.

Have I been a fool to drag out our union? Should I just follow her urging and get it over with? My gut clenches at the thought of rushing her seduction and our relationship. If I wanted a slam bam thank you ma'am encounter, I wouldn't have chosen Chelly. I hope for her to be my next wife, and that kind of intention deserves more than how you'd treat a quick blood snack.

On the other hand, not sharing my blood leaves her vulnerable. Other vampires smell she's a donor by my taint on her, and yet, without my blood scent coursing through her veins, marking her, she has no protection and retains the status of simply a willing donor among a pack of predators.

A knock on our suite door brings me around, and the beautiful blond head of my love pokes past the door. "Can I come in now? The movie was boring. I heard no voices in here and assumed you'd finished."

I nod and she enters, dressed in a snug long sleeved t-shirt and yoga pants, showing off her ample curves and robust good health. My eyes linger over the cleavage on display in the deep vee of her shirt and then trail down to the full breadth of her hips. No stick-like women for me. I prefer mine to look like real women-not pre-pubescent children. She's simply gorgeous, and I can't wait another moment to mark her as mine.

I hold out a hand to her. She notices the heat in my gaze and a slow seductive smile spreads across her lips. "Have you been thinking about me recently? Your eyes don't look too innocent."

My eagerness edges close to hysteria. I fear I'm going to fumble through this like some untried youth. I take a deep breath, and meet her halfway across the room. Wrapping my arms around her, I lean her back and nibble on her throat. "Do you know how much I want you, Chelly?"

"Oh, my. Keep kissing my neck like that and you can have anything you want."

I trail a hot path down her exposed skin, stopping before I'm tempted to nuzzle the fabric aside and explore the creamy mounds of her full breasts. "I want to make you mine," I whisper against her throat.

She straightens. "Now, we're talking." Her hands tug her shirt up half way. "I can't say I've minded the wait, but damn, I'm more than ready."

I still her hands and stare into her dark blue eyes. "I want to share blood with you, Chelly. I want you to give blood only to me, to no other vampire. I want them to scent me in you... running through your veins."

My motives are pure, even if my timing is spurred by anxiety. Chelly stares at me. I see moisture pooling in her eyes. "I'd like that, Drew. Are you sure?"

I kiss her mouth. "More sure than anything I've ever done."

"Will it hurt?"

I smile, with my fangs fully descended, expressing my desire in my eyes and in the natural reaction from a vampire about to feed. "Not at all, my dear." I sit on the edge of the bed and pull her to straddle my lap.

A nervous giggle escapes my lover. "Drew, I think I'm falling in love with you." She ducks her head slightly and looks at me through eyelashes. "Does that sound silly when we haven't even made love yet?"

My cock surges to life in the confines of my trousers, which she can easily sense through the thin material of her yoga pants. Heat boils from her core as she rubs herself back and forth against my hardening length.

"It's not silly at all." I place my hands on both sides of her face to tilt her eyes up to look at me full on. "Without love, it's not making love, is it?"

She gives her head a soft shake and leans in to kiss me. My tongue slices on one sharp canine, allowing blood to trickle into my mouth. Chelly's lips press to mine and then her tongue tangles with my own. Blood eases gently into her. The cut I inflicted quickly heals, but enough has gone into my lover to mark her as mine and keep her safe from other vampires.

To willingly try and feed off of someone's servant is asking for a fight. Dueling to the death among our kind is rare and purposeful slights will only escalate if a fight was the intention all along.

We kiss breathlessly, me murmuring heated endearments while Chelly grinds over my cock. The clock on the wall chimes once, reminding me it's half past two and well beyond the one-hour mark from when I should have heard from Asa. Reality crashes in and my body physically hurts to stop what we so deliciously started with a simple kiss.

I ease away, taking a shuddering breath. Resting my forehead against hers, I run a hand down her back to soothe our raging bodies. "I'm sorry. I have to make one more phone call. It's important or I wouldn't bother. Can we pick up in five minutes?"

Chelly swings a leg off my lap and rises, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "I'm going to go run a bath in that big tub built for two. If you don't come in and join me soon, I may just have to finish off myself without you." She pulls her tight shirt off and slowly glides hands up to cup her bra-covered breasts. She thumbs her nipples poking through the lacey covering. "And it will be your loss, trust me."

She sashays away and shuts the bathroom door behind her. The water starts running and my girlfriend hums a happy little tune. She's "falling in love." Hell, I've fallen already and can hardly wait to tell her-saving it for the second I finally thrust deep inside her.

I grab my cell and dial Asa and then Jon again in quick succession. Still no answer. I bite the bullet and place a call to Cy. I don't think anything bad is going on in Alaska, but damned if I can't follow a few simple instructions from one of my bosses, either.