Vampires? Dalton wondered as he laid in an ever-widening pool of crimson, questioning reality while he did a mental inventory. Throat shredded, chest riddled with holes, and too many bite wounds to count. What the hell had Jag become?

Dalton had never encountered such strength in a man before, and when he saw the sharp, pointed fangs protrude from his mouth, he knew he was in trouble. One look in those haunting, eerie eyes said it all. Jag was a vampire.

Dalton’s limbs were lead bricks at his sides, and he couldn’t even lift them to staunch the blood seeping from the wounds on his neck, stomach, and chest. Fight this, Elsie needs you!

The rattle with each breath turned the dwindling blood in his veins to ice. He wasn’t going to make it out of this. The drum beat in his chest slowed and the pain lessened.

An image of his wife, Elsie, and her beautiful heart-shaped face swam through his mind. He loved her more than anything and didn’t want to leave her. He managed to inch his fingers across the floor and dragged the phone closer.  

He dialed and closed his eyes when he heard his loving wife’s voicemail greeting. He realized he didn’t have enough words left in him to adequately warn her of the dangers that existed.

“I don’t have long...I love you, Elsie...I’ll always love you...Bye, baby.”

He worried about her. Who would protect Elsie from the evils he now knew roamed the night?  He wanted to protect her and couldn’t. His soul cried out at the injustice of it all.

What the…

An all-encompassing sense of peace enveloped Dalton and the most brilliant, white light filled the room. This sense of calm was shocking and at complete odds with the brutal attack. He was dying and he it pissed him off.

His eyes slipped closed and his last thoughts were of his beautiful wife the day they married. He saw her long, brown hair with tiny, white flowers flowing around her face. Her clear, blue eyes displayed the depth of her love for him.  She held a small bouquet of jasmine and wore a white, strapless dress. She was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. As he gazed into her eyes, and they exchanged their vows, Dalton knew he’d love Elsie until the day he died.

That day had come too soon.

CHAPTER ONE

Elsie woke, drenched in sweat with a scream trapped on her lips and her sheets tangled around her legs. Her sister stirred next to her on the queen-sized mattress. She didn’t want to wake Cailyn and shoved a fist into her mouth, stifling the scream from clawing its way out as images from her nightmare continued to consume her. No matter how long and hard she fought it, the visions and memories refused to leave her.

It always started the same. She was standing on the cracked linoleum in the long hallway of the group home where Dalton was murdered. She relived that entire night countless times over the past eighteen months. She squeezed her eyes shut as the images flooded her aching brain for what seemed like the millionth time.

An abattoir surrounded her. Blood splattered the walls, and there were pools of crimson congealing on the black-and-white checkerboard floor. She gagged when she saw a lump of bright, red meat on the floor. Flesh. Yellow flags and cones lined the walls and floor amidst the carnage. Her stomach revolted while her body went numb.  

In between heaves, Elsie whispered a plea for help. No one responded, and she fell into a heap on the floor. Mindless of the blood she sat in, she gazed at the sight of her husband lying in a pool of blood, his sightless eyes trained on her. His neck was torn open and shredded. How long she sat there screaming, she didn’t know. Finally, a police officer escorted her away from his body and out of the house.

Her nightmare worsened when she was barraged by a mass of news media. They shouted questions about her husband being the latest TwiKill victim. Her world came to a crashing halt that night, and giant black hole imploded into an endless ache in her chest.

Now, eighteen months later, that black hole had grown thorns and pierced her heart. The pain forced her to curl into a ball on her bed. She hated how the memories dominated her thoughts.

Joining SOVA (Survivors Of Vampire Attacks) had been a way to gain some of that power back. Still, she longed to be a ‘normal’ college student again. You haven’t been normal since you were three years old, she thought wryly.

Not even thoughts of her happy childhood suppressed the pain. No matter how much time passed, Dalton’s murder still seemed unbelievable. The police didn’t know who was responsible, and the detectives in charge had been spouting the same bullshit excuses to the press for eighteen months. They were incompetent and hadn’t learned a fraction of what she knew within forty-eight hours after Dalton’s death.

Not that she could share that information with the cops. If she did, she’d put herself and others at risk, which Elsie wasn’t willing to do. The instant the police learned the facts of the case they’d all be charged with a crime.

She jumped from her bed and made it to the bathroom where she promptly lost the measly contents of her stomach. It had been the same, day in and day out, for what seemed like forever. She was wracked with unending grief, barely able to function.

Sleep was a thing of the past due to her nightmares. The dark circles under her eyes she could live with but the muddled memory and irritability were another story. She got by on energy drinks and candy. Elsie couldn’t remember the last time she consumed a full meal because the grief created a barrier in her throat. Between her pallor and weight loss, she looked like a zombie. Hell, she felt like one, too.

As the stomach spasms stopped, Elsie wiped her mouth, flushed the toilet, and prayed again for a magic pill that would take the pain away. Sadly, science wasn’t on her side with that one.

After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she checked on her sister. Throughout Elsie’s life, Cailyn had always made sure she was safe and had what she needed. Despite living two states away, that was no different now with her daily calls and bi-monthly visits. Cailyn was her only remaining family and her saving grace. Elsie loved her more than anything.

Thankfully, her sister hadn’t heard her in the bathroom and was still asleep. She didn’t need another lecture about her lack of eating and weight loss.

Quietly, Elsie grabbed her robe off the back of her bedroom door and made her way into the living room. She stopped by the kitchen for an energy drink before she plopped down onto the futon with her laptop. She needed to put the finishing touches on her class assignment before she turned it in on Monday.

As she waited for her laptop to power up, Elsie grabbed her day planner and looked at her work schedule. She had picked up extra shifts to make up for the loss of income. The reality was she used her job and school as a diversion from the crushing grief. The busier she stayed, the better.

Her head flopped back on the futon and she stared at the colorful Mexican blankets that served as a reminder of her life with Dalton. Tears gathered in her eyes. Would she ever be free from the pain?

*****

Elsie hunched into her black coat and wrapped her scarf tighter when a breeze found its way down her back. Shivering, she flipped up her collar and pulled her pink beanie down over her ears. It was cold and beginning to drizzle. Springtime shouldn’t be this cold, Elsie thought to herself, but that was Seattle. Damp and dreary most days of the year.

“Let’s grab a burrito for dinner since I know your fridge is empty. You need to eat at least one meal today,” Cailyn said as she linked her arm through Elsie’s and headed down the street.

“I do try and eat, Cai. I just can’t keep anything down. And, before you go all maternal on me again, know that I’ll continue to try,” Elsie replied, contemplating an umbrella to shield them against the wind and rain.

They hurried down the street and talked about what assignments Elsie had remaining before she graduated college next month. Time crawled since Dalton’s death, and Elsie still couldn’t believe her Bachelor’s degree was within reach.

She didn’t want to go down memory lane today and focused on the fast food restaurant. Cailyn held the door for her and they walked inside. Warm, greasy, cumin-scented air hit her as they entered the establishment. Her stomach growled. She was hungrier than she realized. She removed her jacket and shook off the moisture then turned to contemplate the menu.

Cailyn leaned into her side and whispered, “El, your high beams are on, and it appears two gorgeous guys have noticed.”

Heat suffused Elsie’s cheeks. She had on an unpadded bra, and it provided no protection under her skin-tight Henley.

“Oh, God. And, I’m mostly nipple too,” Elsie whispered back, wondering why any man would notice her small breasts.

“Doesn’t mean they aren’t enjoying the show.”

A deep, masculine groan had Elsie’s blush intensifying. She glanced out of the corner of her eye and spotted a trim waist encased in tight, black, leather pants. An unknown force drew her and she turned to appreciate the man more fully.

Her eyes followed the ropes of muscle up his abdomen and broad chest, locking with the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. Electric currents ran underneath her skin as he devoured her with his gaze as if she were a gourmet meal he intended to savor, slowly and thoroughly. Her stomach clenched with need. His full lips pulled in an erotic grimace. He was the sexiest thing she’d ever laid eyes on.

An unbearable ache bloomed in her core, followed by a strange pull. She wanted to perform sexual acts with this man that were illegal in some states. A wanton sex-fiend awoke, wanting this sensual stranger, and it was decidedly unsettling. Hell, who was she kidding. It was terrifying. Not once had she found another man attractive since marrying Dalton.

An odd fluttering in her chest took her breath as guilt assailed. She shouldn’t have these thoughts. In her mind and heart, Dalton was still her husband, and she was betraying him with these urges. She made vows to be loyal and love her husband until the day she died, and that was what she was going to do. There would never be anyone else for her.

She lowered her head and rubbed her temples, hoping to erase the image burned into her retinas. It was not right to ogle this hot guy. Flustered, she pulled her jacket back on and rushed to the counter, sputtering out an order for the first thing that she saw on the overhead menu. She glanced over at her sister. Thankfully, Cailyn was oblivious to Elsie’s desire for Mr. Blue Eyes. The last thing she wanted was for her sister to question her about the man.

“Someone has an admirer,” Cailyn half-sang, bumping her shoulder against Elsie’s.

“Shut up. I do not,” Elsie hissed under her breath.

“You’ve been out of the game too long. He is absolutely checking you out.” Elsie gritted her teeth as she listened to Cailyn ramble.

“He is so hot, El,” her sister whispered and Elsie snuck another peek at Mr. Stunning Blue Eyes, “and an opportunity waiting to happen,” Cailyn added.

Elsie’s eyes widened when she noticed his leather pants left little to the imagination. One word ran through her mind…ouch. She felt that same strong desire and pull to him once again.

“Not going to happen,” Elsie declared, a kernel of shame blossoming alongside her guilt. She wasn’t that person. Turning away, Elsie thought of her vows and love for her husband. The second her order was ready, she raced from the establishment without a backward glance.

*****

Zander watched the frail human hurry from the restaurant. Something about her was familiar but all he could focus on was how beautiful and intriguing she was. The cupid bow of her lips thinned as she fled the establishment. The image struck him as wrong. She should always smile, and her lips would look best wrapped around his cock.

He berated himself for obsessing over the female. Yes, she was sexy and held his attraction in a way no female had before, but he’d never had sex with a human, and didn’t plan on starting now. Besides, he didn’t care for one-night stands and that was all he could ever have with any human.

Humans were fragile beings, unaware that all legends of myth and fantasy were no myth at all. As the Vampire King of the Tehrex Realm, it was his duty to enforce the Goddess’ edict and protect humans from the demons and their skirm. That job didn’t leave room for much else.

He shook his head at the fact that he was tempted by the female, and was surprised at how difficult it was to stop from following her tantalizing honeysuckle fragrance. Sure, he could have sex with her and erase himself from her memory, but he wanted more. He was tired of having empty dalliances. He was one of the few in the realm who still held high hopes of finding his Fated Mate. The fact that his thoughts lingered on the female belied those beliefs. She was a human and not the one for him.

Put her oot of your mind, dumbarse! The order fell on deaf ears as desire consumed him.

Like an addict, he replayed every moment from the second she entered the restaurant. The cold left her face flushed, and her nipples strained enticingly against her top. His keen hearing picked up the conversation between the two females and she wasn’t far off about the size of her breasts but he found them positively perfect.

With one glance, his heart raced in his chest, sweat beaded his brow, and static electricity zipped under his skin. His fangs painfully shot into his mouth. For an instant when their gazes locked, his soul stirred. The enigmatic female briefly controlled his body, and Zander closed his eyes, hiding the glow that revealed his true nature.

Her sweet, honeysuckle scent set an inferno ablaze in his veins. His shaft hardened the moment the tendrils reached his nostrils. The urge to get naked and sweaty with her was irresistible. So much so, that a groan slipped past his lips. A fucking groan, of all things.

He’d never hear the end of it from Kyran, who was chuckling softly beside him. Not that his twisted brother had much room to talk, but Zander had never lost his focus. For the first time in his seven hundred sixty-five years, he was struggling to control his mind and body.

*****

Zander shook his head at his warriors. He came to Confetti after encountering the enchanting human, seeking release. The problem was, no one appealed to him. He wanted what his mamai and da had shared for so many years.

Happiness. A true and lasting love. Completion.

Zander wanted his Fated Mate.

That wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, seeing as the Goddess hadn’t blessed anyone since he became Vampire King over seven centuries ago. He tried so hard to please the Goddess and had made great strides in the Tehrex Realm. He had initiated and formed the Dark Alliance and established the Dark Warriors, the realm’s first army, but still the curse continued.

“I need a female so bad my balls ache. If it weren’t for their hair-scorching breath, I’d grab that sexy little fire demon,” Orlando said, grabbing Zander’s attention.

Shoving aside thoughts about what he couldn’t change, Zander scanned the crowd. He searched for Lena, one of his few preferred partners. He heard she was there tonight and he needed to ease the ache.

“You afraid of a little heat, O? Can’t handle the flames?” Rhys teased.

Orlando threw a pretzel at Rhys, “Fuck off, dickhead.”

A delectable, honeysuckle scent teased Zander’s senses, taking him to earlier that night. He had been obsessing over the human for the past several hours when it dawned on him that she was all over the news eighteen months earlier after her husband’s murder. Every reporter in the area showcased her misery.

“Orlando, do you remember the case where a group home counselor was murdered aboot a year and a half ago?” Zander asked, redirecting the conversation.

“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. Why? What’s up?”

“Just curious. Kyran and I ran across the widow tonight,” Zander replied.

“She seems like a pleasant girl. Hasn’t given the department any problems. Did she say something?” Orlando asked.

“Nay. We didna talk to her. Skirm were responsible, aye?” Zander wanted vengeance for the beautiful female.

He may never have her, but he would do this for her. There was severe pain in her clear blue eyes that he hated to see.

“Yeah, their magic was all over the body and scene. Why?” Orlando asked, his eyebrows scrunched and mouth twisted.

Zander understood his warrior’s confusion. There was no reason for him to scrutinize the case.

“Did you locate the ones responsible?” Zander sipped his scotch as he looked around for the provocative scent.

“No. Santiago and I didn’t take the case. We didn’t see the need. You know how hard it is to locate one particular skirm,” Orlando said, a crease marring his forehead.

“I want you two to take the case and uncover the one responsible. Reopen it if necessary,” Zander ordered. His warrior was smart enough not to question him and nodded his agreement. “Good. Now, has anyone seen Lena?”

Orlando chuckled and slapped him on the shoulder. “No, Liege. I’ve been too busy talking shop with you.”

Another wave of honeysuckle reached Zander and his body responded to the delectable fragrance. His cock hardened immediately, and damn if his fangs didn’t shoot out of his gums. He ran his tongue over the teeth that had become recalcitrant and was stunned at this reaction. It must be because he hadn’t had sex in months.

He continued his search for Lena, scanning the large dance floor. Numerous colored lights and lasers bounced from the steel ceiling rafters onto the stained cement. He didn’t see the human’s heart-shaped face among the crowd of gyrating, sweaty bodies. He scanned both bars. She wasn’t there, either. He rested his arms on the back of the chairs next to him and looked toward the hall of private rooms. Nothing.

He shook his head and reminded himself he needed to look for Lena, not the human. That didn’t stop him from opening his senses and telepathy. He picked up nothing of the human in the club. The scent hadn’t come from her. He felt a bone-deep disappointment at that. But why?

New voices brought his attention back to the table. Orlando was off with a female, and his brothers, Kyran and Bhric, had joined them. He hadn’t realized how preoccupied he’d become. Normally, he was aware of everything going on around him. He couldn’t afford to be so distracted, not with his position. He straightened in his chair and berated himself for lack of vigilance.

“No, you’re a douche-bag. An entire coven of witches wouldn’t be able to fix the mess your escapade with her would create. You would ruin the poor girl. Thank the Goddess for not gifting cambions with a vampire’s ability to erase human memories. You’d leave the entire female population of Seattle empty shells. Stay the hell away from the staff at my hospital,” Jace snapped at Rhys.

Zander wondered what he missed. Rhys smiled and threw his arm over the back of the chair next to him. Trouble was brewing behind the cambion’s kaleidoscopic eyes.

“Hmmm…vampire abilities. Hey, Bhric, I have an idea that I think you’ll like,” Rhys proposed as he sat up straighter, excitement in his every move.

“Do share,” Bhric said and smiled broadly as he leaned forward, folding his thick arms on the paint-splattered table.

Zander wanted to smack the back of his brother’s head for encouraging Rhys. They all knew better.

“It’s hard to be with human females because they notice differences about me when I fuck. So I say, we double-team the humans and you erase—”

Horror washed over Zander at what his warrior proposed. “Absolutely fucking no’! No vampire will use their power over the human mind so you can tup them. With how quickly you males go through females, we would be exposed by dawn. There are plenty of willing females in the realm,” Zander interrupted before this conversation escalated any further.

The problem was, the idea was out there and he could tell both males were churning it. Zander growled his warning, “Doona even think it, arseholes. I mean it.”

He pondered enacting a law prohibiting his subjects from using their mind control in such a manner on humans. Such abuse of power went against his beliefs. The realm and its supernaturals were better than that. They were protectors, not predators, of humans.

The sound of glass breaking caught his attention. He noticed that each of his warriors had gone into battle-mode. Across the bar, an imp was arguing with a sea demon. The pesky little demon had grabbed the transformer talisman from the sea demon, and he was now a fish-out-of-water, gasping for air. Females began shrieking at the sight of the large fish. Zander shook his head. Imps were notoriously mischievous demons, but they meant no harm. Thankfully, sea demons were also mild-mannered.

He turned away from the scene as Bhric began grumbling. “Stupid little fuckwad had to go and scare the females. Speaking of fuckwads, have we received confirmation of a new archdemon, brathair?” Bhric asked as he threw back another shot.

Zander met his brother’s gaze. He had suspected for months there was a new archdemon in town. It was to be expected after they had killed the last one but he had a suspicion whoever Lucifer sent this time was more powerful. They had encountered skirm who were better trained in combat and on organized patrols. No doubt the patrols were designed to discover the location of their compound.

“Nay, dammit. The Valkyrie and Harpies deny any knowledge. There is only rumor and conjecture,” Zander replied.

“Och, it would be good to know what we are facing. Give Killian a chance to work his magic on the computer and gather some intel,” Bhric said.

“That it would. But for tonight, put it oot of your head, brathair. Find a lass, or ten. The war will still be here in the morning,” Zander responded as he spotted Lena returning from the restroom. He had found his partner for the night. He crooked his finger at her. “Lena, join me. ‘Tis been too long since I’ve seen you.”

“Of course, mon couer,” she purred as she sashayed to his side. He looked into her dark-brown eyes, grabbed her hand and sat her across his legs. His erection returned with force. He paused in his caress of Lena’s arm when he realized the honeysuckle scent was coming from her. He picked out slightly astringent notes that told him it was a bottled fragrance as opposed to the natural tones of the human’s.

“You smell different tonight. Is that a new perfume?”

“Oui. I thought of you when I bought it. I was hoping to find you here tonight. I have missed you, mon ami. I see you are eager for me,” she whispered in his ear and started caressing his inner thigh and erection.

Inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her soft hands caressing his body. It amazed him the incredible effect the perfume had on his libido.

Lena tilted her head slightly, exposing her neck to him. The movement stirred her perfume. Mmmm, addictive. He ran his teeth over her throat, anticipating sinking his fangs into her neck as he sunk his cock into her heat.

He downed the rest of his scotch, stood, and pulled Lena against his chest. Lowering his lips to hers, he relished the gentle slide of her soft lips against his.

“Backroom, now,” he ordered.