The Rise of Vlad (The Seeker Series Book 3) Page 5

  Declan held up a hand for silence as murmurs buzzed around the table. “Nita Franks is dead?”

  Vlad shook his head. “She lives. The assassin, however, was not so fortunate.”

  “She killed a Seeker?” The question came from Atticus.

  “No. I did, before I gave the shifter my blood.”

  Voices erupted in a fit of outrage.

  Atticus jumped to his feet. “What have you done?”

  Vlad shrugged a broad shoulder. “Repaid a debt. Nothing more.”

  Nita’s anger and confusion suddenly poured through Vlad’s mind. He could feel her anxiety, unease…her fear. “I must go.”

  “Now?” Declan’s face showed his surprise. “The meeting hasn’t even started.”

  “There is something urgent that I must attend to. I trust Angelo can fill me in on anything I need to know once he returns to my home.”

  Without waiting for a response, Vlad blurred from the room and burst out into the chilly night air.

  What was the shifter doing back on his property? His dick hardened in anticipation of finding out.

  Vlad arrived ten minutes later at the edge of his lands, his senses expanded, seeking the object of his desire. And he did desire her; that he had come to accept.

  He found her in wolf form, pacing through the trees in obvious agitation.

  She stopped as he approached, turning toward him with her mouth peeled back over her teeth.

  Her iridescent eyes glowed in the darkness, tracking his every movement.

  Vlad stood completely still, anticipating her attack. “Did you come here to try to kill me?” He hoped so.

  For some reason he wanted her to fight him, to hamper the desire rapidly growing inside him.

  She growled deep in her throat, her head tucked low before slowly circling him, stalking him as a wolf stalked its prey.

  It was beautiful to watch, and had he not been a vampire, Vlad would have stood in complete awe of her magnificence. But he was a vampire, and the gorgeous creature now circling him wanted him dead.

  She launched, taking Vlad down with the force of her weight.

  His hands wrapped around her throat to prevent her teeth from ripping out his own.

  “Is this your idea of foreplay?” he teased, enraging her even more, if the sounds coming from her were any indication.

  Vlad had intentionally allowed her to knock him to the ground. As strong as she seemed to be, she was no match for the Impaler.

  He flipped her over, holding her by the neck until he straddled her.

  The snarls coming from her didn’t match the confusion swimming in her pearl-colored eyes.

  Vlad eased up on his grip, staring down at the beast beneath him in a world of his own uncertainty. “What have you done to me?”

  A howl wrenched from her as the fur receded and Nita’s beautiful face took shape. “Let me go,” she demanded between clenched teeth.

  “I wish that I could.” Vlad crushed his mouth to hers, forcing her lips to part for his seeking tongue.

  She tried to turn her head to the side, but his hands slid up to her face to hold her still. He’d wanted to taste her since the moment she’d first opened her smartass mouth and insulted him after he’d saved her life.

  He wedged his knee between hers and parted her thighs, settling his weight against her.

  His cock throbbed with an ache he hadn’t felt in two hundred years. If ever. He flexed his hips, pressing his erection against her bare pussy before slowly dragging it upward.

  Nita stopped fighting. Her shuddering breath filled his mouth, and her arms came around his shoulders.

  She moaned as he ground against her once more, lifting her hips in response to his next upward slide.

  Images of her touching herself in her car, on her knees in the shower, crying out her pleasure slammed into his mind, threatening his control. Hell, he didn’t seem to have any control when it came to Nita Franks.

  Vlad’s hips continued to pump, grinding his oversensitive dick against her hot, wet sex until he thought he’d go insane.

  He broke off the kiss and rose up on his knees, discarding his cloak with vampiric speed.

  Jerking his shirt over his head, he tossed it next to his cloak.

  Nita’s trembling fingers were already on his jeans, popping the button and dragging down the zipper.

  Vlad stood in one fluid motion, toeing off his boots and removing his jeans before bending to spread his cloak across the leaves.

  He lifted Nita’s heated body and placed her on his cloak before coming down over her once more.

  A small voice in the back of his mind told him to stop. He was about to cross a line there would be no coming back from.

  And then she bit him.

  Vlad lost control.

  Chapter Twelve

  Nita’s entire body was on fire, burning with a thirst that only Vlad could quench.

  Her hips rolled beneath him, seeking, longing for the release that promised oblivion.

  Blood rolled across her tongue where she’d sank her teeth into the fleshy part of his shoulder, and the beast inside her roared back to life.

  She could feel her wolf surfacing, fighting to be freed. Woman and beast warred for domination, one needing blood, the other needing the man in her arms.

  But he wasn’t a man. He was full-on vampire, and God was he sexy.

  He freed himself from the suction she had on his skin and wrapped a hand in her hair, jerking her head to the side.

  His mouth hovered over her ear. “You are mine, now.”

  Nita swallowed back the moan his statement provoked. Her pussy clenched and wetness slicked her thighs.

  “Tell me you understand,” he growled, his hand tightening in her hair.

  A soft sound escaped her, and her hips rose up in anticipation of his entry.

  “Fucking say it!”

  “Yes,” she gasped, turned on to the point where she couldn’t hold a thought beyond the feel of his skin against hers.

  Nita flinched as he twisted her head to the side and sank his fangs into her throat. But nothing prepared her for the feel of his enormous erection pressing against her opening.

  Vlad thrust, sinking his cock deep inside her, stretching her to the point of pain.

  Nita cried out as he released his fangs from her neck and drove balls-deep into her.

  Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, holding him tightly as his pelvis dragged against her swollen clit.

  “Fuck,” he barked, rising up on his knees and gripping her thighs to spread her wide. “Open for me.”

  Vlad slammed into her with enough force her shoulders flew off the cloak.

  He yanked her forward, threw her legs over his shoulders, and pistoned into her with powerful thrusts.

  Nita’s mouth opened without sound. She had never been fucked so hard in her life. But damn was it incredible.

  She was the alpha, the one always expected to be strong, always in control. It felt amazing to let go, let someone be the strong one…the alpha. For the first time in her adult life, Nita was soft and vulnerable. She was no one’s alpha, no one’s leader…just a woman.

  “Come for me,” Vlad demanded, slowing his strokes.

  He lifted up slightly and pressed his thumb against her clit, softly caressing it as he continued to sink into her.

  Nita’s legs began to shake. Nerves were alive everywhere, firing off one another in no particular order.

  She had no control, no choice but to let it happen, to ride it to the blissful end.

  Vlad softly pinched her clit, sending her over the edge.

  Nita screamed, the sound echoing off the mountains, sending the wildlife scattering in different directions.

  Her body convulsed around Vlad’s still-driving cock, taking her breath, her very mind.

  Vlad suddenly lurched back, a hoarse shout wrenching from his throat, hot jets of his semen filling Nita with every shudder of his magnificent body.

&nb
sp; Nita continued to come long after Vlad stopped moving, contracting around his cock in a sweet release that seemed to go on forever.

  “Son of a bitch,” Vlad snarled, flipping her over onto her knees.

  He entered her from behind, gripping her hips and holding her still for every powerful thrust he dealt.

  Nita’s head dropped forward on instinct, her hair spilling around her face in wild abandon. Vlad drove into as if he owned her, and in that moment…he did.

  The orgasm she’d been caught up in for so long surged to the surface once more. It flew through her body, conquering and devouring until she had nothing left to give. Or so she thought.

  Vlad pulled from her trembling body, nudged her knees wider, and dragged his tongue through her ass to dip into her pussy.

  Nita’s eyes slid shut as he rolled to his back and pulled her down onto his face.

  His lips closed over her, and he sucked her oversensitive clit deep inside.

  Both of his large hands came up to cup the cheeks of her ass, holding her still as he devoured her with his mouth.

  Nita’s arms gave out, and her chest kissed his cloak. Inconsequential sounds escaped her, shattering the night and her ability to move.

  “Vlad,” she groaned, her hips jerking in time to her vaginal contractions as she rode out her climax into a soul-shattering oblivion.

  A howl split the night, bringing Nita out of her euphoria.

  She stilled, her ears suddenly in tune to her surroundings.

  The howl came again, and Nita got it in gear. Scrambling forward, she staggered to her feet.

  Vlad was instantly at her side. “You are too far away for them to scent.”

  “For now,” Nita whispered, unable to look into his eyes. “But they will find me eventually if I don’t get out of here.”

  Vlad took hold of her arm as she turned to go. “They would not dare cross into my territory.”

  Nita finally met his gaze. “I did.”

  Vlad stared into her eyes without blinking. “You were drawn to me.”

  “Don’t flatter yourself, vampire. I came here to scratch an itch, and it’s officially been scratched. Now let me go before I am discovered.”

  Something flickered in Vlad’s eyes. “That itch will never be scratched as long as I live. You belong to me now. You have since the moment we blood bonded. Nothing you say or do will change that.”

  Anger surged as well as panic. “I belong to no one. It was a mistake coming here, and you can bet your ass, I won’t be back.”

  She tried to pull free, but he only held on tighter. “Then I will come to you.”

  “The Kiana will not tolerate you breaching their territory. Don’t be stupid, Vlad. They’ll kill you.”

  “What does it matter to you if I die?”

  “It doesn’t,” Nita snapped, yanking free of his hold. She had no doubt that he allowed it. He could have ripped her arm from the socket without batting an eye. “But it would matter to Angel.”

  Vlad stepped in close, his eyes narrowing in anger. “You have feelings for Angelo?”

  “Not in the way your twisted mind thinks. He saved my life when I was very young. I will be forever grateful to him.”

  “I saved your life also,” Vlad murmured, reaching up to touch her face.

  “And I believe you were well compensated.” Nita allowed the change to take her, releasing her wolf and sinking her teeth into Vlad’s arm.

  He hissed, but otherwise didn’t move.

  She sprang forward, taking off at full speed back toward her small camp on the side of the mountain.

  The taste of Vlad’s blood tingled on her tongue, reminding her that she’d bit into his shoulder during sex.

  Nita ran faster, replaying the last hour in her mind. She’d given herself to a vampire. And not just any vampire, but the most powerful vampire in history. Vlad the Impaler.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Vlad stood for several minutes in the spot where Nita had been, listening to her crashing through the trees on her race to get away from him.

  He glanced down at his still-hard cock, anger warring with amusement over her untimely escape.

  Snatching up his clothes, he dressed in record time before donning his cloak.

  Nita’s scent haunted him on his trek through the woods toward his castle. In all the years he’d been on the earth, Vlad had never imagined he would crave another like he did the Kiana leader.

  “Frolicking with wolves?”

  Vlad had been so caught up in his thoughts of Nita he hadn’t sensed Shon’s presence.

  “I am in no mood for your jokes, young Shon. What are you doing out here?”

  “Waiting for you,” Shon remarked, leaning against a tree. The smell of cigar permeated the air as smoke billowed out around him.

  “Well, I am here. What can I do for you?”

  Shon took another puff from the cigar before answering. “The council members have devised a plan to flush out the Seekers and hopefully expose their lair.”

  “And you’re telling me this…why?”

  “Because they plan to use your shifter as bait.”

  That pulled Vlad up short. “Go on.”

  “I don’t have all the details, but Atticus is working on the arrangements. He’ll be by to speak with you after all the wrinkles have been ironed out.”

  Vlad raised an eyebrow. “Atticus?”

  “That’s what I was told.”

  “I don’t trust Atticus as far as I can throw him. And I can throw him clear to Canada if I take a mind to.”

  Shon laughed. “I don’t like the little bastard either, but it won’t hurt to hear him out.”

  Vlad nodded. “I have a glass of wine calling my name. Care to join me?”

  “Does a bear shit in the woods?”

  “Indeed,” Vlad affirmed. “As do wolves. I’d watch my step if I were you.”

  Shon pushed off from the tree. “Nita Franks, I’m assuming?”

  Vlad ignored his jab as well as his smirk. “Is Angelo aware of the council’s plan to use Nita as bait?”

  “He is. And he doesn’t like it.” Shon fell into step beside Vlad.

  Herman Mordecai was waiting at the door as Vlad and Shon approached. “My lord.”

  “Good evening, Mordecai. Is something amiss?”

  “Not at all,” Mordecai replied, stepping back and pulling the door open wide. “I thought I heard wolves howling in the distance.”

  Vlad entered the foyer with Shon tight on his heels. “Probably just some coyotes hunting in the area. I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.”

  Mordecai sniffed, closing the door behind them. “Coyotes, indeed.”

  Vlad’s lips twitched on his way to the den. Clearly, Mordecai didn’t buy into the whole coyote story, if his mumbled words were any indication.

  “Pour me one of those.” Shon sank heavily into a nearby chair as Vlad plucked a bottle of wine from the bar.

  “You are looking a bit peaked,” Vlad teased, pouring them both a glass of wine and handing one to Shon.

  Shon accepted the offering before taking a healthy drink. “Have you ever been mated?”

  Vlad took a seat across from him. “Can’t say that I have.”

  “You’ll understand when you do. I’m surprised I can walk upright.”

  A vision of Nita coming apart in his arms, floated through Vlad’s mind. “I’m certain I can imagine.”

  Shon grinned. “I’ll bet you can. At your age, I’m sure you’ve tried just about everything there is to try.”

  After the night he’d had, Vlad would tend to agree with Shon. He changed the subject instead. “How is mated life treating you? Did you have a nice honeymoon?”

  “Being mated to Laura is everything I always knew it would be. And Paris was incredible.”

  “You should have seen it two hundred years ago,” Vlad murmured, watching the wine swirl in his glass. “Simply magnificent.”

  Shon wrinkled his nose. “Back b
efore air conditioning? No thanks. I don’t know how people survived before electricity. I bet body odor was thick as butter.”

  A chuckle bubbled up in Vlad at Shon’s description. “Things were different back then, young Shon. Foods were natural, and the ozone still existed. It wasn’t as hot as it is today.”

  “So you’re blaming body odor on the ozone?”

  Vlad nodded. “And food. Food today is saturated with preservatives, toxins, hormones, and many more ingredients that rot the body from the inside out. But since you no longer consume such garbage, you have nothing to worry about.”

  Shon sat up straighter. “Is that why vampires live as long as they do?”

  “Among other things.”

  “What about our strength and speed…aversion to light?”

  Vlad looked up from his wine watching to meet Shon’s gaze. “That, young Shon, we owe to our creator—”

  “Lilith,” Shon finished for him.

  “As well as her demon sperm donor, Vrykolakas.”

  Shon crossed his booted feet at the ankles. “What’s the deal with you and the shifter?”

  “There is no deal. We’re acquaintances, nothing more.”

  “Her scent is all over you, Drac. And not in a I’ve been running through the woods and rubbed up against you, kind of way.”

  Vlad changed the subject before he lost his temper and messed up young Shon’s handsome face. “Where is your sweet bride?”

  “Taking a bubble bath without me. I should probably join her.” Gaining his feet, Shon finished off his wine and winked in Vlad’s direction before sauntering from the room.

  Vlad watched him go with a mixture of feelings. No vampire in history would have dared question the Impaler about his sex life. But Shon Wells did it with such ease that Vlad found himself rather enjoying the fledgling’s audacity.

  Laying his head back against the chair cushion, Vlad closed his eyes, immediately recalling the look on Nita’s face as he pumped into her again and again.

  He’d never seen anything as beautiful as the shifter in the throes of passion. The way her eyes changed colors as she fought to control her beast, the trembling of her body, the orgasm that triggered his own.

  Vlad wanted her again. “Damn it.”