Captiva Craving - Vampire Werewolf Menage (Six Feet Under Series Book Two) (11 page)

“But what is fairness? The ability to say yes or no, to slam the gavel on what one person says is right or wrong. What if the word no never worked its way into our vocabulary? Without that little word, who would still work to attain something he could never achieve? More importantly, how would you deny me when the time comes? And it will. So never think I’m fair. Use the word no when you awaken to face your circling monsters, Dakota. Use it fast and fervently. Use it when you feel like saying yes.” His mind stroked hers in the way of the Coven Master, stirring her to wake up, though he didn’t want her to feel pain. “Dakota,” he said. “Sweetheart, can you hear me?”

She didn’t bat an eyelash. Purple shadows under her eyes looked as if they were forming into deep bruises. If she were in a hospital, the staff would surely summon a priest. Her breathing was shallow, erratic, light puffs that would never send enough oxygen to her vital organs, especially her heart and brain. Those minute drops Ryan and Dru offered her could not have made any difference. Any human would already be dead, and he wondered, not for the first time, why she was still hanging on.

He bent down so their foreheads touched, refusing to tax her mind further by
insisting
on her awakening. “I need you to live.” Maestru’s midnight hair covered the sides of her alluring face like a curtain, sweeping over her golden tresses. He hated when innocents found themselves in immortal crosshairs, especially one such as Dakota. “So sweet.” Maestru wrapped powerful arms around her and pressed her lush lips to his throat, wishing she would bite him in the way Brides do, thirsting for his blood as much as he wanted to give it to her. “Perhaps,” he murmured, trailing his lips across her cheek and placing them against her temple, her tantalizing fragrance tightening his cock painfully, “I could have you if, by belonging to me; your life wouldn’t be stomped out as my Bride’s life was long ago. However, in this moment,” he said sadly, “I will give you what you need.” It had been centuries since he
truly
wanted a female to feed from him, and it shocked Maestru to no end as to why it was happening now. But it was. And a human, no less, was his fixation.

Maestru closed his eyes, bringing her scent inside his body, and letting her heat warm his cold heart. “Drink from me,” he instructed, compelling her to do so. “Take from me that which will save you.” He elongated a single claw, piercing his neck deeply and placing her full lips against his skin. A far cry from her pallor, her mouth was
hot
, electric. Just the feel of her skin-to-skin pushed his seed up, his sex aching to explode inside her as she nourished herself with his offering. Instead, he stroked Dakota’s cheek, rubbing his fingertips over her jaw and then her ravaged throat. Encouraging her to swallow as blood flooded the back of her throat. “Take from me, sweetheart. Take it.”

As he expected, she started gagging, so he pushed more endorphins into his blood. Ones she could not deny even if she were healthy. “Drink to live. You must obey.” He smelled her arousal after her third swallow. Her lovely scent hit him harder than he imagined it would, and his body’s response shocked him. He gasped when she started writhing beneath him. “Calm down. You’ll reopen your throat.”

A soft plea left her chest, a moan for more.

Considering only her needs, he refused to press his groin against her rising heat. Instead, he nudged his thick thigh between her slender ones and gave her an alternative to rub against. Her body strengthening with every swallow, Dakota perked up, wasting no time using his hard-toned thigh, clamping her supple legs around him and rubbing her aching clit.

He listened with great relief as her heart rate picked up, finally sounding normal, though clearly excited. Dakota’s breathing followed along, delivering oxygen throughout her body before a swift and sudden climatic peak hit her. An even stronger groan left her chest, a deep sound that hit his balls like an SLS rocket, and he took off with Dakota. “No. No, little human.” He panted above her, clenching his teeth until he nearly buried his fangs in his chin. “You are not dying, are you, strong one?”

With Herculean effort, Maestru forced himself to remain still as she continued to undulate, though her urgent movements slowed considerably. He marveled at how his ejaculation seemed endless. Maestru’s pulsating body tightened, released, tightened, and released, spending inside his leathers, as though he were a youthful male with his first lover. Self-depreciating embarrassment never crossed his mind one bit. In a way, he suspected his biological reactions to her would be powerful even before Dakota’s first taste.

Although she quickly drifted back into a restful, deeply satiated sleep, long minutes passed before he reluctantly pulled away from her. He hissed in the way of mollified vampires, adjusting his straining zipper. In selfless satisfaction, he watched on as her wounds closed, healing from his miraculous, ancient blood.

“I’m afraid you are in more danger than any human female alive, because, in my mind, you are mine.” Maestru swiped the telltale blood from her lush mouth with his thumb. What would a crimson kiss between them taste like? “Another intimacy I cannot afford myself.”

Dakota would
never remember
this
shared intimacy.

However, Maestru would never forget.

“Think of my earlier warning. How you survive in your new world depends on your ensuring strength and resolve. So when I come to collect my blood debt, and I will, remember to say
no
,” he cautioned her, willing the words into her subconscious. “Will it work? Probably not, but do it anyway.” He put his shirt on, tucking it inside his pants. “My innocent Dakota, never, ever, allow this Coven Master to drink from
you
.”

Rock inclined his dark head to passing werewolves who had temporarily relocated their precious, few females on Marco Island. Rock remained a popular male. His position as the highest guard, a Beast a few seats from the Alpha, held a distinct place of precedence within the werewolf Pack. Of course, all immortal females craved power, looks, and authority. Rock had those three wrapped up. Yet, for countless reasons, humans, such as Dakota, would do well to stay away from him.

Currently, Marco Island remained on lock down. The two local factions would never stop humans from coming in and out, but if the guard count were any indication, all physical efforts would stop rogue Habalines cold in their tracks. Yet if they happened to fail, a far-reaching miasma presently encompassed the small piece of land. Ryan noticed a large wedge of magic as Bane Ruyter’s signature work, though he knew his shift would soon be over. Earlier, in the urgent care room shared with Dakota, Dr. Holt mentioned he and his co-mates would see Renee off on her and Arian’s last-minute trip to Norway. Then another Were Beast would take the Beta’s place, fabricating miasma with uncommon colors only seen by immortals. They changed from shift to shift with the great Beast who manipulated them.

“When you’re ready to tell me what this is all about, feel free,” said Rock quietly, adjusting his long stride to match Ryan’s slower pace.

Not exactly fitting in, both wore dark boots, jeans, and practically matching charcoal pullovers, since black absorbed bloodstains.

“Let you know what? That you cannot feed her your Beast’s blood? What’s there to figure out? Your essence won’t work unless she’s your mate and usually
won’t
work for injuries that severe, even if she were.” He kept walking, twirling his tongue through his lip ring, surprised it wasn’t ripped out during the Habaline’s melee. “Species blood is the only choice to heal injured humans. You’ve been around long enough to know that. And due to my wounds, I couldn’t deliver,” he spat, infuriated with himself for nearly bleeding out. “Besides, if she’s going to live, Maestru’s primordial blood is her only hope. She needs every chance she can get.”

They reached an overhang covering the entrance to an ice-cream pallor. Rock’s hand shot out, cupping Ryan’s nape. “You know that’s not what I’m talking about.” With his free hand, he tapped his jugular, eyes of his Beast narrowing in great offense. “How long have we been friends? If you were on your last breath, Ryan, would you have bitten me?” His rough pants were close enough to flutter Ryan’s inky lashes, his Beast prowling near the surface.

That question confused Ryan.

“Your answer is deafening,” Rock continued in a dangerous whisper. “After your attack, you told me you were fine. Under the guise of prioritizing Dakota, you chose to wait until I could come back for you with a feeder in tow.”

He jerked back, pushing him away. “She
is
my priority. A human who works for me is under my protection. And she’s been my friend since high school.”

“Your heart stopped three times during the night.” Rock raised a corner of his lip, flashing white teeth. “Dru almost made you Undead.”

Ryan had no time to continue this after he scented that delicious female Maestru had pointed out from beneath the island. Sweet, young stamina, her youthful blood was his for his taking, and she was just around the corner.

Clueless a predator was about to strike.

Rock sensed his change, following him as he rounded the bend. There she was, radiating human innocence. No older than twenty, he thought. “She smells of orange blossoms,” he said to Rock, though his voice remained inaudible to her ears.

He beckoned her with his eyes, his sneaky Species ways drawing her further into the alleyway. Although she was attractive, she looked baffled that he would notice her. But he didn’t care about her looks, wouldn’t take any of her offers of sex. This was all about feeding. She came closer. Ryan continued to lure her with
his
looks and coerced her to relax, planting images in her mind that never happened, never would happen. She sank against him. His muscles tensed with her slight weight as his body remained in incredible pain. But nothing could stop him from biting down.

Moaning aloud as her wet crimson hit his palate and flowed down his throat; he wiggled his tongue against her skin, urging more fluid to the surface as he drew deeply. He swallowed and swallowed and swallowed, until he felt her life’s essence flow through him, kicking up his heart as well as his cock. Her knees started buckling before Ryan realized his mistake, he’d taken nearly too much. And he hadn’t completed that transgression since he was a horny teen, sucking and fucking for the simple pleasure of it all.

Rock caught his attention by pushing his index finger between Ryan’s mouth and the woman’s throat. A stupid move to come between predator and prey, but a werewolf, such as Rock, could take him on without any worries. “She’s going to be in Dakota’s shape if you keep this up.”

Instead of listening, Ryan bit harder; glaring at his friend as he downed what remained in his mouth. The werewolf stared back, pacing behind those periwinkle eyes. Back and forth. Back and forth. “Fine,” he snapped after releasing her throat, licking her closed without leaving Rock’s stare. “Three humans, but I am
still
hungry.”

After shaking off his Beast, Rock took a moment to check her over using a practiced eye. With a reassuring nod, he sent her on her way carrying half the cash from his wallet. From the looks of it, she made out with quite a haul.

Why was he angry at Rock for helping the human female? He’d never know. But he was…angry about something. And he realized that something was Blythe’s disappearance. A matter he pushed to the back of his brain, but it kept popping up. He couldn’t believe his ears when given the awful news, and he was in no position to help. He was a total wreck, and Dakota was worse.

He rolled his shoulders, willing the blood to do its thing, watching on as the young woman crossed the street. “I wouldn’t kill food,” he explained himself without any provocation from Rock.

“You came close.”

“Noted,” Ryan accepted the simple chastisement as his lingering wounds closed, the power finally rushing his veins. While he healed, he turned toward the faction’s hidden tunnel. Maestru was in there with Dakota, probably already finished feeding her. Something he still was unable to do until he downed more blood. Although after Maestru fed her, he probably wouldn’t let Ryan pick up where he left off. Possession was a bitch, and it came far too easily for his kind.

Depending on one’s
feelings
, feeding could be an extremely intimate circumstance. If Dakota awakened for it, for
Maestru
…he could not think about that now. The power in possession from shared blood was a phenomenal thing between a master vampire and his supplicant.

He rubbed the tension from his neck, baring his face to the sun while picking up the pace. Even though friends were friends, and he was always loyal, Ryan understood that when it came to Dakota, he had absolutely no say. He couldn’t go against his master. If Rock continued to circle her, he was on his own, doing so at his own risk. After all, Maestru had already threatened to kill Ryan’s parents over Blythe.

“I smell your Beta,” he said over his shoulder, walking away from the dominant werewolf who took up entirely too much space no matter where he stood. “He’s nearing the side entrance to the tunnel.” Ryan turned the next corner and nearly slammed into Bane.

“You missed another rights to mate ceremony,” Bane teased Rock, nodding a greeting at Ryan. “Gage is one satisfied male, and he and Sayer’s mate is extraordinary.”

“You, of all Beasts, know I don’t want to be mated,” Rock tried to shut him down, but Bane wasn’t done yet.

“When you decide to come around,” he said with a laugh, “it may be too late.”

Rock started to back away, but thought twice. “What’s too late? That I choose for myself instead of allowing the celestial pull.”