Lure of the Blood (21 page)

Silence fell on the room like an oppressive
blanket.

“You do realise that the punishment is death,
human!”

Chapter Twenty

Marnie came to in a darkened room, a heavy
weight pinning her to the soft bed. Panic set in as she remembered the earlier
events, followed by confusion. Carmen had said she was going to be killed and
Ion had been there shouting and holding her and then…then just blissful
darkness.

She must have fainted, but what had happened
after that? Her head hurt trying to make sense of it all. If they wanted her
dead, why was she not at least chained up somewhere and why was she pinned down
by…

Her immediate shriek was muffled by a gentle
hand on her mouth and Ion’s familiar scent finally registered in her befuddled
brain at the same time as his face slowly came into focus. He was smiling down
on her, one hand holding his weight off her and she swallowed hard at the
realisation that this was Ion in all his naked and very aroused glory.

“I…I don’t understand. What happened?”

“Don’t worry about that now, little one. You’ve
had one hell of a shock and you’ve been out for a while. Relax,” his smile turned
wicked as he settled himself between her thighs. “It so happens I have the
perfect method right here.”

Marnie’s breath hitched as he ground his hips
against her, letting her feel the full force of his arousal and her body
responded instantly, moist heat flooding between her thighs.

“That’s it, little one, just let yourself
feel.”

One hand found its way under her top and Ion
swallowed her moan of surrender with his kiss, as his fingers closed around one
turgid nipple and sensation overwhelmed her as she went up like cinder to the
flame. Pushing any misgivings away, she simply let her body take over. Ion
played her like an instrument, his harsh breaths in her ear and his rough
tongue setting her alight. His murmured words of encouragement as he licked and
nipped his way down one side of her body and then the other, always leaving her
hovering on the cuff of release until she was as naked as him, whimpering her
need for him to make her his.

“Do you mean that, little one?”

Ion held himself very still on top of her, the
thick tip of his cock nudging her entrance, driving her wild with unfulfilled
need and love for this man. Tears filled her eyes at the love and raw need she
saw shining out of his eyes as he waited for her answer and when she nodded,
his wolf’s howl filled the stillness of the room. His eyes never left hers as
he thrust into her swollen depths and her hips lifted to take him further into
her body, needing him to fill her completely and totally. Every thrust brought
her closer to the brink, obliterating any lingering doubts and when he went
still, his wolf’s eyes burning down on her in a silent question, she shut her
eyes and tilted her head to one side in silent anticipation. Damn being
righteous and thinking of others. What good had it done them after all? They
had tried to do the right thing and had both almost been killed in the process.
For all she knew she would still be executed in the morning, so why deny them
both.

The scrape of Ion’s fangs against her neck
coupled with a deep thrust send her tumbling over the edge and when he finally
sank his teeth into her neck, stars exploded behind her closed eyes as the
sensation shot straight down to her clit. Ion’s growl in her ear matched her
own as her body heated up and all her senses intensified until she could swear
she could hear his blood rushing through his veins, her heart beating in unison
with his. Her body ceased to be her own and she melted into Ion’s warmth, not
knowing any more where he started and she ended. Unable to comprehend what was
happening to her, she simply gave herself up to the new sensations assaulting
her, clinging onto the one certainty she had, their love for each other.

Ion set a frantic pace, tumbling her into one
furious orgasm after the other and when he finally growled his completion into
her ear, biting her again in the process, the whole world shifted on his axis
as new awareness slammed into her. The whole room seemed brighter, a myriad of
scents assaulting her, overwhelming her senses. Ion froze in the act of licking
her wounds and she could feel him tense in wonder, before his eyes sought hers
and he swore under his breath. The last thing she felt was the ache in her jaws
before darkness once again claimed her.

When Marnie next came to, she was alone,
wrapped up in the tattered remains of the clawed sheets. Judging by the first
rays of sun streaming in through the windows, she had slept the night away. One
hand shot up to her neck and she scrambled out of bed, shivering at the sight
of Ion’s bite on her neck. What had they done? And where was Ion? She didn’t
recognise the room, looking around now and frowned at the scene of the
devastation. The place looked as though Ion’s wolf had gone berserk in here.
She ran one bare toe thoughtfully over the deep grooves in the floor, dread
filling her anew at what could have caused Ion so much anguish. This had to be
his room, his scent was everywhere and Marnie shut her eyes, savouring the feel
of him around her. Her hand once again went up to her neck and warmth filled
her from her toes right up to the roots of her hair. She was truly his and
whatever happened they could never take that away from her. How could something
that felt so right be wrong?

Her heart beat faster as she heard his
footsteps come up the stairs, followed by the heavier gait of Landulph. How did
she know that? And how could she hear them anyway? They were too far away,
still just approaching the second floor and this room was on the third. She
could tell from one look out of the window as she mentally calculated how she
would have to angle her body were she to leap out of the window.

That thought startled her back to the mirror.
What on earth was happening to her? All her instincts seemed heightened and
super aware. Yet it was same old Marnie looking back at her. She hadn’t
sprouted fangs and fur overnight, so where were these strange thoughts coming
from? She felt stronger too and her vertigo seemed to have vanished. She hated
heights, damn it, so why had she weighed up how best to jump out of the window and
hit the floor running?

So engrossed was she in her perusal of herself,
it took Ion’s gentle cough to alert her to his presence.

She smiled at him as their eyes connected in
the mirror.

“How are you feeling this morning, little one?”

Ion’s face showed apprehension and he crossed
the room in a few big strides, drawing her into his warmth. He tipped her head
slightly and his eyes lit up with silent fire at the visible mark of his
possession. Marnie couldn’t help but grin at the way he inhaled and his hold on
her tightened as he murmured into her neck. “I love you, little one. I never
would have thought…”

“Let me tell her, Ion.”

Landulph’s deep voice interrupted their little
bubble of happiness and Marnie’s cheeks flamed. How could she have forgotten
about the older man standing mere feet away? And why did her state of undress
in front of Landulph not bother Ion more? He was normally so protective, yet he
just smiled at the older man, and let her go.

“Don’t leave me, Ion.”

His smile deepened and he touched his forehead
to hers, his voice full of tender compassion “I’ll just be outside, little one.
You need to hear this from him.” And with one quick lick of her bite, which
sent her heart into overdrive, he was gone.

Landulph’s smile held a similar expression as he
looked at her and Marnie pulled the tattered sheet a bit tighter around
herself.

“Would you mind turning round so that I can put
some clothes on, please?”

To her surprise he turned round instantly.

“Whatever makes you feel more comfortable,
young one.”

Young one? Really? What was it with these
shifter dudes? At least he hadn’t called her human or little one. From Ion’s
lips the term was an endearment and made her feel cherished, anyone else saying
it set her blood boiling. Spotting her discarded jeans on the floor she hastily
pulled them on, blushing anew at the sight of her shredded knickers and bra. At
least her clothes were in one piece and once she’d pulled her t-shirt over her
head, she felt marginally better equipped to deal with Landulph.

“Okay. I’m all ears. Start with why I’m still
alive, when your vamp friend was all set to execute me yesterday. What happened
after I passed out?”

Landulph’s smile was affectionate when he
turned back round again. “I thought the young pup would have filled you in, but
I guess you were too busy to talk much last night.” His smile deepened at her
indrawn breath and the involuntary movement of her hand covering her neck,
before he sobered. “I’m just surprised he waited this long…only he didn’t, did
he? Why did you stop him before?”

“You know why…the damn prophecy. I couldn’t let
him commit to me like this. There was too much at stake… there still is.”

Her eyes filled with tears as the truth dawned
on her. Oh my God what had they done?  She sat down with a thump on the bed
behind her, her voice an anguished whisper.

“I have ruined it all, haven’t I? I was only
thinking of me and … what will the council do now? I guess we’ve just given
them more ammunition. So, you’re here to take me down? Because there is no way
I let Ion take the rap for this, no fucking way.”

His hand on her arm stopped her mid rant.

“Marnie, listen to me. No one was ever going to
be executed. It was a test.”

She could not believe what she was hearing.

“A test? What the fuck do you mean a test? You
put Ion and Lucas and the pack through all this for a test? Whatever for?
Answer me, damn you, and stop smiling at me like that!”

God, the man was infuriating, grinning at her
like a dumb ape.

“Sit back down Marnie.” He waited until she did
and took one hand in his. His scent enveloped her, stirring a faint, long
forgotten memory and her heart speeded up. It couldn’t be, but there was no
mistaking the sudden sense of belonging, heating up her blood.

“Don’t fight it, Marnie, just let the blood
work. I can sense him in you, just as you can sense him in me. It took Ion’s
bite to awaken you. And the council needed to be sure you were ready to accept
your destiny.”

“My destiny? I don’t understand. I’m no one’s
destiny. I’m just a little human girl, who got herself mixed up in all this
craziness. And I’ve messed up all the blood lines and…”

“Marnie, you haven’t messed up anything. Have
you never wondered who your father was? Never caught a scent on the wind, had
the feeling someone was watching you? Why do you think you were drawn to Ion
and Lucas? You were born to be his mate. You were as helpless as he was to
resist the lure of the blood. We had to be sure you deserved the honour of your
blood line.”

“My blood line?”

His deep sigh raised the ends of her fringe.

“Yes, Marnie, your father was my son. He was a
stubborn and insolent pup, determined to go his own way and he had a weakness
for pretty humans.  He fell fast and hard for your mother and even though it
was strictly forbidden he threw all caution to the wind and set up home with
her. I did my best to cover it up, but then you came along. Against all the
odds it was clear from the start that you inherited full shifter capabilities.”

Marnie’s eyes grew wide at that. “But I can’t
shift.”

“You will at the next full moon, if not before.
Your father came to me begging me for my help. It was only a question of time
before the council would find you. You and your mother would be killed
instantly. Mixing the ancient blood line with humans was strictly forbidden,
even if the outcome was someone as promising as you.” His smile was so sad;
Marnie’s heart ached with the chill of foreboding.  “So he traded his life for
yours and your mother’s. You were hidden under a spell to bind your abilities,
so that no one would know what and who you really were. The spell could only be
broken if you found your true mate and only then if you proved yourself worthy.
Had you not been drawn to Ion, you would have lived your life as a human, never
once knowing the truth of your heritage. It was the best compromise I could
come up with and that took all my influence at the council.”

It was all too much to take in. She needed Ion.
No sooner had she thought that, the door opened and he was by her side. Marnie
leaned into his warmth with a small sigh and her heart leaped in joy when the
full impact of her grandfather’s words hit her. Her grandfather!

She pushed against Ion’s chest and he released
her instantly as she turned to Landulph, her eyes shimmering with tears.

“You have lost so much. You must hate me.”

“No, young one. I could never hate you. Raoul
lives in you. He was young and foolish, but you were born out of love. Never
doubt that your father and mother loved you. She swore to protect you and watch
over you, even though she was terrified for the rest of her natural days. The
council took away her memories of what exactly Raoul was, but I believe a small
part of her never forgot totally. I came to visit you on your first birthday.
She threw me out of the house.” His eyes crinkled in obvious amusement and he
looked much younger than his advanced years all of a sudden. “I have never seen
a human more furious and determined to protect her young and I finally saw what
Raoul must have seen all along. I bowed to her wishes and stayed out of your
lives. It was safer that way anyway. After she was killed and you moved away I
lost all track of you. But I always hoped I would find you again one day, so
when Lucas came to the council pleading your case, all my Christmases had come
at once.”