Vaewolf: Damn the Darkness: The Prophecy's Promise (Hearts of Darkness Book 3) (3 page)

The memory of the first time he’d walked into the invisible shield brought a smile to her lips.

Man, he’d been pissed when he had to request permission to enter. Truly, vampires don’t need an invitation. The claim was an old farce. But if a witch set a protection spell on the premises—that was a different story. The priceless look on his face still made her laugh when she imagined the scene. She never let him know. He took security seriously, especially hers. Being blocked from her by the spell practically put him over the edge.

He was resourceful, she had to admit. Keeping him out back-fired on the witches. Later, Dylan used the idea to his advantage, when he called in a few favors from the local coven and made sure the estate was secured with protection spells. The witches password-protected the force field, so Dylan controlled who had access to their immediate property, and who didn’t.

He caught her glance and the smile. “What is the source of the happy thought?”

“You.” The tiny lights outside shimmered like circular halos in the evening mist. Caitlin couldn’t help noting how the size of the vampire dwarfed everything in the small two-room cottage.

“Ah, lass, ye flatter me.” Dylan shifted in his chair and sat forward, elbows on the table.

He knew she was holding back, but he wouldn’t appreciate the humorous memory. Pointing her chopsticks at him, Caitlin changed the subject. “Tell me about sifting.” She ate quietly, while he sat back in the chair and relaxed with the wine.

“Usually only ancients and elders can sift, but I can because I am of Niccolai’s bloodline. Because of my blood tie to him, and other secrets he imprinted in my memory, I have a great many advantages.”

“Really? His blood? I thought your background alone would provide you with advantages.”

“It did. That’s why Niccolai chose me to care for his son in his stead. Although he has the gift of prophecy, it, unfortunately, wasn’t one of the benefits I derived from being sired by him. Niccolai foresaw his son needing me at some future time, but he never anticipated the circumstances. I wonder if he would have risked the life mate bond with Jackson’s mother had he known her death would result in his leaving Jackson alone.”

“Was there a choice?” Caitlin put down her chopsticks and leaned back in her chair waiting for Dylan’s response. Strangely, her appetite for food was off, and she’d barely eaten half her meal. Maybe the subject struck too close to home. Maybe the room was too warm, the food too spicy. She kept her attention on Dylan’s face, forcing herself not to peek into his thoughts.

He took his time contemplating his answer, downed the last of the wine in his glass, and picked up the bottle she’d placed on the table.

She scooped her long hair into a knot at her nape, thinking about her choices and his. Whether it was destiny or not, would either she or Dylan have chosen differently if they’d known she’d be a target? Perhaps still was?

Dylan poured more wine. “No. I don’t believe one can choose who or when to love or not love. But no matter the circumstances, destiny will be served.” He stared directly into her eyes, making the intimate mental connection that always calmed her raucous concerns. “We can try to fight it, follow another path, or deny it, but in the end, what was meant to be will come to pass.”

“I agree, and Dylan...I love you...will love you wherever this life leads. Never. Forget. That.”

“Aye, well when you trip on the piles of clothes strewn about our room or spy the dirty dishes I let pile up in the sink, I’ll be lookin’ forward to hearin’ those words again.”

“So the mess wasn’t because you were preoccupied these last few weeks?”

“Over my many years of living alone, I’m afraid I’ve developed a slovenly streak. The people who take care of the estate keep after me and my mess, but I haven’t been completely domesticated. Perhaps you can do a better job?”

Caitlin dragged a finger across her lips and down her cleavage, seductively teasing him. Leaning forward with one elbow on the table, she gave him an opportunity for a good long look down her scoop neck blouse. “For all you know...I could be a slob, too.”

“I doubt it, lass.” His breath caught in his throat as he choked and glanced aside. “A neat freak I suspect.” He raised a brow and the corner of his mouth. “Nevertheless, nothing will deter me from keeping you.

Caitlin tugged on the bodice of her shirt. “I’m relieved to hear that. And just so we’re clear, I have a feeling we’ll both impatiently be tossing our clothes around for a long while yet.”

With a quick glance around her temporary quarters, he added, “Sorry about the mess.” The facilities had been spotless before they’d tossed the place during their wild bout of sex.

He tried not to focus on the path her finger had taken, tried not to imagine following the beads of perspiration with his tongue?

Caitlin sent the image to his mind to see if he was paying attention. Instead of reacting, he narrowed his eyes and fought back. “You know moving in with me is more a necessity for my heart than a necessary step for your safety.”

“Is the danger still so real?”

“Greater.”

“I shot the psychic...or someone did, right?” She rubbed the fading scar on her chest where the bullet had hit her and eventually killed her. “Hell, his head exploded right before I felt the impact hit me.”

“Aye, but he wasn’t hunting you alone. We believe he was using you to draw me out into the open. Your death and his destruction set all hell loose in the Underworld. The psychic who shot you was one who’d been turned, a lower level demon working for Baphomet, Amyra’s old lover. Rumor says before we captured Amyra, she’d made a deal with your psychic killer so he would open another portal. She gave him her blood.”

“What do the demons want?”

“I believe it’s about the blood. And not just mine. Now, yours, too. Anyone with Amyra’s blood or Niccolai’s will be targeted. Demi-god or fae blood is the only way demons can remain in our realm. And I guess they are lookin’ to stay.”

“That means—”

“Aye. Our friends back at the estate will be in equal danger. The entire Parrish will be under siege soon if we don’t find the demons’ portals and destroy them. I’ve warned everyone concerned about the danger surrounding us at all times, or at least until we account for those demons who escaped and make certain all the portals are closed. Until then, everyone’s been warned to be extra cautious—not that they couldn’t handle a demon or two on their own. But you, especially you, will be vulnerable, since you haven’t gone through metamorphosis. Keep in mind, although you’ll heal quickly if injured, you aren’t immortal yet. Besides, I want you checked out by one of our doctors before you go into stasis.”

“Shelby was scheduled at the clinic, today.”

“Good. She can see you when her shift is finished.” He punched a number into his cell phone, waited, and then asked for Dr. Shelby Mackenzie, the woman who was Caitlin’s maker. While Caitlin scoured the two small rooms and the bathroom to see if she’d forgotten anything else, Dylan left a message in Shelby’s voice mail.

“Shelby, it’s Dylan. Please meet Caitlin and me at my place when you get off your shift today. It’s very important.”

The reading glasses lying on top of Caitlin’s laptop stared critically up at her reminding her of the change. She picked up the glasses and absently handled them, deciding what to keep and what to give away.

“What about Jackson?” Caitlin asked when he clicked off. Dylan cared for Jackson, Niccolai’s son, as if he were his own blood. “Won’t he be in danger, too?”

“Not much,” Dylan answered preoccupied with collecting his things. “But since you haven’t met Jackson, let me relieve your concerns. Trust me. It would take a horde to capture him. The lad can take care of himself. In many ways, Jackson is even more than his father’s son.” Dylan ran a hand down his face and slowly shook his head. “Much more. Any beings, including the demons, would be fools to mess with the
vaewolf
.”

“Lad? Really? He’s turning thirty. He and I are almost the same age. He doesn’t sound like a “lad.” He sounds ominous. In any case, I’m glad he’s so formidable. I don’t want you worrying about one more person. The numbers seem to be mounting for you.”

Dylan chuckled. “I do seem to be accumulating new friends like the Pied Piper.”

Caitlin smiled at Dylan and tossed the glasses aside. Since her death and rebirth, she no longer needed them. Everything had changed. Loving Dylan, making love to him the way he deserved, completely, and being with him forever was possible now. She’d survived both the bullet to her heart and the first step in her transformation. She wasn’t ready to fold to some Underworld demon—not when complete happiness awaited her. She was one step away from becoming immortal.

Caitlin opened her arms and whispered, “Come here. Love me like the big, bad, berserker you are.”

~~~~

Caitlin could see herself spending the rest of eternity in the man’s arms, but unfortunately they needed to get home.

“If we’re going to be ready to meet with Shelby, we better get out of here. I’ll clean up in the bathroom.” She popped off the bed first.

When she returned, she discovered Dylan straightening up the room—naked. Her heart picked up a beat she was certain he could hear. She averted her gaze and concentrated on hunting down her underwear for the second time.

When she reached for her panties, the second pair today, the towel around her body fell to the floor. She froze. Then Caitlin glanced up in time to see the change in Dylan’s expression. His eyes flashed with desire or hunger—or both. She wasn’t sure. Since he’d taken a little of her blood, and they’d finished having the most incredible sex ever, she risked a guess.

“You’re hungry,” she stated. “I took too much blood.”

“No, lass.” His voice dropped a few octaves. Okay, the gravel in his voice explained the look.

Hips swinging, she strolled up to him until their bodies almost touched. He turned the tables on her as he circled, stalking her like a wild animal. Gloriously muscled, he tempted her beyond reason. She hadn’t found half her clothes yet, and he was teasing her senses with all his glorious skin exposed and the scent of his desire in the air.

Close enough to trace a fingernail from his throat to his groin, she dragged it carefully over his newly interested erection, crooning, “Hey, big boy, look at you. Ready to go again so soon?”

“It’s yer rounded arse, bouncing around the room naked that’s put the look of lust in my eye, again.” The Scottish accent thickened, a true sign he was lost in lust.

And to guarantee it, she wrapped her fingers around him and, slowly, in her huskiest voice, said, “This doesn’t look like
yer
eye.”

His chest rumbled, then with a husky grunt, he gave her a sideways glance of disgust and gripped her wrist.

“Not funny?” She applied her most innocent expression. “Perhaps we should concentrate on dressing.”

Caitlin didn’t miss how his focus narrowed on her hand stroking him, and he inhaled, then exhaled deeply. Before his attention moved to where his hand gripped her wrist, she sensed his reluctance to end this...but the night sky was lightening to dawn, and at this rate, they’d end up against a wall next or on the bed, and daylight wasn’t yet her friend.

Though he freed her wrist with a simple caress to her pulse point, she heard the reluctance in his words. “Time to go home.”

“Right. Home.” With the utmost self-control, she managed to open her fingers, and with equal reluctance, released him. “Perhaps we should focus on the task at hand.”

Dylan let one eyebrow rise and appeared confused. “And that would be...?” His eyes were still dark with desire, and he seemed distracted.

“Duh...dressing...and we best not dawdle.” Pulling on her panties, Caitlin added, “Turn away. Don’t watch me, and I won’t look while you find your shirt and trousers.” Her bra and top followed, along with her skirt.

“Aye.” Gruffly, Dylan agreed. Though he sounded somewhat less than enthusiastic, he closed his eyes and turned his back. He grunted once before he said, “That’s a verra good idea.”

But when he bent to pick up his pants before Caitlin closed her eyes she couldn’t contain the sigh and failed miserably at turning aside.

He glanced over his shoulder and narrowed his gaze on her. “Yer peeking.”

“Ah, yes. Sorry. Couldn’t help it.” She sighed again. “You are a veritable smorgasbord of edible, masculine beauty.”

“Argh!” The deep groan of agony was her singular warning before the man turned, tackled her, and dropped her to the bed. He hadn’t bothered tossing aside his clothes. They scattered around them everywhere.

No matter. Thank goodness she’d already dressed.

Oops!

The skirt came up and the panties disintegrated into confetti this time.

Rough. She wanted rough. She wanted gentle. She wanted him any way.

Until her change, he’d had to hold back when they’d made love. Now they could express their love any way they wanted.

They were never going to get out of the B&B at this rate, but she didn’t argue when he nuzzled the sensitive skin on the inside of either thigh. And when he improved his aim and kissed
the
spot, the place throbbing for his attention, dead center, she whimpered.