Rule (9 page)

“There are many things I could do about her imprinting Margo’s gift, but only one I care to.” He licked his lips as he watched her and a smile pulled at the side of his mouth. “I’m going to take it as my own.”

Chapter 14

Hunter

During my life, I had been covered in blood more times than I could count. Tonight was no exception. As we emerged from the underground tunnels surrounding Fort Hood, I took one look at myself in the dim light from the street light above and shook my head. My shirt was drenched, as were places on my black cargo pants. Johnson emerged from the manhole, laughing as he stared me up and down.

“You are one crazy son of bitch, Moretti. I can’t believe you took on those bastards with your bare hands.”

I shrugged as I helped him out. “When you have nothing to lose, death holds no fear. The only thing that scares me is not making a difference in this world before I breathe my last breath.”

Johnson slapped my shoulder, turning to help more soldiers from our exit. “You made a hell of a change here, tonight. I don’t think we’ve ever had a kill count that high before.”

“Y’all already pretty much have the area secure. The hard part will come when we get to the underground city. We’re talking hundreds, maybe even thousands of vampires and slaves. They’ll stick together. The humans will die trying to protect their masters. It’s going to be one hell of a battle.”

Childers placed the manhole cover back on and I turned to follow Johnson toward his truck. Romano and Andrews rode with others so it was just the two of us as we separated from the group. Traffic was at a steady pace through the town of Killeen, but no one seemed to care what we were doing. Maybe they were used to it.

“How long do you think before we head to Austin?” I couldn’t help but ask. I couldn’t lie and say I didn’t feel fear at going back again. I did. Where once my nightmares revolved around the battlefield, now they were all about the underground city.

“Probably a few more weeks. I want to get in all the new equipment before we take on a place that big. We’ll need more soldiers. More volunteers with some sort of training. The last thing I want is another massacre down there. I wish I would have known what we were up against when we lost Thatcher and Waters. Hell man, I didn’t have a clue back then.”

“That makes two of us,” I breathed out.

I reached for the passenger door, pausing as I went to open it. Long, dark hair blew back from a pair of pale shoulders and I felt myself take steps to the front of the truck. The woman was so close to the size of Tessa that I had to blink past the confusion. Even the hair was around the same length.

“Hey!” I yelled trying to get her to turn around.

“What’s up, you know her?”

Johnson’s voice barely registered as I began to walk at a fast pace in her direction. I knew I had to be losing my mind, but I couldn’t shake a weird feeling that made me physically feel sick.

The woman stopped, keeping her back to me. She was right on the corner of the road. Was she looking for something? Someone?

“Hey!” I called out again, beginning to jog across the busy street. Her long, white dress billowed out behind her, so unfitting for the urban surroundings that it had me going even faster. Darkness began to engulf the woman’s small frame as she rounded the turn. I pushed myself, breaking around the corner…to nothing. Not a person was in sight. Slowly, I stopped, rubbing my hand over the top of my head. “I’m fucking losing it.”

I turned to go back to the truck, jolting as I came face to face with black glaring eyes. Tessa was there one minute, gone the next.
Just like a ghost
.

In fast steps, I stumbled back, hearing laughter echo off the walls. Johnson was suddenly before me, talking, but I couldn’t make out his words through the mocking sound.

“Do you hear that? Did you see her?”

Deep pants left my mouth while I continued to spin in a circle.

“Calm man, I don’t see anyone. Maybe the woman went into one of the…” He stopped as he looked around. There were no business or doors on this side of the street.

“She was here. She … disappeared before my very eyes.”

“Shit like this happens to me all the time,” Johnson said, uncertainly. “PTSD, it has to be. Let’s go home.”

I jumped back as his arm lifted out toward me. “But you saw her, too.”

Glowing skin flashed in the far distance and I let my hand come to push against my heart as she swayed her hips, heading toward me. Like there was a bad connection, she disappeared, only to flicker and reappear closer. Her features where hard, enraged, as she kept my stare. But all I heard was the laughter. It taunted me. Teased and ridiculed my failed attempt to kill her. Even dead, she was determined to not let me forget.

“I’m watching you. You’re going to pay, Hunter.”

“No.” My head shook as I stepped closer to the brick wall. “You’re dead. I killed you. You’re dead!”

“Am I?”
Tessa flashed right before me, baring her fangs before she disappeared, again. I jumped back, hitting the wall. Johnson grabbed my bicep, pulling me toward the road as I stared at the now empty street in shock.

“She’s dead,” I repeated. “I killed her. She’s dead.”

“I know, man. Come on, you need rest and some water. You’re probably dehydrated. Let’s get you home and in bed.”

“You didn’t see her?”

“No,” he whispered. “Only the woman on the street when you first took off after her.”

I stayed quiet as we loaded up. It wasn’t until Johnson began driving that I could bear to look at him. “She was there. I saw her. I saw Tessa.”

“I’m still here,”
she said, flashing before my vision. I gripped to the door, trying to tell myself these images were all in my head. Guilt. It was fucking with me. What I did to her was necessary. Tessa had been out of control.

“I believe you,” Johnson said, glancing over, concerned.

“He thinks you’re losing your mind. That you’re going crazy.”

“Maybe I am,” I whispered.

“What’s that?” Johnson kept taking peeks at me as he turned to head toward the base.

“Nothing,” I mumbled. “You’re right. I need rest. I haven’t been sleeping much.”

Not a mile went by before we were pulling up to the guards. I stayed in a daze, waiting for her return. Waiting for Tessa to catch me off guard. When we pulled into the driveway, I was finally able to somewhat relax.

“Let’s eat. I’m starving. I know you have to be, too. You like leftover spaghetti?”

“My last name is Moretti, what do you think?” I raised an eyebrow, following him in as he laughed.

When he unlocked the door and we walked inside, I took in all the pictures of him and his wife. Pain shot through my chest and I averted my eyes, not able to look at them for long.

Johnson walked in the kitchen, flipping on the light. As he began to take the Tupperware out, he handed me a beer.  I had never felt more in need of one. I cracked the top of the can, savoring the taste as I took a huge swallows.

“Back there on the street... ” I began.

“Don’t even,” he said, pulling out two plates. “You don’t have to explain nothing. You’ve been through some heavy shit. It’s going to be tough for a few months. Don’t hesitate to talk to me if you need to,” he said, glancing over. “We take care of ours. You know that.”

I nodded, taking another drink. “She … killed my uncle. The priest I mentioned, earlier. It was the final straw. He was a part of her life since childhood. I knew after that Tessa couldn’t be saved. The worse part, she said she did it for me. To prove her loyalty or something.” I took a shuddering breath. “She was so different. At times, I was more afraid of her than I’ve ever been scared of anything. Other times, I thought maybe I was catching glimpses of the woman I had fallen in love with. The decision didn’t come easy. It fucking destroyed me.”

Johnson popped a plate in the microwave, turning to lean against the counter. “You made the right choice.”

“Yeah,” I said, lowering my head. “After everything, she still went back to him—the vampire who had taken her. She fucking chose him over me. She was going to get married that night. The dress. She looked beautiful. Like a dream with all of those diamonds in her hair. I … hated her for it in the moment.”

The beeping of the microwave caused me to look up. The sadness on Johnson’s face had me stiffening. I wasn’t in my right mind. I was babbling. Maybe it needed to come out, but I didn’t want to talk about it. Yet, I was.

“You did what you had to.” He handed over the plate and I took it, walking to the small table he had in the corner.

“I suppose. If I wouldn’t have, Lord knows what she would be capable of. She was meant to rule.” I glanced up to him as he put his plate in the microwave.

“Rule? Rule what? Austin?”

My head nodded. “Austin… Maybe the world. Hell, I don’t know. She holds the same blood I do, but it’s mixed with Marko’s. That’s the Master Vampire who took her. He rules the city now. The combination of the two strains of blood would have put her above him, right into Axis.”

Johnson’s eyes were big as he blinked past my confession. “Holy shit. That’s just … crazy. It’s good you killed her. If she would have gotten into her true powers before you had your chance, you might not have succeeded in stopping her.”

“Yeah.” My head lowered and I stared at my plate as I began to eat. I couldn’t imagine what Tessa would have been capable of if she grew to her true strength. It was too scary to think about. Marko was terrifying enough, but if she would have surpassed him, how developed would her gifts have become?

Johnson sat across from me and we ate in silence. When we finished and cleaned our plates, he walked me to a back bedroom, decorated in a pale yellow and white.

“Your room.”

A grin tugged at my lips. “Thank you. I appreciate this more than you know.”

“Hey, anything for a fellow soldier. You’d do the same for me.”

“I would,” I said, walking forward. “And someday I’ll pay you back. I promise.”

“Let’s kill the motherfuckers responsible for ruining our lives. That’s repayment enough.” He pointed across the hall. “Shower’s in there. I’ll get you some of my clothes. We’re close enough to the same size.

“I appreciate it.”

He spun, disappearing back down the hall. I reached for the belt around my waist, unfastening it and placing my weapons on the bed. An uneasiness crept over the back of my neck and I spun around, seeing nothing.

“Pick up the gun, Hunter. Let me see you eat that barrel again. Do it. Come with me for real this time.”

“Uh-uh.” My teeth clenched and I squeezed my lids shut, reaching to place my fingers over my forehead.

“It’s only fair. You promised you would take care of me. You said you loved me. You lied! Murderer!”

My fingers twitched and I groaned deeply under my breath. When I opened my eyes, the gun was out of the holster, lying on the bed before me. I couldn’t breathe while scanning the bedroom. Fuck, I was seriously losing my mind.

“Here you go.”

Johnson’s voice had me jumping. I turned, taking the workout shorts and Army shirt he held out.

“Thanks.”

“You bet. Get some rest. I have to head in early, but make yourself at home. There’s some restaurants on base if you want to check them out while I’m gone. I’ll leave some money on the bar.”

My head shook, but he put up his hand, stopping me. He turned, leaving, and I clutched to the clothes tighter. I was going to owe him so much and if the only thing he wanted me to do was kill vampires, I was more than happy to do my part.

Chapter 15

Tessa

Pounding thrummed in my head, pulling me from the deepest sleep I could ever remember. I wasn’t ready to wake up. There was something I had to do. Something … I couldn’t remember. I felt groggy. Hungover, as I turned to my side. When my hand brushed against a bare arm, Marko’s name registered. My eyes flew open and I had to fight to remember him even arriving. Yes, he’d come for me. And we were bonded, now. The realization was enough to make me forget about the headache.

I bit my lip, snuggling in closer. Even asleep, his arm came to pull me in the rest of the way. With my face against his chest, I breathed in his intoxicating scent. Was Aetas letting him stay with me? What had happened after we exchanged blood? I couldn’t remember past the pain. Marko had put me to sleep and then … nothing.

“Je t'aime.”

I told him I loved him in French. It was a part of who I was now. It was all I wanted to remember of who Tessalyn Antoinette Kennedy was. She was a vampire, born and meant for a French aristocrat, who loved her just as much as she loved him. There was no human life. No reminders of everything we’d gone through. Bonded, we were new, again. Just Tessa and Marko, rulers of Austin’s underground city.

“I love you, more.” Marko answered back in our language, holding me tighter. “You’re awake. How do you feel?”

“Hungover. My head hurts and my body aches.”

“It’s to be expected after last night.” His lids fluttered open. “And your heart?”

I tuned into my body, smiling. “Stronger than ever.”

“Perfect.”

My thigh eased between his and Marko moaned as I pulled my nightgown to my hips and rubbed my pussy along his leg.

“You’re not ready,” he said, already lowering his lips to mine in a light brush.

“I am. Feel.” I grasped his hand, sliding it under the low collar to place over my heart. “Do you feel how fast and strong it beats? I
am
ready.”

Pressure pushed against my slit as his leg drew up. I couldn’t help but arch as my clit pulsed for more.

“You want me,” I said, breaching the lining of his pants to grasp his hard cock.

“That’s an understatement. You have no idea how badly I want you.”

Marko rolled me to my back, pulling the nightgown over my head. Clumsily, my fingers worked the clasp free. We both made incoherent sounds as I unzipped his pants and his cock fell free from the restraint. With a firm grip, I stroked the thick length, moving impatiently as I waited for him to get into position.

“Are you sure you can take me?”

His chest dipped as his mouth hungrily found mine. I could feel my nails extend the smallest amount as I held to his back with my other hand, trying to get him to drop his hips even more.

“I can take all of you. If you’ll just...” I wiggled, while he pinned me down with more of his weight. A small chuckle left him and he buried his face in my neck. The warmth of his breath had my eyes closing. I gasped as his fingers began to massage the length of my folds.

“You’re so wet, ma minette. Maybe I’ll taste you first and see how well you do before we go too far.”

The thought was torture for all the right reasons. I wanted to feel his face buried in my pussy, but I longed to have him deep inside of me, too. I was impatient and it was showing.

Marko lifted, kissing his way from my neck, to one of my breasts. Suction tugged against my nipple as he drew me into his mouth. With the path he made around the outside of my entrance, I couldn’t help but whimper.

“Marko, please.”

“We’ve only just begun. Don’t tell me you’re ready for me to stop already?”

“Stop? No.” I pressed into his shoulder, but he couldn’t resist teasing my other nipple before he lowered toward my waist and sucked against my skin.

“
Yes
.” My head lifted while I watched him bite down, only to continue on. One of his fingers breached my opening and I cried out as he eased the length in at a slow pace. I rocked, trying to get him to go faster.

Marko’s eyes shot up and I stilled at the silent command. Deeper, he pushed, spreading me wide as he added another digit to join the first. In slow circles his thumb teased over the sensitive nub. My legs braced against the mattress as intense heat formed at the contact.

“More.” The thrusts had continuous sounds leaving me and I could barely speak through the need. The scruff on his cheek rubbed against my inner thigh and I made a deep groan as he turned and pricked the skin with one of his fangs. Pleasure burst through and I nearly screamed at the shock of how intense it was. Blood beaded over the skin and his tongue licked over the wound, closing it, only to break it open, again. My pulse was pounding so hard that I could feel it throughout my entire body.

Crimson began to flow from my thigh and his tongue flattened over the stream.

“I wonder if your cum will taste as sweet as I remember? I bet it will.”

I blinked past his thoughts, too clouded with desire. Marko’s tongue replaced the contact over my clit and I cried out as he flicked the tip in a fast pace. I knew I was getting louder, but I couldn’t contain the bliss he was giving me. Faster, I moved, so close to release as he began slamming his fingers into me.

“You like that.”
He sucked the top of my slit into his mouth. With the accompanying pressure against my G-spot, I felt myself spasm and explode in release. My orgasm sent waves of ecstasy crashing over me. The room spun, yet it was the last thing I was thinking about. Marko’s fingers withdrew almost immediately and I clutched to his hair, rocking my hips as he pushed his tongue into my entrance. The passion he held while he took his time reveling in my release had me building all over again. When he lifted, he looked fierce, possessive, and ready to eat me alive.

His pants were thrown across the room as he stripped down and his arm looped around my waist, pulling me on top of him. I lifted, grasping his cock. For the smallest moment, I locked up. Something was pushing through and I wasn’t sure what it was. As I stared into his depths, Marko’s arm lifted and he clutched to my hair, wrapping it around his fist. He was trapping me and I knew it, but for the life of me I couldn’t help but push past his wall. His life unfolded in a movie that was on hyper-speed. I felt myself relax as I took in his memories. The content I didn’t care about. It was him that I had to make sure of. When I got to him meeting me, I pulled away, not caring to see more. It was Marko; that’s all that mattered.

Slowly, I eased down, letting his thick length stretch me.  A tug on my hair had me lowering and I met his lips, yelling into his mouth as he surged forward.

“Fuck, you feel so good. I knew you would.”

I squirmed, trying to rise so I could look at his eyes again. Tighter, he held, plunging into me deeper.

“Marko?”

“If that’s what you wish.”

My arms shot down, trying to wedge between his so I could unlock his hold and wrestle myself free. I was flipped to my back so fast that I didn’t think to brace my leg to try to prevent it. Aetas was suddenly before me, pinning me down with more than just his weight. The air seemed to move in, enveloping me with an invisible blanket and I screamed at the top of my lungs. Faster, he thrust, covering my mouth with one of his palms.

“Shh, don’t fight it.”

Marko was suddenly over me, again. A confused expression covered his face and I wasn’t weighed down anymore. He was fucking me, slowly, passionately. For the briefest moment I questioned if I’d invented the entire thing in my head. Had Aetas been before me at all?

“I love you,” he said, lowering to cover his body to mine. Marko went to kiss me and I quickly turned away, pressing into his chest to get him off.

“You have to stop. I…”

There was no fight on his end as I separated us and moved to the other side of the bed.

“What’s wrong? Did I do something?” Pain flashed and I felt my heart break. Somehow I knew I was looking at the real Marko, but I wasn’t sure what the hell was happening.

“I’m sorry. I…” Confusion had me sliding off the mattress to grab my nightgown. I quickly put it on, wiping the tear that slid down my cheek. I hated not being in control of my mind.

Marko stood, walking around to pull me in his arms. “Talk to me. Why are you so upset? Did I hurt you?” His palm came to fit over my heart and I shook my head, furiously. Anger was starting to sink in, but not at him.

“I … heard … saw, Aetas. I thought he was you for a moment. I got confused.”

Marko’s jaw tightened and he wrapped his arms around me tightly, kissing the top of my head. “We’ll be out of here soon. I’m going to stay a few days and hopefully in that time he’ll release you.”

“If he doesn’t?”

Marko broke away, grabbing his pants and sliding them on. I could see the battle on his face. He’d betray Aetas if it came to me and I couldn’t allow that. Not if I wanted to prevent an all-out war between our kind. I had seen the way the members reacted when they thought I had hurt our leader. They were ready to kill me or lock me away. They’d be faithful to him even after his death. We’d never win. Even if me or Marko rose enough to beat him, there was no guarantee we’d be able to lead.

My fingers came up to press against Marko’s lips as he separated them to say something. I shook my head, cutting him off.

“I leave when I can. However long it takes. You will wait for me and I will wait for you.”

The rage within him only seemed to increase.

“Don’t think it,” I whispered. “It’s a suicide mission. Let it go.”

“I don’t work like that, ma minette. I can’t just let something go, concerning you. You’re mine. Not his to toy with.”

“You’ve lost me once. Do you want to lose me, again? That’s what will happen if you do not stop this. I gave my word. You and I will deal. After this, we will never come back and we’ll be happy. Together.
Alive
.”

A small growl left him as he pulled me back into his arms. “I hate this. I hate you being here.”

I hated it more, but I couldn’t say that. I’d do my time, no matter what that entailed, and then I’d be free. Once that happened, I could focus back on what was important. On revenge.

My body stiffened as images flooded in. Ones I wasn’t sure were memories or delusions of my bond.

Hunter
. Yes...