Vamps in the City (4 page)

Paige didn’t answer but was secretly relieved he was with her. She closed her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her.

Everything hurt. Her head, eyes, neck, her entire body. She tried to move away from him but found that made her feel sick.

“No. Don’t move,” he told her quietly.

“Stop touching me,” Paige tried to order him but it came out as a whine.

“I can’t. Not with you in pain.”

She didn’t try to move away but she knew she had to voice some kind of protest. None would come.

“You shouldn’t be sick,” he murmured to her. “I want to make you feel better.”

Just being with him was already helping. Not that she would tell him that.

Grant placed his hand over Paige’s forehead, shocked to feel she was burning up. Vampires couldn’t get sick.

He pulled her into his lap before yanking his cell phone out of his back pocket and dialling. Paige shivered his in arms.

“Answer, damn it!” he yelled into the phone.

“’Lo.”

“Sam, I need you to grab Marissa and come to Paige’s room. Something is wrong,” Grant told his friend, close to hysterical.

He was relieved when Sam quickly agreed. “On our way.”

Grant closed the phone and ran his lips over Paige’s check. “It’ll be all right baby. Stay with me,” he murmured to her.

She didn’t respond and that scared him to death.

The door opened and Marissa rushed in with Sam right behind her.

“What happened?” Marissa asked as she knelt next to the bed.

“I don’t know. After I came back from my rounds I found her like this,” Grant confessed. “She’s burning up and won’t stop shaking.”

“Let me see,” Marissa ordered gently and lifted Paige’s head.

“Open your eyes, baby,” Grant whispered to Paige. “Please, open your eyes.”

Paige’s eyes fluttered open for a few seconds before they closed again.

“Okay,” Marissa sighed and placed Paige’s head gently back down.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Marissa stood but kept her gaze on Paige. When she finally looked at him her eyes were full of emotion.

“You bonded with her,” she said simply.

“I, what? How?”

He got a look, somewhat like a mother gives a child when they are being naïve, and Grant frowned back.

“I know
how
to bond, but I didn’t,” he said. It was not like you can bond by accident. Ancient words are spoken, the exchange of blood, and only the deepest connection would even be granted a bond. Usually it was only between a newly turned vampire and their Master.

“Well, obviously you did. Sometimes when it’s meant to be, it just happens,” Marissa informed him with a shrug.

“That…that is your answer?” he practically yelled at her.

She lifted and eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.

Grant dropped his head. “Sorry,” he told her. It wasn’t Marissa’s fault and she was just telling him what she knew.

“Is it really so bad?” Sam asked from his spot against the wall.

Grant didn’t even lift his head. Of course it wasn’t bad but it did come as a shock. “No,” he admitted.

Paige shifted in his arms and he no longer felt her body’s heat like he had.

“She needs your blood. The more she drinks, the faster the bonding effect will wear off,” Marissa told him.

Grant nodded. It was no hardship for him to let Paige drink from him. Still, he needed answers because he had no doubt when Paige was feeling better she would have tons of questions. “Why wasn’t I affected?”

“You are much stronger than her. Remember that while you were made at once, the girls were slowly turned so they would be weaker.”

Grant felt even guiltier. He’d never wanted to hurt Paige.

“The first twenty-four hours are the hardest. You shouldn’t be away from each other once you bond.”

Grant didn’t ever want to be away from her again.

“With no Master, she will feel the connection to you, and you alone.”

Grant couldn’t help the small part of him that was relieved by that.

* * * *

Paige woke up every couple of hours and each time she did, Grant was holding her. Each time she told him not to, but she wasn’t sure if she ever actually said it out loud.

This time when Paige awoke, she was alone in the bed. Slowly opening her eyes, she blinked several times trying to clear her vision. Her stomach cramped and she was almost overwhelmed with the need to feed.

Paige jumped when she noticed the man leaning against the wall. It was the vampire she had met in the hall earlier. He stood staring at her with his arms over his chest.

“So you’re awake now? Are you going to stay that way?” he asked, pushing away from the wall.

Paige looked around and saw they were the only two in the room. As he walked closer, she tried to make myself smaller.

“Still afraid I’m gonna munch on you, huh?”

She didn’t answer, just continued to watch him.

He shook his head and pulled out a cell phone. He punched some numbers and then said. “She’s awake.”

She didn’t know who he had called but knew she had to get out,
now!
Paige looked towards the door. She was very hungry.

“You’d never make it,” he told her as if he could read her mind.

Paige thought of her options. She was still weak. Usually she only fed once a week, but for whatever reason, she was drained almost completely.

She could make a run for it, but he was right—she’d never make it. That left only one option…

“What’s your name again,” she asked Sam sweetly. She already knew it but it was a good opening line.

His eyes widened in surprise, but he answered, “Sam.”

“Oh yes, Sam. Who did you just call?” she asked, unsure how much time she had.

“Grant,” he answered immediately and took a step towards her.

“Where is Grant?” she asked, making sure he kept looking into her eyes. This was how she brought her prey to her. Made them focus on her. Sam was a powerful vampire and if she could get some of his blood, she might be able to make her escape.

His eyes were dilated and she watched him lick his lips. “He went to feed. He’ll be back.”

That meant she didn’t have much time. “Come here, Sam.
Please?
” she dragged out the last word.

It worked like a charm. Sam knelt in front of her on the floor. With as tall as he was, it put him in the perfect position.

“I’m hungry, Sam.”

He nodded happily.

She felt just a twinge of guilt. She quickly shook it off. She wasn’t there by choice, and she had to feed. She could give the person pleasure when she drank from them. She never had sex with anyone when she fed, but left him or her with the feeling they had.
 
Well…never before Grant that morning.

Grant…
Another twinge of guilt.

Sam moaned and it echoed through the room. She scooted closer to him and one large arm went around her back. She sucked in her breath. He was a big guy. Strong. Maybe this hadn’t been a good idea.

“Bite me,” Sam told her, tightening his arm.

Well, she’d started this. She could feel her teeth lengthen with need.

Paige repositioned her hands to bend his neck to the side and he moaned again. She didn’t hear the door open.

“What in the Hell is going on in here?” A loud angry voice interrupted.

Sam didn’t even move. She looked over his shoulder and growled at Grant. It was the best she could do with her teeth still sticking out.

“Paige. Let go of Sam.”

She looked from Sam to Grant, and then shook her head vigorously. She was really hungry and Sam was willing.

“Paige. I know you’re hungry, honey. That’s why I left you to feed. So I could come back to take care of you,” he told her.

That sounded nice. And she’d already fed from Grant and he had tasted good but Sam was right there…

“Come to me and I’ll feed you,” Grant started forwards as he spoke.

She could hear him but the words weren’t making sense. She could almost feel the pounding of Sam’s heart pumping his blood.

“Paige. Let him go, honey.”

She was pretty sure she whimpered. Then Sam leaned into her.

“Sam,” Grant clipped out.

Sam blinked but didn’t release her.

“Paige, let him go.”

This time Paige knew she whimpered when he got on the bed behind her, placing his hands on her hips, pulling her away from Sam.

“Paige, please let go of Sam. He’d hurt you and it wouldn’t be his fault. You’ve put him under your trance, and he will do whatever it takes to be with you. Let him go.”

She ran her hand down Sam’s neck watching his pulse until Grant grabbed her hand in his. Sam had pressed even closer.

Paige strained towards him but Grant’s hold was stronger. He released Sam’s arms from around her and they fell limp to his side.

“Look at me. Paige. Concentrate on me.” He moved her face so she could only see him. “That’s right, baby, look into my eyes.”

Without taking his eyes from her, he told Sam to go. Grant pressed Paige close to him. She let go of her thrall on Sam to grab hold of Grant.

Paige turned her body and rubbed against him. She felt his hands run over her back as he pulled her against him. God, he was strong. His scent was almost overpowering. She wanted it.

“Sam, go!” Grant ordered.

Paige ran her hands over his chest and pulled at his shirt. He moved his hands from her body to pull it over his head before he grabbed her and laid her back on the bed underneath him. She was still running her hands over his chest and back when he nipped her ear with his teeth.

Paige moaned and dug her nails down his back. He arched, pressing against her intimately and she ground back.

“Do you want to bite me?” he asked, running his teeth down her neck.

Paige shuddered and moaned.

“Bite me.”

She did. In the crook between his neck and shoulder, she bit him and drank. He ground his body into hers, and if they hadn’t had clothes on, they’d have been having sex. His hand slid under her shirt and he teased her nipples.

She pulled his blood into her mouth faster and lifted her hips to hump him.

Paige filled her mouth with his blood until he pulled away. She immediately went for him again, but Grant held her arms down.

“No more, Paige. You’ll get sick. Let it go.”

She wanted more. Somewhere in her brain, she knew he was right but she still wanted more. “No, please more,” she begged. She wrapped her legs around his waist and cupped him over his pants. “More.”

“Oh God, baby, you’re going to kill me,” he groaned.

“More,” she demanded.

He cursed and rolled her onto her stomach then yanked her pants down.

She cried out into the bed as a finger entered her. She thrust back against his hand and he added another one.

“That’s it, baby. Let it go,” Grant encouraged.

So she rode his hand as the pressure built. His other one circled around and played with her breasts.

“Grant,” Paige panted out, not sure what she was asking.

His hands left her for only a minute before she felt the blunt head of his cock. She rocked back trying to get him inside.

One hand on her hip pulled her back until she was impaled on his shaft.

“Yes!” Paige cried out.

Both hands were now grasping her hips hard as he began to ride her, each withdrawal and plunge harder than the last.

Paige threw her head back as his breath came out in pants against the back of her neck.

“Let go, baby. Let go!” he encouraged as he wrapped one hand around and started to manipulate her clit. Paige bucked, thrust back, as he slammed inside. She screamed as the climax racked her body. Shaky, weak and limp, she collapsed as Grant emptied his seed and came.

Chapter Five

A soft knock at the door surprised Paige as she waited. After she’d fallen asleep with Grant, he’d awakened her several hours later and made love to her again, before telling her he had to check on something.

She didn’t have a watch but she was sure that was hours ago.

“Come in,” she called out to her visitor.

The door opened and a young woman walked in. She looked a little familiar but Paige couldn’t place her right away.

“Hi, I’m Samantha.” she said and walked a little closer. “Do you remember me? From that night?”

It hit her all of a sudden. This was one of the girls she had escaped with. It was no wonder Paige couldn’t place her right away. The girl looked wonderful.

When they had run, they’d been dirty and bloody and hurt. Now Samantha’s short black hair was styled, and with her make-up and cute turned-up nose, she looked like a pixie. She was wearing jeans and a pink tank top, with flip-flops on her feet.

“Hi,” Samantha said again shyly.

“Hello.”

“You’re Paige.”

It didn’t sound like a question but she nodded.

“I remember you. You carried me for miles.”

Paige remembered also.

“Is it okay if I sit down?” Samantha asked, but Paige had a feeling she would have just flopped down anyway.

Paige moved over to the other side of the bed and sat up.

“So how did they finally find you?” was Samantha’s next question.

“Find me?”

“Yeah, they have been looking for us girls since the council found out that we escaped.”

“Council?” Paige asked. Her mind was going a hundred miles a minute. She could probably get more information out of this innocent kid than anyone else would ever give her.

Samantha shook her head. “Didn’t Grant tell you anything?” But she waved her hand at her own question. “Never mind. Never leave explaining to a man anyway. They screw it up every time.”

Paige was amused despite herself. She had liked Samantha right away before, now she remembered why.

“Okay. Where to start?” the younger girl asked herself. She had taken off her flip-flops when she sat down and now she curled her feet under her. “Well, it seems that what was done to us was illegal by our laws. A vampire is only supposed to be turned by choice.”