A Vampire To Watch Over Me [Vampire Coven Book II] (16 page)

Honor was in a place where nothing frightening existed. She was loving a vampire; when he dipped his head and sucked at her throat she turned her neck exposing herself to him, offering what he needed. Laken’s look was questioning for only a moment before his fangs slipped into her delicate skin. Honor didn’t stiffen, she didn’t cower; she made only one request while he was in her thoughts. He could love his Nanya, but not while he was with Honor.

Laken took her mind to a stunning place where he held her close. He showed her this great being called a mammoth, then an elephant. Honor was surprised when she understood, the scientist people he had spoken of mixed these creatures to bring the mammoth back. Honor had to see, she must see, though she felt Laken’s hesitancy. No more fear, she begged. From a distance Honor was shown a crocodile, it was so interesting, she was then shown an image of a Kronosaurus, it was terrifying. She realized the image wasn’t real—Laken had never seen a real live creature like this either, it was before his time. It was astounding, Laken was so old but the world was ancient. Honor now understood—she wasn’t stupid like she had thought, she just had never been shown.

Everything Laken showed her wasn’t to frighten her—it was to teach her. It was knowledge, beautiful wonderful knowledge. The thought was enlightening. Never again would Honor look at this new place with fear. She wanted to learn everything about her surroundings.

Laken removed his fangs from her throat. Honor was fine, he had taken very little and his thrusting increased. Honor raised her hips upwards to meet his plunges, it was heavenly. She wanted to feel his strength and he showed her some—she knew he held back so as not to hurt her. Still, the pounding of his thighs against her body was not unlike thunder and Honor decided that element was also less fearful. Let it rain, let it storm, Honor may be human, but she had a vampire who watched over her. Nothing would ever harm her.

Laken groaned and slowed his motion. When he released her hands she wrapped her arms around his neck and held tight. Laken pulled from her and turned them sideways. There were no windows in this room and Honor liked it that way. Wrapped in Laken’s arms, all she felt was safety. There was no distracting sun, or moon, or stars. She knew where to find those things if she wanted to see them, but she could decide. Maybe she hadn’t made a difference to the ice-dweller world, but she had changed her own. Perhaps that was what taking a stand was after all, not changing the way of another—changing her own way, choosing the right path for herself. Lying there, Honor was happy she had.

Chapter 10

Laken was watching Honor in the kitchen the next day. She was trying to get the cleaned dead turkey she was holding into a deep pan for roasting. She had washed it but was finding the wet poultry to be slippery, heavy and awkward. It fell for a second time into the sink water splashing the front of her. Laken grinned looking at her now see-through lingerie, her tits were well-defined—Honor didn’t notice.

With determination, Honor gripped the meat, too tight, and the bird went sliding across the counter top and was airborne, flying as though it had wings. Laken caught it like a football. Laughing, he settled the fowl into the pan. When Cindy, their cook, brought a bowl of stuffing over Honor’s look was incredulous.

“So let me get this straight,” Honor said, her front dripping, hair askew. She looked like she had been in a fight and the food had won. “First you kill the poor sorry bastard, then you shove food up its ass?” Cindy’s mouth dropped open and Laken thought he’d piss himself he was laughing so hard. “Talk about the indignities. I’m getting more respect for my food by the second.”

“Well, it’s called stuffing because you stuff the bird.” Cindy was spluttering.

“And is it my imagination, or does this huge neck look like a limp cock?” Honor was holding the turkey neck near the middle of her thighs and began bouncing it around. “Am I hung or what?” The end was rounded and bobbled up and down.

“I need to make stock from that,” Cindy complained, her face was beet red.

Cindy made a grab for the neck-cock and dumped it into a pan with water. When Cindy handed the bowl of potatoes to Honor to peel, she scowled. With her face twisted into another determined grimace, Honor picked up a paring knife and settled before the garbage, where the contents would be made into compost. As the potato began to grow white from its flaying, Honor looked a bit more interested.

“So this potato-poo thing needs its face scraped off before you eat it? Kinda cruel, and I’m glad it doesn’t bleed.”

Cindy gave Laken a horror-filled gaze at Honor’s analogy. Laken shrugged.

When Honor began peeling the carrots, it was his turn to grimace. “Can you imagine skinning your cock this way, Laken?” He had an unnatural need to grip his dick.

Cindy took Honor to the stove and flicked the gas burner on. Honor cried out. “Holy shit, where the hell did the fire come from?”

Laken dragged a hand down his face. Honor was staring at the fire; she then looked under the stove and around it. Finally, she declared it magic. Cindy walked over to the fridge shaking her head. She pulled an ice tray down from the freezer to toss a few cubes into a cup. Honor raced over and grabbed the cup before she could pour any juice into it. Honor shook the cup then opened the fridge.

“Are there tiny ice dwellers in there?” she asked with amazement. “It’s so cold. Do you give them furs? Look at the ice on the sides, it crusts like snow. How do they hunt? What do they hunt?”

Laken took the cup and gave it back to Cindy who looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown. He turned Honor to face him and placed both hands on her shoulders.

“There is nothing or no one living in this, Honor. It keeps food frozen, or everything would spoil. We have much bigger ones in the basement. Nothing alive is put into this or it would be cruel.”

“It’s not cruel to be cold, Laken,” she said quietly. “There could have been love in the frozen dwelling. I don’t remember much of my parents, but they loved me. Peter’s parents loved him; they told him. Your gadgets are new to me, I just need to be taught, not looked at like I’m some type of amusement or in the way.”

Laken cupped her chin as she had hung her head as she spoke. She was forced to meet his gaze. “You’re not a burden, and we want to teach you. We don’t mean to laugh or look cruel. It’s just your discoveries of the simple things we take for granted are quaint. Your innocence is such a breath of fresh air. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to teach you; I wish you would stay the way you are. But it’s for your own safety and peace of mind.”

Laken was startled when the kitchen door swung open so fast it crashed off its hinges. Honor and Cindy both screamed when Tavish was suddenly before Laken. Tavish’s eyes glowed, his fangs were bared—he was definitely furious.

“What’s happened?” Laken asked. Honor was breathing fast, Cindy was cowering behind him; both women’s hearts were pounding like locomotives. Very rarely did Tavish frighten his coven humans especially the females.

“Three breeder females have gone missing.” Tavish was thunderous. “One is pregnant.”

“How is that possible?” Laken said and was practically sputtering.

“Rumor of Honor’s exploits over the fence caught the attention of one—Meg.”

“Oh no,” Honor cried out. “Meg would talk Nora into following her.”

“She did, and another, Cara, who had made friends with Nora, went with them trying to stop them.” Tavish snarled.

“Cronos?” Honor whimpered.

“No, Cronos has left. But there are other creatures.” Laken felt Honor shudder, he didn’t blame her; Tavish was formidable when pissed.

“Meg, Nora and Cara can call to their vampires if they’re faced with trouble,” Laken said.

Laken was worried. Honor had broken a law by going over the fence; she hadn’t been punished. Nora and Cara might get away with it if they were found because of the circumstances, but Meg would be taught to obey the rules. That meant Honor might be as well. Laken took Honor by the shoulders.

“Go back to my room,” he commanded. “Wait for me.”

Honor looked from Laken to Tavish’s fury-filled gaze and fled the room. It was apparent Laken wasn’t the only one who had come to the same conclusion. Honor must be wondering what the other vampires would do if their females were killed. Tavish and Laken left the kitchen and took to the skies. The women wouldn’t last long in the jungle. They were met by Burke, Nora’s vampire. The three landed in the high foliage.

“Damn it,” Burke exploded. “Nora isn’t far along, but she wants this baby; why the hell would she do something so foolish? She told me she loves being here; she’s not afraid of me or her two breeder males.”

“Loyalty can make you do strange things,” Tavish replied and he looked none too happy.

“Laken, this is your female’s fault.” Burke was angry. “She should have been punished to prove a point. We’ve grown lax here. Vampires still rule the world; the humans should be listening and obeying the laws. Nora is expecting; she can’t be held responsible for her actions, but Honor can.”

Laken was furious but he saw the fear in Burke’s eyes. He cared for Nora and the loss of a child was devastating to the entire coven. But Burke was right—Nora would not suffer any consequences, if she survived. Next to join them was Dante, Cara’s vampire. He was livid. Dante had watched over Cara since she was born. Cara was a good breeder and had six children, all female. If something happened to her, Tavish would no doubt explode at the loss as well.

“What was Cara thinking?” Tavish scowled. “She knows better.”

Laken expected to get blasted again, but surprisingly, Dante’s anger was directed at Tavish.

“It was you who allowed the Anivamps over the wall, Tavish.” Dante said tightly. “As children, they were shown the dangers of the Anivamps, and as vampires, we knew it was minimal—but the humans didn’t know that. Now their worst nightmares are playing with them. They think we’re liars and a few are questioning—including Cara. They have no idea what else is out there—they weren’t shown.”

Tavish looked stunned for a moment, then ran a quick hand over his face. “We will discuss this as a group later; for now, we need those women back.”

Dante’s head cocked to the side and all four vampires were on the move in one direction. Laken heard Dante’s name cried over and over again. Cara was terrified of something. Collectively all four vampires breathed a sigh of relief when they landed. Cara was crouched in a tiny cave; a massive Kodiak was ripping at the stone and dirt with its determination to get to her with giant claws. Dante attacked the beast, his fingernail claws hooked into the flesh and fur on the bear’s back and he flung it away from the cave as hard as he could. The Kodiak was smashed against a tree. Its body jerked with a spasm and moved no more. A bear had no hope against a pissed ten-thousand-year-old vampire.

“Cara, come to me,” Dante demanded in a no-nonsense growling command.

Laken had never seen a human female move so fast. Cara was out of the cave and in Dante’s arms in less than a second. She was sobbing hysterically, while trying to explain her actions. Meg had talked Nora into going over the wall; Nora had gone out of loyalty, but tried to get Meg to go back to the coven. Cara had seen both women go over the fence; she didn’t want her friend Nora to be punished and so she hadn’t called Dante. Cara went on to prove their previously spoken suspicions about the humans being unafraid of threats over the wall, as the Anivamps seemed harmless.

Cara didn’t want to leave Dante and the coven and her children; she had tried to talk sense into Meg, but she wouldn’t listen. Nora tried to talk to Meg, but it hadn’t helped either. Nora and Cara gave up; they decided to go back over the fence and find Tavish but had been separated by the beast.

“Dante, what was that thing?” Cara said tearfully.

“A beast that would eat you. You must swear on your life you will never go over the fence again.” Dante’s tone was hard, but Laken saw the relief in his eyes as his hands caressed the frightened woman, and he would not set her on her feet.

“Never again, never ever, never, ever. Dante, I must warn my girls. Oh Dante, why weren’t we told of these awful beasts?”

“You will be,” Dante said.

Laken was surprised when Dante scowled at Tavish and flew off with Cara cradled to his chest. Dante had a great deal of responsibility with Cara and her six girls, if something had happened to Cara, Laken didn’t know how Dante would react. He would be overwhelmed taking care of a fifteen year old, a twelve year old, a nine year old, twin four year olds and the one year old. Dante wouldn’t part with any of them, and he watched over the brood like a rabid bear—Laken envied him at times. The brethren of Tavish was changing; Laken was uncertain as to what this meant, but there were still two females running around loose and in danger.

The tiny, frightened voice came from far away but they all heard it. Laken knew it was Meg. When they reached her, Meg was in a tree and Druid was in heated battle with a panther hybrid. The panther species had been introduced to the saber-tooth tiger—not one of the scientists’ smarter creations, yet one of the deadlier ones; it was supposedly created as a war weapon. The result was a black as night panther-tiger mix. The creature was twice Druid’s size and Druid was considered one of the largest white tigers on the planet.

The fight was extraordinary. Druid understood the laws of the coven, it was treason to try and harm a breeder female—death was the punishment. Druid must have been hunting and come across Meg; the Anivamp would have chased her back over the fence. The humans still maintained a healthy respect for the tiger.

Druid slashed at the saber-tooth panther in a flurry. Both had fangs of equal length, but at just over three hundred years old, Druid was deadlier and stronger. When the panther slashed at the tiger, his ripped flesh healed as fast as it was struck, while the panther wasn’t as lucky. It didn’t heal instantaneously. The panther was soon slashed to pieces and trapped under Druid, and the white tiger ripped its opponent’s throat open. The sucking and slurping of blood mixed with the whimpers of the female in the tree.