Everlasting Hunger (The Hunger Mate Series) (11 page)

Natalie sits up as Ian helps her put the bustier back on and zips her up.  Kissing her lightly on the lips, he stands her up and escorts her toward Mackenzie.  Placing her back in the care of the senior drink, Ian reminds her to let them know if there are any problems with the diners. 

“I will and thank you so much for your assistance tonight, Ian.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You are welcome, sweeting.  Have a good night.” 

As Ian walks away, he hears
Mackenzie’s tone filled with awe.  “Oh my God, girl.  What are you doing with the two big bosses?  I saw you with Jasper earlier and was impressed.  What I just saw with Ian will put you in high demand.  The regulars like passion and enjoy sex.  The show you just put on was sensuality at its best and I was blown away.” 

Natalie laughs before Mackenzie spoke again.

“Why don’t you go get freshened up and grab a drinkYou’re in for a busy night.”  Ian glances around the club as the two drinks head off toward the break room.

Jasper emerges from the shadows along the back wall, tugging Ellie with him.  “That looked like a show we would’ve put on, gorgeous.”  He smiles down at her. “I’m hoping that you two will become friends.  She’s going to be going with us to the masquerade ball and I bet Ian will have her meet you for a fitting as well.” 

Ellie pulls Jasper around to face her and wraps her arms around his neck. “I think that’ll be great, Jasper.  I’m looking forward to having a week of fun and distractions.” 

Jasper growls softly as he nips at the curve of her shoulder.  “I think you’re distraction enough, gorgeous.  Do you want to go see if you can find Ian for some fun?  I have to head back up to my office to finish up a few things but you are welcome to come with me.” 

Ellie shakes her head. “You have no idea how tempting it is to head to your office with you, handsome.  However, I think I’m going to say good night.  I still have to pack for my stay up at the cabin and I want to get that done tonight.” 

She looks around the bar.  “Any ideas on where I could find Ian at to say goodbye?” 

Jasper grabs her hand and heads across the room to the VIP lounge.  “I’m betting that he is in here waiting on you, gorgeous.”  Kissing her gently at the door, he turns and heads to his office up the stairs. 

Knocking lightly, Ellie enters the VIP lounge and glances around, her eyes drawn to the man sprawled out in sensual abandonment on the daybed. 

“Hello, my love.  I was wondering if I was going to have to kidnap you from Jasper.” 

Crawling up on the bed and straddling the half-naked vampire she starts to unbutton his shirt.  “I was having a good time and I have to say the show you put on with that beautiful drink was impressive.  Most women would be jealous, but I was amazed at the beauty and sensuality of it.” 

Shrugging out of his shirt and toeing off his shoes, Ian raises up as Ellie unbuttons his pants and pushes them down.  “I was hoping that the regular diners would take an interest in her.  She is new and was having a difficult time tonight serving drinks.” 

Ellie gazes in awe at the perfection of the man lying beneath her and starts to kiss and stroke the muscles of his chest.  Flicking her tongue against his nipple, she can feel the tremor caused by her touch.  Ian threads his hands in her hair as she kisses her way down his body.  Circling his navel with her tongue, she slides down to take his erection into her hands.  Stroking the silky shaft with her hands, she slowly slips the plum colored tip between her lips and down the back of her throat. 

With her face nestled in the curls between his thighs, Ellie uses her tongue to stroke his thick, hard shaft as she works it in and out of her mouth.  Ellie loves the feel of Ian growing harder while she pleasures him.. When his body begins to tighten, she rises and impales herself on his cock. Riding him hard she pulls him up to the curve of her neck and moans aloud as he sinks his fangs in and begins to drink.  Clenching her body around his and holding his head to her neck, she explodes just as Ian reaches his peak.  Pleasure spreads as his semen pulsates into her womb, and she feels her inner walls contract in time with Ian as he continues to drink. 

Ellie strokes his hair softly as he pulls at the vein in her neck.  Feeling satisfied from the lovemaking but slightly dizzy, Ellie’s hand drops from his head, as she begins to grow weaker. 

“Ian, I think you need to stop.”  Ellie tries to pull away from Ian but she does not have the strength.  “Ian, please stop.” 

Beginning to panic, Ellie pushes at Ian’s head trying to pull him away but she cries out at the sharp pain from his fangs.   With darkness closing in and feeling betrayed by Ian, Ellie gathers all of her strength and screams for the one person she hopes can help. “
Jasper
!” 

Knowing that she was too weak for him to hear her, Ellie fades into darkness knowing that her fear of death was becoming a reality.

Sitting at his desk trying to get the spreadsheet for the inventory completed, Jasper taps his foot in rhythm to the music in the club below.  It had been a fun and interesting night, but Jasper was beginning to have the feeling that something was seriously wrong.  Pushing the intercom button on his desk to the main bar, he asks if there are any problems. 

“Not that we have been made aware of, sir,” says the bartender. 

“Thank you,” Jasper replies clicking off the intercom and turning back to the spreadsheet.

Within seconds, he realizes that something is drawing him downstairs and he pushes back from the desk.  His instincts have saved him countless times in battle and something tells him that there is a problem with Ian.  Heading down the stairs and taking the employee route to the VIP lounge, his heart stops when he hears a weak scream. 

“Jasper!” 

Taking off at a dead run, he slams open the door to the lounge and sees Ian feeding on an unconscious Ellie.  Fearing that he has not made it in time to save her, he rips Ian away from her throat and pulls Ellie to the ground.  Feral growls at his back, Jasper turns and flashes his fangs at Ian. 

“What is your problem, Ian?  Are you trying to kill her?”

When he
pulls Ian away from her, he unintentionally ripped her throat open, and the blood was pulsating out in rhythm with her slowing heartbeat. 

Balling up a sheet and trying to slow the blood, Jasper realizes there is too much damage to her neck to heal her.  Normally after drinking, a vampire would just lick the puncture wounds closed, but these were deep gashes and the vein’s exposed.  The only way to save her was to feed her vampire blood.  “Ian, I need you to come here and help me.  Ian?” 

Glancing over his shoulder, Jasper sees Ian sitting with his head clasped in his hands.  Seeing his shoulders shaking, Jasper can tell he is upset, however now was not the time. 

“Ian, if you want to save her
, you need to come over here now!” 

Ian looks at him, then pulls himself up

“What did I do, Jasper?  I couldn’t stop.  She tried to push me away and I couldn’t stop drinking.” 

“We’ll figure it out at a later time.  Right now, we have to save her.  I know she doesn’t want to die but that’s what is going to happen.  Do you want to change her or do you want me to do it?” 

Ian looks from the woman he tried to kill, to his best friend, and makes a choice. 

“Do it for me, Jasper.  I think that there is something wrong with me.  I don’t feel like my normal self and I’m afraid that I will do her more harm than good.”

Jasper inhales sharply. “Do you understand what that means for us?  She will be mine as well.  You know I have felt a connection to her and she could be a mate for me.  Are you willing to accept that?” 

Ian looks into eyes that are so similar to his long-dead father and replies, “Jasper, you are family to me and I’ll share anything and anyone with you.  This woman is important to us both and through my actions we are about to lose her.  Save her and I’ll give her up if that’s her choice.” 

Jasper pulls the sheet away and sees that the blood is slowing down but her heartbeat is fading as well.  Realizing that there is not much time to waste, he picks Ellie up, wraps her in a blanket, and heads to the rear entrance of the lounge.

“Where are you taking her, Jasper?” 

Jasper turns slightly. “Somewhere safe so she can complete her transformation and I can explain all of this to her.  Meet Annabelle and the other women here at eleven tomorrow, and explain the situation to them.  I’ll see you in a few days.” 

Not saying another word, he heads out the door and down the hall to the elevator.  Checking to make sure she is still breathing, he takes the elevator to the parking garage and races to his car.  Gently placing her in the passenger seat, he buckles her in and climbs into the driver’s seat.  Slamming the car into drive, he speeds off the ramp and down the street.  Taking the roads and turns as quickly as he can, he turns into a long driveway that disappears into the woods at the edge of the city.  Pulling up in front of a large mansion, he hops out and pulls Ellie into his arms, checking to make sure that she is still breathing. 

He kicks and bangs on the door until his butler Dudley, answers.  Pushing past him, he rushes up the stairs and places her on the king sized bed in his room.  He pulls his jacket and shirt off and tosses them in the corner of the room. 

“Is the young lady ill, my lord?” 

Jasper shoves fingers through his hair anxiously. “Yes, Dudley.  She was drained tonight and will die if I don’t complete the transformation.” 

Dudley walks in and closes the curtains. “Do you not want to help the young lady, sir?” 

Shaking his head, Jasper answers, “It’s not that, Dudley.  She’s a potential Hunger mate for Ian and I’ve felt the connection to her myself.  I don’t understand how that’s possible but it’s there.” 

Dudley straightens as his master paces the floor.  “I would imagine that you both feel the connection since you are both related, my lord.” 

Jasper stops his frantic steps and looks at Dudley in astonishment. 

“Did you not know that you and Lord Lochlan were blood relatives, my lord?” 

“No, I didn’t know that, Dudley, but that explains a lot of things and it will have to wait for another time.  I need to take care of Ellie before I lose her.  Can you bring up a bottle of scotch and a bottle of the component mixture?” 

Jasper sits on the edge of the bed and pulls the blanket from around Ellie while he waits on Dudley to bring up the drinks.  Seeing how much blood she has lost and feeling how slow her heartbeat is, Jasper knows he’s doing the right thing by her.  Shaking her gently he tries to rouse her.

“Ellie, honey.  I need you to wake up and look at me.  Come on, gorgeous.  Flash those sexy blue eyes at me.”

Ellie feels the pull of the darkness and longs to stay there, but she can hear a voice calling to her, pulling at her soul.  Heading toward that voice, Ellie slowly opens her eyes and gazes into the sad, hazel eyes of Jasper. 

Whispering softly, “What’s wrong, Jasper?”

“Gorgeous, I need you to listen to me carefully because we don’t have much time.  Ian was drinking from you while you were making love.  Something happened while he was drinking, he didn’t stop almost drained you.  I pulled him off you, but since his fangs were buried, your throat was ripped open.  I can save you, honey, but I need to know if you want me to do the transformation.” 

Looking into her eyes and seeing the panic, breaks Jasper’s heart and he pulls her into his arms mindful of the bleeding wound. 

“Jasper, I don’t want to die.  Will you save me?” 

Closing his eyes and saying a swift prayer, Jasper leans back against the headboard and tucks her back to his chest.  “Ellie, I will always save you.  I need you to understand what this means though.  If I transform you, then you are as much mine as I’m yours.  I offered to let Ian do it but he was afraid that he would not be able to without killing you.” 

Ellie manages to pull her arms up to rest on the one that lay across her stomach holding her up.  “Jasper, you know that I felt a connection with you.  I know what being a vampire means.  Love, passion, and forever takes on different meaning when you live centuries.  Belonging to you as a mate is not a hardship, but what happens if you find a Hunger mate?” 

Feeling her growing weaker, Jasper speeds up the conversation. “My butler, Dudley believes that Ian and I are blood relatives which would explain how I was able to sense that you needed me from my office.  If you are a possible mate for him, it makes sense you are mine as well.  We can figure that all out later, gorgeous.  Can I do this now and save your life?”

Closing her eyes, she nods her head.  “What do I need to do, Jasper?” 

Pulling a Swiss army knife out of his pocket, he opens it and swipes it across his wrist.  “Just drink, gorgeous, and I will take care of the rest.”

Jasper raises his wrist to her mouth.  He can tell she feels weak and is close to death as she swallows the first drops of his blood.

Jasper holds steady as Ellie slowly drinks from his wrist, knowing that she is relieving all of his life memories and sealing the bond that will forever be between them. 

Feeling the sizzle of her thoughts merging with his, Jasper knows that he will never be able to just hand her over to Ian.  They will have to find a way to make it work.  Jasper could sense Ian trying connect with Ellie but since she was drinking from Jasper, his hold is stronger, and once they make love, his connection with her thoughts will be solid and Ian’s will fade. 

Feeling the tug of her lips on his wrist, Jasper glances down and realizes that her wound is starting to close up. 

Knock, Knock. 

“Come in, Dudley.” 

Walking in and placing the drinks on a small table near the window, Dudley turns to Jasper.  

“My lord, I’ve been with you for a long time, and I feel like I need to say something to you.” 

             
Sighing because he knows the old man thinks of him as a son, Jasper asks, “What is it?” 

“I have known for sometime now that Lord Ian was a blood relation.  When I learned this, I should’ve brought it to your attention.  However, I was under the assumption that sometime in the last four centuries he would’ve made mention of it.  I’m sorry for not telling you about it sooner.” 

Shrugging slightly as to not dislodge Ellie, he replies, “It’s fine, Dudley.  These things have a way of working themselves out.” 

Bowing to the couple on the bed, Dudley turns and walks out of the room shutting the door behind him.

Beginning to feel slightly lethargic, Jasper checks the wound on Ellie’s neck and sees that it’s almost completely closed.  Feeling the strength of her heartbeat returning, he smiles since he knows she is on the mend and beginning the transformation.  Pulling on his wrist, he attempts to dislodge Ellie from her drinking, only to have her latch on ferociously.

“Ellie, love, you have to let me go now so we can finish.” 

She opens her dazzling blue eyes and slowly releases her grip on his arm. 

“Jasper?  What’s going on?  Where am I?” 

Jasper rises from the bed and heads to the table with the drinks.  Pouring a double for himself, he mixes a blood cocktail for Ellie and hands it to her.

  “Sweetheart, I did the only thing that I could and that was to transform you.  Ian ripped a chunk of your neck out when I pulled him off you.  We’re at my house and I fed my blood to you.  Can you ever forgive me?”