Everlasting Hunger (The Hunger Mate Series) (12 page)

She smiles a breathtaking smile up at him.  “You saved me and the transformation seems very simple to me.” 

Jasper shakes his head.  “It’s not complete yet, Ellie.  Go ahead and drink that cocktail and I will explain what is going to happen next.”

Tossing back the cocktail and feeling the warmth spread through her body, Ellie can’t imagine feeling any more alive than she does right now.  She can hear random thoughts and see pictures of people and places in her head that don’t seem to belong to her. 

“Jasper, are these your thoughts?” 

“Yes, gorgeous.  You are in the process of bonding with me instead of Ian.  What you are hearing is my thoughts and the pictures are my memories.  Don’t you remember this conversation?” 

“No, I don’t remember any of this.  What do we have to do now to complete the transformation?” 

Jasper sits down next to her on the bed and takes her hand in his.  “You still have to die, Ellie.  It has to be done with my blood in your system.” 

Ellie snatches her hand, jumps out of the bed, and races across the room.  Stopping her at the door, Jasper wraps his arms around her.  “I don’t want to die, Jasper!  Please, don’t do this to me!” 

Feeling her fear and his heart stop at the same time, Jasper draws her back over to the bed as she struggles to break free.  “Honey, if we don’t finish what we have started then in about six hours that wound on your neck is going to open back up and you will bleed to death.  It was amazing that you lasted as long as you did.” 

Ellie drops her head to her chest and he feels the tears fall on his arms where he holds her tight.  “Oh, honey.  I’m so sorry that it’s happening to you like this.” 

She turns in his arms and wraps her arms around his waist.  “Let’s grab you a shirt or something.  I’m afraid that when I grabbed you and ran, I didn’t think to grab your clothes or anything.” 

Feeling her naked luscious breasts against his bare chest was beginning to drive him a little crazy.  Grabbing a t-shirt from his dresser and tugging it over her head, he wraps his arms around her and holds her tight. 

I will take care of you, gorgeous,
Jasper thinks to himself.  Ellie jumps and looks up at Jasper at hearing the thought in her mind as clear as a bell. 

“Jasper, I heard you!”

  “I know you did, gorgeous.  I mean it too, Ellie.  I’ll make sure you’re safe and you survive, but we need to figure out how we are going to do it.  We don’t have much time.” 

Ellie moves to the chair by the fireplace and curls up with her feet underneath.  Tugging the bottom of the shirt down a little further, she asks, “Jasper, how did you die?” 

Settling into the chair across from her he answers, “I died on the battlefield.  Ian was my liege lord and we had gone to battle with a neighboring clan.  I was in the midst of combat with the oldest son of our enemy when a soldier attacked my back and shoved a sword through my stomach.  It’s very painful and I wouldn’t recommend it,” he says with a smile.  “Ian saw what happened and raced to my side.  I was unaware of what he was until that moment and shocked doesn’t begin to describe it.  I took a chance and the choice that he offered me.  I drank from him, as you did with me.  He then plunged his dagger through my heart finishing me off.  When I awoke I was as you see me now.”

Ellie considers her death options and looks helplessly at Jasper.  “I don’t know what to do, Jasper.  Help me.”

Jasper reaches over and pulls her out of the chair and into his lap.  “I was thinking that we could do some shots together.  I will mix some belladonna into some drinks and then you and I can snuggle up in front of the television and watch a movie.  When you wake up, we will finish the connection.” 

Ellie tugs at the hem of the shirt. “Will it hurt, Jasper?” 

“No, gorgeous.  You’ll go to sleep while I hold you in my arms and when you wake up, we will make love for the rest of the night.” 

Ellie smiles at those words and he can hear her think about how much she would love to have him buried deep inside of her. 

Jasper growls, “I can hear you, Ellie, and I want it as much as you do but there are things that we need to finish first.”

Standing up and nudging her toward a door on the other side of the room, “Why don’t you go into the bathroom and take a shower or a bath if you prefer and I will go downstairs and mix up some drinks for us.  Any preference on movie, gorgeous?” 

Ellie cocks her head to the side as she thinks. “I want to watch something funny that will take my mind off of what I’m doing.” 

Jasper kisses her gently on the lips and walks toward the double doors leading to the hallway. “I’ll see what I can come up with.  I will be back in a few minutes, honey.”

Jasper smiles as he heads down the stairs to the kitchen, listening to the thoughts running through Ellie’s head. 

How did I end up with Jasper instead of Ian? What kind of person does that make me?  Who cares as long as I am happy? The connection with Jasper feels so much more natural than it did with Ian.

It feels more natural with me then with Ian? 

That’s a thought that he would savor for another time.  Walking into the kitchen, he sees Dudley sitting at the breakfast nook. 

“Has the young lady made her decision, my lord?” 

Sitting down across from his longtime butler, he nods his head in the affirmative.  “She’s going to drink some of the belladonna, while we watch a movie.” 

Dudley nods his head in agreement with this choice.  “I believe you said her name was Ellie, my lord?” 

“Yes.  Ellie Dawson.  She works as a human resource director at Lochlan Medical.” 

“Should I make up a guest room or will Miss Ellie be staying with you?”

Jasper flashes a grin that Dudley knows well. “She’ll be staying with me.  Can you find the belladonna
for me while I head into the office to make some phone calls?” 

Dudley stands and heads to a locked cupboard. “Of course, my lord.  I’ll have everything arranged and taken up to your bedroom.”

Jasper nods and heads down the hall to his study.  Opening the room and striding in, he is always amazed at how soothing he finds this space.  Decorated in deep dark wood tones and neutral colors, it was a space that was made to be enjoyed.  Since he spent most of his time in this room, the furniture was comfortable and suitable for longevity.  Settling in at his desk, he picks up the phone and dials Ian. 

“Hello?”

“Ian, it’s Jasper.  She is doing fine right now.  I was able to save her.” 

“Thank God.  I thought I’d killed her.  I honestly don’t know what happened.  One minute we were fine and then it was as if I blacked out and didn’t know what was going on until you arrived.  I just felt that I needed to keep drinking.  How did you know what was going on?”

Taking a deep breath Jasper leans back in his chair. “I felt that she needed me, Ian.  I was in my office and just knew that something was wrong.  I made it there just in time.”  Swallowing the lump in his throat, Jasper asks the question that has been plaguing him, “Ian, why did you never tell me that we were relatives?”

Ian draws a sharp breath. “I don’t know, Jasper.  It just never really seemed very important until we both discovered Ellie.  Are you really upset about it?”

“No, I’m not.  We’ve always been family and that’s not going to change now.  She drank from me, Ian, and we are going to finish the transformation.  We are already sharing thoughts and they are crystal clear.”

“Crystal clear?  Without having made love yet?  That would make it seem to me that she is more your mate then mine, Jasper.”  Ian is silent a moment.  “If she was my true mate, Jasper, I would have never been able to hurt her like that.”

“Ian?  Are you really okay with all of this?”

Jasper holds his breath wondering if he is going to lose the brother of his heart after four hundred years. 

“We’re fine, Jasper.  Maybe this is the way it was supposed to be anyway.  I wouldn’t mind spending a little more time with the new drink that I tasted tonight.”

“Do you mean Natalie?  She’s a very nice girl.  Do you want to accompany her to Annabelle’s ball this weekend so I can take Ellie?  I need to call Annabelle and let her know that Ellie can’t make the fitting tomorrow.  Do you think you could have Natalie pick something out for her and send it to my place?”

“Not a problem, Jasper.  I’ll call Annabelle and take care of the arrangements.  I will also make sure to have her send over some clothes for Ellie.  Is there anything else you will need for her?”

“No, thank you, Ian.  I think we have everything that we need.  I’ll see you in a few days but will call if we run into any problems.  Good night, brother.”

“Good night, Jasper.”

Jasper hangs up the phone and lets Ellie know that everything is okay.  Sensing the smile on her face as she relaxes in the tub, Jasper heads to the entertainment center on the opposite wall of his study.  Opening the cabinet, he looks through the movies and pulls out Annabelle’s favorite movie. 
The Princess Bride
is the one movie that Annabelle likes to watch repeatedly when she comes to stay with him. 

Oh, Jasper!  That’s one of my favorite movies.  I would love to watch that with you.  Can we have some popcorn too?

Of course, my love.  I will make sure Dudley includes popcorn for the movie. 

Smiling at hearing the excitement in her tone of thought, Jasper heads back up the stairs.  Tossing the movie on the couch as he walks toward the bathroom, he stops in the doorway and stares at the incredible picture that Ellie makes.  Bubbles fill the tub to the rim and he can see the steam rising from the water.  Ellie is leaning back against the tub, which thrusts her perfect breasts through the bubbles, and he can see the nipples puckered due to the cooler air.

You’re a tempting sight, Ellie.  It’s all I can do not to crawl into that tub with you. 

What’s stopping you, Jasper? 

Jasper raises his eyes from her beautiful breasts and looks into eyes that stop him in his tracks every time he sees her.  Pulling off his shoes and unfastening his pants, he pushes them down and steps out of them.  Striding to the tub, Ellie leans forward as Jasper crawls in behind her and sits down.  Water splashes over the rim as they settle into each other. 

Ellie wiggles against him.  “Jasper, how much will my life change after the transformation?  I’m able to hear your thoughts clearly and, while I feel like I can access your memories if I want to, I don’t feel overwhelmed.  Is that normal?” 

Jasper teases her nipples to hard little points with his fingers as he thinks about his answer. 

“You’ll become a night owl so you will have to find a different position at the hospital.  I know Ian will help us out with that.  Ellie, you won’t change personalities  The same books, movies, and people will appeal to you.  Blood will become your drink of choice.  You can survive in the daylight for short periods of time.  You’ll be a vampire, but you’ll still be Ellie Dawson.   Your sense of humor, love of life
, and all the passion that you have now will continue to be there.” 

Ellie slides to her knees and turns around so she can face Jasper.  She moves until she is straddling his thighs and can feel his erection resting between them.  “I want to make love to you while I’m still fully me, Jasper.” 

She runs her hands up his thighs and strokes the hard satin skin of the erection that’s peeking through the water.  Jasper tugs Ellie toward his mouth and wraps his lips around a pouting nipple.  Tugging on her the nub with his teeth, he slides his hand down between her thighs and pushes two fingers inside of her.