Keeping Cambria (2 page)

“You don’t need his blood on your hands.”

“Trust me. I’ve killed five of these bastards so far, and it felt good. Better than sex, actually.”

* * * * *

Five? Hell, he’d killed six hundred or more over the past century. Vampires and werewolves blended well into society, but some decided not to play nice, and that’s where he and his brothers came in.

Of course, he’d just realized he had a much bigger problem than The King.

Cambria was his mate.

Both of his beasts recognized her as theirs, made just for them. They pushed against his skin, especially his wolf, wanting to get out and claim her.

And she had mentioned sex.

And his dick was a steel rod.

Viper couldn’t read her mind, which was a first, and it sucked. His wolf was prancing around like a pup as his cock shoved painfully against his leather. His eyes roamed to her chest, where those dainty pink ribbons danced. Her black corset was so low he could see a hint of her rose-colored areola. Damn, she was hot. He couldn’t wait to sink his cock in her.

Gabe was knocking in his mind, but Viper wasn’t about to let anyone to interfere.
Stay where you are. Everything is under control.

Viper held out his hand, and the sword flew into it. Her weapon was lightweight steel, perfectly suited for her.

The King was still sputtering. Time to off this bastard and then figure out what to do with his newfound mate. Fucking her seemed like the best option.

“Turn your head so I can kill this piece of shit.”

Cambria crossed her arms over ample breasts, which of course pushed them together and made them more enticing than should be allowed, and she gave him that ‘make me’ look.

“You don’t need to see this.”

“I told you, I’ve killed before.”

“Did you cut off their heads?”

She grimaced. “No.”

“Unless the one’s you killed were newly made, you didn’t kill them. The only way to kill a vampire or werewolf is to obliterate their heart or chop off their head.”

“You mean those bastards I offed could still be roaming around?”

“Could be. Now turn your head.”

“Fuck you,” she muttered under her breath.

Whoever thought that
not
being able to use mind control on your mate was a good thing was full of horseshit. The King fought him with his mind, and since all of Viper’s blood was headed south, he needed to end this. “Please.” Hell, he’d never said that word before in his life. People feared him and his brothers, which made them more agreeable.

But not his mate.

She shook her head.

“Stubborn woman.” Viper swung her sword and The King’s head flew. He glanced back at her. She was a little pale, but otherwise a head rolling on the floor like a bowling ball didn’t seem to faze her. It wasn’t right. Women were treasures in both the werewolf and vampire world. He knew a few female warriors, but they weren’t human.

She cleared her throat. “Thanks. Now let me have my sword back to so I can kill the rest of these bastards and then get the hell out of here.”

“They’re already dead.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. My team is out there cleaning up the mess. Any women who can be saved, I’ll scrub the traumatic events from their minds and get them to ER.”

She studied him for a minute, no doubt wondering if he was telling the truth. “How did you kill them?”

“I scrambled their brains, which allowed my men to decapitate them.”

“Damn. That’s a handy trick. Well, I’ll be on my way. Thanks for the advice. I’ll make sure to behead them the next time.” She held out her delicate hand.

“That was pretty clever, hiding your sword in your trench coat.”

“Yep, that’s me. Clever. Clever. Clever.”

“What’s a good little girl like you doing in a nasty business like this?”

She watched him wipe the blood and gore off her sword.

“Well?” he asked.

“It’s personal.”

“Listen. You can’t go around infiltrating vampire nests and slaying vampires.”

“Why not? I’m damn good at it.”

“It’s not your job. It’s my brothers’ and mine. I demand that you stop it.”

Her brows furrowed. “Fuck your demand.” She shoved her hand out even further, and he reluctantly offered her weapon to her. “It’s a free country, and I’ll hunt bloodsuckers if I want to.”

“You’ll get yourself killed.”

“That’s my business, too, you arrogant prick.” She laid her weapon on the bed, tied the lace on her corset, and pulled on her coat. Cambria stepped into his personal space, only inches from him. “No one tells me what do.”

“What will you do when you run up against another one like The King? I can smell the blood on your skin from your brain bleed. If I hadn’t been here, he would have made you a vegetable and then fucked the hell out of you.”

This woman didn’t even bat an eye at that info. “Well, now that I know that they can do that, I’ll be more careful.”

“You’ll get yourself killed.”

“So what? This is my job.”

“You should be a secretary or something.”
Something nice and safe.

“Fuck you.”

Fine with me.
“No thanks. You’re not my type.” Which was a lie, but he didn’t care. He could not get tangled up with this chick. He had a job to do and a mate would just get in the way. “I mean it. Stop hunting vampires before you get yourself or some other innocent killed.”

Without thinking, Viper hauled her to him and placed a fast, hard kiss on lips that were soft and sweet, made just for kissing…and what he wouldn’t give to watch his cock slipping between them.

When he released her, Cambria stood there for a second before she lifted her sword and laid the point against his throat. He crossed his arms over his chest. Even the scent of her anger was delightful. For once in his life, he couldn’t read his opponent’s mind—not that she was an opponent, but since she held the business end of her sword against his throat, she was somewhat of a threat to him.

“You’re a vampire. I should just run you through anyway. Just kill you for snacking on people.”

“I do snack on people, but they enjoy it as much as I do.”

“Oh, puh-leez. I’ve heard that sex with a vampire shit.”

“Which you use to infiltrate the nest.”

Her beautiful green eyes flashed surprise. “Damn right.”

Her confidence astounded him. The fact that she was fearless impressed him. But her stupidity pissed him off. Hell, he couldn’t even implant some common sense into that pretty little head of hers.

“Well, make up your mind, Cambria. Either kill me or put your plaything away.”

“How do you know my name?”

“That’s what the King called you.” She seemed more concerned about her name than anything else. He’d never heard her name mentioned in the killing circles, because he would have remembered. He liked the way it rolled off his tongue.

“Well, forget you ever heard it.”

Before he could respond, his men charged the room and aimed their high-powered weapons at her. He had ignored Gabe and should have known it wouldn’t work.

“Friends of yours?” she asked, pushing the blade into his skin enough for blood to trickle.

“Yep. Stand down,” he ordered.

Are you sure?
Gabe whispered in his mind.

Yes.

The only sound in the room was the rustle of clothing as the men lowered their weapons.

“Here’s what’s going to happen, boys. I’m walking out that door alone, and no one will follow me. Now move away from the door.”

As his team did as she asked, she circled to her right, keeping the edge of her blade lodged at his throat. Cambria backed out the door, still holding her sword and daring anyone to rush her.

“Till me meet again, vampire.” She saluted him and sprinted away.

His wolf howled and his vamp side hissed at letting their mate walk, but he had victims to heal.

“You want to tell me what’s going on?” asked Gabe.

He glared at this right hand man. “Nope.”

Viper hoped he could survive the war she’d started inside him.

Chapter Two

Cambria tried to keep her eyes on the burly man summing up the prostitutes and her weight off her swollen ankle. Last night she’d almost made a mistake that should have cost her her life; instead, she managed to escape with only a twisted ankle. Thank God for whatever scared the piece of shit away. He had looked over her shoulder, then poof, disappeared. Damn shame she didn’t have any of that shit in her arsenal. Of course, whatever had scared the vamp last time wasn’t here, because the monster was here again trolling for food. Ewww.

But something was up. In the last week, her vampire kills had been too easy, not to mention the news hadn’t said anything about beheaded men. She’d revisited the killing sites, and there were no signs that anyone had died. She’d decapitated them, so she knew they were dead and not up running around sucking on people, but no blood stained the concrete where her victims fell. Damned confusing was what it was.

The bastard had selected his next victim and was coaxing her to the back alley. Didn’t the girl realize that the shark music was playing? Why couldn’t she hear it? It was dark and scary back there. What the hell had he promised? Sex? No fuck could be that good.

Cambria slipped around the edge of the building, needing to close the distance without being seen for who she actually was—a killer. This time her sword was on the outside of the back of her coat for an easy reach over her shoulder. She stumbled like a drunk, something she’d perfected over the past months, and her injured ankle made acting easier. These do-me heels weren’t helping.

When she was within fifteen or so feet, the monster stopped snacking on the girl, and spun to face her. His fangs flashed in the low light of the dim street lamp; his eyes reminded her of something between a wild animal and an escapee from the mental institution. His victim slid down the wall as he advanced on Cambria.

Come on, shithead. Let’s turn your head into a soccer ball.

She backed up, feigned fear, ready for him to enter her three feet of slice and dice area.

The vamp laughed. “You’ll be dessert.”

Don’t think so, asshole.

The vampire stopped walking, grabbed his head, and screamed like some prehistoric beast. Damn, she recognized this technique. She pulled her sword from the scabbard on her back, and swung as hard as she could swing. He managed to block her blow, but she could see the bone in his arm.

The creep grabbed his hair again but staggered toward her. “I’m going to kill you, bitch.”

Cambria took a step back and, thanks to her ankle, stumbled and fell on her ass. Dirt and asphalt bit into her palms as she tried to break her fall. When she looked up, two men in long black coats stood between her and the beast who was now sailing through the air. One of them advanced on the freak, swinging a blade twice the size of hers. After the head had rolled, he conjured up a fireball in his hand and incinerated the vamp. So this was what had happened to her kills.

The other man squatted before her and smiled.

Oh. Fuck. No.

“Hello, Cambria,” said Viper.

“Hello, Vamp.”

“You’ve been a busy little girl.”

“Oh, well, you know. A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do.”

“You’re hurt?”

Shit. How long had these guys been following her? Why couldn’t she have those skills? Of course, she didn’t want to be a detestable vampire, but why couldn’t those nifty little tricks come without the blood sucking?

“Yeah. Twisted my ankle. Hurts like a bitch.”

His eyes narrowed. “Why didn’t you stay at home tonight and rest? It was foolish for you to endanger yourself.” He scowled at her, his jaw clenched.

“Rest? I missed him last night and knew he’d be dumb enough to show up and kill again.”

“My brothers, Beast and Bear, have been…”

“Beast, Bear, Viper? Those are the most absurd names I’ve ever heard. Your mother must have had a warped sense of humor.”

The vamp glared at her.
Hmm, must be a mama’s boy
. “They followed you to keep you out of trouble.”

“Followed me? Why?”

“I just said. To keep you…”

“Yeah. I heard you, but I don’t need a sitter.”

“According to them, you do. And since you were stupid enough to think you could kill this rogue vampire on a bum ankle, I agree with them.”

“Fuck you.”

“Any time. Any place, sweetheart.”

Her womb clenched when he said that. She hadn’t forgotten their kiss, had dreamt of them doing the nasty several times. She felt as if she’d been branded. “Never in a million years.”

Even though she was attracted to him, this guy was crazy if he thought she’d let him feed from her. What was up with vampire men? Every prick she’d killed thought they were put on this earth to fuck. That’s how she’d lured the morons to their death.

The other vampire approached and squatted down beside the other. Oh, my God. There were two of them. “You’re twins?”

* * * * *

“She’s very astute.”

Venom heard his brother say something, but it didn’t register. He was royally fucked. Viper had been twisted out of shape since he’d met this chick and no one had had a clue. But Venom knew, and he could see an unprecedented, major clusterfuck looming up ahead.

“Viper, can I have a word with you?”

Viper arched a brow because they could converse without speaking, but this needed to be hashed out aloud, and face to face. Venom put Cambria in suspended mode so she couldn’t hear them and they wouldn’t have to chase her if she decided that running was her best option. At least some of his powers worked on her.

“What?” Viper snarled.

“I got some bad news, bro.”

“Just tell me.”

“I know she’s your mate.”

His brother’s eyes rounded. “And how the fuck do you know that?”

“Well, you’ve been acting crazy since you met this lady, but there’s something else.” Venom rolled his lips and then took a deep breath. “She’s my mate too.”