Scarlet Heat (Born to Darkness) (13 page)

“Don’t pay any attention to him.” Gwendolyn gave
the man a disgusted look and set the trap, still encased in Tupperware, down
with a thump. She came out of the room, closing the door behind her. “Sorry
about that—he’s
really
annoying
sometimes.”

“But who is he and what did he mean by all that?”
I demanded.

She shook her head. “He’s nobody, okay? Look,
I’ll tell you everything I know but we need to go back to the front room.”

I let her lead me back to the living room, but if
anything, I was more upset than before.

“Talk,” I said, the minute we were seated on the
couch together. “And hurry up—Victor will be back any minute. I need to know
what’s going on.”

“What
is
going
on?” Gwendolyn gave me a direct look.

I took a deep breath. “Okay, fine. Every time I
drink from him I start feeling…
strange.
And
I start having feelings…urges…thinking things I shouldn’t think about. I need
help.”

“You can say that again.” She shook her head.
“Okay, all I know is that it’s extremely rare for a were and a vamp to pair
up—mostly because of the subconscious smell thing we were talking about
earlier.”

“Right, go on.” I made a ‘hurry up’ gesture with
one hand. “But if they do, what happens?”

She shrugged. “Depends on a lot of factors. The
age of the vamp, for one. You haven’t been a vampire for long—you have a lot of
human left in you. I bet your heart even still beats, doesn’t it?”

“Well, yes.” I shook my head. “But what does that
have to do with it? I still don’t understand.”

“That’s because it’s not cut and dried.” She
sighed. “Look, all I can tell you is about the one were/vamp couple I knew
personally. Only in their case, he was the vamp and she was the were. Oh, and
he was an old vamp too—a three-star one, I think.”

My heart was suddenly in my throat. “What…what
happened to them?”

“She started…taking on certain characteristics of
a vampire. Developed a taste for blood. Started avoiding the sun. Her pack
started persecuting her—I think because she stopped smelling like them and
started smelling like him—her vamp lover.” Gwendolyn shook her head. “That girl
was a mess.”

“But…what happened to them?” I repeated. “Did
somebody die or—?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged again. “They moved
away—I think they wanted to get away from her pack. Weres aren’t too tolerant
when it comes to interspecies dating. In fact, it’s pretty much downright
forbidden.”

“Oh,” I said in a small voice. “I didn’t know it
was actually
forbidden.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that,”
Gwendolyn pointed out. “Isn’t your guy a lone wolf? He should be able to do
anything he wants.”

“He does—I think,” I said. “But I know his land
is right by the land of the local pack.”

Gwendolyn shook her head and made a
tsk
ing sound. “They could be the ones
who put the trap on his land then. He’s a lone Alpha right in their territory
and now he’s got a vampire wife? That could be bad news.
Really
bad news. Do they know about you?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I don’t
think
so. But that still doesn’t explain
what’s happening to me. I mean, Victor doesn’t seem to be taking on any vamp
characteristics. He’s not thirsting for blood or—”

“Of course he’s not,” Gwendolyn interrupted me.
“He’s been a were all his life—you’ve only been a vamp for less than ten years.
If anybody is going to change it’s going to be
you,
sweetie.”

“So…what?” I shook my head, completely
bewildered. “Will I start changing with the full moon? Start getting hairy or
having the urge to howl and chase deer and rabbits or something?”

She frowned. “No, I wouldn’t think so. But you’re
drinking his blood exclusively—right?”

I nodded. “I can’t drink anyone else’s. Not for
three months, until the Laws of Ownership are satisfied.”

“Uh-huh, so you basically have were blood running
through your veins. And you’re living in close proximity to him, right?”

“I’m living
with
him, in his house,” I said. “But I still don’t see—”

Just then the front door of the little house
banged open.

“I’m back.” Victor came into the living room with
a sheath of bills in his hand. “Had to go down the street to the bank. The ATM
at the convenience store was out of order.” He frowned at me and I could feel
him wanting to ask if I had given Gwendolyn any of my blood. Somehow, however,
he restrained himself.

The witch seemed to sense his unasked question
too because she smiled at him and shook her head.

“Don’t worry, wolf—not a drop spilled. The only
exchange Taylor and I have been doing is an exchange of information.”

Victor nodded and looked relieved.

“Here.” He thrust the money at Gwendolyn and
turned to me. “We need to go.”

“Fine.” I wanted to stay. Wanted to see if I
could get anything else out of the witch but I had a feeling it wouldn’t do any
good—I would have to figure out what was happening to me on my own.

Chapter Nine—Victor

Taylor followed me out to the truck silently and
got in when I opened the door for her. She buckled herself in and stared
straight ahead as I drove.

I was regretting our disagreement—had been from
the moment I left the witch’s house. The thing was, it was a misunderstanding.
I was just trying to look out for her—that’s all. But Taylor was taking it all
the wrong way. I wanted to explain it to her, wanted to make her understand but
it was clear I was going to have to say the first words. Finally, I cleared my
throat and spoke.

“Look, I’m sorry about what happened back
there—sorry if I came off as a jerk again,” I said. “I just…didn’t want you to
get hurt.”

“You don’t have to take care of me,” she said,
still staring at the road. “I know Corbin threatened you to make you take me
off his hands and you’re probably afraid if something happens to me he’ll blame
you—”

“No, no.” I shook my head. “It’s nothing like
that.”

“What is it then?” she asked, turning toward me.
“I mean, reminding me that I owe you a blood debt, like that, right in front
of—”

“There’s no debt,” I growled. “You don’t owe me a
Goddamned thing, Taylor, and you know it.”

“No, I
don’t
know it,” she snapped. “You’re right—I’m living in your house, sleeping in
your bed, drinking your blood, for God’s sake—of
course
I owe you.”

“You don’t owe me anything. There’s no debt
here—we’re
married.
And stop acting
like it’s just a convenient arrangement,” I went on before she could speak.
“It’s not like we’re just roommates sharing the same space—we’re fucking
taking care
of each other, Goddamnit!
You risked your life to bring me in during the dawn and risked it again to get
that damn trap off me and heal me.”

“Yes, but you stood up to Roderick for me and you
saved me from the sun in the kitchen today,” she pointed out.
“And
you’re giving me your blood—letting
me drink from you.”

“My point exactly.” I tried to control my
frustration. If only she would understand! I took a deep breath and tried to
explain. “Taylor, we may not have known each other long but there’s more to
this marriage than just a few swallows of blood from that fucking Chalice of
Union, or whatever it was. So there’s
no
debt
and
I wasn’t trying to say
there was.”

“Fine, okay.” She held up both hands. “It just…it
made me feel bad,” she said quietly. “Like…like I didn’t want to drink from you
anymore.”

“What?” I gave her a startled look. “Look, you
can’t let yourself starve to death just because I was being an ass.”

“I don’t want you to do something you don’t want
to do,” she said softly, looking out the window. “I…I’ve been a burden and a
failure for the last six years, ever since I was turned into this.” She
motioned at herself. “I just…I don’t want to feel like that anymore. Don’t want
to feel like I’m inconveniencing you.”

“Taylor—” I started.

“No.” she shook her head. “Maybe it would be
better if I left. I have to start fending for myself, Victor. Have to get out
in the world and live on my own.”

“No, you don’t.” I pulled over to the side of the
road and turned to face her. The protective possessiveness was rolling over me
again, an instinct too strong to deny. “Look at me,” I demanded.

She turned toward me, her arms crossed
protectively over her breasts.

“What?”

“Taylor…God, how do I say this?” I muttered,
running a hand through my hair. “Look, I don’t mind letting you drink from me.
I thought I would but I don’t, okay? And I don’t want you going anywhere—you
belong in my house with
me—
nowhere
else.”

“Victor—” she started to protest but I held up a
hand to stop her.

“When the three months is over, you can go where
you want and do what you want. But until then…” I leaned forward, looking
intently into her eyes. “Until then, Taylor, you’re
mine.
Mine to protect. Mine to cherish. Mine to nourish. Just like
the vows we took said—vows I don’t intend to break. Do you understand?
Mine.
” The last word was a low growl,
more animal than human. It came from deep inside me—from the wolf wanting to
protect its mate.

She looked at me for a long time and I could hear
her heart racing in the silence of the cab. Probably, I was scaring her to
death but I couldn’t help myself, couldn’t stop myself from laying claim to
her. She was
mine,
damn it.
Mine.

“All right,” she whispered at last, nodding. “I
get it.”

“No.” I shook my head. I needed more than just a
simple acknowledgement that she’d heard me. “Say it, Taylor,” I told her. “I
want to hear you say that you’re mine.”

“I…” she licked her lips nervously. “I’m yours,
Victor,” she said in a trembling voice. “Only…only yours.”

“Good.” I nodded, feeling something inside my
chest loosen. But there was something else to clear up. “And I want to hear you
say you’ll drink from me every time you’re thirsty,” I told her. “
Every Goddamn time.”

“I…” For some reason she hesitated, her eyes wide
as she looked at me. Why was this a problem? She needed my blood and I wanted
her to take it—no, I
needed
her to
take it, damn it!

“Say it,” I demanded. I tried to make my voice a
little softer but I couldn’t help the intensity of my gaze as I looked at her.
“Say you’ll drink from me, baby,” I urged her. “I want you to.”

“I…I’ll drink from you,” she whispered at last.

“Good.” At last, I felt satisfied. Turning back
to the road, I started the truck again. “I’m glad we cleared that up.”

“Um, me too, I guess.” she glanced at me
uncertainly. “Do you really think Gwendolyn would have used my blood to hurt
me—if I had given her some, I mean? Because I didn’t,” she added hurriedly.

I frowned. “I don’t know. Probably not
but…there’s something about her. Something not right—didn’t you feel it?”

“I don’t think so,” she said, sounding mystified.
“Do weres have a sixth sense about that kind of thing?”

“Maybe.” I shrugged. “I just feel like…like
there’s a darkness hovering around her. A shadow on her soul.” I cast a
sidelong glance at her. “Sounds like mystical bullshit, right?”

“Not really—you have to go with your instincts.”

I sighed. “Yeah, well…Look, since we’re in the
city, do you want to stop by Corbin’s club and get some clothes? I know I
dragged you out of there with nothing last night.”

“I…” She looked at me and I was sure she was
going to say yes—of course, she would, so she could see her friend Addison
again. But then she just shook her head. “No,” she said softly, turning her
head to look out the window at the dark road whizzing by outside. “I think…I
think I’d rather go home, if you don’t mind. To your home, I mean.”

“Our
home,” I said firmly. I
couldn’t figure out why she’d turned down my offer to stop by the club. But
then suddenly, I smelled it—that warm, rich, feminine scent. The smell of a
female wolf who needs her mate—needs him badly. It was filling the cab of my
truck, filling my senses, making it hard to concentrate on the road.

Taylor must have seen my nostrils flare when I
scented her because her cheeks got flushed. She crossed her legs tightly and
scooted away from me, biting her lip.

“Hey,” I said, trying to keep my voice normal.
“You okay over there?” If only she would talk to me about it, I would try to
help her. Try to explain.

But she only shook her head.

“I’m fine. Are we almost home?”

“Almost,” I said with a sigh. We didn’t say
anything else and drove in silence until I pulled up in front of the house.

The minute we got inside, she headed straight for the bathroom. The door
closed and I heard the telltale sound of fabric being pulled hastily out of the
way. A muffled moan of painful pleasure followed it…and then another and
another.