ShadowsofNight (9 page)

Christian gave a firm nod and Roman vanished without saying
another word.

Emma turned to face him. “I’m curious. Why are you doing
this when you know who I am and how important the information I gave you would
be to your coven?” she asked.

“I’ll speak to Marcus when I’m ready.” Clearly he was still
angry from his encounter with the other vampire.

“I don’t get you.” She was confused by their emotional
connection and his determination to protect her, even if it meant fighting
members of his own coven.

“You don’t have to get me. I have my reasons.”

“I don’t need your protection, or anyone else’s, for that
matter. I’m more than capable of defending myself.”

“If that were the case, why did you lie about wanting to
stay with me then? You could have let us fight, or were you afraid to be taken
to a den of vampires? Perhaps you were trying to protect yourself?”

“No, definitely not afraid. I was trying to diffuse the
situation. You were about to go to blows with that guy and I was trying to protect
you
.” Why did she say that? She started to walk away.

“Wait…” He grabbed her and spun her around to face him.

“Let go.” She yanked her arm away.

“You didn’t need to protect me. We were evenly matched males
in size and strength, if that’s what you were worried about.”

“This is ridiculous. Your loyalty should be to
them
,
not me. I’m a spy, remember?”

“You’re well worth it in my opinion.”

“I don’t see why when nothing’s changed between us. You’re
still considered the enemy.”

“I understand why you feel the way you do. You’ve lost those
very dear to you because of this wretched curse.”

“How could you possibly understand? You didn’t witness your parents
being murdered in cold blood by a vampire.”

“My brother Dane and I were
turned
by one. At least
your parents died. The former isn’t much better, I assure you.”

“Don’t mock my pain. A child watching her parents die
horribly is ten times worse.”

“If your mother and father had lived, what do you think they
would’ve become?”

“I don’t know, maybe they’d be like you. Why are you asking
me this?”

“No, they wouldn’t be like me. They would’ve become Rogues
who attack humans unless one of my coven members got ahold of them first.”

“You can’t be certain of that. They might’ve chosen a
different path.”

“I was not at the mercy of Rogues after I was turned. If
your parents had survived the attack, without guidance, they’d have give in to their
thirst. The fact that they died is terrible but as far as the outcome, death is
more merciful than the alternative. It’s not easy, once you give in to
bloodlust, to abstain from taking it again from a human host. I’ve never
experienced that kind of hunger, so it was far easier for me.”

“The whole idea of becoming what you are—there’s not a chance
in hell I would want that.”

“Immortality is not all bad, Emma. You can live without
hurting people, under the right circumstances.”

“It doesn’t sound like it.” Her parents’ deaths would always
haunt her. Nothing was going to change that, so why the hell were they talking
about it anyway? And this Rogue shit wasn’t helping either.

“All right, since we’re on the subject, how were you turned?”

“I was attacked by a female vampire after leaving a pub one
night. My brother intervened and killed her, but not before she bit me.”

Having his life taken from him would be painful too, she
supposed. “Was your brother already a vampire?”

“Yes, he was turned before me. I’d thought he’d died. After
I turned, he told me what happened to him and that he’d been keeping an eye on
me, hoping to prevent me from suffering the same fate.”

“Where does your brother live?” All her anger toward him
evaporated.

“Dane runs our office in the United States.”

“You two must be close, considering all you’ve been through
in your lives.”

“We were at one time, but not anymore. You’re not the only one
with wounds from this travesty that invaded human existence. They’ve touched me
too.”

“You don’t seem to be too broken up about what you are.”

“Do you honestly think I wanted this life for myself? No, I
didn’t. If my brother truly cared for me, the merciful thing would have been to
let the Rogue finish me off.” He shook his head in disgust.

“He probably reacted without thinking. You can’t blame your
brother for wanting to save your life, that’s crazy.”

“He didn’t save my life, he condemned it,” he snarled.

“It sounds like you still hold a grudge, and that’s too bad
because you’re missing out. I’d give anything to have the chance to be with my
family, and you seem to take it for granted.”

“I suppose I do take it for granted. But I have my reasons,
just like you have yours.”

“That’s a heavy burden to lay on anyone, especially a
brother.” How cold, to shut someone out like that. But who was she to judge, when
she spent a lot of time keeping out those who wanted in?

“It is, but I can’t change how I feel. Can you?”

She couldn’t argue that. “At least you have family left. I
don’t.”

“Tell me again about that night. I need more facts about
your parents’ murderer.”

“It’s not something I want to dredge up, okay? Give it a
rest, Superman.”

“Stop acting that way. Maybe I can help you find the killer.
In my world, the circles are smaller than you think. I get the sense your
parents might’ve been a target; there could’ve been a purpose behind their deaths.
Rogues usually pick victims who won’t be missed. They don’t hunt in suburban
neighborhoods.”

“So you think what happened to me wasn’t random?”

“Yes, exactly.” He stared into her eyes.

“I don’t know if I can go there. I have these holes in my
memory. There’s so much I have trouble remembering.”

“Try for me. Please? What can it hurt?”

She sighed, resigned. “Okay.” She nodded and took a seat on
the bed. “I had crawled out my bedroom window the night it happened, and had
fallen asleep on the roof when I was awakened by the sound of voices arguing in
my mother’s room. It startled me because I heard a male voice that didn’t sound
like my stepfather’s, so I crawled to the window to investigate.

“There was this guy in the room with my mom. He was
obviously enraged by something she’d said to him and that’s when I saw him bite
her throat. My stepfather was killed right after when he entered the room,
probably after hearing the noise. The rest is still fuzzy. I think I’ve blocked
it out. I was still a kid when the murders happened. But that’s the gist of it.”

“You were very lucky.” Christian pressed his lips together
firmly.

“I wouldn’t call it luck. My life has never been the same
since that night. I was a happy, carefree kid, but not after that.” She started
to fidget. Talking about this wasn’t easy.

“Do you remember what he looked like, this vampire?”

She tried to recall more specifics but it was difficult. “He
had dark hair, tall, muscular. Actually I think he kind of reminds me a little
of that Roman guy who was here earlier. But my memory isn’t that great and it was
dark.”

“Can you remember anything else about him?” He continued to
press for information. It was starting to wear on her. She had reached her
limit.

“No, not really. Can we drop it?”

“Sure, but it doesn’t give me much to go by. I’m trying to think
back fifteen years to determine if there were any mentions of Rogues attacking
humans in suburban neighborhoods. Usually they prefer to hunt in cities, where
it’s much easier to troll for their next meal.”

“Look, I appreciate you trying to help, and believe me, I
would like nothing more than to stake the bastard who killed my parents. But
the odds of finding whoever did this to them aren’t good, and I’ve struggled
enough over having to deal with it and trying to move on.”

“Sometimes revisiting our past heals our wounds.” He stared down
at her.

“You should take your own advice,” she whispered.

“Maybe I will. But let’s see if we can’t change your view
about me first, because you need to understand that not all of us are your
enemy.”

Emma took a deep breath, trying to calm her nervous energy. “I
wish I could believe that.”

“In time, you will.” He gave her a smoldering look that sent
her mind reeling.
How does he do that? I can’t concentrate on his words when
he looks at me that way.

“Emma.” His voice grew low and husky.

“Yes?” She swallowed hard.
Damn, here we go again with
the hormones going haywire.

“I’ve never experienced such need for a woman before.” He
brushed his fingers lightly across her cheek. She sucked in a breath at the feel
of his sensual touch. It scorched her. Moist heat saturated her core with lust.
She licked her lips and his gaze fell to watch her purposely drag her tongue
slowly back over them again. She liked the reaction it evoked.
I’m playing
with fire so hot, if I’m not careful it’s going to burn me.

“Why can’t I just resist you?” She leaned forward, rested
her forehead against his chest and laughed.

He tilted her chin up with a forefinger. “I’ve ask myself
that very same question over and over again.”

She ran her hand down his rippled stomach until her palm
rested against the rigid length trapped inside his jeans. His body jerked when
she gently traced it with her finger. “So what are we going to do about this
dilemma we both face? I can’t deny that I want you, because I do, and I already
know you want me.” She stood up and slipped her hand beneath his waistband and
wrapped her fingers around his girth, stroking the silky skin. He threw his
head back and groaned as she unzipped his pants to free his cock.

“You cannot know what it does to hear you admit that to me.”

Christian leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers.
Her mouth opened immediately to his exploration. His tongue thrust past her
teeth in a scorching kiss that left her breathless. Her mind screamed stop but
her body said go. He lifted her up, quickly kicking off his jeans, and eased
her down on the bed. He trailed his hand like a feather over her breasts.

“You are so beautiful,” he murmured, giving her soft flesh a
gentle squeeze.

She sucked in a breath, the promise of unrestrained passion
heavy in the air. “Kiss me,” she heard herself moan, her body undulating
against him.

“You shall have all of me.” He plundered her open mouth
aggressively.

Her stomach quivered at his declaration, part of her wondering
if she should allow any man to consume her like this one had.

“I want this off you.” He gripped her top.

She nodded, pulling her shirt quickly over her head.

“Touch me,” she ordered as his mouth descended on a taut
nipple, sucking, biting, tasting. She arched against his caress as he cupped
her heavy swells.

“Mm…I plan to touch you all over, my sweet.” His
affectionate exploration continued down her body.

“Oh yes,” she breathed when he reached up and pinched her
nipples, triggering a delicious sensation that shot straight to her clit. More
liquid dampened her pussy.

“I smell your desire, Em.” His nostrils flared. He yanked
her sweats down and she kicked them the rest of the way off. Cool air rushed
across her heated skin, further heightening every sensation.

“
Mine
,” he growled, pushing her legs apart.

“I want to feel you inside me,” she breathed impatiently.

“Let me taste you first.”

Emma groaned when he drew her swollen bud into his mouth.
Her teeth clenched as an erotic surge tore through her, the pleasure so intense
she tried to close her legs.

“You won’t deny me this!” He pinned open her legs with his
shoulders and continued to lick and suck. Fingers joined the play, one entering
her tight heat. The other circled her anus.

Wow, that’s hot.

“Oh God!” she cried when he breached her there. He ran his
tongue back and forth over the hood of her clit and continued to play with both
of her openings. Her head thrashed and she cried out wildly as she climaxed
hard.

“You taste so sweet, I could stay right here forever,” he
rasped. She felt his fangs graze her tender flesh, but in the haze of her
desire, she couldn’t care less. The high felt too good to think about the
consequences.

The slightest of stings—and every muscle in her sex clamped
down again. Her back bowed and she surrendered to utter bliss that continued
until she thought she might pass out from the experience.

He gently released her clit and licked her flesh.

“That tongue of yours is amazing.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He leaned forward to suckle her
again.

“Oh yesss…” She sucked in air, her breathing labored as her
body came down from that wonderful place he’d just taken her.

Christian rubbed his cheek against her inner thigh. “You
taste,” he closed his eyes, “delicious.” His hand dipped under her buttock,
lifting her pussy to his seeking tongue once again.

“Do I? Oh God, can’t take anymore.” She tried to squirm
away, closing her legs.

“That’s too bad because I’m not done.” He held her open and looked
up with a grin.

Her eyes widened. “Christian—there’s blood on your lips. You
bit
me? God, why didn’t I stop you…?
Shit!
”

“No, it’s just a graze. I didn’t.”

“My blood is on your lips! This is why we shouldn’t do this.
I can’t take a chance of becoming infected.” She tried to scramble away.

“Wait, Emma—stop!” He grabbed her leg and pulled her toward
him. She continued to struggle as she slid beneath him.

“Get off me.” She glared at him.

“I
didn’t
bite you. I have fangs but they’re not
poisonous. It was
just
a graze.” He rolled off her with a sigh that
sounded full of frustration.