Shiver (Night Roamers) (13 page)

Duncan!

“Get the fuck away from her!” roared Duncan. He pulled his fist back and hit Ethan so hard, he flew backwards and landed several yards away on his back.

Oh crap!

“Duncan!” I yelled, scrambling out of the car. I didn’t want him hurt by Ethan.

In a flash, Ethan jumped up and retaliated with his own fists, sending Duncan
flying across the field, hitting his head against a large oak tree.

“Stop it!” I yelled.

Ethan turned to me and shrugged. “Well, he started it.”

Before I could answer, Duncan was back
, body-slamming Ethan to the ground. From there, everything became a blur; all I could see were glimpses of fists flying, feet kicking, and flashes of blood in their frenzied rumble. I stood frozen in horror as the two vampires violently attacked each other, not certain of who was getting the upper hand or who I even wanted to have it.

“Idiots,” snorted Celeste, who’d appeared out of nowhere.

I turned to find her sitting on the hood of my car. “Jesus, where did you come from?”

She
pushed her sunglasses up and smiled. “I’d been giving Duncan a few lessons on survival when we noticed you and Ethan through the woods. Oh,” she cringed, “that’s got to hurt.”

I turned to see them fighting still, but their movements were so swift, I couldn’t tell one from the other.

“Kick his ass, Duncan!” hollered Celeste. “No, not like that!”

Suddenly
, I could see both of them and it wasn’t pretty. “Stop it!” I screamed, moving towards Ethan, who, although his face was a smear of blood, was now standing and had Duncan by the throat. He was squeezing it so hard, that Duncan’s eyes were bulging out of his red face. I tried grabbing Ethan’s arm, but he was too powerful. “Please,” I cried. “Ethan! Stop this!”

Ethan’
s face was a mask of red rage.

“Ethan!” I repeated.

He looked at me and swore. Then, he released Duncan, who toppled to the ground. “You’re lucky,” he growled. “If it wasn’t for Nikki…”

“What?
” rasped Duncan. “You’d try to kill me again?”

“
Kill you? I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” hollered Ethan, his nostrils flaring.

“You’re
nothing but a coldblooded killer, a pariah,” spat Duncan. “But you know what? Someday I’m going to kill
you
.”

Ethan laughed sardonically. “You don’t have a chance in hell with someon
e like me. You have no idea who you’re messing with.”

“Keep talking,” growled Duncan, his eyes full of hate. “B
ecause soon you’ll be silenced forever.”

Soon they were both neck to neck,
glaring at each other, like two boxers in a ring, ready to pounce on each other.

“
Would you both just stop!” I pleaded. “You’re both acting like idiots!”

Duncan was the first to back down this time. He
turned to me and held out his hand. “Come on, Nikki. I’ll drive you home.”

“Yo
u just don’t get it, do you?” growled Ethan, moving to my side before I could answer. He put his arm around me possessively. “She’s mine.”

“Get your hands off of her,” snapped Duncan. “Nikki’s afraid of you. You’re a murdering psychopath!”

Ethan laughed. “I don’t have time for this nonsense. You’re Celeste’s little pet now, anyway. You’re hers just as much as Nikki is mine!”

“What are
you talking about?” I snapped, now moving away from Ethan. I didn’t like the way he was treating me.

Ethan turned to me. “
It’s obvious that Celeste changed him into a vampire.”

“
Well, that doesn’t make him hers, does it?” I asked, glancing at her.

Celeste smiled, but didn’t say anything.

Ethan smirked. “They bonded. The only way to change someone into a vampire is by having intercourse and sharing each other’s blood.”

I looke
d at Duncan, whose face was filled with anguish. “Duncan?”

“I don’t even remember it,” he said, shaking his head. “I
swear, I don’t.”

Celeste frowned. “That’s absurd
, of course you do.”

“I don’t,”
he repeated. “I was injured and I barely remember anything that’s happened the last few days.”

“Well, you must have remembered the other time
s,” chuckled Ethan.

“The other time
s?” I asked, more than a little confused.

Celeste walked over to Duncan and
put her hand on his arm. “Yes,” she smiled. “It takes three ‘bondings’ to become a vampire. The third time was right after I found him injured near your cabin.”

I stared at him in horror. “You had sex with Celeste three
separate times?”

“I swear I don’
t even remember any of the times, Nikki. I don’t.”

Just then a squad car
turned down the road and headed towards us. The top lights began to flash and Celeste smiled. “Oh, here comes daddy. Stick around, Ethan; I’m sure he has some interesting questions for you.”

Ethan reached for me
. “Nikki, come with me,” he said.

I stepped away from him. “No.”

Duncan stepped towards me and held out his hand. “Nikki doesn’t belong to you, Ethan,” he said. “Come on, Nikki, I’ll take you home.”

I shook my head. “No, Duncan. I’m not going with you, either.”

Then, before I changed my mind, I got into my car, started the engine, and took off.

It was after seven by the time I made it back to the cabin.

“Where were you?” snapped my mom when I walked through the door. “I’ve been trying to call you all afternoon.”

“
Sorry, I think my phone battery died.” I stepped past her and towards the staircase. “I needed some fresh air, that’s all. I’m exhausted now, I think I’m just going to go and lie down.”

“You shouldn’t have gone anywhere, young lady!” she hollered as I p
roceeded up the stairs. “You’re still grounded and supposedly sick!”

I didn’t answer her;
instead, I went into my bedroom and closed and locked the door. When I turned around, Ethan was waiting for me on the balcony.

Crap.

We stared at each other for a minute, until he gave me one of his disarming smiles and I eventually gave in.

“I knew you couldn’t resist,”
he teased as I let him in.

“What do you want?” I asked, surprised to see that his face was completely healed without any hint of being in a fight.

He lay down on my mattress and folded his hands under his head. “This is nice,” he sighed. “I haven’t slept in a real bed for days.”

I raised my eyebrows.
“I thought you guys preferred coffins?”

He burst out laughing
. “Coffins? You shouldn’t believe everything on television.”

I sighed.
“Ethan, I think you should leave.”

He turned
on his side and rested his head in his hand. “I have a better idea, why don’t you come over here and keep me company?”

I shook my head
. “I don’t think so.”

He gave me a pouty look. “You’re no fun.”

I sat down on a chair and stared at him. “Tell me the truth; did you attack Duncan the other night?”

He frowned.
“I already told you the truth.”

I crossed my arms under my chest.
“Well, both of them said it was you.”

In a flash he was crouched in front of my chair with his hands on the arms, blocking me in. “I’m telling you the truth,” he said, staring into my eyes. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”

“Are you trying to hypnotize me again?” I whispered, leaning back.

His eyes filled with anger. “No, dam
mit, I’m being honest with you. I didn’t do anything to Duncan the other night. I wasn’t even in town.”

“Well who did?”
I asked, staring in wonder at his eyes, which were so clear and blue, they reminded me of an ocean beach. “And who’s been killing all of those girls?”

He moved closer until our faces were only inches apart
. “I don’t know,” he whispered, staring down at my lips.

“I…”

The next thing I knew, he’d captured my mouth with his and I forgot about everything else, even Duncan. Soon, his tongue was inside, touching and exploring; sending a wave of heat throughout my body. I slipped my arms around his neck and sighed as he lifted me out of the chair and brought me to my bed.

“I want you,” he whispered
huskily, setting me down. “I can’t wait anymore.”

I couldn’t speak
.

He kneeled next to me on the mattress and
removed his shirt, tossing it to the floor, revealing perfectly sculpted muscles and a narrow waist. I reached up and touched his chest, which was hard and smooth under my hands.

“Nikki,” he whispered. “Tell me if you want
this to stop anytime. I don’t want to force you into anything.”

I licked my lips. “No, I don’t think I’ll want to
stop.”

His lips curled up into a smile and then
seconds later, they returned to my mouth, this time with much more intensity. I moaned against his lips as his hands began to move under my shirt.

“I can’t stop thinking about you
,” he whispered, his lips moved to my neck. “You’ve put some kind of spell on me.”

I gripped the sheets as his tongue traced a hot trail down to the junction between my breasts. When he couldn’t go further, he lifted my shirt
away from my body and threw it down to the floor. Then he unclasped my bra, freeing my breasts.

“So beautiful,” he said, cupp
ing them in his hands. When I thought it couldn’t get any better, his warm mouth came down and captured my nipple, rolling it around with his tongue.

“Oh,” I gasped in pleasure.

He chuckled and began teasing both of them, until I was whimpering and pulling at his hair. He raised his mouth and I could see the tips of his sharp teeth. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Your scent is driving me wild. I have to…be careful.”

My body was on fire and I didn’t care what he did anymore
, as long as it meant being close to him. I wrapped my legs around his waist then slid my arms over his pants and cupped his firm buns. Soon he was pressing against me with his pelvis and I moaned with desire.

“Nikki,” he growled, sliding his hands under my
butt, pulling me even closer. “I need you. God, do I need you.”

“I want you,” I breathed.

His eyes burned into mine as he began unzipping my jeans. I closed my eyes and tried to relax as they slipped away from my legs. Soon, he was kissing me again while one of his hands began caressing my thighs. As it moved closer to my panties, my legs began to tremble.