VampireMine (4 page)

Sadie’s voice seemed to roar through his head, pounding in
his ears, her desperation palpable. “
Don’t let him take her.
”

For the first time Aldon’s self-assured smirk vanished. He
bent at the waist and pulled on Leigh’s neck, ripping one of her arms free from
Sadie’s limp form. Leigh thrust her legs out, wrapping them around Sadie’s
waist and locking her ankles together. Each yank from Aldon lifted Leigh and
Sadie from the ground. Leigh’s dark hair cascaded around her face and shoulders,
the knot she’d placed it in falling apart. It was the craziest fucking thing
Trey had ever seen, a tangle of arms, legs and hair.

For a moment Aldon, Leigh and Sadie seemed to flicker as
though their bodies were dissipating before his eyes. Panic and terror sent
Trey’s senses into hyper-alert. He moved faster than he ever had in his life,
building speed. Aldon was trying to phase them out. If he succeeded Trey might
not ever find his mate again. He’d rip the entire goddamn building apart before
that happened.

“Do it and I’ll fucking kill you!” he thundered.

Aldon lifted his head, staring Trey in the eye. The
vampire’s irises changed color, going from dark to icy blue. His white-blond
hair lifted into the air as he called on the magic inside him. Although being a
natural born Alpha protected Trey from the compulsion to shift forms or fall
prey to Aldon’s dark magic, he couldn’t stem the way the energy felt and the
way it seemed to charge his skin.

Motherfucker.

He snarled when the tingle of magic flittered over his
flesh, infuriated and petrified for his mate when his feet left the ground. An
invisible force thrust him aside, knocking the wind from his lungs. He threw up
his arms, trying to shield himself as his body flew toward the upstairs railing.
There was no way he could prevent the collision so he braced for impact.

Wood splintered and parted as he broke through the beams,
several spindles snapping and hurtling to the lower floor. He almost went over
the edge with them but managed to extend his nails, slamming down his hands,
burying his sharp claws into the wooden floor. His lower body hung over the lip
of the walkway, legs kicking into empty space.

Don’t let go. Get back up.

Nathan’s livid growl had him flexing his fingers, digging
his claws into the floor. He held on tight, commanding his muscles to bear his
weight. The wolf inside him backed the order, rising to the surface, giving him
strength. He lifted his head and watched Nathan slam into Aldon. The vampire
released Leigh but the impact broke her away from Sadie. His mate came at him,
sliding across the floor, stopping just shy of the jagged railing. She was so
close if his hands were free he could reach out and snatch her.

I’ll fucking kill him. Nice and slow.

Glancing at Aldon and Nathan, he collected his energy to
make it to the upper level.

Then he felt the soft brush of Sadie’s lips over the back of
his wrist.

In his dreams her bite was the most erotic thing he’d ever
experienced.

This time, however, it wasn’t quite the same.

Her fangs scored the delicate bones in his wrist, her aim
not true or clean. He hissed when her lips surrounded the torn tissue and she
sucked. She drew so fucking hard on his skin he wondered if she’d rip the shit
away from his bones. Although he wanted to provide for her, he tried to force
her away. He’d feed her as soon as this was over. He had to hurry.

Aldon and Nathan had taken their fight to the floor.

Nathan wasn’t strong enough to take down the vampire. Fuck,
Trey wasn’t sure who or what
would
be capable of such a thing. In the
past Aldon had been one hell of an ally. Now? He was a bitch of an opponent.
Trey knew the man was resilient. But this? He’d never imagined such a thing.

“Sadie, baby,” he murmured, trying to get her attention.
“Let go.”

Her hands lashed out, wrapping around his forearm. The
suction around his wrist increased, blood seeping past her lips. He watched,
amazed, as color returned to her cheeks. Her fingers changed, filling out. To
his amazement the rest of her did as well. Her face plumped, softness padding
her bones. Each swallow resurrected her from death, bringing her back to life.

Lightheadedness assailed him and white speckles danced over
his eyes.

Fucking shit.

He was going to pass out. If that happened, he couldn’t
protect her.

No way in hell. I’ll die first.

“Enough!” Aldon yelled, breaking Trey’s attention from his
mate.

Nathan flew from one side of the hallway to the other,
collapsing in a heap on the ground. The Beta didn’t try to rise, still and
unmoving on the floor, meaning he was out for the count. Trey hoped like hell
the damage wasn’t permanent. He didn’t think it was. He felt each and every
death in his pack. Nathan wasn’t done, not yet. He must’ve lost consciousness.
It was the only thing that would prevent him from getting up and charging at
Aldon.

There was no way Nathan would leave Leigh unprotected.

Leigh tripped over her feet when Aldon turned toward her.
She backed away, kicking out with her legs, shuffling along with her hands. Her
huge blue eyes were full of panic, her pale pink lips parted in horror.

Son of a bitch.

Aldon was going to take her and there was nothing Trey could
do about it. Sadie had taken so much blood he wasn’t sure he could maintain a
grip on the floor much less take on a vampire with immeasurable strength. Aldon
advanced—one more step and he’d have Leigh in his grasp—and lifted his right
arm.

Sadie disappeared—there one moment and gone the next.

The miserable burning at his wrist vanished.

Before he could react to her loss, Sadie reappeared in front
of Leigh.

Her artic-blue eyes blazed in warning, her hands splayed
open at her sides. She hadn’t bothered removing his blood from the corners of
her mouth, the liquid making her lips appear cherry-red. In the blink of an eye
she formed a fist and planted it directly in the middle of Aldon’s face. The
blow carried more power than Trey would have thought Sadie capable of.

Aldon staggered back several feet, lifting a hand to his
bloodied lip, narrowing his eyes.

Sadie stretched her arm behind her, reaching toward her
fallen comrade. A silent communication took place between the women, a mental
message from one vampire to the other. One moment Leigh was terrified and on
her ass and the next she was on her knees, reaching for Sadie’s wrist. Leigh
bared her fangs and lowered her mouth toward Sadie’s pale skin.

“Not so fast,” Aldon barked, moving so quickly Trey didn’t
have a chance to let go of the railing or get out of the asshole’s range. The
vampire’s hand wound around Trey’s throat, Aldon’s grip so tight it felt as
though it crushed his windpipe.

Fuck me.

“Don’t.” Sadie didn’t sound as confident, her voice
cracking. “Leave him out of this.”

“All it’ll take is a flex of my fingers.” Aldon’s hold on
Trey’s neck intensified, depriving him of oxygen. “I’ll snap his neck like a
twig.”

He totally could too. His fingers were locked tight.

Trey gagged, needing to draw a breath.

“His pack will avenge him.” Sadie’s words were laced with
venom. “I’ll make sure Diskant Black knows what went down here. They’ll come
for you. They’ll hunt you down.”

“Consider it a risk I’m willing to take.”

Trey choked, cursing his failure as an Alpha and male. He’d
never felt so weak or useless in his life. Here was, just shy of losing
consciousness, when his mate needed him most. Sheer willpower had him directing
his gaze toward Sadie, needing to convey his failure, sorrow and shame to her.

Leave it him to fuck things up in the most monumental way
possible.

It wasn’t bad enough he’d made her suffer for months. Oh no.

Now, when there was nothing left and he was going to die, he
was leading her into her grave as well. He’d seen how bad she was—realized that
Leigh had told him the truth about Sadie’s condition the moment he laid eyes on
his female’s thin and fragile form—and knowing he was about to force her to
endure the same torment…

Fuck, it tore him up inside.

Never.

His wolf rose, taking over, and he let it. His body started
shifting. He didn’t fight it, deciding it was all he had left. The beast
readily answered his call, eager for blood, hungry for the kill. This is what
he should have done from the start.

Enter. Destroy.

Claim.

Fur sprouted from his skin as his bones contorted. The
animal wanted to tear out Aldon’s throat and howl in victory as the life faded
from the vampire’s eyes. It would destroy the male who dared threaten its mate,
sending a warning far and wide of what would happen if anyone fucked with what
belonged to the wolf and the wolf alone.

“Make your choice,” Aldon warned, maintaining his grip
despite Trey’s shift from man to beast. “Three…two…”

A hand snaked around the back of Aldon’s neck, Nathan’s
fingers taut as he snarled, “Remember me, motherfucker?”

Trey dropped when Aldon released him, falling rapidly toward
the ground. He finished his shift midair, trying to land on his feet. Power
coursed through him, brought on by the change. The effects of his recent blood
loss evaporated. He hit cushiony carpet with a dull thud, covered in shredded
pieces of clothing. Shaking the garments from his body, he stood on shaky legs.
His sides heaved as he fought to breathe, rotating toward the stairs as he
gained his balance.

He heard the fighting upstairs.

His Beta would give it all he had but Nathan could only hold
Aldon off for so long.

While his second-in-command was strong, the vampire was
built like a fucking Viking, not to mention Aldon had some serious mystical
juju at his disposal. Trey rushed up each wooden slat, racing against the
clock, determined not to fail his female this time. His wolf snarled, its jaws
clenching in anticipation. Arriving at his destination, he discovered Leigh was
gone and Nathan was on the ground beneath Aldon. Sadie was bent over the two,
her arm wrapped snugly around the vampire’s waist.

“Let him go,” she ordered and fisted her fingers in Aldon’s
hair, snapping his head back.

Aldon jerked away from Nathan and reached behind him as he
rose. “You stupid little bitch.”

His nails lengthened, becoming sharp as he raked them along
Sadie’s back, tearing through her shirt and skin from mid-back to shoulder. She
didn’t scream but Trey heard her whimper. Fury consumed him, coating the world
in a haze of red. He’d kill the stupid piece of shit. Break every bone in his
goddamned body.

“Fine, we’ll do it your way,” Aldon whispered. “For now.”

A solid burst of magic sent Sadie away from Aldon and
Nathan, her slim form rushing across the distance toward him. He felt hopeless
in that moment, knowing he couldn’t shift fast enough to catch her, wishing
that somehow he could.

For once—thank God—he wasn’t left with an enormous amount of
shame as a mate.

Sadie righted herself like a cat, using momentum and speed
to rotate her torso around. He moved aside, watching in awe as she landed on
her feet. She rose with her fists balled, ready to face Aldon. She radiated
beauty and strength, a true sight to behold.

Magic blasted from her.

It felt different. Not as dark. Almost pleasant in a way.
The sensation bristled over his fur and settled comfortably against his skin.
It calmed him, soothing the wolf, giving him a sense of strength he’d lost when
she’d drank from him.

Before she could use her power or wield her magic Aldon
raised his hand, saluted her and said, “This isn’t over.”

Then he disappeared, leaving Nathan on the ground, Trey
growling at empty air and Sadie standing over the two of them—braced for war
with no adversary in sight.

Protection.

Find what you need.

Sword, sword, sword.

Sadie’s training kicked in, directing her as though she were
on autopilot. Aldon could reappear at any moment. In order to defend herself
and everyone else she needed her weapon. She closed her eyes and focused,
calling on her magic. The blade she carried had been attuned to her by blood.

If it was nearby she’d sense it…

There.

She didn’t hesitate, launching herself over the railing. The
instant she landed she moved, hurrying toward the hum of magic. It didn’t
matter why Aldon hadn’t kept the sword instead of tossing it in the trash. His
stupidity equaled her gain. She saw the sheath, identifying the leather she
painstakingly oiled once a week.

Yes. This is what she needed.

The instant the hilt hit her hand she pulled the weapon free
of the casing.

Movement caught her eye. She reared back, ready to dish out
some heavy damage, sending a surge of magic down her arm and into her weapon.
She’d expected an attack. Aldon would come at her blindly, ready to take her
down immediately. What she hadn’t anticipated was Trey—naked as the day he was
born—wrapping his arms around her waist as he sank to his knees. The thrill of
impending battle had her blood pumping but Trey’s touch sent her thoughts in
another direction. A split second, the weight of his body leaning steadily
against hers, and she was doomed. She lowered her arm and peered down, gazing
at his dark hair and tanned, muscular shoulders.

She’d been so wrong.

Memories didn’t do him justice at all.

In person he was bigger, stronger—sexier.

Licking her lips, she savored the small sampling of blood
she hadn’t bothered wiping away. She should have asked for permission but she
hadn’t. When she’d bitten him earlier she’d been too focused on her hunger to
think about consideration or lust. Now, however, she was more than aware of the
man. She could smell him, feel the heat of his body and hear the hurried rhythm
of his pulse.

“Easy, darlin’,” he murmured, his voice like gravel
cascading over silk. “I’ve got you.”

Her eyes burned as she struggled to hold back tears.

If only that was true.

She wanted so desperately for it to be, for Trey to hold
her, keep her…

Love her.

Months of longing had brought her to this moment,
confronting her own worst enemy. Even if she’d tried to convince herself that
she’d deny the male, she wanted him too much to do so. She could have died
without experiencing any of the things she yearned for most with the man at her
feet. The blood she’d consumed rushed through her body, suffusing her muscles
with life, bringing on a desire so strong it could devour them both.

Her nipples hardened to points, the fire in her belly
pulsing downward to her clit. His hair brushed her forearm when he feathered
his lips over her free hand, the teeniest of touches yet goose bumps spread all
over her skin. How would those prickly strands feel against her thighs if he
went down on her? Would he take his time? Or would he go at her like the wild
man she imagined he’d be?

He’d know what he was doing. Men like him had years of
experience.

“Leigh.” Nathan’s appearance at the foot of the stairs—as
well as the name he uttered—iced the heat in Sadie’s veins. “Where did she go?”
he demanded, snarling. “Take me to her.”

How selfish could she possibly be?

One touch and she’d forgotten about her responsibilities.
Leigh’s safety wasn’t important. Nothing was. All she could think about was
Trey—his scent, his warmth, how good he felt.

Damn her for being so weak and vulnerable.

She deserved whatever she had coming to her.

“Where is she?” Nathan shouted.

Sadie wanted to respond but wasn’t certain what she should
say.

Leigh had taken enough of Sadie’s blood to flee but was her
friend safe? Had she taken shelter at the coven? Or had she ventured to a safe
house? Sadie hadn’t had enough time to think ahead or ask her sister-in-magic
what her plans might be. Since Aldon had made it clear he’d do whatever it took
ensure Leigh’s capture—and the fucking prick was strong enough to phase her out
of any location—she had to make sure Leigh would be safe. The coven had power
but was only capable of so much. They weren’t physical creatures and never had
been.

That was her job.

You’ve got to go. Find her. Formulate a plan.

Shifters—to her knowledge—didn’t read minds, but Trey might
as well have. “No,” he growled, holding her tighter. “You’re not going
anywhere.” She wondered how it was possible, thinking maybe she’d misdirected a
thought in his direction when he said, “You belong to me, baby. Leigh told me
everything. The moment you drank from me you sealed the deal. You’re stuck with
me. Don’t even think about trying to escape.”

What the hell did that mean? She belonged to him?

Fuck no, she didn’t.

He’d turned her away not so long ago—even as he confessed
she was the female intended for him—and she’d been humiliated. She remembered
the agony of his dismissal, his rejection corroding her heart from the inside
out. Even if he wanted her physically he didn’t have the balls to claim her as
his mate to his pack. There was too much at stake. Shepherds had attacked
Trey’s city, the werewolves he protected needed him more than she did and they
both knew it.

Nothing had changed since then.

He wanted to fuck her. Maybe even to keep her on his terms.

But at what cost?

Suddenly the sword felt too heavy, the air in the room too
thick.

To her shame she admitted that she’d be whatever he wanted
her to be.

“Why are you even here?” She found it odd she felt so
detached from the words, as though someone else had posed the question rather
than herself. “Why did you come?”

“Leigh brought us,” Nathan answered, talking in a rush of
words, his brows furrowed as he wrung his hands. “She told us you needed
help—she told us everything.” He lowered his arms, his hazel green gaze so
intense it was difficult for Sadie to meet his eyes. “She’s my mate and belongs
at my side. I have a right to know where she is.”

What in the ever-loving hell? You’ve got to be shitting
me.

Perhaps it was fatigue or shock that made her laugh at the
possibility of such a thing. She tried to wrench herself from Trey’s embrace.
When that didn’t work she lifted the sword clutched in her hand. He intercepted
her mid-swing, capturing her wrist. He maintained his grip on her waist with
his other arm, keeping her snug against him. Like this, she couldn’t move. She
was trapped once more, unable to do anything.

“Your mate?” she snarled, blood pounding in her head,
emotional demons from the past whispering in her ear. “You expect me to believe
that both of you mated with vampires? Contrary to what you might assume, I’m
not a total idiot. She’s a member of my coven. I’m responsible for her
protection.”

No way would she stand by as Nathan cast Leigh aside. She
knew how deeply that wound went. He’d break the young woman’s heart, ripping
her chest open and watching her slowly bleed to death. Leigh had been through
enough. Sadie would be damned if she let the woman be hurt on her watch.

Bolstered by fury, she snapped, “She doesn’t need or want you,
asshole. If she belongs by anyone’s side it’s mine.”

Nathan took a menacing step toward them.

“Don’t let her bait you,” Trey ordered and rose, keeping his
arms locked around her waist. Part of her recognized what was happening but
another part of her had risen above the scene, causing her to witness what was
taking place rather than actually participating. “She’s crashing, man.”

“What are you talking about?” Nathan should have sounded
closer, not farther away.

What the fuck was going on?

Why couldn’t she hear?

Why did her vision seem so out of focus?

Her body felt weightless, as though she was no longer of
substance. Then her mind fogged over, thoughts tumbling out of sequence.
Concentrating, she attempted to piece them together.

Leigh and Nathan. Mates?

Absolutely not.

Trey coming for her? Rushing in to secure her safety?

Only if the world had come to an end.

It didn’t make sense. Something in her mind clicked—like an
openhanded slap to the face—and she got wise to what had been taking place. Of
course. That was it. None of it was real. She’d managed to delude herself yet
again.

It’s another dream.

It made total sense given the circumstances.

What better way to live in captivity than to create your own
dreamworld with characters manipulated by mental puppet strings? The turn of
events was created in her mind to cope with her situation. She tried to focus,
to take the dream in a different direction. She’d take herself way back—to the
only night she’d had with Trey. Only this time she’d make him say and do the
things she wanted him to. She’d obtain some level of satisfaction even if she
had to fake it.

To her frustration nothing changed, no matter how hard she
tried to coerce her mind to another path. Trey remained, so tantalizingly close
she could smell him. His pulse beckoned, his muscular body taunting her with
pleasure that always remained out of her reach. Was that what was about to
happen? Would he turn her away a second time, laughing in her face, tossing her
aside like a secondhand toy?

Hadn’t it been enough that he’d starved her body?

Did he also have to pick apart her soul?

Left with nothing else, she did as she’d longed to for days.

Why not? It wasn’t as if anyone would hear. If this was her
future it was time to lance the wound, remove the infection and start over. Her
heart had to come to terms with things once and for all. Otherwise she’d remain
trapped in demented nightmares she couldn’t escape.

Just like this one.

Dropping the sword, she threw back her head and released the
scream of anguish that had been contained for far too long. She focused on the
sound—finding it fitting that her shriek started out fierce but quickly turned
into a miserable wail—and found peace in doing the only thing she could.

Finally—after all she’d been through—she let go and accepted
her fate.

Trey wasn’t a version of heaven.

He was her tormentor in hell.

Damn it!

Even now, holding Sadie tightly against him and promising
her safety, Trey had failed his mate. He’d sensed her turmoil and confusion but
had attributed it as a natural response to Leigh’s departure. Prior to her
shift in mood he’d scented her desire, his cock becoming hard as a rock. She’s
been ready for him, primed for whatever he wanted to give her. If he’d wanted
he could have lifted her off the ground and taken her to the wall. She’d have
let him. She’d been so hot, the sweet and heady fragrance of her cunt right
below his nose.

Then Nathan had appeared and flipped a switch inside his
mate.

Once again, much-needed knowledge came too late. Her
behavior wasn’t a case of nerves or transgressions gone awry. His proud and
unshakable mate had slammed into a wall she couldn’t demolish. He’d never seen
her like this—unable to control herself, crumbling right before his eyes.

“She’s been through hell and back. It’s time to pay her
dues,” he snarled at his Beta, keeping Sadie pressed to his chest, loathing the
anguish he heard in her cry. “Her emotions are all over the place. Use your
nose. Scent the goddamn air. She’s about to have a mental fucking breakdown.”

“We don’t have time for this.” Nathan’s desperation beat
against Trey, the Beta seeking the security and guidance of his Alpha.
Instinctively his wolf reached out to Nathan’s, trying to settle the raging
beast. “We have to find Leigh. It’s too dangerous to wait. Aldon—”

“Can’t you see I have my own shit to deal with?”

He got Nathan’s concern—he really did—but he couldn’t focus
on the Beta’s anxiety over Leigh, nor could he devote time to ease his pack
mate’s worries. For once he had to put his needs—his female’s fucking
needs—over the wants of others. He’d known she needed him but had grievously
underestimated just how much.

Why didn’t she come to me before this?

“Get the car and bring it ‘round. Grab my clothes outta the
trunk. We have to split,” he instructed, thankful when Sadie’s cries died down.
Then he saw her posture, the way that she tuned out everything around her.

Damn it.

He expected tears, or perhaps her to cling to him for
support. She did neither, remaining where she stood like he wasn’t even there.
Lifting his head, he found Nathan gawking at the two of them. The wolf snarled
its disapproval in his head, rising once again to display its dominance over
its pack mate.

“That wasn’t a request,” he roared, allowing his fangs to
drop, giving the Beta proper warning. “Get the goddamn car!”

“Where in the hell do you think we can go? The pack is
waiting for you at the station. You can’t take her there.”

Fuck. Nathan had a point. Thinking fast, he blurted,
“Diskant.”

“Are you insane?” Nathan shifted his feet and folded his
arms over his chest. “He’ll tell the pack. It’ll cause an uprising we can’t
control.”

“She saved Ava’s life,” Trey reminded him. “Diskant owes
her.”

Nathan frowned, his eyes glowing bright yellowish-green.
“That’s true but she’s a vampire. He doesn’t trust her.”

“I don’t give a flying fuck.” So help him, if Nathan didn’t
do as he was told soon, Trey was going to blow a fuse and take the man’s head
off. “Get the car.”

Thank God Nathan finally listened and stopped arguing.
They’d parked a few blocks over and walked the remaining distance to the
brownstone Leigh had directed them to. Ironically, Trey knew the location well,
having been the one to install Aldon’s security systems. That was how he’d
created a tentative partnership with the man.