Whisper to Me (Borne Vampires Book 1) (22 page)

“Mama's here, baby! Just hold on.” Dropping to her
knees, she forced the fear back and accessed the damage done to Kai. Shaking,
she wiped the blood from her daughter's ashen features with the hem of her
shirt. Kai's eyes were closed, her breathing shallow. The lacerations on her
arms were deep, some clear to the bone.

She needed a doctor!

Carefully, she lifted her daughter into his arms.
“Mina, what happened?” The girl didn’t respond. She said louder, sharper, “Mina?”

She blinked. “Wolf. Wolf attacked us.”

“Rathe, Kai's been attacked by a wolf!”

“Can you get her back to the house?”

“I-I can.”

“I’m on my way. Make her as comfortable as
you can.”

“Hurry!”
Mariah
urged Mina to help her lift Kai to her feet. “Let’s get Kai back to the house.”
Picking up her daughter, they sped back to the cabin.

In Kai’s room, Mina hurried to pull back the
comforter so she could set her on the bed. Gently, they were able to take the
torn jacket off Kai. Mina gasped and ran out of the room, returning moments
later with towels and a bowl of warm water. Mariah dipped the cloth in the
water and began washing the blood away, receiving a major shock. Awful gouges
just moments earlier, were scratches now.

She heard Rathe barreling up the stairs. His eyes went
wide as he, too, saw the extraordinary happenings. They turned to Mina, whose
pale features went white.

“Mina, what happened?”

Mina's voice trembled, “I-I couldn’t let her die, Rathe.”

Mariah and Rathe shared a long, steady look, turning
back to Kai, who was now completely healed. He grinned. “I think we just got
one problem solved tonight.”

“What do you mean?” she asked him, confused.

“We don’t have to worry about Kai left unprotected
while we sleep during the day. She’s one of us now.”

Not comprehending what he’d meant, she looked at
Mina, then her daughter. It sunk in. “Vampire. Kai’s a vampire now.”

“Mom?” Kai looked around, confused. “Where did he
go?”

“I'm here, baby. How are you feeling?”

“I wanted to thank him for pulling the wolf off
me.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“The man in the woods.”

“Mina?” Rathe asked.

She shook her head. “I was knocked out of the way
when the wolf attacked Kai. I didn’t see anyone.”

Kai’s brow wrinkled as she frowned. “I know I saw
him. Oh, well.” She grinned at Mina. “I guess its fate. How else were we going
to be a real family?”

“Honey, I love you so much. I’m just so happy you
are alright.”
 

Was he still watching over them? Had Alexander
saved her daughter?

Mina sat on the other side of the bed, beside Kai.
“Rathe, does Kai need another blood transfusion to complete the Change?”

“No, not tonight.” He spoke to Kai, “I believe it
best if I put you in a deep sleep, to help you accept Mina's blood. Will you
allow it?”

“Mom?” Kai wasn’t the only one apprehensive.

Forcing herself to smile, she soothed her
daughter’s fear. “It won’t hurt. Sleep helped me when I went through the
Change.”

“Okay, if you think it’d be good for me.”

“May I stay with Kai while she sleeps?” Mina asked
them.

“I think that would be a fine idea,” Mariah
replied. “Let’s get you both changed first.”

Rathe stepped out while the girls changed out of
their bloodied clothes and into clean ones they’d found in the dresser. Mariah was
tucking the girls in when Rathe returned. He whispered to Kai, compelling her
to sleep.

When Kai was out, Mariah told Mina, “We will be
downstairs, if you need us.” Mina nodded and lay back against the pillow,
holding Kai’s hand as she slept.

Rathe lead her out her daughter's room, and they
went down to the spacious living room. Collapsing on the couch, she watched him
as he tossed several logs onto the fire, building it to make the cabin warmer.

“Well, the fun never ends, does it?” she ruefully commented,
winning a tired laugh from him.

The front door flung open. An anxious Anya and Faeroes
rushed inside. Faeroes asked, “Are the girls hurt?”

“Kai was attacked by a wolf and well, Mina saved
her life by giving her blood. So my kid’s a vampire now.”

Faeroes exchanged a surprised glance with Anya,
who said, “Wow. I don’t know what to say.”

“I think Kai would have eventually made the
decision to convert, just wished the circumstances had been different.” Queasy,
she sat forward. The sight of her daughter’s flesh ripped … the blood, made her
want to throw up.

“Mariah, why don't you go with Rathe and feed?”
Faeroes advised, “It is not good for you to go so long without nourishment.”
She made to protest, but he held his hand out. “Kai will be safe in our care. Rathe?”

“Mariah, Faeroes is right. You must feed, to be
strong for Kai.”

Glancing worriedly at the stairs, remembering the
pain she had endured. “Rathe, are you positive Kai will not suffer the Change?”

“If things were to go wrong, they would have done
so by now. Mina is linked with her. If there should be a problem, she will let
us know.”

“Anya, Faeroes, do you mind?”
 
Rising from the couch, she needed more than
blood — she needed to feel Rathe around her, inside her, to drive away the
horror of seeing her daughter almost die tonight.

Anya waved her off, her knowing smile made her
blush. “Go on. Take some time to unwind. We’ll hold down the fort.”

Gathering their coats, Rathe helped her put hers
on. Taking her hand in his, he led her outside. When the door shut behind him,
he asked, “Shall we fly or shape-shift?”

Need pressed into a realm of hot fire, her
breathing short, rapid. “I don't care. I just need you. Please, take me
somewhere we can just forget about death and pain for little while.”

Scooping her into his arms, he flew upward. In no
time, they were at her guest house. Opening the door for her, he followed her
in.

“I believe a fire is needed.” He clapped his
hands, and the wood in the fireplace ignited, engulfed in reddish-orange
flames. Tossing on several logs, the room quickly warmed.

Taking off her coat, she laid it on the chair.
Kicking off her shoes, coal-black eyes glowed with heat and hunger as he
watched her. He made to disrobe, but she stopped him.

“I want to undress you,” she said huskily.

Sliding her hands under his coat, feeling the hard
muscles of his chest under her palms as she pushed the garment off his broad
shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. She took the hem of his t-shirt and
lifted it off him. Pressing her lips against the hard muscles of his stomach,
she licked and kissed her way toward his heavenly mouth.

God, he felt so hot and delicious to touch, loving
the way his breath hitched in his chest as she caressed him, tasted him.
Staring into his dark eyes, she watched him as he did her as she unbuttoned his
jeans. Pulling them down and off, she went down on her knees. Taking him in her
hand, she licked the length of him before she drew him into her mouth. He
tangled his fingers in her long hair, urging her to take him deeper into her
mouth. When she did, he moaned, letting his head fall back, closing his eyes as
she made love to him with her mouth.

Need raged inside her, she ached for him to touch
her, to bring her to life as only he could. Wanting his so badly inside her,
she broke away and stood. A low growl rumbled deep in his throat, sending shivers
of delight down her spine. He made to grab her, but she backed away. He
followed her, like a panther hunting its prey.

Around the room, the candles’ wicks ignited, the
warm glow from the flames cast his perfect body in gold and bronze. When her
back touched the wall, his muscles bunched and rippled as he lunged, pinning
her. His mouth swooped down to capture her willing lips, forcing them apart,
his tongue plunging against hers, devouring her intake of breath. She felt his
hands curved down her ass and he lifted her, bringing her legs around his hips.
Grinding his erection into her, he made her feel what she did to him. She took
off her shirt and threw it. His hot, greedy mouth curved to her neck, running
his velvet-rough tongue over her skin. Pulling down her bra, he captured her
nipple, suckling her hard, while kneading her breast. Crying out at the
incredible feel of him, she buried her fingers in his hair holding him close.
He stepped away the wall and carried her to the bed. Laying her down, he yanked
off her leather pants. Exposed to his hungry gaze, she parted her thighs,
inviting him in.

Rathe sank to his knees and his hot mouth claimed
her wet core. Licking her from back to front, he parted her as he slid his
tongue inside her. Flicking the tip to her nub, she gasped as it sent
electrical waves throughout her body. When he lengthened his tongue and touched
her in ways she’d not thought possible for a man, she moaned. Needing rhythm,
something more to scratch the itch she had, to bring relief to the tension
building as he played her. She felt his hand cup her, using his thumb to rub
her as he tortured her with his mouth and tongue. A lean finger added to her torment.
She clutched his thick hair, urging him on until she shattered, held captive as
he held her hips lapping her juices.

Breathing hard, she felt him shift and rose above
her, his thighs slid under hers, the hair of his legs made her shiver at the
delicious feel. Positioning his throbbing, silk-encased tip to her wet, hot
opening, Rathe inched inside her, grinning wickedly when she protested as he
withdrew. Rocking his hips, he inched a little deeper with every stroke. When
she tried to hurry him, he grinned and refused her. Fierce black, fathomless
orbs glowed with raw energy as she squeezed her sheath around him, wanting to
hold him inside her.

When it failed, Mariah felt her fangs lengthened
as the beast inside her roared to life. The call of his blood was as powerful
as the raging needs of her body. Sinking her teeth into his neck, sweet blood
gushed in her mouth. Linked with Rathe, she felt him slip over the edge as he thrust
inside her. When she felt his teeth pierce her shoulder as he drove deep into
her, it sent her catapulting. She cried out as she climaxed. He threw back his
head as he joined her.

Breathing hard, Rathe gazed at her, tracing her
jawline with his fingertip. “Hungry for something other than me?”

“Sure, I have a craving for blood tonight,” she
tried to joke, but was still haunted seeing her daughter’s blood. If Mina
hadn’t acted quickly like she did, Kai would have died.

“What do you mean?” Rathe forced her to look at
him.

“What’s wrong?”

“Why did you say what you did?”

“Huh? What do you mean?” When he didn’t answer,
she went into his mind and was shocked. He actually thought she’d been made
hungry for blood when she’d seen her daughter’s injuries. “You sick bastard!”
Shoving him off her, she leapt off the bed. “That is disgusting!”

“But you said—”

“I was freaking making light of the scare I got
when I saw my child’s arms shredded, her blood gushing out of her wounds,
soaking the snow around her!”

He explained, as if he were reciting a rule … or a
law, “We, the Borne, are always cautious. Our thoughts can let the demon loose
inside us, if we are not vigilant.”

Yanking on her clothes, she glared at him. “Oh,
God, not again! You are obsessed with signs!”

He was beside her in a flash, glaring at her. “You
are newly turned. You have no idea what you speak of. The signs keep us safe.”

Riling at his arrogant tone, she punched him
square in the chest. “You are such a jerk!”

Rathe stared at her in disbelief. “You hit me!”

“You deserve to have your ass kicked, you
son-of-a-bitch!”

“Why because I worry you will become Damned?”

“To hell with the signs! You should be teaching us
how
to control the demon, not
obsessing what to look for! You and
your
Elders fears have cost too many lives in this stupid thinking! Has it ever
occurred to you that maybe those turned Damned didn't have a choice when they
were forced to become vampire?”

“God, woman, you are like a dog with a bone.”
Cursing under his breath, he grabbed his clothes. “The Laws were created to
protect us, not condemn us.”

“Really? Then explain why Slayers were ordered to
kill a little girl whose only crime was being born different? Yes, Rathe, I
remember
everything
that happened the night
the people I thought were my parents were murdered. You know why they were
killed? Because they were protecting me from the Slayers searching for a
dhampir, for me, and they wouldn’t tell them where I was.”

Rathe straightened, stunned. Struggling not to
cry, she snarled, “Your laws cost me my family, tore apart my happy childhood,
and most of all forced the man who had risked his life to protect me, who loved
me so much that he had Relle cast the spell to make me forget him — to protect
me. So, screw you and those precious laws you hold so dear to your heart!” She
stormed to the door and jerked it open.

“Mariah, wait!”

She ignored him and flew into the air. Needing
time alone, away from him and the world she was thrust into, she flew back to
her house. Shivering, she realized she was cold. How was it possible a vampire
could be cold?

Freezing and still pissed, she stomped upstairs,
and changed into a t-shirt and her jeans, pulling on wool socks. Lacing on her
sneakers, she opened her closet and took out her pea wool coat, pulling it on.
Warm at last, she went outside to where they had buried Tereza.

“I wish you were here, Tereza. I need your wisdom,
your advice how to proceed with my life. I am clueless how to fight this war
I’ve been made part of — a war where both sides have made major mistakes and too
many have lost their lives because of it.”