Captiva Master - Vampire Warewolf Menage Six Feet Under Series Book 4) (25 page)

“Yes, I heal easily now.”

Her mother was an Undead. Dakota had sensed a change, but in the confusion, hadn’t quite noticed. Her childhood memory, the one ghastly enough to be locked away by a Lovec, hit her furiously, and she turned to the male who made it all happen. “You think you’re so much better than Bordis, don’t you?” she
screamed
at Prince Volos, hiding no part of her rage. “That he was a monster for creating monsters. You’re a monster for breaking up families and taking away mothers from their children!”

Volos’ expression was nothing short of murderous, and when Dakota lost the ability to speak, she knew he’d heard parts of these accusations before, probably from her mother.

“I apologize, Sire,” said Maestru reverently. “I will accept my Contessa’s punishment. She is distraught.”

So it was her husband who had stopped her from speaking, not Volos. She flicked her eyes between Maestru, her mother, and then the prince. After a pause, her mother said to Volos, “Could I speak privately with her?”

“After, I do,” he said just as quietly, taking Dakota by the elbow and leading her down a narrow corridor between two stone buildings. Maestru and Adam followed behind, staying just as quiet as Dakota. At least, their silence wasn’t forced upon them.

When they reached a red door, Volos brought her in the small storage room housing various antiquities and rolled rugs, directing Maestru and Adam to stay outside until they were finished. With great reluctance, both males agreed only after Prince Volos declared an unbreakable oath that he would not kill Dakota.

“I have not doubt your mates would try to kill me if I lay a hand or a fang on you,” he said, sitting on the edge of the windowsill, a cat-like predator studying her. The width of his body blocked out most of the light, and Dakota felt as though she were suffocating. The Prince was a beautiful man, his power
frightening
. He waved a casual hand, and immediately thereafter, she could speak.

“And they would surely die for it.”

“Yes,” he agreed, "and if it weren’t for my affections for your mother, you would have died a hundred times, by now, for your disrespect.”

“So why bring me here?”

“If I am permitting you the courtesy of speaking freely, you will do so privately. Say what you need to say, but I warn you not to push your luck.”

Dakota stopped believing in luck sixteen years ago. “My father never gave up, never wanted another woman. He kept a dilapidated store running, not because it made him any money, quite the contrary. He couldn’t let go of the money pit because it was his only link to Mamma, besides me. He even gave up our family home out of necessity and rented an apartment over the store, which was no bigger than this room.”

“You’re blaming me for his poor business practices -”

“No,” she interrupted. “I’m blaming you for everything. Dad’s life dissolved before his eyes and mine, due to a broken heart. You see; that’s what happens when you’re crazy in love. You die inside without your partner, and I haven’t a doubt Dad would have
physically
died long ago, if he hadn’t had me. I was ten years old when your hunters wrecked my home, nearly killed my mother, tore through my head, and removed my memories. Hell,” she stopped, stifling a sob. “They even cleaned the house when they were finished. No traces of Mom or your thugs were left anywhere – the perfect crime. A crime that left Dad and me believing Mom left us, that we were unloved. When she never came back, the police were of no use.” She shook her head miserably. “I don’t have to wonder why. How far do your arms reach, Prince Volos?”

“What I can and cannot do is none of your concern. However, I will say that your mother is mine,” he said it as though he were discussing a car in his garage. “The hunters brought her into the Donor housing, and she was dying. I happened to be there on that day, and I approached her deathbed, captivated by her obvious beauty, her golden hair curling across the pillow. A fragile butterfly whose wings had been plucked, I found her fascinating so I made her Undead.”

“Couldn’t you have allowed her to see us, just once?”

“She’s been just as faithful as your father has been to her. I’ve tried to entice her to become my mistress for years, yet she wants nothing of me, even though I allow her no other males and no others from which to feed. She is devoted to one man.” Dakota stayed quiet in shock as he continued, “Sick of her misery and her refusals, I gave Danielle the option to go home several years ago.”

“I don’t believe you!”

“You can ask her yourself. Danielle turned into a blood drinking creature of the night, one who has to hide during the day if she’s not here, protected by my miasma. However, that wasn’t her deciding factor for remaining here, Dakota. She didn’t want to bring this world to you, and if she returned to the human world, she would have been forced to live within Coven territories and abide by Coven law. You would have been exposed, and Danielle couldn’t have it.”

“Then why didn’t you keep the hunters away from me?”

“Do you think I haven’t kept tabs on you? I knew the night you were attacked by those deranged Habalines, and why you accepted one into your bed, I’ll never know. But that’s neither here nor there.” He waved a dismissive hand. “I sent the hunters after you to bring you to the Dynasty Empire for
protection
. Once you are exposed to the more nefarious creature of the immortal world, that’s it.”

“But after the attack, I was with Maestru.”

“I warned him to make some sort of claim on you, and he dragged his feet. Typical, considering his past, though him killing one of my dearest and eldest hunters would have been unforgiveable had he not brought Bordis to final death. So his debt is paid.”

“So…Maestru obviously claimed me, and my dad also lives under Maestru’s rule, since he was made Undead due to Bordis.”

“This, I know.” He shrugged, adding quietly, “I wanted her to love me, you know.”

The Prince of Vampires wanted her mother,
really
wanted her. “How can she, when she still loves my father?” Could she dare to hope? When he said nothing, she pressed, “Is there anything standing in the way of Mom coming back to Dad?”

Prince Volos sighed. “Danielle is free to enter Maestru's Coven.”

Maestru walked the ground that once opened for the Habaline wormhole, rubbing his booted toe across the black soil mixed with sandy dirt, much the same way as the soil remained in Weremiasma.

“You can stomp that ground all you want, Maestru,” Sixten said, striding up with Kash and their Youngling. “That Habaline wormhole is toast, and it’s staying that way.

“So is young Keera here celebrating her one month birthday by adding her two-cents?” he asked, peering at the little female whose power was far greater than most adult immortals, yet she had her mother’s cognac eyes and would blend in with humans nicely. That is, if she decided to behave. He hadn’t a clue how Sixten, Kash, Rock, and Blythe were going to contain the little darling, but Maestru had worrisome matters of his own.

“Not really,” Kash answered. Beneath his purple eyes were matching purple circles, and he appeared utterly exhausted as he opened his arms for his Youngling. “One of has to be awake with her at all times. Blythe caught our angel trying to shift into her favorite teddy bear, and lost her shit when Keera kept blue fuzz on her head for the better part of an hour.”

“We thought it was cute, snapped a few pics for the baby album and everything.” Sixten tossed his hair from his eyes. “Not Blythe, she went nuts. We’re talking total spastic meltdown, her eyes were twitching and everything.” He shrugged. “I thought about wiping Blythe’s memory, but what’s the point when Keera’s going to keep doing what she’s doing, only getting better with each try.”

“I can’t even think about that,” Maestru retorted.

Kash pulled Keera’s exploring fingers away from his fangs. “Rock drew the short end of the stick, so he had to take Blythe to the movies.”

“How’s a movie date with his mate a bad thing?” Maestru asked, sensing Oycher misting in.

“Chick flick and she’s premenstrual. It’s a one-two punch,” Sixten explained away, turning to greet Oycher. “Blythe said to tell Mind Stalker hello. So, hello,
gorgeous
.”

Oycher ignored them all, going straight to the baby. “You are the gorgeous one, just like your mother, huh.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “And one day, when those males start circling, you tell them Uncle Oycher is going to kick their –ow!” His head snapped back, and Kash quickly intervened, pulling Oycher’s beaded hair from Keera’s grip. “Sorry, man, she’s got this thing about hair lately.”

When he was finally untangled, Oycher inclined his head to Maestru. “My Master, I just arrived from meeting with Bane.” He stopped, choosing his words carefully. “Early this morning, Isla was rescued from our Italian monarchy courtesy of highly-trained and well-paid vampire mercenaries, who were given Dynasty Empire intel no civilians were privy to, much less mercenaries.” He raised a mahogany brow, and Maestru kept up his cool impassiveness. “Apparently, the ten-million bounty wasn’t what stoked the mercenaries to jump on Isla’s recon, but the do-it-or-die threat coming from a very powerful Master vampire, who always backs his threats with action.”

Maestru looked away. “I take it Jayce inducted Isla into the Pack.”

“Yeah, he’s taking no chances.”

“So how did Isla fair?”

Oycher’s voice tightened, “She went through some shit, but Isla’s part Were, and she’ll be alright under the Alpha’s authority and protection. By the way, the Pack wants to unofficially offer their gratitude.”

“I had nothing to do with Isla’s rescue,” Maestru lied, taking the fidgeting Youngling from Kash and pointing to the horizon, so she could watch the pelicans coming in low for fish. “Prey and predator, Keera, that’s the world you live in, though I wish something more for you.” Oycher cleared his throat. Maestru had a niggling feeling about the Vojak lately, sensing his restlessness. “Talk, Oycher.”

“The reason I wanted to meet you males here was because I have some ideas that aren’t going to go over well at first, but if you hear me out, I think you’ll see things my way.” He blew out a breath, watching the sun setting across the horizon. “I’ve already talked to Alpha Jayce and he’s amiable…”

A
n hour later, Maestru passed his threshold, starving for two things. Then her heard the baby crying upstairs and knew he wouldn’t get either tonight. He glided up his main staircase until he reached the third floor landing.

“Colic again,” Dakota explained to a hovering Adam.

“Come to Papa, little Abby.” Adam took their daughter from Dakota’s wearied arms, bouncing her in the way Blythe had taught him, some crazy two-step that always corked her cries.

Maestru stepped into the room, winced at the garish yellow and pink walls, as usual, and kissed his Contessa with unmasked passion.
I want you
, he drilled into her subconscious. Then he turned to his bellowing little sweetheart, patting her back when Adam put her over his shoulder. “Tummy troubles again, Abigail?”

“Dru said she’ll be alright eventually,” Dakota said, worrying her bottom lip. “She needs her mother’s milk, not this canned stuff humans use.”

When Amy delivered and took one look at her glitter-eyed, Habaline newborn, she couldn’t handle the painful memories of where the little female was created – a lab filled with untold horrors. However, when Maestru took one look at their precious Abigail, he saw a far different place of her creation, she came by way of blessing. In addition, beyond those glittering eyes, Abigail harbored a glowing soul, and he couldn’t place her in any other home but his own.

“Dru’s working on some formulas,” Maestru replied, sensing Danielle and Randall awakening from his guesthouse, which he deemed his in-laws' home for as long as they wanted. “Maybe, she’ll take to one of them.”

Dakota had the baby bag loaded to the hilt. “I hear Mom and Dad at the backdoor.”

“Yes,” Adam said, stretching his neck. “I thought the sun would never go down.”

“What am I missing?” Maestru asked hopefully.

His Contessa stood on her tiptoes, pulling him down for a kiss. “You aren’t going to miss a thing, Coven Master. Mom and Dad are taking Abby back to their place for the night.”

Maestru licked his lips. “Don’t tease a desperate vampire.”

“Okay.” She shrugged. “I’ll let you do the teasing instead.”

Twenty minutes later, the three were playing in their lair. “What’s your safe word, Contessa Malcov?”

“Vampires never use safe words,” Dakota repeated her well-taught mantra while on her knees, looking beneath her lashes coyly at their naked cocks.

Adam gripped her hair, tugging her back for a bruising kiss. “Do you enjoy hard fucks, Dakota?”

“Every day of my life,” she whispered, breaking the rules of their lair by squeezing her thighs together.

“Damn,” Maestru said in faux irritation. “I believe you broke the first rule you were ever taught, Love.” He took a custom-made spreader bar from his favorite toy shelf, swiveling it with his wrist, as he walked deliberately back to her, taking the floor step by step, watching her sweet and welcoming mouth pucker up for his cock. In vampiric speed, he had her thighs pressed wide, where they would stay that way until Maestru or Adam deemed otherwise. “On your hands, now, ass in the air.” He walked behind her, staring at her pink sex. “I want to spear you with my tongue. It’s a shame you broke rule number one.” Adam grabbed a tube of lubricant and her largest leather covered phallus. Taking his time, he ringed her puckering anus, watching in hunger as she shivered with every swipe of his finger. Instead, he touched the phallus to her swollen, secret lips. Dakota arched her ass as much as she could, seeking it out. “Now, Contessa, is that the way you act in your lair, or do you stay still for your Masters?”
She groaned, fighting to keep steady as Adam continued his teasing. After going in a slow inch, he eased out an even slower inch, watching her sex stretching wider to accept the phallus as he brought it higher, pressing and twisting it into her channel. “That’s a sight,” Adam all but purred.