Captiva Master - Vampire Warewolf Menage Six Feet Under Series Book 4) (3 page)

“I feel as bad as I look,” Adam said with distinct weariness. “I’ve stayed with her daily, and still I have nothing to win her as a mate. She is unimpressed by my power, by my ability to protect her and her unborn. Fears me instead.”

Maestru ran his finger across a wallpaper seam, weighing his words. “For good reason, she hates Habalines and most males of the general population. It seems the only male Amy finds comforting is Oycher.”

Adam shrugged. “I’m learning to shift into almost anything, changing my appearance at my whim, but I cannot change what I
am
.”

“That can be said for all of us,” Maestru offered with a dismissive hand. “Why should you want to, when we are born as what we are, for a reason?” Quite easily, Sixten had puzzled out that Adam was Poison’s son, an offspring born of gladiator-like Habaline bloodlines. A genetic alien breed that served to entertain by competing in blood sports, games where only one survived: the winner. He was an inhuman predator who could take on any well-matched foe quite easily.

“Tonight,” Adam admitted, “I’m weary of posturing for her attentions.”

“Then stop.” For Maestru’s Coven, Adam had more than made up for any crimes he’d committed since escaping his horrific imprisonment, by finding more labs, rescuing more females, and protecting Amy with his life. He was earning respect in their immortal world by impressive leaps. No doubt, Adam would someday be the leader he envisioned himself to be,
though without Amy by his side
. Considering her imprisonment under Sixten’s maddened brother, Rave, and her later imprisonment under an equally maddened Poison, Amy’s pain and suffering remained deeply ingrained. Meaning Maestru knew Adam would never get anywhere with her. “Well, while I address Amy’s newest issues, you could tag a willing female. I’m sure you can stand for a generous feeding.” Like Sixten, Adam could eat food and drink blood, but chose to live solely on blood. “I’ll stay with her long enough for you to see to your needs.”

“I’m tired of anonymous sex,” he said uneasily, “I want more.”

“Adam, for you, the choices are limitless.” Adam had been raised as an animal in a lab. From what Oycher had read in various reports he’d garnered from those disgusting breeding facilities, Adam hadn’t coupled with a human female
successfully
. Therefore, Oycher had taken him out on slow nights, where they enjoyed immortal females together. Lately, though, Oycher hadn’t any time for any females, nor would Maestru sign up to be Adam’s pimp or third wheel. “Whatever you do, watch your strength with the females, specifically the humans.”

“I can’t live like Oycher, so even though she continues to turn me away, I’m hoping Amy will change her mind.”

“You haven’t mated her.” Maestru found Adam’s logic lacking. “Why stay where you are unwanted?” A pang hit Maestru, and he sincerely hoped he wouldn’t be eating his own words sometime in the near future.

Adam sighed, shifting his booted feet. “I can’t imagine letting her go without my protection for her and her unborn.”

“She’ll be delivering soon.” And Blythe’s pregnancy was coming along as quickly as Amy’s was, considering neither of the females was gestating in the way of humans but faster. When Adam didn’t respond, Maestru pressed, “Are you claiming Amy as your mate because you want
her
or due to your idea of nobility.”

Adam started to say something and then appeared to think better of it. Instead, he offered, “You’re right; we never mated. Obviously, being reared in that lab, I never had a father. And although I didn’t agree to anything Poison and Rave forced upon me, I can be a father to another child who hasn’t one of her own.”

Maestru’s stomach dropped. Things were getting complicated. “Unfortunately, this unborn isn’t yours to claim,” he replied, rapping his knuckles across Amy’s door. “Now, go and feed while I’m here, so I will handle this.” Whatever
this
was.

“I’m not hungry,” Adam replied simply

“Suit yourself.” Maestru opened Amy’s door. It wasn’t as though she would open the door for him. “Hello,” he greeted the female, stopping just short of physically touching her, “explain yourself.” He squatted down in front of her, watching as she rocked and fiddled with a length of pink knitting, possibly a blanket for her unborn. Fragmented knickknacks covered the floor around her, though, thankfully, she wasn’t bleeding. To his left, a state of the art television hung on the wall, smashed in, snow blinking in and out across its screen. Down below, a broken stool sat next to the remote control. A tantrum, of course, she had thrown another one. This time, she’d threatened to hurt herself if Oycher didn’t show up to calm her. Problem was that she had become too attached to Oycher, using the Vojak to ground her somehow. Maestru sympathized with her horrific plight, but he refused to be manipulated.

“I’ll explain to
Oycher
,” she refuted him, tears dripping down her cheeks.

“I’m here, Oycher’s not. You are under my care, and you will explain to me.” He stood up and brought her with him, cupping Amy by the elbow and leading her to the sofa. “Now.”

“Are you going to make me?”

“If I have to, yes.” He wouldn’t sit with her, remaining standing.

“But…I’m pregnant.”

“Every vampire on this continent answers to me.” He threw coercion her way, gentle enough that it wouldn’t hurt her unborn yet still open her mouth. “You will, too.”

Finally, she dropped her knitting, wisps of pink yarn hitting her bare feet. “I’m trying.”

Maestru nodded. “Everyone knows you’re trying. Bravely, I might add, and you’re an inspiration for every surviving female we have relocated.”

“Not trying to heal, to become attached,” she enunciated as if he were the most stupid male on the planet.

Maestru softened his voice, “You’ll bond with the baby after birth, though, maybe months afterwards, but I’m certain you will.”

“Not the baby.” She pushed a dark strand of hair behind her ear. “Why would you allow
him
to care for me? I can’t be what Adam wants me to be.”

“Adam is power you want on your side.” From the corridor, he heard Adam release an agonizing sigh.

She waved a hand in the air, bringing up another sore spot. “This is another prison for us.”

“As compared to where you were?” Since she was a Donor, he had no idea how long he could hide her from the Lovci, the Dynasty Empire’s hunters. He was taking quite a risk, the same risk he’d taken for Blythe. The same risk he was currently taking for Dakota.

“At least, if I am forced to stay here, make Adam leave,” she pleaded. “He f-fed from me…”

“Only in the underground Habaline facility, not since you have been under our care, I know this. Just as I also know, I will never convince you that he was a victim of Rave and Poison, too. Adam has tried to right any wrongs he had committed since his escape. Daily. And quite frankly, if Dru Holt can forgive him for nearly
killing
him, I think you can mend fences of your own.”

She turned on her side, resting her head on a pillow. “You don’t know how Adam made me feel, what he made me do when he fed.”

“Of course, I do.” Without a doubt, she’d climaxed. Even so, Adam didn’t make her; it was a product of the bite, nature’s way of ensuring prey stayed in the arms of predators just long enough for feeding. In addition, it took a skilled vampire
not
to incorporate endorphins in their bites. Adam hadn’t been taught any of that. “I’m not sugar coating anything for you, Amy. However, let me ask you, would you rather have been in pain from Adam’s feeding? How do you think Adam felt then, in that lab, being handed his prey instead of following his natural hunting instincts. He feed from the same females who loathed him day after day. Quite frankly, I don’t know what he’s doing here, making promises to you.”

“I don’t trust him…and he’s an alien, with those
eyes
,” Amy sobbed. “I don’t want to see his eyes ever again.”

Maestru released his compulsion on Amy and figured she’d better brace herself, since her daughter might be looking back at her with
those
eyes one day soon. “Okay,” he agreed hesitantly. “I will reassign Adam.” He pulled out his phone and shot a text to Oycher, nut-shelling her issues in order to keep the acting commander abreast of her situation.

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed with a blatant fissure of power. Maestru stiffened at the familiar, albeit uncomfortable, presence entering the adjacent corridor. An argument ensued between Adam and their newest visitor, though Amy would never pickup on the low, rushed tones. Then, he heard the sounds of a large body slamming against the cinder block wall and the utterings of an undeniable death threat. Two seconds later, a casual knock sounded, leaving Maestru rolling his eyes. “Enter, Alpha.” Some days, Maestru longed to be a commoner, pretending as though all he had to do in his long life was to provide for a loving, Species family, while others protected and guarded his race. Then, he wouldn’t be required to work around werewolves.

Cautiously, Jayce Jordan entered Amy’s room in his most human form, though he still frightened her by his immense size, potent presence, and otherworldly blue eyes.

“Hello, Amy,” he greeted her warmly. “My name is Jayce Jordan and I lead the North American Werewolf Pack.”

She looked between Maestru and Jayce, her trembling increasing. “H-hi.”

From the open door, Maestru smelled Adam’s blood in the corridor, though it was an insignificant amount. At least, for whatever move Adam tried against the Alpha, Jayce took it easy on him in turn. He shut the door behind him, in the human way, placing the flat of his hand on the wood and giving it a soft snick.

“I heard you were having a hard time of it in here,” Jayce explained, taking a single step closer as Amy lifted from the couch, placing both her feet on the floor. Fight or flight was her stance, and Jayce knew it. “I don’t blame you one bit. Immortals can be a rough bunch, when we forget our manners.” His eyes flicked to Maestru, his Alpha Beast pacing back and forth behind his irises. “Has anyone forgotten their manners with you, Amy?”

“Not since I was freed,” she answered honestly, swallowing a few times as he took another step.

“Well, I know you are part werewolf,” he continued in soothing tones. “From the looks of you, I’d say your line comes from Scotland, though it’s hard for me to sniff out your bloodline while you’re carrying your little Habaline. But that’s something we can work on later.”

“No.” Amy shook her head. “I don’t want to know my werewolf family. I want my real family, my
human
family.”

Jayce asked her, “Do you remember meeting my Beta, Bane Ruyter, when you first arrived here?” She nodded. “He did some digging around and found out you were classified as a runaway three weeks after Rave abducted you. A great deal of time has passed, and I’m sorry to say your parents held a service in your honor about a month ago.” She pressed her hands to her lips but Jayce wouldn’t stop. “Humans need their closure, Amy, so put that anger aside. Now, the first thing I would want to do is go back to my kin, as well, just as you’re thinking. But there’s a problem with that simple logic. Are they going to be safe in your presence? On the low talk, you are a known Donor, sweetheart. It won’t take long for word to travel. Gossip is something even I cannot stop. Do you understand what that means, that you are food for the Dynasty Vampyrs?”

“I do.”

Jayce sighed. “Your history has proven that you are a walking target. Bane said you have siblings so there’s a good chance they are Donors, too. I want you to think about all your options.”

“Okay, tell me what they are,” she cried, hiding her face in her palms.

Jayce nodded. “In your circumstances, no one expected you to be enthusiastic about being a mother. We can easily find a loving, immortal home for your child, one I’ll approve of myself.”

“I want to be a mother to my baby.” 


“Then, that leads to our next option. Do you want me to place you under my Pack’s protection? Or would you rather be placed under the Scottish Pack and try to piece together your lineage, since many of your kin should still be alive.”

“That’s it?” she asked, “risking my family or joining a w-werewolf pack?”

Jayce asked Maestru, “What exactly are Amy’s choices with you?”

“What can I do? I cannot continue to keep a known Donor in my Coven as a refugee. Breaking the laws of my people will teach my underlings they can do the same. Therefore, she would have to go to the Dynasty. Due to the severity of her past imprisonment, I would request she be sent to Prince Volos as his personal Donor. Even if he doesn’t take her on himself, I would insist he see to her finishing school and to provide safe environs for her daughter. She would be treated well and want for nothing. In return, she would feed Volos or another Dynasty Vampyr probably no more than once a week.” At Jayce’s raised brow, Maestru added, “Volos would expect nothing more from her unless she wanted it, too.” Volos was the vampire of vampires, but he wouldn’t harm this girl. Maestru was sure of it. Still, he’d have to pull many strings to get Amy placed inside Volos’ palace.

“Okay, Amy,” Jayce said when she remained quiet. “I want this wrapped up before I go through that door. You choose the vampires or the werewolves. After you do, that’s the way it stays, sweetheart. Might I remind you, if you choose the vampires, they won’t let you go once are truly theirs. Vampire possession is vampire possession. And just so you know - I’m not risking any of my Pack males by conducting a recon if you decide afterwards that the Dynasty Empire is not for you.”

Amy stared hard at Jayce. “Are there Habalines in your pack?”

“Those mixed with werewolves, yes,” he answered. “I don’t turn my back on any descendants of my race. That’s why I’m here with you now, offering my protection.”

This was a big deal, the North America Alpha coming to a lone girl himself. Maestru knew Jayce could have sent anyone in his stead to offer his protection, but the Alpha had taken it upon himself. On the other hand, Amy would never understand or appreciate the honor of his offering.