Deadly Desires (12 page)

The small, round, white table Dominic shared with Jason and Ambrose on the balcony was the cheapest damn thing he’d ever seen. He leaned his head over and looked underneath. “Jason, what in the world made you ever think to put this out here? One good gust of wind and this thing is going to fly away.”

“Naw, man. It ain’t going nowhere. I have one just like it at my mom’s. I’ve had that thing for over ten years. It’s reliable.”

Dominic looked at him skeptically. “If you say so.”

“I do.” Jason took a drink of his beer and looked across the way toward Samael’s door. The dark angel had told them they’d be in the mating process for two days, but it’d been damn near four. The sun was going down and none of them had seen Marcella yet. Only Samael, at brief moments. “So how much longer do you think?” Jason asked. It was as if he’d read Dominic’s mind.

“Hell, I don’t know.” Dom looked at the setting sun and sighed.

Ambrose sipped on his wine and placed the glass on the table. “They’re almost finished. I don’t think it’ll be much longer now. Fifteen, twenty minutes before they come out.”

Dominic and Jason looked over at him.

“What? I can’t help it. I’m not trying to be a voyeur to their thoughts or actions, but I can’t stop it. I just know these things. Plus, whenever one of you mentions them, I get a window into their room. Poor them, that’s all I gotta say.”

“What do you mean?” Dominic asked, confused.

Ambrose laughed. “They’ve been going nonstop. Every time they try to sleep, Marcella is woken up with the urge to go again. I seriously don’t think Samael has anything left in him. He’s like a dead man going through the motions. He keeps trying to force down as much food as he’s making her eat, but seriously, he’s spent. He has no energy or sperm left.”

“Jeez!” Jason shook his head in shock. “How many times are we talking here, throughout the last four days?”

Ambrose made a dramatic sound. “Hell.” He rolled his eyes while he went over his thoughts. He paused. “Thirty-seven, now.”

“Holy shit,” Jason whispered. “Lucky bastard.”

“You won’t think that when you see him,” Ambrose said, picking back up his wine.

Dominic couldn’t imagine. “It had to be done. This is right. I feel it. Marcella and Samael were meant for this mating.”

“Agreed,” Ambrose said, nodding. “I get the same impression.”

“Kind of sucks for me,” Jason said, lowly. “I mean, I feel it, too, but that doesn’t change the fact that Marcella and I have already been through this before.” He got quiet as seriousness took over his face. “I wonder about our child at times. I know it’s in heaven, but I have no idea whether it is a boy or a girl. Does our child have a name?” He choked up. “It’s hard to think about.”

Ambrose lowered his head down. “It was a girl.”

Both Dominic and Jason jerked their gaze to him. “How do you know?” Dominic couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“I just know. It’s complicated. I haven’t figured out how these thoughts keep coming to me. Hell, I might not even be right. Maybe it’s my mind playing tricks on me or something.”

“Does it feel right, instinct wise?” The empty bottle disappeared from Jason’s hand and he made a new one take its place.

“Absolutely.” Ambrose looked down and then met Jason’s eyes. “They call her Angelina. Or Leena. I think it’s a nickname. She looks a lot like Marcella.” He got quiet. “And she’s happy,” Ambrose said, matter-of-factly.

“Good.” Jason got quiet as he stared off into the distance. Dominic couldn’t believe the power of the mind that Ambrose had. It was amazing, and so far beyond anything Dominic could do as a collector. Of course, Ambrose had the majority of the gift as a vampire first.

Silence filled the balcony for a long period of time. Everyone was content to just sit back and let themselves go in their own thoughts. The sound of Samael’s door opening brought all of their attention to the couple heading out of the room. Ambrose hadn’t lied. Samael looked like he’d gotten hit with the starvation stick. If he’d been eating, then he was burning off twice as many calories as he was taking in.

“Jesus Christ.” Jason stood up with a horrified look on his face.

“Watch your mouth,” Dominic snapped. “You just gave me the chills. Weren’t you taught not to take the Lord’s name in vain?”

No response came from him as the two walked up. Marcella was positively glowing. Her face was flushed and radiating color. She looked tired, but overall healthy. It was very becoming. Samael was on the verge of dropping at any second.

“I take it you’re all good now,” Dominic asked as he took her into his arms.

“I’m great.” She turned to Samael. “I’m afraid he’s not though.” A sympathetic look crossed her face as she picked up his hand and kissed the knuckles. He smiled, but barely.

“Rest. That’s all I need. Give me a few hours and I’ll be good to go.”

“More like a damn week,” Jason said, still showing signs of shock. Marcella gave him a look and he threw up his hands. “What? Seriously, Samael, let me make you some food or something.”

“We already ate,” he groaned. “Listen, you all watch over her while I get some rest. I’d have her stay with me, but she insisted that she was fine now.”

“And I am. Now go. Off to bed with you. I need to spend time with my men.”

His lips brushed against her forehead and he nodded. “Absolutely careful with her. I don’t want her lifting a finger for anything. Or…walking far. Or—”

“Samael,” Marcella snapped. “Go to bed. We’ll be fine.”

“Nothing,” he warned.

Dominic watched him head inside his room and he had to hold in a laugh. If they’d thought he was protective of Marcella before, now he seemed to be stuck in overdrive.

The door shut and they all turned to the queen. “So, what do you think? Did it take?” Jason asked curiously.

“I have no idea.” She eased into one of the chairs and rested her head back. “It better have. That was brutal.” She lifted to face them again. “I mean, not the act, that was amazing. But the obsessive overall need, it was very consuming.” Her head dropped back again. “Poor Samael. He was so wonderful through it all. You should have seen him.”

Dominic and Jason looked at Ambrose, but kept quiet. Their friend pretty much
had
seen it all. And from the difference between Marcella and Samael, they could definitely see who’d come out in better shape.

“Why don’t we go lay down with you,” Dominic urged. She was practically falling asleep in the chair.

“That would great.” A groan came from her mouth as she tried to stand. “Oh my God, I’m so sore. I swear, I don’t think I’m going to walk right for a week. Muscles hurt where I didn’t even know I had them.”

Dominic helped her stand and would have picked her up if she hadn’t given him a look the moment he tried to bend down to take her in his arms. Jason and Ambrose followed, and Marcella didn’t even undress before she climbed into the middle of the bed.

Hours went by as he held her in his arms and whispered back and forth with the guys. By the deep breathing coming from their queen, Dominic imagined they could have been yelling to each other and still wouldn’t have awoken her. She seemed dead to the world.

Jason made food appear and Dominic tried his best to keep the crumbs from falling down on top of her as he ate. His body had grown numb over an hour ago, but there was no way he was going to stir her. If the conception did take place, he was right there along with Samael with wanting her to be as comfortable as possible.

Collectors had a high rate of loss when it came to pregnancies. The constant creature shifts took their toll. Dominic wasn’t even sure how she was going to make it without turning into a shifter after her third month. Marcella had never gone that long without having to change.

“What time is it?” Dominic asked, feeling his own eyes growing heavy.

Jason lifted his head up from the pillow. “Four a.m. I say we crash. I don’t think she’s waking up any time soon.”

“Right on.” As carefully as he could, Dominic moved him and Marcella down so they could lie flat. Needles raced through the back of his thighs, and he winced against the pain. It wasn’t long though before his body grew heavy and sleep took over.

* * * *

Marcella stared across the room at all of her followers that had come to gather in the great hall. The crown that rested on her forehead felt odd against her skin. She’d gone over a week and a half without wearing it. Even her clothing was different. The medieval-style white dress she wore felt hot against her skin. She shifted uncomfortably as she stepped down and began giving the closest followers hugs good-bye.

“You promise to call Ambrose and keep us updated?” Ben’s smooth face rubbed against hers as he held her tightly.

“You can guarantee it.” She pulled back and smiled at him. “I shouldn’t be long. A few weeks tops.”

Nexius gathered her in his arms, and then Nayla was shortly after. Samael and Dominic stood at her sides and she made her way through the crowd. In the days that had followed since her mating, all of her men had been overly hovering. It was beginning to get to her.

A few more hugs and she was making her way to the stairs. The meeting had gone well with her people, and now she just needed to go up and change so they could get ready to leave. If she was smart she would have just worn a pair of jeans and a T-shirt down, but she couldn’t dare allow herself to hold a formal meeting dressed so casually. What would they think about her if she did that? Surely it wouldn’t have been appropriate.

“Do you really feel okay enough to be walking up all these stairs?” Samael made his way to her side and she took a deep breath.

“I’m just walking. It’ll be fine. Plus, the exercise is good for me.”

“But will it be good for the baby?”

She stopped and looked at him. “I don’t think there is a baby.” Her heart ached. She had to admit, she didn’t feel any different. She was pretty sure if she held a child, then she’d sense something. At least a feeling. She didn’t have one. There was nothing but sadness.

“It’s only been nine days since our mating. You don’t know that yet.”

“I think I do.” Marcella picked up her dress and proceeded up the stairs. Tears came to her eyes but she forced them to stay in. She was not going to cry. A few months would pass and they’d try again. It was as simple as that.

The door to her room opened on her command, and she pulled off her crown and placed it on the holder. She let the dress drop to the ground and leaned forward, gripping the dresser. As her hair fanned out around her, she closed her eyes and continued to fight the urge to cry. Damn if she was having a hard time not trying to show her heartache.

A hand caressed down her back and she looked up into Samael’s hurt face. No words were needed. She threw herself into his arms and let the sobs come.

“Shh. It’ll be okay. You’ll see.”

“No. You don’t understand.” She wiped at the continuous tears. “I wanted this baby so bad.”

“I know you did. So did I.”

Marcella pulled back and opened her dresser drawer. “We’ll just try again in a few months. I’m sure it’ll work next time.” Samael stayed quiet while she pulled out a shirt. She looked down at it, confused. What was she doing? A dress was what she needed. A loose, comfortable dress for the drive. She headed to the closet and pulled one off the hanger. Damn, she couldn’t think. Her head felt fuzzy. Marcella went over the creatures she held within her. No, they were fine. They’d actually calmed down a lot within the last two months.

Dominic caught her attention. She slipped the dress over her head and let it fall down her legs. A pair of black flip-flops appeared on her feet and she went to her collector. “Is everything ready?”

“Yep. Car is loaded to the max. I have a pillow and blanket waiting for you in the front.”

“Sounds good. Shall we?” Marcella headed for the stairs and down to the great hall to find Jason and Ambrose. Laughter filled the air once she made it halfway down. By the time she entered, she noticed how crowded it’d become. It didn’t look like a single person had left.

“They all wanted to see you out,” Jason shouted as he made his way to the front of the crowd with Ambrose.

A smile came to her lips and she started laughing. “Thank you, all. Really. You have no idea how much it means to me.” She stepped off the last concrete stair and threw herself into Jason’s arms. “I’m going to miss you so much.”

“I’ll miss you more.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and passed her to Ambrose.

“And you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ll miss you.”

“And I you, my queen.” Fire burned in his eyes, and she felt her skin enflame. Just knowing the want in his eyes stirred her blood.

“You watch over everyone for me. And remember…” She focused on speaking to his mind.
If anything happens, you call me. Like this. I know no matter how far I travel, you and I will have this connection.

I will. You take care of yourself.
The look he gave her was a serious one.

“I will,” Marcella answered out loud.

The endless miles it took to cross Texas were unbelievable to Marcella. Although she’d traveled around a bit in her youth, her family had never actually left the state for any reason. Where her fortress was located was close to the bottom of Texas. The almost-ten hours just to make it to El Paso was the longest period of time in Marcella’s entire life. Now that they were practically on the border of New Mexico, everything had turned into excitement. Too bad Samael insisted they had to stop for the night.