Deadly Desires (14 page)

Dominic was wedged in the middle of the seat and as he pointed toward some mountains in the distance, Samael wanted to groan. There was no way she’d be happy here. It was too damn hot. Of course, there were the rainstorms. She might like that. Eh, what could he say? He was partial to California. If they had to be anywhere, he’d prefer it be there.

“What do think, Samael?” Marcella bit her lip as she looked at him. What had he missed?

“About what?”

“Phoenix.” She laughed.

The biting of her lip had thrown him off. He really needed to get his mind out of the gutter. He could have sworn something sexual was on her mind. “It’s okay here. It’s your choice though. We still have plenty of towns to go through. You haven’t even seen LA yet.”

“LA is awesome,” Dominic piped in. “I was there before I came to Corpus. Only for a decade though. Lots of sin to feed off of there.”

“Indeed.” Samael smiled.

A crunch went through the interior of the car and Samael noticed Marcella was eating a pickle. He shook his head and caught Dom’s eyes in the mirror. He went back to staring at the road. Two hours flew by, and before he knew it they were pulling into a motel right off the highway. The parking lot was pretty full, but Samael ran into check on a room anyway.

“How may I help you?” The green eyes of the clerk immediately threw flags. Vampire. Dammit. What the hell was up with all of these paras being on their path? Couldn’t they stop one place without running into one?

Samael groaned as the clerk stepped back with a scared look on her face. “I just want a room, okay? No need to freak out on me.”

She calmed and swallowed hard. “We only have one left, around the back.”

“Great. I’ll take it.” Samael pulled a wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans and handed her a fake debit card. She ran it through and avoided touching him as she handed it back.

“Two-oh-seven.” Samael took the card key and headed back to the SUV. He climbed in and pulled around to the back of the parking lot.

Once they were inside, Samael locked the door. “I want a shield put around this place now. No one goes outside for anything.”

“What’s wrong?” Marcella looked around nervously.

“There’s a vampire at the front desk. Call me crazy, but I don’t trust her. The last thing we need is a run in with her master.” He began to pace the length of the small room. Dark circles were beginning to appear under Marcella’s eyes and he battled with the idea of cooping her back up in the car. “Maybe we should leave. I have a really bad feeling about this.”

Dominic nodded. “I’m with you. We’re in uncharted territory here. I don’t like it one bit.”

“Guys, come on.” Marcella wrapped her hands around her stomach. “Isn’t that the point of recruiting? We go into unknown places and try to gain followers. If her master comes then we’ll deal with him. No big deal.”

“Uh, Marcella, it’s a huge deal. We might be strong, but we’re talking possibly hundreds of aggressive vampires. There are only three of us here.”

Her hands tightened on her stomach and he watched her jerk forward. Samael rushed to her side. “What is it?”

“Oh God.” Marcella rushed to the restroom, and the sounds of her being sick caused all kinds of concern to fill him. He looked at Dominic, who was smiling.

“You think it worked?”

Samael shook his head. “Hard to tell. With the amount of junk food she ate today it could just be that.”

Even though the words left his mouth, he couldn’t help but feel excitement rush through him. Her sickness sparked a ray of hope inside of his heart. He knew it had to have been too early for her to know. Of course, who was to judge what she felt inside of her own body? As he went over the possibilities, he did the one thing he hadn’t done in as long as he could remember. He prayed.

Mouthwash appeared in Marcella’s hand as she stood from the toilet. What the hell? That had come out of nowhere. She spit out the Listerine and flushed it down. As she slid down the wall she let everything sink in. Slowly, she looked down and pressed her hand against her stomach. It couldn’t be. It had to be all the sweets she’d eaten today.

She needed a test. If she materialized one would it be accurate? Was it worth it to try? Upon the thought, one appeared in her lap. It’d only been technically fourteen days since she’d become fertile. Surely that wasn’t enough time to know. She began reading the box.
As early as five days before your missed period
. Well, if she had been due to start, then technically…Her head snapped up and she tore into the test.

According to the numbers for a human, they ovulated about two weeks after their monthly, but as a collector she’d ovulated instantly after. The possibility that the test could tell her now had impatience pumping through her. She read the directions and proceeded to go through the steps. She placed the test on the rim of the tub and closed her eyes.
Please let me be pregnant. Please.

Marcella had to have repeated those words a hundred times. She opened her eyes and felt the world shift beneath her feet. Her hands were shaking as she picked up the test. Two bright-pink lines ran through the result window. She felt like a zombie as she opened the door.

Samael and Dominic rushed to her side. “You’re white as a ghost,” Dominic gasped.

Marcella lifted the test and handed it to Samael. “That’s probably because we’re going to have a baby.”

His mouth dropped as he took in the test. Tears were in his eyes as he brought them up to look at Marcella. “We’re having a baby,” he whispered. “Oh my God.” He kissed her hard and turned to Dom. “We’re having a baby!” He crushed her collector in his arms as Dominic laughed.

“Wow, Master, I’ve never seen you like this before.” Dominic stumbled back out of Samael’s grasp.

“I’m going to be a father. I can’t believe it.” He scooped Marcella into his arms and lowered her to the bed. “Can you believe it, love? We’re having a baby.” His mouth captured hers again, and Marcella moaned as his tongue swept across hers.

The sound of knocking had them all looking toward the door. Fear passed over his face. “We have to go back home. We can’t recruit with you carrying our child.” The sounds pounded again and Dominic walked to the door.

“What is it,” he called out.

“Ipos, open the door.”

Samael stood. “That’s my brother’s voice.” He turned to Marcella. “You have to materialize back to the fortress, right now.” He turned to Dominic. “Change into your demon form.”

“I’ve never made the change before.”

“Do it now,” Samael snapped. “Marcella, go.” A growl came from him as his eyes pierced into hers. She ran to the restroom door and watched as the tattoos faded from Dom’s arms. As she crawled in the shower, she made the light turn off. There was no way she was leaving unless she had to. The door opened and voices broke through.

“Zepar, what are you doing here?” Samael said, sounding probably as shocked as he felt.

“Where is she?”

“Who?”

“The woman you’re traveling with, and don’t lie to me,” he snapped. “It’s Marcianna, isn’t it? You figured out a way to bring her back, didn’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Feel free to look around if you like. No one is here but me and Dominic.”

“Ipos,” Zepar corrected. “And no, there’s a woman. I’ve heard multiple accounts. Last night Miguel called me and told me you were in El Paso. Now I get a call from Riley saying the master vampire of LA had a call about a high-ranking demon in his territory. Both accounts talked of a woman.”

“Well, your sources are wrong. How would they know, anyway? Neither of them ever even came face-to-face with Dominic. And you’re going to believe that they supposedly saw a woman, too? Come on, Zepar.”

“Cameras, Brother! Need I walk over to the front desk and check them out myself?”

Marcella wasn’t sure why, but she crawled out of the tub. Her whole body was shaking, but she had to face this man. Something deep within forced her forward. As she came into the light, a man who looked like Samael spun in her direction. His hand came to his mouth, and he began to breathe heavily.

“Samael, what have you done?” Zepar lowered himself to the bed, continuing to cover his mouth.

“I had to, Brother. You know my pain. I couldn’t live anymore without her in my life.”

A groan came from Zepar’s mouth. “Did her death not hurt you enough the first time? Father’s wrath this time won’t be as sweet as before.”

Samael snatched him off the ground and shook him. “She carries my child. If you think I will let anyone take either one of them away from me…”

Zepar pulled at Samael’s hands. “Wait. Put me down, dammit.”

Nausea threatened Marcella, and she leaned her hand against the wall for stability. Samael threw Zepar on the bed and rushed to her side. His arms embraced around her tightly. She leaned against him for support.

Long fingers went through Zepar’s short hair as he looked at them. “It’s official this time? I mean, there are no other men. She’s only yours?”

She felt Samael swallow hard. “The child is mine. One hundred percent. Actually, Zepar, touch her. Tell me what you see.”

The demon master stood and cautiously came toward them. His eyes stared into Marcella’s. “You’re identical to Marcianna.” His hand cupped her face, and she watched him go into a trance. Her eyes shot to Samael.

“What is he doing?”

He smiled and looked at his brother. “He’s living your life. Every moment of it. I need him to see how things are. He has to know.”

Zepar’s eyes were completely black by the time his hand lowered. They became clear and he stepped back. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll keep our secret. We don’t want a war, Zepar. Just peace to live our lives. Don’t think for one second though that it won’t go that far, if Father comes after her. I can’t lose her, or our child. I won’t.”

The demon master looked at Dominic. “Is it true that you’re a collector now?”

Dark ink raced down her collector’s arms, and Zepar shook his head. “Unbelievable.” He turned back to Samael. “I’ll keep your secret on one condition.”

Samael narrowed his eyes. “And what’s that?”

He motioned to Dominic. “Marcella has to change me. She gives me her gift and it buys my silence. You’re going to do it, too. I might as well join in on the power lottery.”

“Done.” Marcella stepped forward without waiting for Samael’s response. It was a small price to pay for his silence, and with the way she was compelled to come out, she knew it needed to be done.

* * * *

Dominic watched Marcella and Samael argue over whether or not she was going to do the change. It’d been going on for ten minutes already, and Zepar had made himself at home in the short span of time. The news was playing on the television and he was sprawled out on the bed watching it.

“Marcella, I’m serious. What if something happens to the baby? Are you willing to risk that over a stupid change? Let’s send Zepar to the fortress and Jason can do it.”

Her voice lowered as her eyes darted to his brother. “Excuse me for not wanting to unleash your brother into my domain. I’m responsible for everyone there, and I don’t want him loose inside while I’m hundreds of miles away.”

“So we’ll materialize back home. Now that we have an anchor here at the motel, we can always come back. We’ll take him there and watch as Jason performs the ceremony.”

Samael started to pace and he knew the moment Marcella had given in. “Fine. We let Jason do it. But I still don’t like him being there.”

“You know I can hear you both, right? I have to admit, I’m offended, my dear sister. Do you really think I’d do anything to get on your bad side?”

Marcella looked at him warily. “You’re a demon master. You do what is convenient for you.” She took a step closer to him. “If I let you into my fortress, you have to make me a promise now.”

Zepar sat up. “Whatever you wish.”

“You are not allowed to take any of the souls there besides the one Jason gives you. And this applies for the future, too. Not just tonight. You will never take any souls from me or my collectors. Or my potential followers, unless they choose you. Deal?”

He nodded. “Deal.”

“Good. To my room, then” She took a deep breath and walked over to Samael’s brother, grabbing his hand. Her room materialized before her, and Zepar laughed as he took in the expression on Ambrose’s surprised face. Samael and Dominic appeared right next to them.

The door crashed open as Jason raced through, with Donavon right on his tail. “Dammit, Jason!” Her shifter mate was drenched in water from head to toe. They both slid to a stop as they noticed them standing there.

“Marcella?” Jason took in Zepar. “What the hell is he doing here?”

“I see you remember my brother,” Samael said, dryly. “You both did get along famously in the past.”

Zepar crossed his arms over his chest. “Still the kid, I see. Nice to meet you, again.”

Marcella stepped forward before they could start arguing. “Jason, I need you to turn Zepar into a collector.”