Marked: A Vampire Blood Courtesans Romance (11 page)

This time, I was the one moving. I gripped the headboard for balance and rocked against him, my head thrown back. It wasn’t enough, though. I
still
wanted more. So, I dropped over him and offered my breasts. I shuddered when his hot mouth sealed around my nipple, then cried out when I felt his fangs pierce my flesh once again.

His arms closed around my waist, and he rolled us once more, seating himself within me from above.

“This is what I want,” he said. “I’ve wanted this since we first met.”

I nodded, content to let him have his way, and watched as he relinquished control. Eyes alight with blue flame, he ground into me, his breath as quick as mine. This was how sex should always be. Ethen cared about my pleasure. A pleasure I was lost to as he brought me to the brink again and again. And each time, he took another taste, his face smoothing in rapture.

It was the last bite that seemed to do him in. In a frenzy, he drove into me and brought me to a final climax before he shuddered in ecstasy. I clung to him, dazed and breathless, listening as my heartbeat started to slow.

Ethen shifted his weight and stretched out next to me.

A chuckle slipped out of me. His head lolled against the pillow, and he regarded me with an arched brow.

“Sorry,” I murmured. “I just realized I had no feeling in my legs.”

For the first time since we’d met, Ethen burst out into genuine laughter. The sound renewed the flush to my skin. He reached out and wrapped his arms around me. I felt the lightest brush of lips against my throat before his fingers twirled around my nipple.

Ah. Round two. Ding, ding.

***

The witching hour found me raiding Ethen’s fridge, wearing nothing but my panties and his button down shirt. His scent clung to the fabric, teasing my nose as I sniffed out the deep dish pizza from my first night here. The question was whether or not Ms. Doyle had disposed of it. My stomach yearned for something greasy and delicious, so I hoped not.

A triumphant noise rose from my throat the moment my fingers latched onto the chilled plate. Nothing like cold pizza in the middle of the night after an exhausting romp between the sheets—or three.

Holding up my meal like a prize, I toed over to the counter and lowered my plate.

“I can hear you humming all the way out here,” Ethen commented.

I glanced over my shoulder and grinned. He was quite the sight, clad in nothing more than silk bottoms. My mouth instantly watered, a Pavlovian reaction courtesy of the half-naked man padding toward me. Nibbling my lip, I contemplated forgoing the pizza for another slice of him. Until my stomach yowled.

Sighing, I plopped down onto the nearest chair and lifted the pizza.

“Do you not intend to warm that up, first?”

I eyed him from over my crust. “You serious?”

He blinked at me, a dark brow rising into his mussed hair. “Perhaps?”

“This is deep dish!” I turned the pizza and showed him the crust. “Chicago’s best. Nuking it would destroy every delicious bite of it.”

“You ate it warm a couple nights ago.”

I waggled a finger at him. “That was fresh. Big difference. Come on now, how long have you lived in Chicago?”

“Since the mid-eighteen hundreds, give or take a few decades.”

I froze, the pizza hovering near my mouth.
Wow
. I mean, I knew Ethen was old. Centuries old. But hearing him confirm it boggled my mind. Mid-eighteen hundreds. “So, that would make you…” My face scrunched as I attempted to do the math. Unfortunately, that’d been my worst subject in school.

“It would make me one hundred and sixty, give or take,
if
I’d been turned into a vampire here.”

My stomach snarled again, so I took a bite and chewed as I contemplated his age. Once I swallowed, I studied him with a curious gaze. “Where were you changed then?”

“Boston,” he replied without hesitation.

“Can I ask…which year?”

His mouth quirked. “I believe you just did. If my memory is correct, the year was 1775.”

I racked my brain. History had been my second worst class, and I’d never felt any inclination to suffer through it in college. Still, every American knew about the Revolutionary War.

“1775,” I whispered in awe. I wanted to delve further, wanted to know how he’d been changed, but I had no idea if that was considered inappropriate. One must die to become a vampire. Was it a touchy subject?

Ethen leaned back in his chair and watched me. “Your nose twitches when you’re curious.”

I laughed. “I can’t help it. It’s mind boggling!”

“Indeed.”

“Was it the war? Was that how you…”

“Died?”

I winced.

He waved a dismissive hand. “It was so long ago, I barely think about it anymore. I’m sure you noticed this?” He tapped a finger against the scar that ran down the center of his chest, adjacent to his heart.

I nodded.

“Eat, and I’ll tell you about it,” he said.

I dug in with gusto.

“Technically, I was killed in battle. As was common in those days, winter always came with a cost.”

If I hadn’t just swallowed, I might have choked on my last bite. The parallels of his statement were not lost on me.

“With winter came food and weapon shortages. Eventually, we were armed with spears in case of an attack.”

I gasped. “That scar is from a spear? Did one of your own men kill you?”

He shook his head. “An enemy soldier picked one up that had been discarded. I was little more than the unlucky sap he came across.”

A spear…to the chest. I couldn’t imagine that, nor did I want to. A shiver rippled down my spine. Stabbed to death. Ugh.

“I remember falling to the ground and trying to call for a medic. But it wasn’t another soldier who appeared.”

“It was a vampire.”

He nodded, his eyes clouding over with what I assumed were his memories. “I wasn’t given a choice. Not that I could have made one. When I woke, I was this.” He gestured toward himself.

“And the vamp who changed you?”

Ethen lifted a shoulder. “I never had the pleasure of making his acquaintance. He wasn’t there when I woke, and he never made himself known to me.”

“Wait, what? Someone went through the trouble of changing you, and they didn’t bother to introduce themselves afterward?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Ethen straightened and shook his head, clearly pushing his woeful tale aside. “I’m here now.”

“So you’ve been a vampire for over two hundred years. Have you ever turned anyone?”

“No, and I never intend to.”

I nodded. “Has anyone ever asked you to?”

His eyes narrowed. “Once. I refused.”

“You did?”

Darkness lingered in his eyes. “There was someone I loved once. She begged me to change her, but I loved her as she was. When I refused to do as she bade, she sought out another vampire. All she cared about was the blood.”

Holy crickets
. “And there’s never been anyone else?”

“It isn’t so hard, once you grow accustomed to it.”

I finished my pizza, contemplating his words. Alone for over two centuries. “What about other vampires?”

“Beyond my business, I have no desire to reach out to anyone.”

“You can’t mean to say that you’ve sworn off people because of one person?” I whispered.

“I find it’s those dearest to you who always end up hurting you.”

He prizes honesty and loyalty above all else
.

I forced myself to swallow. “Ethen—”

“Are you done?”

I stared down at my empty plate, my heart heavy in my chest. My appetite was gone now that I’d heard his story. Nodding, I grabbed my plate and carried it to the dishwasher.

Now more than ever, I was determined to keep my secrets. I refused to be the second woman to hurt him. Shaking off my own disturbing thoughts, I rounded the counter and forced a smile to my lips. I wouldn’t let the night end like this. Not when we had so very few left.

I slid my arms around his neck and straddled his lap. His body was so warm and firm beneath mine, but his eyes held a sadness that hadn’t been there when he’d first entered the kitchen.

Dipping my head, I brushed my lips across his, then nibbled my way across his jaw and down his neck. Part of me wondered how it must feel for vampires, to feel their lover’s pulsing throat beneath their lips. I pressed my mouth against his flesh, then parted my lips and lightly bit his throat.

Ethen’s reaction was instantaneous. He sucked in a breath, his arms latching around me. Next thing I knew, he had me pressed against the nearest wall, and my panties pushed aside.

At this rate, I was going to need more pizza.

Chapter 12

A familiar chirping invaded my dreams. Grunting, I dragged myself out from under the covers and blinked back the final dregs of sleep only to find my legs entangled with another’s. My lips curled into a contented smile, and I glanced over to find a messy head of hair poking out from the other side of the pillow. In repose, Ethen looked utterly peaceful. All the worry smoothed out his brow, his mouth and eyes relaxed.

Another aggravating chirp dragged my attention away from the vampire whose bed I was in to the ringing phone coming from my clutch across the room. Who the hell was calling me?

I snuck a glance toward the window to find the shades completely slatted, blocking out the late afternoon sun. I crawled out of Ethen’s bed and stumbled toward my phone, only to wince when the screen lit up with the caller’s information.

I ducked out of the room and entered the hallway before answering.

“Tessa,” I sighed. “I was sleeping, so this had better be—”

“Winter!”

The stark panic in her tone lifted the hairs on the back of my neck. “What’s wrong?”

“Someone’s after me,” she cried out. The sound of her feet slapping against the pavement shoved all drowsiness aside.

“Someone? Or a vamp?”

A sharp cry echoed through the line seconds before I heard her grunt.

My heart leapt into my throat. “Tessa!”

“Vamp,” she wheezed. “Definitely a vamp.”

How? The sun was still up! “What’s happening?” I stood in the middle of the hallway, my heart pounding. No answer. “Tessa?”

Another sharp squeal. My heart jumped again. I glanced back into Ethen’s room, only to find him as dead to the world as he’d been moments ago. So Tessa was being hunted by a day walker. Lovely.

I rushed through the house to my room, grabbed my jeans, and yanked them up over my hips. “Tessa, tell me where you are.” I fished out my dagger from beneath the mattress, then tucked the sheathed weapon into the waistband of my pants. A shirt was next, my fingers brushing against the weapon’s hilt as I pulled the hem down over it.

“Near the library on Dearborn Street.”

I froze, the phone pressed between my cheek and shoulder. “What are you doing on the Gold Coast?” I demanded, my voice cold. She had no reason to be here. Sadly, I knew the answer. Of course, I did. But that didn’t stop the fury from welling within. “Don’t tell me you’re meeting with another vampire…”

“Winter, please!”

Now wasn’t the time. I
knew
that, but I couldn’t help my reaction. After everything I’d done, everything I was
doing
, two nights and she was seeking out another vampire in Alexei’s stead. I dragged a clammy hand down my face and took a deep breath in search of patience. Addiction wasn’t conquered in a day, but, damn. I’d hoped she could have gone longer than two nights before tapping another source.

“Get inside the library, now. I’ll be there in a few minutes,” I growled. The Gold Coast wasn’t somewhere I frequented often, but if I remembered my geography, the building was only a few blocks away. I could make it if I ran.

“Where are you?” Tessa asked.

“Nearby.” I didn’t want her to know anything personal about Ethen. She’d already proven herself untrustworthy when it came to the toothy kind. “Give me a few seconds to get out.”

I grabbed a pair of shoes with one hand while the other held the phone, then tiptoed through the hallway. Much like last night, the house was silent. It seemed safe to assume Ms. Doyle and Mr. Bishop took time to themselves before Ethen awoke for the evening, which had to be soon if there was a vampire hunting Tessa down in the middle of the streets.

It also meant I needed to make my escape, and fast, before he found me with a holy-water infused dagger tucked against the small of my back. The front entryway was in sight, and I sucked in a deep breath, praying for a little luck. I stuffed my feet into my shoes, then grabbed the doorknob. I bit my lip, eased it open, and snuck outside. Worst case scenario, I’d lie and tell them I wanted a peek at the garden—a garden I streaked past in my panic to reach Tessa before the vamp found her.

“Few more seconds,” I murmured into the phone before pocketing it.

With the gate shut, there seemed to be only one option to escape. Here was hoping I could swing it. I curled my fingers around the wrought-iron fence and heaved myself into the air before launching myself over the top barbs. My feet hit the ground on the other side, then I was off, racing down the street as though something demonic hounded my every step.

At the next street light, I dug my phone out of my pocket and pressed it against my ear. “Tessa?”

“I’m here, Winter. I’m inside.” Evident by her quiet voice.

“And where is the vamp? What’s he look like? Do you know him?”

“No! I’ve never met him before in my life. I assume Alexei sent him along. He has long, dark hair, dark eyes, and average height. A bit of a pitted face.”

“Sounds hot,” I muttered dryly, all the while wondering if this was because of last night. “Did you call the police?”

“I—I…”

“Got it,” I snapped, my jaw tight. Of course, she hadn’t. After this entire fiasco had been settled, Tessa and I needed to have a little heart-to-heart. Seemed someone’s priorities were a touch skewed.

I forced myself to move faster, wincing when a pinch gripped my side and wouldn’t let go. Hell, I was barely awake and already running a quarter marathon. I couldn’t blame my body for rebelling.

“Winter, I just saw him!” Tessa whimpered. “Outside the window. He’s on the street.”

“Did he see you?”

“I don’t think so.”

I said a silent prayer. If the vamp lost Tessa’s scent somehow, perhaps I could get her out and onto the subway. No way he could scent her out down there, not with the filth and waste that lined the cement tubes.

I banked a hard right and shot down Dearborn. “You need to lose him. Go deeper into the library. We’ll wait him out.”

The moment the library loomed into sight, I released a relieved breath. All that remained was getting Tessa the hell out of here. Seeing as the vamp had tracked her this far, I couldn’t send her home. He’d find her there as well.

This was one of those moments I wished I’d called my family. My brothers could have put her under lock and key and protected her from anything that came a-knocking until the deed was done. But calling them meant explaining our plan, including Madam da Silva and me becoming a blood courtesan.

My mind flashed to Ethen, and I stole a quick glance through the buildings. The sun stood on its last leg, a sliver of light highlighting the horizon. Any moment now it would be dark enough for all the vamps to come out and play. Soon Ethen would wake, and he’d be pissed to find me gone. Cursing under my breath, I forced him out of my thoughts and whipped into the library.

“I’m here,” I said into the phone. “Where are you?”

“Periodicals.”

I glanced up at the signage hanging above the desk, then followed the arrows to the left. A few more aisles and I spotted her blonde ponytail darting around another corner.

“I’m here,” I muttered, then ended the call.

Tessa turned toward me, relief blooming across her face, likely mirrored within my own. She was safe. Right now that was all that mattered. Though still furious with her, I took her into my arms the moment she was within reach.

“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed, her body trembling against mine.

“Shh.” I wanted to tell her I’d get her through this, but we were both so out of our league here. “Tell me who you were meeting.”

“His name is Jax,” she whispered. “He’s nothing like Alexei. He…well…we’ve recently begun seeing each other.”

I paused, my narrowed eyes scouring her face. When it came to her type of life, I had no idea what that meant. “As in…?”

“As in, he’s my boyfriend.”

Her boyfriend. A vampire. How very Twilight of her. “Does he know about any of this?”

Eyes downcast, she nodded. “We met at one of Alexei’s events. He knows who I am.”

Rage tightened my stomach. “You begged me not to tell my family, and I didn’t. I became a courtesan for
you
, to help you with this! And you mean to say that another vampire knows all about Alexei? Why can’t he help you? At least he would be on equal footing with this bastard.”

“He can’t help me. He belongs to Alexei.”

My eyes fluttered shut, and I counted ten.
Holy crickets
, I’d never known such fury as what tore through me right now. “Let me get this straight. You’re currently diddling another vampire who has some sort of tie to the vampire who is trying to kill you?” Could someone truly be so stupid?

“Jax would never hurt me.”

“But would he protect you?”

Indecision crossed her face. I was stricken with the temptation to shake some sense into her. This was insane. “How could you be such an idiot?”

Anger burned through Tessa’s cheeks. “You don’t know what it’s like, so don’t stand there and—”

“Ladies!” A harsh whisper cut through her tirade.

Together, we spun to find the elder librarian bearing down on us, his dark expression almost comical. He was correct, though. This wasn’t the place for this discussion. No, for that, I was thinking a psychiatrist’s couch.

Sighing, I latched onto Tessa’s wrist and dragged her through the library. Maybe we’d waited long enough to convince her stalker that we’d left. I pulled her into the bathroom, and after a cursory glance to ensure we were alone, I wrenched off my shirt and thrust it at her.

“What are you doing?”

“Hurry up.” I tugged off my jeans. “Switch clothes with me.”

“What? Why?”

I refrained from rolling my eyes and snatched the ball cap off her head. “Hopefully, it’ll confuse his senses enough that he’ll track me instead of you.”

“Winter! He’ll kill you!”

“Gee, you think?” I couldn’t help the sarcasm. I gathered my hair and tucked it up under the cap. “Maybe then you’ll understand that this is a dangerous game you’re playing. Hurry up!”

Once she handed her T-shirt over to me, I slipped it on and made sure my dagger was sufficiently hidden. Then I led her back out of the bathroom and toward the exit. “When I say go, you haul ass to the subway station. Hopefully, the stench down there will mask you.” Thankfully, the station was around the corner from the library. “You get home, pack a bag, and go stay somewhere safe.”

She nodded. “And you?”

I brushed the weapon tucked against the small of my back, determined to do whatever it took to protect both of us. “Wish me luck.”

About to leave, I paused when she brushed my hand. “Thanks, Winter. I mean it. I know I’m screwing up a lot lately, but I want you to know I’ll fix this. I want to be the friend you remember…”

Her words chipped away at the anger festering within. Nodding, I gave her a hard hug, then shoved her out the door. Not five seconds later, I followed suit, all the while hoping that we saw each other again so I could wring her neck myself.

Hands tucked into my unfamiliar jeans’ pockets, I kept my head down and made my way through the streets. Dusk had fallen quickly, as it tended to do here in Chicago. Had I been outrunning a human, it might have helped me, but for vampires, this was prime hunting time.

I’d only made it a block when an unrelenting hand gripped my shoulder and pitched me headlong into the nearest alley.