Rush of Darkness (25 page)

But in here, it was just the two of them, a shivering wave of anticipation crackling in the air. There was so much to say, neither seemed to know where to start. And then Seth grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. His deep-grooved grin was unbearably beautiful, and Raine whispered his name, the soft syllable weighted with so much emotion, she didn’t know how it managed to float in the air, instead of crashing to the floor. Two bedside lamps gave off a bright light that filled the room, but they didn’t move to turn them down. They had nothing left to hide. Her arms went around his neck as his mouth covered hers, and he kissed her like he was starved for her taste. Like he never wanted to stop, his fingers shaping around her head, holding her to him.

Though she wanted to just keep going, losing herself in the moment, Raine finally forced herself to break the kiss and say the words she knew needed to be said. “Despite everything that’s happened, there’s still so much that hasn’t changed,” she whispered, her hands pressed against the pounding of his heart as she stared up into his dark, heavy-lidded eyes. “You know what being with me will mean, Seth. Even if I promised to never bite you, I’m not sure I could keep my word. I want you too badly.”

“Stop worrying,” he rasped, pulling her tighter against him. “I want everything you can give me, Raine. All of it.”

“What are you saying?” she asked unsteadily.

“I’m saying that I love you. That I want to spend my
life with you. Every morning, every night. I want to marry you and grow old with you. I want it all, Raine. I want a life with you.”

“A life?” she repeated, feeling as if she’d been smacked in the head.
Hard
.

With a nod, he said, “I know it won’t always be easy, but as long as I’m with you, I don’t give a shit about anything else.” His smile flashed, wicked and slow. “Just think about it, Raine. You can teach me how to not be such a jackass.”

She couldn’t hold back a soft snort. “I’m a psychic, Seth. Not a miracle worker.”

He was still laughing when she added, “And I like that flair you have for being a jackass. You always look so sexy when you’re being bad.”

“Face it,” he said smugly, giving her a lopsided grin. “I’m
always
sexy.” Then he cupped the side of her face in his hand, and she could tell from the subtle shifting in his expression that he was about to say something serious. “But all teasing aside, I meant what I said, Raine. I want a life with you. I want it all, including that bond you were telling me about.”

She blinked with surprise. “You mean…”

“I want you to bite me.” His dark eyes glittered with emotion…and desire. “I want us to share blood.”

She shook her head, trying to think past her confusion. “But…did you listen to anything I said to you in Florence?”

“I listened, and you know what? I trust you, Raine. With everything. My past. My secrets. And I—”

“Wait. Just wait.” She struggled to get her thoughts straight, but her head was spinning. “You need to think about this, Seth. Once it’s done, it can’t be undone. You’ll be completely open to me.
Forever
.”

“I don’t give a damn.”

She pulled her lower lip through her teeth. “You’ll never be able to lie to me.”

“Not a problem,” he said, looking too sexy to be real. “I have nothing to hide from you.”

“But…are you sure that you want to spend the rest of your life with a vampire? With a woman who has fangs?”

“I’m sure that I want to spend the rest of my life with the woman I love. Being with you is all that matters to me, Raine. But if it makes you feel any better, then I can honestly say that my feelings about your bloodline have changed. I love the fact that you’re a vampire, just like I love your beautiful little fangs, because if it wasn’t for your Deschanel blood, I’d have lost you during this nightmare.” His mouth curled with another slow, crooked smile. “I know it took me a while, but I guess there’s nothing like the prospect of having his heart cut out to finally give a guy some real perspective.”

“Wait a minute.” Her voice was hoarse with shock. “Did you just say that you
love
my fangs?”

He gave a husky laugh as he pulled her closer…and answered her with his mouth, the devastating kiss so hungry and hot that Raine was surprised it didn’t melt her down. Then he was carrying her to his bed, laying her across the soft, cool sheets…and coming down on top of
her. The clean clothing they had put on after their showers was ripped as they struggled to get to warm, bare skin, their breathing rough as they fought to get closer together. Within seconds he had her spread beneath him, his body sinking into hers with a deep, desperate thrust that made her cry out. Then he gripped her ass and rolled to his back, reversing their positions so that her thighs were straddling his hips as she lay against his chest. His fingers dipped lower, touching the soft flesh stretched tight around his shaft, his big hands holding her steady as he raised his knees and pumped up into her in a hard, driving rhythm.

With a groan, he turned his head on the pillow, exposing the side of his throat. “Do it now,” he growled, the warm breaths she was panting against his neck seeming to drive him wild. “Christ, Raine. I want to wear your mark. Want my blood in your body,” he choked out.
“Do. It. Now.”

“But I don’t want to hurt you,” she whispered, her mouth watering as she tasted his warm skin with her tongue.

He pressed one hand to the back of her head, holding her against him. “You’re hurting me by making me wait.”

Unable to hold back any longer, Raine made the bite…and his reaction was unlike anything she could have ever hoped for. Within seconds, they both came from the explosive force of pleasure that seared through them, his rough growls of satisfaction making her come even harder. And as the moon made its slow climb through
the stars, he demanded she bite him again…and again, claiming he couldn’t get enough of her “sweet” little fangs. In addition to the bite on his throat, she took sips from his chest and his biceps, and each time she pierced his flesh, he shuddered hard with pleasure, a graveled shout on his lips as he slammed himself into her with a visceral, breathtaking need.

And in those quiet hours of darkness, he finally lifted her wrist to her lips, his deep voice deliciously rough as he told her to make a bite. Then he pulled her bleeding wrist to his mouth and eagerly fed from the punctures she’d made, while pulling her face back to his throat so that she could take his blood at the same time. And,
God,
it was intense. The surge of emotion was blissful and surreal, the feedback loop of pleasure burning through their sweat-slicked bodies so powerful they nearly passed out when they found their release.

Raine eventually lost count of how many times they made love, his hunger insatiable. But then, she was just as greedy. At some point they scrounged for food down in the kitchen, then made their way back to his room, and he took her again in the shower. Then again in his bed, and as the first rays of dawn lit the sky through his bedroom window, Raine slipped into another lush, tight orgasm, her body floating weightlessly in that swirling maelstrom of sensation.

When she finally came back, she opened her eyes to find Seth’s face close to hers. She started to give him a shy smile…then realized she was already smiling.

“I was right,” he said, the soft words thick with satisfaction.

“Right about what?” she asked, looping her arms around his neck.

“I said I’d feel like the luckiest man alive when you came with a smile on your face. And I do.”

Stroking her palms across his broad shoulders, she said, “I think I’m the lucky one.”

He rolled them to their sides, and his eyes darkened with emotion. “I’d ask if you saw anything in my past tonight that bothered you, but I…I can
feel
that you’re happy.” His deep voice was rough with awe, and Raine knew it was going to take time for them to become comfortable with the powerful connection that now bound them together.

“I am happy,” she whispered, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek…then his temple. “Because all I see in you is love, Seth. And it’s so beautiful.” She pulled back so that she could see his face, and asked, “Do you remember when you told me that I was afraid of letting something good happen to me?”

“Don’t remind me,” he murmured, pulling her closer to his chest. “I was trying like hell to get you to take a chance on me, but I know I sounded like a jerk.”

Raine gave a soft laugh, then leaned forward and kissed that first bite mark that she’d made at the side of his throat, her voice thick with emotion as she said, “You sounded like you cared. And I just want you to know that being with you is so much better than good, Seth.
It’s the best, most amazing thing that could ever happen to me.”

He went instantly still, not even breathing, and then he gave a low growl, his hands tangled in her hair as he pushed her to her back again and claimed her mouth. With perfect trust in her heart, Raine surrendered to the dark aggression of his kisses, her hands pulling him closer, her body needing him with a hunger she knew would never be sated. There was so much love inside her, there simply wasn’t room for anything else. Not the past or fears or worries.

Instead, Raine was filled with warmth and light…and a bright, beautiful hope for their future.

The following night…

A
S A CLOCK TOWER
struck midnight in the small village of Ransk, in the middle of the Polish countryside, the ground began to shake with a violent tremor. Villagers ran from their beds and poured into the streets, the cold wind carrying away their terrified cries as they stared up at the swirling mass of bodies filling the sky. A black fissure slashed across the moonlit heavens, a thick red smoke seeping from its gaping mouth as spectral figures continued to pour out, the winds rushing with a stark, harrowing roar.

There seemed to be hundreds of the creatures…and still they kept coming, until the sky suddenly went black. For a moment, there was nothing but a deathly silence—the winds calm, the earth still—while the villagers stood huddled together, staring up into that infinite darkness. A collective gasp sounded from the group when there was a sudden spark of color…and another…as the creatures opened their bright, yellow eyes, staring down from above.

Then the darkness descended…and the village was no more.

for the Primal Instinct Series

The Ancient Clans
: Nonhuman races whose existence has been kept secret from the majority of humans for thousands of years, their abilities differing as widely as their physiology. Some only partially alter when in their primal forms, like the Merrick. Others fully transform, able to take the shape of an animal, similar to those who compose the Watchmen.

These are but a few of the various ancient clans that remain in existence today:

The Merrick
: One of the most powerful of the ancient clans, the Merrick were forced to mate with humans after years of war against the Casus had decimated their numbers. Their bloodlines eventually became dormant, dwelling within their human descendants, until the return of the Casus and the time of their awakening. In order to feed the primal parts of their nature, the newly awakened Merrick must consume blood while having sex. Characteristics: When in Merrick form, the males have fangs,
talons, flattened noses and massive, heavily muscled physiques. The females have fangs and talons.

The Awakenings
: Each time a Casus shade returns to this world, it causes the primal blood within one of the Merrick descendants to rise within them, or awaken, so that they might battle against their ancient enemy.

The Buchanans
: One of the strongest Merrick bloodlines, the Buchanans were not only the first of the Merrick to awaken, but they also each possess an unusual power or “gift.” Ian has a strange sense of premonition that comes to him in dreams, Saige can “hear” things from physical objects when she touches them and Riley’s telekinetic powers enable him to control physical objects with his mind.

The Casus
: Meaning
violent death,
the Casus are an immortal race of preternatural monsters who were imprisoned by the Merrick and the Consortium more than a thousand years ago for their mindless killing sprees. Recently, however, they have begun escaping from their holding ground, returning to this world and taking over the bodies of “human hosts” who have dormant Casus blood running through their veins. The escaped Casus now prey upon the newly awakened Merrick, feeding on their flesh for power, as well as revenge. Characteristics: When in Casus form, they have muzzled faces, wolf-shaped heads, leathery gray skin, ridged backs and
long, curved claws. The males have ice-blue eyes, while the females have eyes that are pale green.

Meridian
: The metaphysical holding ground where the Casus were imprisoned for their crimes against the other clans…as well as humanity. Although it was created by the original Consortium, no one knows how to find it until the ancient archives reveal that the Dark Markers are not only the keys that will open the gate to Meridian, but that they will also form a map that leads to the prison’s hidden location.

Shades
: Because of their immortality, the Casus can’t die in Meridian. They have simply wasted away to “shades” of the powerful creatures they once were, which is why they’re forced to take human hosts when they return to this world.

The Deschanel
: Also known as vampires, the Deschanel are one of the most powerful of the ancient clans, rivaling the strength of the Merrick and the shape-shifters. Al though duality is a common feature among many of the clans, the trait is especially strong within the Deschanel, whose very natures are a dichotomy of opposites—of both darkness and light—which makes them complex friends…and dangerous enemies. Characteristics: Pale, pure gray eyes that glow after they’ve taken a blood feeding. Despite their power and strength, they move with a smooth, effortless grace that is uncommon among human
males of their size. They also have incredibly long life spans, until such time as they finally take a mate.

The Burning
: The body of an unmated Deschanel maleruns cold until he finds his mate. The phenomenon is referred to as being “in heat” or “burning,” since his body begins warming from the moment he finds her.

The
Förmyndares: As the Protectors of the Deschanel, it is the duty of these warriors to destroy any threats to the vampire clans.

Nesting Grounds
: Ancient, sprawling castlelike communities where Deschanel family units, or nests, live for security; they are protected by powerful magic that keeps them hidden from the outside world. The grounds are located throughout Scandinavia and other parts of Europe.

A
Sangra
Bond
: A bond that can be formed between a human male and a Deschanel female, enabling the male to track her over long distances.

The Alacea
: A powerful, eclectic clan of psychics who have varying degrees of powers. Most can see into the past or the future, with a few having the ability to read another’s thoughts in the present—but usually only one form of sight is given. Characteristics: Dark, sky-blue eyes.

Aldori Trance
: A deep trance state that an Alacea with mature powers can enter, but there are often serious consequences.

Transsis: Light trance states that the Alacea use when they need to rest, but don’t want to go into a deep sleep.

The Witches
: Although there are many witch clans still in existence, their powers vary greatly from one clan to another. Characteristics: Physical traits vary according to the specific clan of witch.

The Boudreaux
: A carefree clan of witches whose specialty is beauty spells.

The Mallory
: A powerful clan of witches whose diverse powers were bound by a curse. Because of the centuries-old curse, they magnified the emotions of those in their presence to extreme levels—but the curse is now coming to an end.

The Reavess
: A clan of witches who can communicate mentally with those in their families. They access their considerable power through the use of spells, and will bond their true loves to them through sex. They are also able to assume the traits possessed by their mates during “joining.”

The Saville:
A snobbish clan of witches who have little power.

The Regan
: An aggressive clan responsible for hunting several rival clans to near extinction. Characteristics: Long noses, pointed ears and deeply cleft chins.

The Kenly
: A mountain-dwelling clan nearly hunted to extinction by the Regan. Characteristics: Short statures and large, doelike eyes.

The Feardacha
: One of several ancient clans that reside in Ireland. They are extremely superstitious, believing that the dead should never go unchecked. As a precaution, they tattoo pagan symbols on their hands and arms, believing the symbols will draw to them any evil souls that manage to escape from hell, so that they might kill them once again. Characteristics: Tattoos, mocha-colored skin and pale green eyes.

The Vassayre
: One of the more reclusive clans, they seldom come out of the underground caves where they dwell. Characteristics: Dark markings around their sunken eyes.

The Deuchar
: One of the most violent of the ancient clans, they are the mortal enemy of the Shaevan.

The Shaevan
: One of several ancient clans that reside in France.

The Shape-shifters
: A richly diverse, powerful collection of clans whose members can take either the complete or partial shape of a beast.

The Prime Predators
: Consisting of the most dangerous, predatory animal species, they are the most aggressive breeds of shape-shifters, well-known for their legendary sex drives and their unquestionable devotion to their mates. In order to claim a mate, a Prime must bite the one who holds their heart, marking them with their fangs while taking their blood into their bodies. They are also known for their incomparable skill as warriors and their strong healing abilities. Examples: the tigers, jaguars and lycanthropes.

The Lycanthropes
: Also known as werewolves, they are formidable warriors who can actually change humans to their species with the power of their bite if they are in wolf form. However, in order to mark their mates, they must make a bite with their fangs while still in human form.

The Raptors
: One of the rarest breeds of shifters, the Raptors are known for being ruthless warriors and possessive, utterly devoted lovers. Although they do not completely shift form, they are able to release powerful wings from their backs that enable them to fly, as well as sharp talons from their fingertips for fighting.

The Charteris
: Dragon shape-shifters who possess the ability to control fire, and whose bodies burn with a
dangerous heat when making love to a woman who holds their heart. It is believed that no pure-blooded Charteris are still in existence.

The Archives
: The records that belonged to the original Consortium which are believed to hold vital information about the ancient clans. Though the new Consortium spent years searching for them, the archives were eventually found by the Collective Army, then taken by the Watchmen.

The Death Journal:
A journal found with the ancient archives that explains how to kill a variety of clan species, many of which are no longer even in existence. There is a passage in the journal written in an archaic language that the Watchmen can’t decipher, but which they believe will explain how to kill the Death-Walkers who have escaped from hell.

The Collective Army
: A militant organization of human mercenaries devoted to purging the world of all preternatural life. In an ironic twist, the Collective Army now finds itself partnered with the Kraven and the Casus, in exchange for information that they believe will enable them to exterminate the remaining nonhuman species.

The Consortium
: A body of officials comprised of representatives from each of the remaining ancient clans, the Consortium is a sort of preternatural United Nations. Their purpose is to settle disputes and keep peace among
the differing species, while working to hide the existence of the remaining clans from the human world. More than a thousand years ago, the original Consortium helped the Merrick imprison the Casus, after the Casus’s relentless killing of humans threatened to expose the existence of the nonhuman races. The council fashioned the Dark Markers in order to destroy the immortal killers, only to be murdered by the newly created Collective Army before they could complete the task. Years later, the Consortium re-formed, but by then its original archives had been lost…all traces of the Dark Markers supposedly destroyed during the Collective’s merciless raids, which nearly led to the destruction of the clans.

The Dark Markers
: Twelve metal crosses of enormous power that were mysteriously created by the original Consortium, they are the only known weapons capable of killing a Casus, sending its soul directly to hell. They also work as a talisman for those who wear them, offering protection from the Casus. Although the Dark Markers were hidden in order to keep them safe, there is a set of encrypted maps that lead to their locations. The Watchmen and the Buchanans are using these maps to help them find the Markers before they fall into enemy hands.

“Arm of Fire”
: Weapon mode for a Dark Marker. When held against the palm, a Dark Marker holds the power to change one’s arm into an “Arm of Fire.” When the cross is placed against the back of a Casus’s neck, the flame
covered arm will sink into the monster’s body, burning it from the inside out.

The Encrypted Maps
: When Saige Buchanan discovered the first Dark Marker in Italy, she found a set of encrypted maps buried alongside the cross. The maps, which lead to the hidden locations of the Dark Markers, had been wrapped in oilcloth and preserved by some kind of spell.

The Death-Walkers
: The demented souls of clansmen and -women who were sent to hell for their sadistic crimes, and who are now managing to return to our world. It is unknown how to kill them, but they can be burned by a combination of holy water and salt. Driven mad by their time in hell, they are a formidable force of evil, seeking to create chaos and war among the remaining clans simply because they want to watch the world bleed. Characteristics: Although they retain certain traits from their original species, each of the Death-Walkers has cadaverously white skin and small horns that protrude from their temples, as well as deadly fangs and claws.

“The Eve Effect”
: A phenomenon that affects various breeds of shape-shifters, causing them to be drawn to certain females who touch the primal hungers of both the man and the beast. If a male falls in love with one of these females and bites her, she will be bonded to him as his mate for the rest of their lives.

The Infettato
: Humans who have been infected by the bite of a Death-Walker. Once turned, they become the “walking dead” and it is impossible for them to regain their humanity. They live only to consume flesh, tracking their prey by scent and blindly obeying the orders of those who made them. As they feed, they become stronger, and they can only be killed when their hearts are removed from their chests and burned. Characteristics: Mottled, yellowish skin, gaunt faces and sunken eyes. Black skin that looks as if it has been burned surrounds their eyes and mouths.

The Kraven
: The descendants of female Deschanel vampires who were raped by Casus males prior to their imprisonment. Treated little better than slaves and considered an embarrassing symbol of weakness, the Kraven have been such a closely guarded secret within the Deschanel clan that the Watchmen have only recently become aware of their existence. Hoping to improve their circumstances and become more powerful, the Kraven are working to facilitate the return of the Casus. Characteristics: They are believed to have long life spans, and their fangs can be released only at night, causing their eyes to glow a deep, blood-red crimson. They can also easily pass for human, but can only be killed when a wooden stake is driven through their heart.