Undying Hunger (27 page)

Sound exploded in his ears a split second before his gut cramped. Hunger, sharp and fierce, seized his mind.

“Alexandria?” he muttered and blinked, his surroundings hazy. That’s when it hit him, like a switch had been flipped to
awake
on his taste buds. He groaned, and his cock surged to life. Alexandria’s essence trickled down his throat.

“More, Vixen.”
He snarled and struck.

“Take from me, my mate.”

“I hear you,”
he said, drawing more and more from her vein into his body.
“You did it, baby.”

“We did it,”
she replied, and there was no way to miss the smile in her words, even inside his head.

Satisfied for the moment, Markus withdrew his fangs and closed the wound to her wrist. Alexandria slid from his hips and onto her side.

“Having you in here”—Alexandria patted her chest—“I’ve never felt so whole and content in my life.”

He closed his eyes, savoring the stirring of her spirit. Her mind hummed with life, yet somehow it wasn’t annoying. The sensation felt right. “I know exactly what you mean.”

“It feels like I’ve been waiting on you ever since the day I was born,” she said, rising onto her elbow. “Even though our beginning was rocky, to say the least, you never surrendered. You pushed me, kicking and screaming, until you made me trust again.” She grinned. “And I’m so glad I stopped fighting my feelings for you.”

His heart swelling and hammering against his sternum, Markus cupped her face. “You were the one who never gave up on me. You brought me back to life, baby, and made me want to stay.” He brushed his lips over hers. “You are my reason. My next breath. You’ve been a beacon shining through the dark.” Threading his fingers through her soft strands, Markus tugged her closer. “I never want to lose your light.”

“It’s yours,” she said, splaying her hand over his heart. “I’m yours. Forever.”

Epilogue

Six months later

“Have you talked to him?” Markus took another swig of the dark brew from his mug and lowered it to the granite. Kenric worked his fingers into his leather gloves.

“Not yet,” the master of the Enclave said. “When Christian comes down, we’ll learn together if this is what he wants.”

“So it’s happening this evening?” Arran brushed past Markus with his own cup.

“I believe it’s time,” Kenric said, and glanced over at his mate, who’d come up beside him. “Michael’s prepared everything for us below.” He wrapped a possessive arm around her, pulling her close. “In fact,” he went on to say, “as I discussed earlier with Emily, this will be the perfect time for a renewal of sorts.”

“A renewal?” Alexandria entered the kitchen and slipped her arms around Markus’s waist. Her presence sent a tingling warmth up Markus’s spine, comforting, yet stimulating at the same time. He swallowed a pleasure-filled groan. Having her in his life, as his mate, fulfilled him in more ways than he’d ever imagined.

Six millennia could have gone by and he would have never believed
his
life could be this good.

“Yes,” Kenric replied. “A renewal for some and a new beginning for others.”

Rumblings from the staircase telegraphed the arrival of Guerin with his mate. The pair headed over to join them.

“Did you stop by Christian’s room and inform him we need to speak?” Kenric asked his second-in-command.

Guerin nodded. “Yeah. I told him you wanted to talk to him down in the command center. He said he’d be down in just a few.”

“Good,” the commander said. “And our ink guy?”

“On the way,” Guerin added.

“Excellent.” Kenric nodded. “I hope he’s bringing a hell of a lot of black and red.” He smirked. “Everyone,” the elder vampire called out. “Please join us downstairs.”

It’d been years since Markus had been part of an Enclave commitment ceremony. The last had been for Arran, his partner. They’d both been very different males back then, empty, withdrawn. Then Marguerite had come along, and emotionally, Markus had died inside.

Alexandria threaded her hand in his, her touch enticing him back to the present. He glanced down at her violet eyes, the love he found there drawing him in, fueling the next beat of his heart. His vixen. The moment she’d entered his world, she’d reawakened his soul.

“You ready?”

“You bet.” Together they followed the others to the lower level.

Inside, the overhead lights were off, and the conference table glowed with what appeared to be a dozen fat red candles blazing down its center.

“Gather around,” Kenric instructed.

The chairs had been removed, allowing each of them to take a place around the edge. Kenric stood at the head, Emily to his right, followed by Guerin, Eve, Alexandria, and Markus. Before each of them, a single silver-plated dagger lay flat, the blade pointing toward the center. The opposite side of the wood contained the same arrangement in front of Arran and Elle. An empty place remained for Christian. That is, if he chose to join them.

As if Markus had conjured the male with a thought, the basement door slid open and the redhead appeared.

The young vampire stepped into the room, his attention landing on the candlelit table surrounded by the warriors and their mates. “Wow!” he said. “I’m touched. And it isn’t even my birthday.”

“Get over here, you cocky SOB,” Markus spat.

Dressed in a pair of well-worn jeans and a dark blue shirt with the top two buttons open, Christian sauntered over.

“What’s going on?” He came to a stop at the end opposite the Enclave’s master.

“It’s time we make this official,” Kenric stated, his arms crossed over his chest. “Christian Quinn, I hereby offer you a place among us as a warrior of the Enclave.” Leaning forward, his fingers splayed, the master braced himself on the table’s surface, locking his gaze with the vampire subject. “Do you accept this role to become a protector of humanity against those of our kind who are lost to Death Euphoria? Are you willing to lay down your life, if needed, to protect our species and to save those who cannot defend themselves?”

His expression stoic, Christian met the gaze of each male and female, as if evaluating his acceptance among them. Finally, he settled back on the commander. “I accept.”

“Well done,” Kenric said and with a wave of his hand indicated a spot for him next to Elle. Christian moved into his designated position.

“There’s not a member of this house who hasn’t put their life on the line at one point or another,” Kenric said, addressing his team. “The Enclave isn’t strictly a male group anymore. We’ve become a community. One that is made stronger by the females at our sides.”

He turned his attention to Emily and tapped his mate with a nod. “Starting with you, my love, it’s time I make this right. Emily Ross, I hereby offer you a place among us as a warrior of the Enclave.”

The auburn-haired female’s brows lifted, and Markus noticed her sharp inhale of surprise.
Nice work.

Markus had to agree. The master’s mate deserved an official spot among them. More than once in the past couple of years, she’d put herself out there without hesitation for the team. Not to mention the hell she’d endured and had overcome because of him. She was a worthy female.

After repeating the same declaration as he had with Christian, Kenric and the team waited for her reply.

With her shoulders squared and her chin high, Emily surveyed the others. When her attention fell to Elle, the other female met her with a smile and a nod. Moments later, Emily looked at Alexandria, who also gave her an approving subtle nod. Then it was Markus’s turn. Except this time when he faced Emily the experience didn’t resemble anything like their previous matchups. Her stare possessed no glaring challenge, no judgment. Instead, what he saw he could only define as…respect.

Damn.

It wasn’t physically possible, but Markus could swear that under her inspection he grew an inch or two taller. He nodded, and the corners of her mouth lifted before she moved on and returned her attention to her mate.

“Absolutely,” she replied.

The commander beamed, but quickly smoothed his expression for the remaining serious business at hand.

Next, he made the same proposal to the remaining females in the room: Eve, Elle, and Alexandria. Markus had to fight his own stupid grin as his vixen eagerly accepted Kenric’s offer to join them.

“Last, but most definitely not least, I’d like to address Markus Santini,” Kenric called out, capturing his full attention.

What the hell?

“Yes, sir?” Markus replied.

“I know you already bear the Enclave symbol on your shoulder, but as we all know, a lot has gone down between us since then,” Kenric began. “Some things we’d all rather not remember. Others, we never want to forget.” The elder vampire looked to his mate as if he needed a moment to gather his thoughts, savor a couple of memories. Then he continued. “One of those ‘things’ I’m pleased to recall is how, in the end, you pulled through. You came back to us, made it right, and you found yourself again. As far as I’m concerned, I never doubted there was a place inside you that never left us. That said, I’d like to formally offer you an opportunity to renew your vow to serve humanity. To reestablish your commitment here to your fellow Enclave warriors.” Kenric fixed his attention on him, and for the first time in his life, Markus was floored.

Son of a flaming bitch.

A lump threatened to form in his chest.
Oh hell no.
What had falling in love done to him?

Rein it in, Santini.

It was the surprise element. That had to be it. He hadn’t seen this coming.

And he hated surprises.

Kenric had mentioned a renewal, but Markus had thought in the informal sense. Not calling him out in front of the group and getting all sentimental and shit. The mushy stuff between him and his mate behind doors…that was different. Private. For her, he willingly exposed that side of himself. But not in front of the Enclave.

However, fuck it…he wouldn’t trade this moment for any damn thing. This motley squad was his family. And he’d tolerate whatever they wanted to put him through. They’d ridden through hell and back with him, and after all was said and done, his fellow warriors had accepted his baggage. No matter how heavy it was.

“What do you say?” Kenric asked, jerking him back to the moment.

“I say…what are we waiting for?”

A cheer went up around the table.

“My sentiments precisely,” Kenric said.

The commander stepped toward the rectangular oak cabinet along the wall. There, he collected a small hammered copper bowl and returned to the table. After placing it in front of him, Kenric gathered his dagger in his right hand.

“Sacrifice.” The master vampire raised his wrist and placed the blade over his pulse. “Honor.” He slid the serrated edge over his flesh, releasing a trail of crimson. “Loyalty.” The flow trickled over the edge and into the glimmering copper beneath his arm. “These are the values of the Enclave. And through our blood we bind ourselves to the code. To one another.”

The current warriors moved to the bowl and followed suit with their daggers. One by one, their essence mingled with the master’s.

“Now, each new member,” Kenric ordered, and Emily stepped up with her blade. She dragged the serrated edge over her wrist and allowed her blood to flow into the bowl. Her mate stood by her side, watching, and no one could miss the expression of pride on his face.

Eve came next, then Elle, Christian, and lastly, Alexandria. Without a moment’s hesitation, she made her incision. She’d worked hard for this honor, and he, too, was damn proud of his mate.

Sealing her wound, Alexandria stepped away and Markus moved into place. The flickering candlelight gleamed off the garnet fluid inside the copper as he fisted the hilt of his dagger.

Unreal.

Over the last several months, Markus would have bet that he’d be dead before being offered a spot back inside the Enclave. He glanced over at Alexandria, who stood by his side.

This moment.

This female.

Proof that even for bastards like him miracles still occurred and dreams could come true.

Markus’s blade bit into his flesh, sharp, burning, but the pain was irrelevant, trivial compared to what it symbolized: a family bond. One that he’d die for before he ever allowed anything or anyone to try to sever those ties again.

With Markus’s life’s essence added and his vein sealed, Kenric collected the receptacle. Raising it up above his head, the master vampire addressed his Enclave. “Unity in our blood and our mind-set. Defend humanity. Protect our existence.” Bringing the vessel to his mouth, he added, “Drink, Enclave.” He sipped from the bowl, then offered it to his second-in-command.

Guerin accepted, drank, and passed it to Arran. Around the table the vessel moved, each vampire sipping from the dark mixture. Blending a portion of each warrior within themselves.

The bowl made its way to Markus, and he cupped the round container between his hands, the metal warming his palms. His pulse thumped inside his ears as the heady cocktail rocking inside the copper tantalized his senses. He brought the vessel to his lips, his mouth watering, and tipped the contents onto his tongue. The powerful mixture electrified his taste buds and ignited his esophagus. He groaned as it merged into his being. His veins sizzled.

Damn, what a rush.

A low rumble grew around him, every male and female joining in.

“Enclave!” a shout rang out, each warrior fisting their weapon, lifting them, hilts pointed upward and toward the center of the table. “Enclave!” again they bellowed.

His heart pounded from the sound, from the mingling of their essences inside him. He needed his female. Now more than ever, he needed to be inside his mate. He wanted her inside his mind as she flowed through his veins, their hearts beating in time.

The revelry mellowed to adrenaline-laced chatter, and he bent his head to her ear. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Are you sure?” she whispered back. “Kenric will be okay if we leave?”

“The ceremony’s over,” Markus said. “He’ll be fine if we head out.”

“What about my tattoo? My Enclave symbol?” She grinned.

Markus wrapped his arm around her. “I’ll make sure you’re back in time to get yours, Vixen,” he rumbled in her ear. Her palm clasped his cheek in sensual response.

Reluctantly he tugged himself free. “Hey, you guys,” Markus called out and all heads turned his way. “If you’ll excuse us, Alexandria and I have something we need to take care of.”

“You have to leave now? We’re about to celebrate,” Arran said. “And lay down some ink.”

“This can’t wait,” Markus said, giving Alexandria a gentle squeeze to her shoulder.

Kenric nodded as if he somehow understood the urgent need for their exit. “Enjoy,” he said. “We can take care of Alex’s symbol once you return.”

“Thanks,” Markus said. “Catch you all later.” He slid his arm around her waist, drawing her near. Leaning in, he lowered his voice for her ears only. “We have a celebration of our own to attend.”