Unforgiven (The Forbidden Bond 2) (22 page)

Every month he was given a mere few hours to have dinner and talk to his mom. Sometimes she would be perfectly lucid. Sometimes she would rant and rave at him for causing trouble. Sometimes she would just sit there and stare out the window as if he didn’t exist. But, she always believed wholeheartedly in the imaginary love she shared with the Master. He was her everything and Derek needed to behave and do as he was told to keep the Master happy because his behavior reflected on her.

Derek was well aware that his weak minded human mother was deeply under the influence of mind control. She lived in a state of constant enthrallment and he feared what would happen to her fragile psyche if it were lifted and she realized how many years she had spent in the dark.

After a quick shower, Derek headed to the Master’s quarters. He was loathed to wash the arousing aroma of his little flame from his skin but Derek didn’t want to take the chance the Master would catch it and find it interesting. He knocked on the heavy oak door and waited for permission to enter. His mother wasn’t kept here at The Nest on a regular basis. She was hidden away so Derek didn’t have a chance to break her out. She was brought in for their monthly visits only and updated on his recent behavior before he was allowed to see her. Fortunately, he hadn’t done anything to raise the man’s ire lately.

“Come,” the deep male voice he had hated for years called out. When Derek entered, his mother was resting on the Master’s lap, petting him and purring.

“Sheena, love, your son has come to visit.” He let his fangs graze her neck in a blatant show of sexuality that turned Derek’s stomach.

“Who? Send them away. I have missed you so much, Master. I need you,” she moaned.

Oh, damn. This was going to be one of those visits. She would be angry with him for interrupting her playtime. Gross. Just gross.

“No, love, you want to see Derek, remember? You want to talk to him,” he encouraged.

“Derek? My baby? Is he here?” Her head finally lifted to search the room for him. When their eyes met she seemed embarrassed and lucid for a moment. She leapt off her Master’s lap and straightened her clothes. The Master laughed at her awkward behavior.

“Sweetheart, I have been waiting so long to see you. Where have you been?”

She crossed the short space between them to fold him into a motherly embrace. She was still as beautiful as she had been in his childhood. Her large, fathomless chocolate eyes looked up at him from a fine boned, creamy white face. Her long wavy hair was the same sable shade as his, cascading down to her hips and draping over his arms when he hugged her. She was tall and lean like him, nearly able to look him in the eye.

The Master gave her his blood to tie her to him and that maintained her youth, but he never took her blood in order to complete the bond. It was the one sided blood bond that had driven her to near madness. The man she called Master was not a faithful lover and she would know it, would feel it every time he took another into his bed.

“I’m sorry I was late, Mom. I was on duty,” he lied.

“Oh. Okay, baby. I understand. You must do as the Master orders.” She patted his cheek. She released him and went to the table that was always set for three but, the master never stayed.

“The Master was kind enough to get the cake I requested. Your birthday will come before I see you again, darling.”

The Master smirked at him from his seat. He would play the loving patriarch in front of Derek’s mother. “Of course I did. We can’t let the boy’s birthday pass without recognition, can we?” He rose and went to kiss his half-mate on the cheek.

“Sheena, love, I have an important meeting to attend but I will return soon.” Her hand fisted in the table cloth, angry that he would never have a meal with his family. “You may spend the night with me.” She beamed up at him. “It will be your reward for explaining to your son the role he must play in the coming strike.” The Master wrapped his hand around her neck and looked into Derek’s eyes. It was a threat. He could snap her neck with ease.

“You must make him understand his place at my side. Isn’t that right, Sheena?” he purred and kissed her.

“Yes, Master. Derek will do his duty. He is a good boy.”

****

Tessa just couldn’t seem to find her center. After so many years of loving and missing Griffin it had been heaven to be in his arms, but now nothing she did would wash away the feel of his arms wrapped around her or his breath on her neck when he pleaded with her to understand his position. She did understand but she couldn’t give him what he wanted any more than he could fulfill her needs.

She had lived a half-life since she was twenty-four. The only good thing in her world had been her baby. It was time for her to live and try to love again. Tessa had a bone deep need for affection that she couldn’t ignore any longer. She was sure Griffin would be plenty affectionate if she let him, but all he could give her was a few hours here and there when nobody was looking, and a condo in the city, rent free. She really wondered just how he planned to explain his sexcapades to his mate, who would surely feel it. Sarah had tried to have her executed for saving the lives of her son and husband. God only knew what she’d do if Griffin had an actual relationship with Tessa.

But that was all over now. She had to look to the future. Tonight she would give into her need for sensual touch and attempt to seduce Reilly. It wouldn’t take much because she knew he wanted her. He accepted her for who she was and was attracted to her. They had a certain chemistry that she was sure would burn brighter if she could stop think she was cheating on Griffin every time she kissed him. That was partly because every time they got close, her connection to Griffin would spark to life and Tessa would feel his hurt and anger. His pain was a living thing in her chest that haunted her at night. She supposed she should feel vindicated after all the years she spent living his sex life with his mate along with him, suffering a broken heart over and over just to forgive him in the morning because she had to. Their bond demanded it. Tessa could never take pleasure in inflicting the kind of pain she had endured, but she would not let the bond stop her from living the life that she deserved.

She’d taken extra care with her beauty regimen and was sure every inch of her body was smooth and hair free. Her usual cotton night gown was replaced by one of Vicky’s secrets and pair of barely there panties. She was nervous as hell and she knew Griffin could feel it. He was buzzing around the back of her mind, looking for a crack in her armor, but she ignored the attempted intrusion.

Reilly had gone out on a house call and should be home at any time. When he came down the hall to his room, Tessa planned to invite him into the guest room he had put her up in since her injury. The butterflies in her stomach took flight when she heard the clinic’s rear door open and shut before heavy footsteps made their way up the back stairs. She reached over and flicked off the light. This was going to be hard enough without her worrying about her body image. Maybe the lack of light would help her this first time. Griffin always loved having sex with the lights on so he could look at her body. 

Damn
!

She could not think of him right now. She needed to be in the moment with Reilly. As the footsteps came down the hall, Tessa took a moment to strengthen her mental defenses against her mate. It was solid and he was now strangely quiet. She was getting better at blocking him, thank God.

Her bedroom door was open and she stood in the darkness wondering why she had invested in the skimpy negligee. Then she remembered his excellent night vision. The hallway was pitch dark and so was her room, but the veil of shadows gave her a measure of confidence.

When Reilly reached her door, he stopped to look at her. She knew his vision was just fine when a low growl crept out of the darkness. He could see her just fine but to her, he was a towering dark form in her doorway.

“Come on in,” her voice cracked. Reilly said nothing, only stood staring down at her.

“I… Uhm… I was hoping you would spend the night with me?” Damn it! Did that have to come out sounding like a question? It sounded more like a plea than an invitation. She was so pathetic.

He growled again. This was not looking promising. Embarrassment had Tessa floundering about for the words that would allow him to reject her without feeling bad about it. Reilly would never want to hurt her and the last thing she wanted was a pity screw.

“I… I know you’ve had a long day so it’s alright if you just want to go on to bed.” Tessa reached for the door to quietly push it closed. That way she could dissolve into a pathetic heap without an audience and he could walk away without the discomfort of knowing she watched him go. Once the door was closed she pulled the negligee over her head and hung it on the back of the door before retrieving her standard cotton gown from the hook next to it. She tried to hold back the tears. If her own mate hadn’t cared enough to come back for her, what had made her believe an attractive, single guy like Reilly would want her?

Before that thought was finished in her mind the door flew open and a large shadow lunged for her. Startled Tessa dropped her cotton gown and braced for impact. She was lifted off the ground and propelled across the room to be pressed against the far wall before she could blink. Damn, vampires were fast. She was still trying to catch her breath when strong angry lips descended to claim hers.

Her lips were none too gently coaxed apart and her mouth was invaded by a marauding tongue. His flavor was dark and familiar, sending elated shards of euphoria to her brain. Tessa was shocked and pleased. Reilly had such a docile personality that she feared he wouldn’t be able to give her the touch of manhandling she enjoyed in her love-making.

She clutched his shoulders and her palms burned at the contact. Her body tingled with insatiable desire. She needed this like she needed her next breath. Reilly continued to claim her mouth with luscious urgency while his hands manipulated her breasts. Her nipples burned when he pinched them just the way she liked. It felt so right. So good to be pinned to the wall with her legs wrapped around the hips of a man that wanted to possess her body.

That thought made her freeze. He could possess her body, but that was all she could ever give him. Even now with her body ablaze, begging to be taken, she was worried about Griffin. She was searching her shields for cracks in an attempt to protect him from the pain she would inflict with this selfish act of need. And it was selfish because she not only would hurt Griffin but, she would only be able to give Reilly a small piece of herself. He would never take her heart. Even in bed she would always be thinking of Griffin and his grief. It wasn’t fair. Tessa jerked her mouth away.

“Stop, Reilly. Stop,” she panted, “I’m so sorry. I can’t. I’m… I just can’t.”

Reilly’s chest heaved while he struggled for control. Tessa dropped to her legs but he didn’t back away to release her. He lowered his mouth to her throat and nibbled. Chills shot over her body. He lapped at her neck from collarbone to earlobe and bit down while he rotated his hips, nestling his erection against the apex of her thighs and brushing maddeningly against her most sensitive spot. He moaned and sank his fangs into her flesh.

Oh God!

He continued to grind into her as a climatic tide of euphoria crashed into her mind. The bite of a vampire sent the most intense pleasure echoing around one’s brain and doubling back over itself again and again, until the resulting completion threatened unconsciousness. Heat spread from her neck causing every nerve to fire and every muscle to tense and strain for more. Tessa couldn’t help searching out the friction she needed so badly. Moisture coated her thighs and she held on tight while he fed. She rode out the rough waves of ecstasy he provoked. It had been so, so long for her and it felt so good. Tessa’s touch-starved body basked in the glory of the contact. He was working on removing her wet panties while he licked at the bite on her neck to close the wound.

“Please. Stop. I can’t.” Tessa panted. “You have been so good to me and that felt so incredible but, I’m never going to be capable of giving you what you need, what you deserve.”

He groaned and rotated his hip, causing shockwaves to reverberate through her.

“Please put me down, Reilly. I’m leaving. It’s time I go home,” she pleaded, her heart in her throat, tears in her eyes. This would hurt Reilly but he was worthy of so much more.

Reilly’s voice shattered the darkness from the doorway, “What if I changed you, Tessa? Or what if we bonded? What then?”

The light flicked on and Tessa stared into the steel-blue eyes of her mate. Griffin held her to the wall, his stiff length pressed into her softness and one hand on her breast until she struggled and push against his chest. He set her on her feet but he pushed her back into the corner behind him, shielding her body when she attempted to get away.

Reilly growled at him. “Let her go, Griffin. You are my friend and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Get out, Stevens!”

“Do you want me to leave, Tessa?” Reilly stepped farther into the room.

“No,” she answered. Griffin growled again.

“Tessa, honey, I know this isn’t the best time to talk about this but I think I’m in love with you. I know you care for me too. We could have a good life together, even if you want to remain as you are. I would never leave you or forsake you for anyone else.” He eyed Griffin accusingly.

Griffin growled.

“You don’t intimidate me, Councilmen. So you can drop the caveman routine,” Reilly calmly told the vibrating Griffin.

Tessa was still trapped in the corner but she was able to peek around Griffin’s arm to look at Reilly when he spoke to her. “Reilly, I just can’t sentence you to a life like that. You need a woman that still has a heart to give you.”

“I would bond with you, Tessa. We know it can work because Griffin did it. It would loosen if not break his hold on you. It will be your choice to be turned or not. I want to love you, Tessa. I want to be your husband and your friend. Please consider it. I will treat you like the angel you are until the end of time. Please, honey, just think about it.”