William (15 page)

James smiled viciously.

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The Valentines

Robert

Sam Crescent

Excerpt

Prologue

The Council of Vampires, somewhere in Beyer West
.

“You will allow this match to go through.”

Robert Valentine glanced over at his father—head of the Valentine Corporation and leader of his family—feeling bewildered and angry.

“It is just another human family on the verge—”

“I don’t care,” his father yelled at him across the room.

Robert watched his mother flinch. His three brothers turned away, not wanting their father’s wrath directed at them. Robert understood. These were perilous times and his father had no room in his life for arguments. His two sisters were not even allowed access to the Council’s chambers. Instead, old traditions said they must remain outside at all times. One day, Robert wished to banish the old ways and start afresh. Rose and Dawn were equally affected by what happened in this place as he was. 

Robert looked at his father. He respected him but there were times when he despised the way in which the man worked. The laws that governed their society were archaic. If they didn’t change their ways soon, Robert believed it would get them all killed.

“What have they offered?” Robert asked, trying to take some interest in the situation, since it was likely to affect his future. At the moment he had no power to change the outcome of tonight’s events. 

His father nodded to the guards to open the connecting door leading out to the human visiting room. This allowed humans a place to sit and wait, and offered protection against the abuses of the outside world. Vampire protection, among the humans, was considered a last resort, and only the most degraded and those without pride accepted such an alliance.  

A man and a woman entered the great hall. There was nothing fantastic about their appearance. They were dressed in business suits, neat and tidy, and he noted that they appeared to be in their late fifties. One of them carried a folder, which was odd. He assumed the folder contained information, but the Council usually had all the information it needed about human visitors petitioning for help. Beyer West might be a small town, but it was a Valentine-run town. His father was pedantic in his dealings with the human public. Every deal and alliance must be well-documented and sealed away for future reference.  

“Mr and Mrs Ford, allow me to introduce my oldest son, Robert Valentine.”

Robert acknowledged the couple, bowing, as was the protocol among his family. He kept his attention on the Council and his own family, though. He knew of the Fords from his own company dealings. They were a prosperous family who should have no need of the Valentines’ services. Only last week Robert had checked the profit margins for the town’s most affluent families. It all seemed rather odd to him. 

The couple glanced nervously around them.

“We need the kind of protection you are notorious for offering,” Mrs Ford said.

Robert noticed that Mr Ford was scratching his head and felt like doing the same. How could this company need their help? Last time he checked, Mrs Ford stayed at home with the children while her husband ran the company. Robert couldn’t think of a single reason why they would be at the Council.

“We are not a security company, Mrs Ford.”

“I’m aware of that, but we can meet the price that you have set.” She handed over the file. “We’ve stumbled into some financial difficulty and we would also like assistance with this.”

Robert Valentine opened the folder. An A4 picture of a beautiful young woman stared up at him, an innocent and carefree smile shining from deep within her.

“Pretty girl,” he complimented her.

“That is Sophie. My only daughter and not a girl but a woman of twenty-one,” Mr Ford corrected him.

“With all due respect, Mr Ford, I’m more than five hundred years old. To me, she is a child,” Robert snapped, looking up to glare at the couple.

He couldn’t deny the intrigue he felt about the girl, just from the picture he’d seen, but she was still a child. Her picture and family situation should not concern him or his family. Why did he suddenly have a bad vibe about the whole meeting? Robert glanced back at the file. The innocence clearly expressed in her beautiful features said that this girl hadn’t yet been tainted by the real world. He felt a tug at his heart, knowing that within months the smile would be gone, replaced by a frown and wary features. That was just part of life, but something within him didn’t want this girl to be affected by it.

This meeting was getting odder by the second.

Mr Ford retreated, leaving his wife to deal with the proceedings.

“The protection you offer is that no harm will come to the family, as well as you supplying money to cover our debts?” she asked.

His father nodded.

“The deal would be between Sophie and me,” Robert interrupted. He found that he wished to see the real-life vision of the girl in the photo. To witness her innocence himself and to see her reaction to him. Would she be as affected by him as he was by her? 

“Sophie is outside.” Mrs Ford nodded at her husband to go and collect their daughter.

Five minutes later a small, plump blonde entered—or rather was pulled by the elbow into the room, one of their security guards holding her as her father walked in front.

“Get your hands off me,” the girl snapped, trying to shrug off the guard’s hold. After a few seconds of struggling, the guard left her at her parents’ side. Her father reached out to take hold of the same elbow the guard had been holding.

Robert could see the fear on her delicate face. He could imagine that being in a room full of the most dangerous vampires in the world might be a little scary. After all, they could kill them all within seconds and no one would ever know what had happened to them. It upset him to see that the wary look he had predicted was already present in her eyes. Even now she held a world of knowledge that she had no business knowing. 

The Valentine family was extremely powerful. No one questioned them. They were a family to be reckoned with. It must have taken guts to come here begging for help.  

Sophie pulled out of her father’s grip. She might be frightened but the little wild-cat had fire. He liked it. Robert felt the beginnings of a stirring in his groin. It would seem that his body liked her, too. He watched her, his eyes straying to every move she made, as she shifted away from her family to stand near him. She kept her eyes on the other creatures present. She knew the threat in the room, and it wasn’t him or her parents—it was the mature vampire sitting further along the table. 

Robert admired her for stepping closer, but also for being alert. Sophie Ford wasn’t a stupid woman.

“My daughter will be the price for this protection.” Mrs Ford gestured to her daughter, determination dripping from her tone. 

Robert could see the mother shaking for the first time since he’d seen her. It wasn’t an act…her daughter left her worried. Her daughter was unpredictable. Interesting.

“Does your daughter know what would be expected of her?” His father was intrigued by the family—Robert could hear it in his voice. Hell, he was intrigued, too—by the woman to whom, only moments ago, he’d referred as a child when speaking to her parents. The first human female to capture and hold his attention in a very long time.

He imagined it was the pure blonde locks. It had been so long since he’d seen natural, beautiful, long, blonde curls. Most of the women he’d met dyed their hair. The smell of the peroxide left a rancid taste in his mouth and the women always looked fake. He wondered if it was as silky as it appeared. The light on her hair gave the impression that the locks would be glorious and full. His fingers tingled to reach out and feel. He cut the impulse off. It wouldn’t do him any good, having her running away from him. Especially when they were about to partake in an intimate binding ceremony. 

“The daughter has a name.” When she spoke at last, her voice echoed around the big hall.

He could hear her anger, resentment and defiance, all in that one brief sentence. His body responded to the outburst. All the blood in his body rushed to his dick. If he was alone, he’d take himself in hand and bring about a climax. It was like a beautiful pulse spreading inside his body, lighting up his world and mind. He would willingly have her talk the whole night away. In fact, he would fuck his fist as she whispered sexy, slutty stories to him. Robert shook his head. The woman stood less than three feet away—having sexy thoughts wouldn’t get him in her good books. First, he needed to make sure she agreed to the connection. At least he could say that her voice was pleasing to his ears, even edged with anger.

“Well, then, be kind enough to share it with us,” Robert Valentine senior offered. Robert could tell that his father was amused by the girl’s guts. Very few humans had as much spirit when faced with something so much stronger than them.

“Sophie.”

“Well, does Sophie—”

“Sophie is the one you should be talking to.” Sophie unfolded her arms. She passed her parents, sending them a glare that clearly told them to back off. She moved closer to the centre stage, next to Robert.

Now he could smell her heavenly fragrance. Even her scent was delightful. He could live with this girl. Robert didn’t doubt it. The good thing about being a vampire was the ability to know and make up one’s mind when faced with something like this. It was why they were stronger. They took risks. This woman, he knew in his soul—the little he had, if he even had one at all—was meant for him. He had been taken by her at once, and he wanted her.

He admired her spunk, her beauty and her tantalising voice.

“Excuse me, Miss, but you must deal with respect—”

“With all due respect, sir, I give my respect only to people who have earned it. And since, by definition, a person is someone who breathes, you don’t qualify.”

Gasps of outrage filled the room. If Robert hadn’t been so amused by this little feminine package, he might have gathered the energy to be insulted.

“I could have you killed.”

“You can try—but just like you, I have a lot of backing. Besides, last I heard the humans were looking for any excuse to kick your sorry asses out of this town for good.”

Murmurs of curiosity replaced the outrage. She had them intrigued. Shit, she had
him
intrigued—but for an entirely different reason. He imagined the whole Council weren’t visualising her naked and spread out on their silk sheets driving their cocks into her wet heat. When he took her she would be slick and melting—he’d make sure of it with his tongue.

“Care to tell us of whom or what you speak?”

“Nope.”

Silence descended on the hall. For the first time in centuries, a human was in control of the proceedings…and the vampires didn’t like it.

“My daughter can be a little headstrong—”

“Mrs Ford, your daughter is handling herself perfectly,” one of the Council members interrupted her.

So, her attitude was impressing more than just him. It was good to know. It suggested that they were going to agree to this bond. Sophie was either stupid, or indeed had knowledge the Council would want.

He was pleased. She had impressed him, and not taking her as a bond mate would be a huge mistake. She was strong and brave—a perfect combination for a vampire to mate with.

Robert was looking forward to it. 

“My parents have bargained me away as the price for protection. I believe it is only fair that I get to make the negotiations,” Sophie said to the room at large.

“What if we only wish to deal with your parents?” Robert asked her. He wanted her undivided attention  focused purely on him. To have those eyes staring into his own.

She turned her interest to him, fire flaring from the bluest eyes he’d ever seen. Having those eyes on him was worth her fury.

That’s it, my little hell-cat—burn me with your eyes.

“Then no deal. They don’t get their protection and you don’t get me.” She turned to the rest of the room. “I know the procedure—the blood bond that my parents want to happen requires a willing sacrifice.”

“What about the ‘virgin’ part?” Robert was having fun. This woman was a complete contrast to every other human female he’d ever come into contact with. He saw her blush and knew her innocence was intact. His body reacted violently to the knowledge that he would be the first and the last man to enter her body. His mind filled with images of taking her. How he would get her nice and wet, teasing her wet pussy until she was begging for his touch. Robert couldn’t stop his mind reacting. For the first time he needed a woman, and not just any woman, but Sophie Ford. His cock tented his trousers—if he was a human male he’d be embarrassed. He wanted the ceremony done and this woman naked beneath him as he drove his dick inside her. Vulgar words, but necessary. This virgin would be his. He would make certain of it. 

“I’ve got that part as well.”

She shocked the whole hall of vampires when she pulled out a tiny pocket knife. She should have been searched before she was allowed onto the premises. No weapons were permitted in the building. The soldiers tensed and went for the guns at their sides. Bullets intended to kill any non-vampire species. Robert waited, knowing Sophie had no intention to harm. She wanted this deal as much as any of them, he was sure of it.

Sophie slit a tiny cut on the tender flesh inside her wrist. She turned her wrist up, displaying it to the others before moving to him for inspection.

The smell of blood permeated the room. The scent reminded Robert of vanilla and honey.  He took hold of her wrist. He could feel the rapid beat of her pulse, giving away how scared she actually was. Sophie might talk tough but the little cat didn’t play it rough. He smiled at her, trying to calm her erratic nerves.