Bleed For Me (9 page)

He’d nearly drained her dry.

Eric laughed, the grating sound far too close for her
comfort. “My poor Terese. So weak, so ready for death.”

No, no she wasn’t ready. She tried to gather her
strength—

But found she had none.

Her lashes began to droop.

The sun was coming. She could feel it. She seemed to
always feel it these days.

“Ah…and now for your wish.”

Her wish?
Right then, she just wished he’d
die. The sick, psychotic—

“The sun’s rising. Soon, you’ll feel it’s warmth on
your flesh, right before it melts that flesh from your bones.” He
bent toward her and pressed a light kiss against her dry lips. She
tasted her own blood as he whispered, “Goodbye.”

Then he vanished, and the sun began to rise.

* * *

Apollo stared at the rising sun, his heart
racing.

Where was Terese
?

Not in the light, just not in the light—

Artemis cried out, “He just jumped! I felt him!”
Excitement lit her eyes. “I’ve got him now.”

He took her hand, held on tight, and ordered, “Take
me to him.”
To Terese.

The air shimmered, the wind howled, and they
disappeared.

* * *

Eric climbed down the steps leading to the basement
in his manor. A faint smile curved his lips, and drying blood
coated his chin.

Apollo waited until the bastard took that last step,
waited until he was right in front of him—

Then he leapt forward, punching the vampire with all
his might, sending him flying back across the room.

Eric crashed into the stone wall, a startled grunt
emerging from his lips. But then he rose, dusted off his clothes,
and flashed his twisted, evil smile. “I was wondering when you
would show up,” he said, tilting his head. “Oh, and you brought
company.” He licked his lips as he eyed Artemis. “You look…familiar
to me. Have I dined on you before?”

She lunged toward him, but Apollo hauled her back.
“
He’s mine.
”

The vampire smirked.

Apollo stalked toward him. “Where’s Terese?” He’d
already scanned the manor. There was no sign of her.

“Terese?” Eric’s eyes widened and he made a faint
humming sound. “Oh, poor Terese…”

“
Where is she?”
His power swirled within
him, desperate to be unleashed.

Eric took one slow, gliding step toward him. “Right
now, I’d imagine she’s in hell. Burning, slowly, in hell.”

“What?” A terrible, dark fear filled him.
Burning…
No, no, not Terese—

“The lovely Terese longed for the sun, so I gave it
to her.”

No!

“Your little whore is dead by now. Ashes to
ashes…”

Apollo lifted his hands. They were glowing, shaking
with the power bursting through him.

“Apollo…” There was fear in his sister’s voice. “Hold
onto your control—”

His control. He’d always been so careful. Always kept
the power within him coiled tightly so that he wouldn’t hurt
another.

But now, Terese was gone. Lovely Terese with her
mysterious eyes and her slow, sexy smile.

Gone.

Ashes to ashes…

The room began to shake.

“Apollo…” Artemis reached for him, her fingers
brushing his arm, but she drew back, gasping, when her hand was
singed.

The power of the sun filled him. The deadly, burning
power. “Leave,” he ordered his sister.

“No, no, I won’t leave you—”

“Leave!”
A roar. The ceiling above them
trembled as bits of rock and mortar rained down.

The vampire scrambled back.

Artemis disappeared.

Eric lifted his hands, began to shimmer—

Apollo grabbed him, holding him tight, and smiled
when his hands charred the vampire’s flesh. “You’re not going
anywhere.”

Eric howled. The scent of burnt flesh filled the
air.

“Tell me where to find Terese.”

“
She’s dead! The whore’s dead!”

His hands glowed brighter. He tightened his hold on
Eric, ready to burn every inch of flesh from his body. “
Tell
me
.”

Eric screamed in agony, then began talking, fast.
“O-outside of N-New Orleans. S-swamp. T-Take them a-all
th-there.”

Apollo dropped the vampire. Eric fell to the floor.
The vamp stared at his blackened skin and moaned softly.

“She’d better still be alive,” Apollo snarled.

I’m coming, Terese. I’m coming.

Eric lifted his head and the fool glared at him.
“She’s d-dead. I d-drained her, and left her to b-burn in the—”

He never finished speaking. Apollo unleashed the
power of the sun, letting it fill the room, letting it burn,
letting it destroy, letting it devour.

Eric’s horrified screams filled the air.

Ashes to ashes, bastard.

* * *

Apollo crept slowly through the swamp, all of his
senses on high alert. The sun had risen fully now. Its golden beams
spilled over the earth, warming, lighting.

Killing.

If Terese were in the sun, if she was out there—

He stumbled into a clearing. Saw chains. Long, thick,
stone chains.

And a woman. A woman with tousled black hair. Naked
skin—

“
Terese!”
He ran to her, yanking off his
shirt. He had to cover her, had to—

Her dark blue eyes were open, and she stared straight
up at the sun. “It’s so beautiful.”

“Terese?” He touched her carefully and was stunned to
see that her flesh was perfect. No burns marred her ivory skin.

She blinked at his voice and turned her head slowly,
oh, so slowly, toward him. “Apollo?”

His fingers stroked her cheek. The cheek that felt
warm—
warm from the sun
. “Yeah, sweetheart, it’s me.”

A tear spilled from her eye and trickled down her
cheek. “Am I dead?”

No.
He jerked open the chains and pulled her
into his arms. “No, no, you’re alive.” Her head fell limply onto
his shoulder. “Terese?” Her lashes closed. “
Terese!”

I d-drained her—

He shoved his wrist against her fangs. “Drink from
me, sweetheart.” She didn’t move. “Drink!
” Please.

The sun blazed down on them.

Her lips moved, lightly at first, then harder as her
teeth sank into his flesh. He felt the pleasure/pain of her bite as
her teeth pierced his wrist.

He pulled her closer, bent his head over her, and
curled his body protectively over her slight frame.

She was alive.

Her tongue licked his flesh and then she pulled back
as she lifted her gaze to meet his. “Y-you found me.”

Emotion choked him and he could only manage to
nod.

“I-I was afraid I wouldn’t see you a-again,” she
whispered. “Eric—”

“Don’t worry about him.” His arms tightened around
her. “He’s dead.”

Her breath caught. Then her eyes widened as she gazed
up at him and she saw the light spilling around him. “Th-the sun.
I’m in the sun.” She lifted her hand, staring at her flesh as her
lips trembled. “Why don’t I b-burn?”

He didn’t know, he was just damn grateful. He pulled
his shirt over her, then stood, lifting her with him. The sooner he
got her out of the sun, the better, just in case.

“Don’t worry, Apollo, the light can’t burn her now.”
Artemis said, appearing at his side.

Terese gave a small yelp at his sister’s appearance
and clutched him tighter.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

Artemis lifted a brow and gazed meaningfully at his
bloody wrist. “She’s had your blood. Quite a few times, I
imagine.”

“Who is she?” Terese whispered, her lips brushing his
ear.

“My sister.”

“Oh.” She offered a faint smile to Artemis. “Um,
hello.”

“Why doesn’t the light burn her?” He frowned at
Artemis. He was missing something.

“Because she has your blood,” Artemis repeated
patiently. “She’s been drinking from you, right?”

He nodded and flushed slightly at the knowing look in
his sister’s gaze.

“Apollo, as the sun god, your blood is incredibly
strong. And when she took that blood, well, she got some of your
power.” Her gaze locked with Terese’s. “You can control the light
now, like Apollo. So that means the sun can’t hurt you.”

Terese’s lips parted and a peal of delighted laughter
filled the air. “Apollo, I don’t have to stay in the dark
anymore!”

She looked so happy, so very beautiful with the
golden light around her. He bent his head, wanting to taste the joy
on her lips—

“Not as long as you take Apollo’s blood,” Artemis
said softly.

And just like that, her joy vanished. “Wh-what?”

Artermis’s lips thinned. “As long as you keep
drinking from Apollo, you’ll be immune to the burn of the light.
But as soon as you stop…”

“I’ll burn again,” Terese whispered.

She nodded.

Dammit.
Apollo tightened his arms around
her. There was a hell of a simple solution to this mess. But he
wanted to talk to Terese alone, not with his sister peering at
them.

He glared at Artemis, hoping she’d take the hint.

But she just stood there, looking all tragic, just
like Terese.

Enough was enough. “I’m taking Terese home.”

“Home?” Artemis blinked. “You mean, your place here
in—”

“No.
Home.”
It was past time his little
vampiress saw his island. He’d been longing to see her strolling on
his white beach under the sunlit sky.

“Are you sure about this?” Artemis asked.

“I don’t understand—” Terese began.

“Very sure.” He called forth his power. Felt the
telling change in the air. “But don’t worry, sis, I’ll invite you
to the wedding.”

“
Wedding
?” Terese managed to shriek the
minute the world stopped spinning.

Apollo grinned down at her, his dimples winking, and
those sexy blue eyes flashing. “Yeah. Wedding.”

She pushed against his arms and struggled to her
feet. But the minute her feet touched the sandy shore, her knees
gave way.

He caught her right before she plopped face-first
onto the beach. “You need more blood.”

Yes, she did, but she wasn’t going to drink from him.
Not now, not when she knew—

He pulled her close to his chest, lowered his head
toward her, and exposed that tempting neck of his. “Take what you
need, Terese.”

“No.” She clenched her teeth. “I-I can’t take anymore
from you.”

“Why not?” He glared at her. “Haven’t we been over
this? You’re a vampire, you need blood. I’m an immortal, your
perfect supplier.”

Terese shook her head. Too much had happened. She
needed to think.

The sun!
She was actually in the sun!

She glanced away from him. Her gaze roved to the
pristine white beach. The sand was so soft, so pure…it looked like
sugar. And the glistening water…so dark and blue. The waves brushed
the shore, white caps streaming in a beautiful banner.

“This is my home,” he whispered as his lips trailed
down her cheek. “Delos. My sister and I were born here many, many
years ago.”

“I-it’s beautiful.” It was. Paradise. She wished that
she had her paints so that she could capture this raw beauty on a
canvas.

“My mother was one of Zeus’s lovers. One of his many
damned lovers.”

She ached at the pain in his voice.

“When she got pregnant, Hera was so furious that she
cursed the earth, determined that no land would allow my mother to
birth us. Hera wanted us all to die, you see.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

He took a deep breath. “This island resisted her
curse. It welcomed my mother. My sister. Me. It’s been my home, my
refuge, for as long as I can remember.” A brief pause. “And when we
marry, it will be
your
home, too.”

Marry.
Okay, why did he keep saying that?
“We aren’t getting married,” she gritted, pulling back.

His brilliant blue eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

Why not?
Did the man want a list? “Because
I’m a vampire, for starters! Remember? I need blood—”

“And you can take mine.”

“I can’t stay in the sun—”

He grabbed her arm. “Yes, you can. With my blood, you
can stay in the sun forever.”

Her fingers trembled. She balled her hands into
fists. “You give me blood. You give me sunlight. Hell, Apollo, it’s
all about me, don’t you see that? It’s not right!” He
deserved…more. So much more than she could give him. “Since I met
you, you’ve been protecting me, helping me. Saving me. But it has
to stop. It’s not fair to you, you shouldn’t have to—”

He kissed her. Hard. Deep. His tongue plunged past
her lips, claimed her mouth, left her hungry and aching.

“I want you,” he rasped as his head lifted. “Every
time I see you, every time I smell your sweet scent, I want
you.”

But wanting wasn’t enough. Not enough for an
eternity. “And what happens when you stop wanting me? When you grow
tired of me?” He’d leave her. She’d go back to the darkness.

“I’ll never grow tired of you.
Never.”

Terese shook her head. “It won’t work—”

“Do you want me?” he asked her softly, cutting
through her words.

Helplessly, she nodded.

“Do you—do you care for me?”

Care
for him?
Care
didn’t even
begin to cover how she felt, and that was why she couldn’t stay
with him. With every moment she spent with him, her feelings grew.
Soon, very soon, she’d be in too deep. When he left—

“I love you, Terese.”

“Wh-what?” No, no, surely he hadn’t just said—

His gaze held hers. “I’ve fought for you. Killed for
you. Did you ever wonder why?”

She could only stare at him, stunned.

He smiled. “I don’t normally go around offering to
spend the rest of my very long life with women I just
want.”