Blood Rose (37 page)

She loved Drake. She loved Jonathon. How could she choose one to give her eternity?

Drake moved around her, the bed creaking beneath him, as he positioned himself behind her.

He pressed close. Her quim throbbed like a second heartbeat. She loved snuggling back against Drake, loved the push of his hard cock against her clothed rump, loved the soft murmur of his breath by her ear.

Jonathon cupped her chin, pressed his immense, powerful body against her.

Drake’s lips played along her neck, sending shivers of pure pleasure down her spine.
Can I
seduce you into choosing me, sweet? You made love to me first, didn’t you? You fell in love with
me first.

Wait,
she cried to Drake. To her amazement, he did stop, lifting his mouth from her neck.

Serena caught her breath as she looked to Jonathon. Fangs now lapped his wide, firm lower lip.

His once dark eyes shone like silver disks.

Could they hear the desperate pounding of her heart?

Jonathon’s dark brow arched, the question unspoken—she wanted to nod, she wanted to cry “I love you both.” But Jonathon left the bed. Had she hurt him because she had made love to Drake first? She pushed aside Drake’s hands—aware that now she’d hurt his feelings—and she watched Jonathon, watched as he moved into the shadows and returned with a stack of leather-bound books.

His reflective eyes met hers, bearing an expression she could not understand. Guilt? The burden of duty? Then she heard his deep baritone in her thoughts.
My father’s books on your life,
Serena. You should look at these first, before you decide if you want to become a vampire.

Behind her, Serena heard Drake growl.

Jonathon quelled Swift’s frustrated snarl with a glare of autocratic hauteur, then he spoke to his partner.
She needs to understand who she is before she makes this decision.

Swift—hell, Jonathon realized he should call him Drake, after all, the man has kissed
his arse.

Drake’s answer drifted to him.
All right. I can’t risk driving her away—losing her heart. I want
her to want to become a vampire.

Jonathon carried the six journals to the bed and placed them on the sheets before Serena. Hope shone in her eyes, but then she looked down and he glimpsed her fear.

There’s nothing to be frightened of. Most of it you already know. I haven’t read them
thoroughly—I only leafed through them. You should be the first to read them.

Soft, tortured, her laugh filled the room.
I think I would have let you have the privilege—how
ridiculous to think I’m afraid to face this.

Jonathon stretched on the bed at her side. He slipped his arm around her waist to give comfort as she opened the first journal. Each had the date inscribed inside, beginning with this one, marked 1798, when Serena would have been very young.

Does this book talk about my mother?
Serena asked.

Lukos is trying to lure Serena to him,
Drake added.
Lukos was trying to tempt her with the
promise he would reveal who her mother is.

Jonathon saw Serena’s gaze move over the words on the first page. He remembered the first Blood Rose ©Sharon Page 2007 Email: [email protected] 156

lines in the first journal.
A child! It is a disaster. It heralds the end of mankind, the rise of
unstoppable demons. The first child of vampire and mortal. Of a powerful vampiress and an
ambitious man who is powerful, wealthy, and utterly evil. Ashcroft and I fear that the Society
would want to destroy this child if they knew of its existence. I cannot permit such a valuable
creature to be destroyed. Ashcroft has vowed to protect it until it reaches its time of
transformation…

Serena looked up.
Lukos said that my mother is Eve, a creation of God. How could she be a
vampiress. I don’t understand—

Jonathon flinched at the raw pain, the horror in her gray eyes.
In the last book, my father
complains that Ashcroft knew the identity of your mother but never told him..

A disaster…
She repeated the words slowly. Her voice in his head was so soft, so vulnerable.

I herald the end of mankind?

I can’t believe that, Serena. And I believe Lukos is lying to you—trying to trick you. I doubt he
knows who your mother is.

So then it’s Ashcroft I must face.
She closed the book and tossed it to the bed.

Jonathon selected the last one, flipped to the page he’d dog-eared, and gave it to her. She read with startling speed, turning the pages, eyes widening. She set it down in her lap, now knowing his father’s most amazing discovery. “So you can stop me becoming a vampire? You can prevent me from changing on All Hallow’s Eve?”

She spoke aloud, as though determined to remember she was a mortal.

Jonathon nodded. “It’s risky, but I believe I could do it.” It would require harnessing the incredible power that would flow into her on the night in question and redirecting it, draining her life away, and then attempting a dangerous transfusion of blood. But his father’s theories appeared sound.

“You read this before you changed, didn’t you?” Frank astonishment showed on her face as he nodded again.

“Then why—why did you change?”

“I changed to protect you. I can only protect you from Lukos if I have the strength and power of a vampire and combine that strength with Drake’s. But if you wish, you can stay mortal. You don’t have to become undead. You can live in sunlight, marry, have a happy life. It’s risky, but now, as a vampire, with heightened abilities, I am certain I could do it.”

She picked up the closed book, studied it. Drake stroked her shoulders. Jonathon waited, knowing he had to let Serena make her own choice.

She nibbled her lip. “And I cannot be changed back, if I become a vampire?”

“No. Neither can Swift or I. The procedure could only prevent transformation at the time of…of death.”

She bowed her head.
I am sorry.
When she looked up, he saw tears shining.
You should not
have sacrificed for me—

I love you. You are worth any sacrifice.

She dropped her gown to the floor—she wore nothing but her shift and her slippers. In that scrap of lace-trimmed muslin, she looked ethereal. At once he understood her intent. She was preparing to change.

I don’t want to spend eternity feeling pain because I cost you your mortal life,
Jonathon said.

Enough!
Drake cried.

Drake’s angry shout sent Serena cowering. Rage flooded through Jonathon and he confronted his partner, who grabbed his shoulder and pushed him off the bed.

As Jonathon leapt to his feet, he almost collided with Drake, who had jumped off the bed.

You bloody arrogant sod!
Drake shouted.
You have a bloody gift. Eternal life. Incredible
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power. And what do you do with it? Wallow in guilt!

Jonathon blinked as Drake’s fist exploded into his jaw. He reeled back. Lifted his own fists, ready to pummel Drake into the floor. But before he swung, he stopped. He realized what he’d done. He must have deeply hurt Serena. She had no choice but to be half-vampire, and she was not a demon or a predator. Was Drake correct—had he been given a gift?

Brookshire and his wife, and his brother—none of them were brutal and evil.

Jonathon realized that though he was a vampire, he still felt as a mortal man. He felt love, he had a conscience.

Drake was right. And in his thoughts, he admitted it.

Of course I am,
Drake crowed.

Gentlemen, behave!
Serena frowned. She put the book down once more.
My choice is very
simple.
I want to become a vampire. To be with you and Drake.

To Jonathon’s heart-wrenching delight, she bent over and kissed the head of his erect cock.

Her tongue swirled the head, and pleasure knifed through him as she made the most ecstatic sounds, as though she loved the taste of him.

She lifted and gazed at both him and Drake with great seriousness. She pulled off her shift. “I want you to change me,” she said. “It has to be both of you. That’s my destiny. To be turned by you both, to love you both. The power of a love shared by three.”

I want your change to be an act of pleasure,
Jonathon promised.
Of love.

This is how it should be,
Drake agreed.
A beautiful woman with the two men who will pleasure
her beyond her wildest dreams.

Jonathon gently eased her onto her back, his arms around her. Drake planted his face between Serena’s smooth thighs. With a laugh, Drake murmured,
Now what was I about to do before I was
so rudely interrupted? Ah yes, devour this delicious cunny.

Drake licked and suckled with slurping abandon, while Serena moaned and writhed. Lust surged through Jonathon at the playful scene, and he bent to kiss her. Once again, she delighted and astonished him with her natural sensuality as she stroked between his arse cheeks and played with his anus.

Gently, her finger dipped in, her nail lightly scratching his puckered skin.

God, yes.

She groped his ballocks and teased his arse, laughing in delight at his hoarse groans, while Drake feasted on her. He could imagine the tastes teasing Drake’s tongue—salty, sweet, delectably ripe.

We could fight to claim her,
Drake suggested, then returned to her lush, wet quim.

Absolutely not!
she cried.

Jonathon could barely think.
If we change her together, we will both be bonded to her—

Swift’s voice, deep and suddenly serious, came to him in his thoughts.
Are you willing to do
that, Jonathon? Willing to commit to three in the bed?

I’m willing to try anything you gentlemen are
, Serena replied saucily.

Jonathon caught the wicked gleam in his partner’s eye. He still wasn’t certain he could share Serena with Drake for eternity, but he promised,
I’m willing to try.

Well, then
, Drake suggested,
let us begin by filling you with our hard cocks.

Serena loved this—gripping two male derrieres. Squeezing, stroking, letting her fingers delve in the damp valleys between their tight cheeks. She loved the naughty scent. Their hoarse groans were so unbearably sexy, music she could hear forever. She loved to hold two enormous cocks. So different, but both designed to give exquisite pleasure.

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Strange how it felt as natural as breathing to lie between Jonathon and Drake and toy with their cocks! She loved them both—loved them both so very much.

Jonathon pushed Drake’s shoulder.

Bloody hell,
Drake protested, and he pushed back.

Gentlemen!
she cried again.
Will I forever be acting as peacemaker?

Two deep, throaty male laughs surrounded her. Drake’s hand slapped gently against Jonathon’s rear. She caught her breath at sight of a large, undeniably masculine hand on another man’s rump and moisture rushed to her cunny.

It’s time, my love.
Drake’s voice was soft in her mind.

Serena shut her eyes, fisted her hands into the wrinkled sheets, and prepared for pain.

Sweetheart, there is no pain. Relax for me,
Drake urged, but he grasped the neckline of her shift, tore it with one sudden motion that sent her heart hammering against her rib cage.

Swift—
Jonathon spoke in their shared thoughts with impatience.

Drake grinned.
I didn’t mean to destroy it. But I want to enjoy the treats within.

Serena laughed as he opened the torn garment and exposed her. His blond head bent to her breast; his tongue lapped at her nipple. She loved the wet, swirling caress.

Jonathon bent to her other breast, and she cried out. Both men’s cocks brushed her bared thighs as their fingers caressed her everywhere—stroking her cheeks, her jaw, gliding down her neck, teasing her breasts, then skimming her belly, making her quiver, as their hands coasted toward her quim.

She craned her neck to see—to watch their lips at her nipples, their hands sharing the hot space between her thighs. Drake’s fingers slid down to her passage, to the heat and wetness, while Jonathon let his fingers toy with her clit. Oh!

You are completely loved, Serena,
Drake assured.

But she felt strange. Uncertain. As though she were in a dream. And she let her eyes drift closed, the way she had in her first love affair. As though she was not quite taking part, even as she enjoyed every naughty pleasure.

I love you.

It was Jonathon’s simple words that made her eyes open.

He was leaning over her, smiling, his eyes both tender and hot with desire. Serena turned to Drake. He grinned, his lips soft and beautiful, his fangs curved and deadly.

She closed her eyes again—she was born to be vampire but too afraid to watch the moment of the bite. Drake’s hair feathered her cheek as he pressed his lips to her neck—

Jonathon kissed the base of her throat, slid his mouth around. Drake’s fangs brushed her skin at the left, Jonathon on the right.

You will have to bring me to the point of death.
She tried to sound courageous.

Ssh,
Drake warned.
Carnal delights first.

Cradling her hip, Drake rolled her onto her side, and she stretched her arm beneath her head, her hair spilling around her. Jonathon eased her torn shift down her arm. He gave a sexy, lopsided smile that melted her heart, and he kissed her bare shoulder.

Drake was skimming down her body—his tongue traced her spine from shoulders to the small of her back. She gasped as warmth and wetness dipped in the sensitive hollow and swirled there.