Blood Rose (41 page)

lovely features relaxed.

Save her,
Eve urged,
so that she may rule at my side. Rule as a queen of vampires.

Jonathon placed his hand on top of Drake’s, the man who had been his partner, who had made him vampire, whom he had trusted with his life. Could the power of a love shared between three save Serena’s life? He prayed it could.

Was he saving her to lose her to Eve? Who would Serena choose? He and Drake, or the mother she had always longed to have.

He bent to her cheek and kissed her.
I love you, Serena.

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Drake touched Serena’s face, kept his hand pressed to her heart.
I love you.
His chest felt it as though it were trapped under stone, as if he were buried alive. Was love powerful enough? He’d never believed in love before finding Serena.

I love you.

Hell, was
his
love powerful enough? Was he worthy to save the life of the woman he adored?

He had lost one woman and he had lost his child. He would give anything for Serena—if he had a soul he would gladly give it away to save her life.

His knees sinking in the grass and dirt, Drake bent to Serena’s lips, as though he could revive her with a kiss—and he collided with Jonathon’s head.
Bugger you, Sommersby,
he snarled, his possessiveness rising, but he moved back and let Jonathon kiss her first. A love shared between three…he had to accept it to save her.

Jonathon brushed a soft kiss to Serena’s lips. Stunned, Drake saw a faint glimmer of a tear shining in the other man’s eyes. He had seen hollow emptiness in Sommersby’s eyes before—the night he had lost his fiancée, Lilianne, to a vampire—but Sommersby had not shed a tear that night.

Not even after he had been forced to stake her. In that moment, Drake saw the depth of Jonathon’s love for Serena.

Drake’s own eyes burned. He fought not to cry as Jonathon sat back and gave him his chance to gently kiss Serena’s soft, warm, motionless lips. Men—Christ Jesus, especially vampire males—

should not give in to maudlin emotion.

He nuzzled the warm skin of her neck, inhaling sweetness. He’d lost his soul, but that was nothing compared to the heartbreak of fearing he’d lost her—

Drake? Jonathon?

Drake jerked up and gazed at Serena as she blinked her eyes open. Her brows dipped as she looked up at him.
You’re safe. Thank heavens! And Jonathon—?

Safe also, my love. Ashcroft is gone.
On her opposite side, Jonathon took her hand in his.
We
saved her life together, Swift. We are committing to loving her together.

Hell.
Drake glanced back to Serena, to smile at her beautiful eyes; then he faced the man he’d once envied for being a gentleman.
I’m willing
.

As am I,
Jonathon answered.

Lift her.
Drake fought the pain in his heart as he asked Jonathon to do what he wanted to do—

pick up Serena and hold her to his heart. He had to prove he could share her.

Jonathon scooped Serena into his arms. Her torn pelisse and gown gaped open at her chest.

There was no wound anymore, no sign of dirt, just healthy, soft pink skin. Her breast was exposed, soft and plump, the nipple puckered.

Assured Serena was safe, Drake spun to face her mother. He would cut the woman down before he would allow her to take Serena from him—

He stopped, hands raised. No, he wouldn’t. It would hurt Serena too deeply. He would do what Serena wished, because he loved her so much.

But as he confronted the beautiful vampiress who looked so much like Serena, Drake reeled back in astonishment.

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A tear raced down Eve’s cheek—legend had it that vampire queens had no emotions at all—but Eve glowed with love as she smiled at her daughter, still nestled in Jonathon’s arms.

“You have love, my daughter,” she murmured. “Something I have never known. These men have proved their worth. I wanted you to help me, to help me deliver vengeance upon men, but I cannot demand that of you when you have known true love. I do not have the power to take you from such a strong bond. Your magic will be stronger than mine, with strength born of love.”

“What do you mean?” Serena asked from against Jonathon’s big chest. The sound of her voice, growing stronger, sent warmth and hope and joy through Drake. But deep hurt showed in Serena’s eyes. “You wanted me only for my power? To use me for vengeance? And what of Ashcroft, were you going to give me to him?”

Eve shook her head, defiance in her silvery gaze. “A lie believed by an arrogant man. He wanted immortality.”

“You killed him.”

“Oh no, Serena. I have given him immortality—in banishment. A man should be careful what he wishes for.”

But Eve, to Drake’s surprise, hung her head in humility. “I made a mistake, Serena,” she said.

“A mistake when you were born. I wanted only to be free of you. You, of course, can never forgive me. Let me embrace you. Let me help you welcome the rest of your power.”

Jonathon lowered Serena to her feet, kept his arm around her. Drake moved to her side.

“Trust me,” Eve urged.

Serena nodded, but Drake held her hand as Eve came to her, as Eve embraced her and chanted mystical words. “Retreat, gentlemen,” she commanded. Drake refused, as did Jonathon, until the golden glow surrounding the women forced them to. The huge, monolithic stones shook; the ground undulated. The trees around them whipped, and birds screeched as they flew to the sky.

Drake gripped the stone beside him and hung on for his life. He saw Jonathon plastered against another, hanging on. Would the earth open and swallow them both up?

The forces stopped so suddenly Drake clung to stone to avoid falling. Eve released Serena.

“You have embraced your power, daughter. I will leave you now—”

“Mother, no.” Impulsively, Serena reached out.
“Stay. I can understand the fear of having a child—I have experienced it. I don’t…I don’t want to lose you again.”

Drake was touched to his heart by Serena’s capacity to forgive and to love.

Eve stepped back, into the shadows cast by the standing stones. “I must leave, Serena. Dawn is coming, and there is one more task your men must complete to ensure you heal completely. They must make love to you tonight. For the mystical power of sex will mend you. I will come to you again—in time. You will need to learn to control your power; you will be summoned to take lessons from me and the other vampiresses. They have bid me to help you…and I thank them for allowing us to be together.”

Drake’s heart ached as he saw Serena’s mother smile lovingly at her daughter.
I thought you
would hate me,
she admitted.

Gently, Serena shook her head, and Eve embraced her once more. “You, my child, are unique amongst vampires. That is why Lukos desired you—for you were born of the first union of angel and vampire.”
She released Serena and stepped back.

“Angel and vampire! Wait!” Serena cried.

But Eve vanished.

Drake slid her arm around Serena’s waist, and Jonathon let him have his turn to hold her close.

“I don’t understand,” she murmured. “I was fathered by an angel. I cannot believe it.”

“I’ve always known you are an angel, little lark,”
Drake said.

Large, luminous, Serena’s eyes met his. Drake’s heart soared as she reached for his hand. She Blood Rose ©Sharon Page 2007 Email: [email protected] 175

also slipped her hand into Jonathon’s. “Now, shouldn’t we make love?”

Above her, the moon winked from behind a blue wisp of cloud and Serena winked back as she lay back on the altar stone. Jonathon and Drake’s greatcoats provided comfort from the hard, smooth stone. How did one pose to look like a most willing sacrifice for exotic sexual rites?

Wantonly, she parted her legs, hitching up her skirt. Then she laughed. She was a true vampiress now, capable of the most amazing feats. She was free of Lukos, safe from Ashcroft, and she now had a mother.

Serena shut her eyes. She thought of the night sky, rich and black. She thought of air, of soaring, of wings open wide to embrace the wind—

Drake. Jonathon. She saw them both. Saw them change, and then return to human form, naked and beautiful beneath the moonlight. In the blink of her eye, she joined them and her clothes fell to the ground. One instant she was a bat, spreading her wings in the fresh, cool midnight air, the next she reclined on the altar, determined to spread her wings in another way.

She let her hands cover her nether curls and her breasts, and suggested shyly,
I know that both
of you men care deeply for each other. And I know you lust for each other—vampires do.

Jonathon immediately reddened, but his cock betrayed him—it jolted upward, his juices glistening on the tip.

Drake’s grin widened. He stood in an intimidating stance, legs spread, erection pointing at the night sky.
What are you suggesting, my love?

“I want you to play together. To pleasure each other,” Serena whispered. “No pleasure should be barred to us.”

“You won’t be hurt?” Jonathon asked.

She smiled at his frown. “I want this. It would be…erotic.” Though it was also humorous to watch the men awkwardly face each other. Their hands collided, and they parried around each other like clumsy dance partners. But, bathed in moonlight, their bodies sculpted into planes of blue-silver and dark shadow, they were beautiful. Then Drake planted a hot, sensuous kiss on Jonathon’s wide, hard mouth, their cocks bumped, and Serena was lost. Lost in erotic need.

Their pricks rubbed together, each dampening the other. They drew apart from the kiss, linked by a silver trail of saliva between their mouths and a glistening bridge of juice between their cocks.

Serena slid her fingers to her aching cunny, down through her wet curls. The men stroked each other, Drake’s hands coasting down Jonathon’s hard stomach and Jonathon caressing the silvery curls on Drake’s chest. Serena tweaked her clit as four male hands grappled with two pricks and four dangling balls. When they joined for another kiss, they ground their cocks together, merging pale curls with dark.

And then, like true men, they wrestled. Drake began, trying to force Jonathon to turn. Drake wanted Jonathon’s arse. A river of juice soaked Serena’s hand as she played with her cunny—

mesmerized. But Jonathon rebelled, fought back, and both men tumbled to the ground. They snapped with fangs, jerked cocks—their own, each other’s—and clutched each other’s arse. They panted and grunted but didn’t speak.

She perched on the edge of the altar, pinching her left nipple and languorously rubbing her clit.

How she ached to come…but she wanted to last…to build her pleasure.

Jonathon flipped Drake onto his back, the slimmer man landing heavily into the dirt, arms wide and legs spread. Leaping on top, Jonathon ruthlessly thrust his cock at Drake’s closed mouth. His own mouth wide, he lunged to Drake’s rod.

Serena’s heart ceased to beat and she hovered on the brink of climax. Would he bite—the way she had?

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Heavens, no. He licked. Long, glistening, pink, Jonathon’s tongue slicked along Drake’s shaft.

Drake opened his lips and let Jonathon’s cock sink in. The whole long, thick length of it disappeared. Jonathon thrust slowly, lifting to watch his cock vanish into Drake’s mouth. It must be going all the way down his throat, for Drake’s lips now touched Jonathon’s coarse pubic curls.

Take me deep, Sommersby
, Drake urged.

I want to fuck your face, Swift
, Jonathon answered, and he gobbled up Drake’s member. The slurping of their fierce suckling filled Serena’s thoughts. Her body tensed, her clit was aching and swollen, and she wanted to come…

Enough!
Jonathon released Drake and rolled off his partner.

Laughing, Drake levered up on his elbow, and he wrapped his hand around his thick, heavily veined shaft. He clutched tight so the head swelled and reddened, like a large, juicy plum.
Join us,
Serena, love.

Shakily, she jumped down from the altar stone and padded across damp, cool grass. All around bare branches creaked and clattered in the breeze. She should be freezing, but aching desire kept her skin hot.

She felt safe. Safe and free.

Drake got to his feet first, drew her to him, and captured her mouth. His fingers delved into her quim, stirring, stretching.
You are so wet, so ready for us. Tonight, on this special night,
Drake whispered in her thoughts,
we should do something very naughty.

Anticipation whirled through her like a maelstrom.
What could be naughtier than what we’ve
already done?

Jonathon, lying on his back on the rich earth, gave her a shrug.
I cannot imagine, Serena, love.

His large hands slicked his juices and Drake’s saliva along his thick shaft, over the prominent veins, up to the swollen head. His heavy balls dangled between his muscled thighs.

She was molten between her legs, barely able to stand. As Drake slid his finger into her quim, she locked her gaze with Jonathon’s hungry, intense stare. Oh, this was magic indeed.

Drake’s finger drew out, with a suction sound that made her blush. Gently, he fingered the bridge of skin between her quim and her anus. His naked cock poked her bottom.

He helped her lay down in the velvety soft grass, and Jonathon rolled to her right side. Drake lay down at her left. Under partly closed lids, she saw Jonathon’s large, elegant fingers trail down to her black nether curls.

Jonathon rested his hand on her mound, palm hard against her clit so her surprised squirming gave her jolts of toe-curling pleasure. Two of his large fingers slid into her soaking passage, thrusting lazily in and out. Then Jonathon slid his finger out, and Drake’s finger slid in so quickly she caught her breath.