Caressed by Shadows (Rulers of Darkness Book 4) (7 page)

He had left his blood because she needed to heal. It wasn’t an invitation or meant to entice. He was only trying to help, to do the right think. Like always. Even now, he was out, braving the rays of the sun searching for a place she can feed safely.

But, if she accepted his offering she would be taking an enormous risk. Hunger could consume her, making her a slave to the demon that dwelled within her.

She turned to the sink. Squeezing her eyes shut, she blindly flipped the water on and poured his gift down the drain. She refused to open her eyes until the delicious scent of him disappeared.

With a peek, she shut the water off. Her entire body quaked; her fingers trembled uncontrollably, her heart raced, and her throat burned. Deprived of nourishment the demon was enraged. It screamed for her to find Falcon, to hunt him down despite the sun.

“Ridiculous.”

She was behaving like a junky, feigning for a fix.

Sonya forced herself to return to the bed, her legs weak, and her body heavy. She pulled back the sheets and crawled in. She tried to clear her mind and prepare for the death like sleep she needed to heal, but it didn’t come.

Her thoughts whirled, a restless circle.

When would Falcon return? How was he able to walk in the sunlight? She prayed he wouldn’t run into any hunters since she was unable to help him. She would burn to ash. Then her thoughts would loop around to her hunger and
his
blood. The tempting aroma still assaulted her sense. What would it be like to feel his strong pulse beneath her lips?

God, I hope he’s all right.

Sonya sighed as her mind made the track back around.

The sun was nearing the center of the sky by the time she fell into a dreamless sleep. Her last thought, how would she find the strength to resist her sexual attraction to him and her craving to taste him?

*
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Falcon silently closed the door of the hotel room. Although, he could have slammed it shut and Sonya would continue to sleep undistributed. She was in a deep, healing sleep.

It was past noon and, admittedly, he had stayed away longer than necessary. For the past two hours, he had sat on a park bench, his mind plagued with thoughts of the slumbering Queen. He was relieved to have her back. The witches had deprived her of blood and, judging by the stillness of her heart and lungs, she hadn’t slept since her abduction. He was impressed by how she was handling the situation. Most vampires her age would be crazed by bloodlust, falling victim to their survival instincts, their demon coming to the fore. She seemed to have control of the vampire. Sonya was strong and powerful beyond her years.

Falcon set the bags he carried on the floor beside the sofa. Glancing toward the kitchen he noticed the glass that had contained his blood was empty.

His shaft began to harden at the thought of Sonya taking his blood.

Had she drank it?

He crossed to the bed. She lay on her back, making it impossible for him to inspect her wound. If she had taken his offering, the bullet wound would be gone.

Kneeling down, he brought himself eye level with the sleeping queen. Though she displayed no traditional signs of life, such as a pulse, her head was slightly tilted to the side. Though she did not breathe, her skin was softly tanned and her pink rose lips were moist. He brushed her hair away from her face and tucked it gently behind her ear, revealing the slender curve of her neck.

His lonely heart warmed and beat with pride. She was wearing his clothing. His scent cloaked her.

As it should.

He shook his head at the absurd thought.

It wasn’t as if he deserved her.

How could he have not noticed she had been injured?

He should have scented the gunpowder or her blood. Had he been so consumed with getting them to safety to notice? Or was it his sexual attraction that clouded his judgment?

Either way, there was no excuse; he should have known Sonya was wounded.

I should never have come after her,
he thought. 

Sonya was a queen amongst his people, but she was not his queen. His allegiance is to Hadrian Lucretius, the Chieftain of the Validus Clan. He had abandoned his king and his clan in a time of need to chase down a woman he could never and would never have.
 

Ashamed, he turned away.

What would his clan think of him? More importantly, what were Hadrian’s thoughts and feelings towards his brash actions? His king had only just returned and, though his condition had improved immensely, Hadrian remained on the edge of madness.

Falcon scrubbed his face with his hands as he walked back to the living area. With a heavy exhale; he collapsed back onto the sofa.

His head hung low, he rubbed his brow. Falcon prayed he hadn’t disappointed his king.

For centuries, Hadrian had been his leader, his mentor, his brother in arms, and his closest friend. Unbeknownst to all, Hadrian had found him on the brink of death and granted him immortality. On that day, Falcon had sworn his fealty to Hadrian; he would proudly trade his soul for his king. Yet, he had abandoned his post at his king’s right hand to rescue a queen of another clan.
 

“I’m sorry, Hadrian,” Falcon whispered to the silence.
 

He would never know what compelled him to turn his back on his duties.
 

When Gwendolyn had announced Sonya’s abduction, something ins
ide him snapped. His only thought, his only focus and purpose was to bring her home.

Rage had exploded within him a force unlike any he had ever felt before. It turned his blood to acid and as the hours turned to days and the day into weeks, the rage corroded his honor, attacking his loyalties until all he could think of was Sonya. And he needed to call Hadrian. He had to report in, let everyone know he had located the queen and that Sonya was now in his possession.

A short laugh escaped him as he shook his head. Sonya Rebane, Queen of the Voidukas Clan would never be in his possession.

Chapter Five

As if struck by lightning, Sonya’s pulse spiked. Air rushed into her lungs, causing her chest to rise and fall. Her body flushed with the warmth of life as her eyes fluttered open.

She shot up, the sheets falling to her waist. Her body ridged, her senses flaring, her eyes warily scanned the hotel room. Memories of the night before tumbled through her mind. She was no longer a prisoner. She was safe and― her wild gaze fell upon the knight― she was with Falcon.

Sonya leisurely stretched, releasing the alarmed tension that had stiffened her muscles. She reached her arms over her head, pointed and the wiggled her toes.

“Welcome back to the realm of the living,” Falcon said from his perch on the couch.

He was hunched over, his shoulders about his ears as he diligently broke down and cleaned his guns, laying the pieces out on the coffee table.

Sonya slipped from the bed.

“Did you rest?” she asked as she began to comb her fingers through her hair.

“A little. I got you some stuff while I was out. We can’t have you wearing my bulky clothes until we get you home.”

Sonya blinked, speechless. He had bought her clothes?

She quickly crossed to the bags, snatched them up and returned to the bed to sift through all the goodies.

“I hope they fit,” he mumbled, his gaze remaining on his task.

She took up the first bag. A pair of dark washed skinny jeans along with an assortment of cute tops in various colors tumbled out.

“I, ah, also bought some undergarments for you.”

Sonya frowned as she picked through the remaining bags. She found no bras or panties.

Falcon cleared his throat and bent his head even lower.  “I took the liberty of washing…them and hung them up to dry in the bathroom.”

Sonya felt the hot blush creep up her neck to color her cheeks. Falcon had hand washed the bra and panties he had also hand picked. She found herself loving the idea that he would know exactly what she wore beneath her clothes. She also couldn’t hold back the smile that curled her lips. She could only imagine what Falcon looked like roaming the lingerie section.

“Thank you, this is all really thoughtful,” she said.

He mumbled something and she bit back a laugh.

“I also found a club where you can feed.”

Sonya’s good humor vanished, instantly replaced by an overwhelming burn. Hunger. The vampire within her strained against its chains, her fangs descended, her vision wavered as the demon surged for control.

“I checked it out last night right before sunrise and it should be safe enough, as long as we don’t stay long. I booked you a private room. The less people who know you are there the better,” Falcon explained.

Sonya swallowed, her mouth and throat suddenly dry, and when she spoke her voice was as rough as sand paper, “Are the people willing?”

Falcon’s hands paused. “The bleeders are well taken care of and provided protection. I was informed that every mortal goes through an extensive background check and are seen by physicians every month. They are also limited to how many clients they can take. Sex is also their choice and cost extras.” Falcon went back to his work. “Gabriel doesn’t keep blood slaves.”

He didn’t have to explain why; she had heard the stories about the blood bastard, Gabriel Erhard. He had once been a blood slave, changed into a vampire against his will so that his Madame could keep him forever.

Now, slavery was illegal amongst the clans, but many within the outcast society still practiced the horrific tradition. But knowing the humans were well taken care of made her feel a little less like a parasite.

During her early years as a vampire, she had fought the urge to feed until the itch of madness set in, weakening her will and allowing the vampire within her to overpower her. She would gorge herself, taking from whom ever crossed her path, the demon showed no prejudice when it came to gender or age.

Sonya swallowed the bile that climbed her throat as the vampire within her growled as unwanted images of the past fluttered through her mind. She knew well what bloodlust could drive her to do and tonight, she would need to be vigilant. Her stomach grumbled, her limbs felt heavy, yet her senses were on high alert and she could hear the heart beats of the mortals within the building; they played like a haunting melody call
ing to her primal instinct.

Would one bleeder be enough? Or would she need a score or more?

There was no telling. She could politely take from the mortal and leave them unharmed, no worse for wear. Or― her fingers began to tremble ― she could kill them and demand more.

“Get a grip,” she chided herself.

Falcon would never allow her to fully vamp out. He would make sure she didn’t go on a murderous rampage. The thought soothed her nerves. She took up another bag and found shoes. A pair of sleek black pumps, a set of flat, knee-high lace up boots and lastly, fuzzy slippers.

Sonya rummaged through the clothes and selected a figure flattering, purple dress and the sexy stilettos to match.

She resisted the crazy urge to skip to the bathroom. This was
not
a date. Falcon was taking her to some underground club so she could feed. They weren’t going to dinner and a show. And she couldn’t forget about the witches that were no doubt out in force, searching for her. Yet, she still had to force herself not to imagine how a date with Falcon would end.

She dressed quickly and arranged her hair as best she could. She pulled the front back away from her face, twisting the pieces into a delicate braid, leaving the bottom half of her hair to tumble down her back. She was surprised to find Falcon had purchased a few make-up items. She only used eyeliner, mascara, and lip-gloss.

Before she headed back out, she gave herself a once over in the mirror. Meeting her own gaze, she whispered, “This is so not a date and I will not kill anyone tonight.” She smiled at her reflection, allowing her fangs to elongate. “With the exception of Red Order hunters.”

Sonya threw open the door and strutted over to the couch.

“Ready,” she announced, placing her hands on her hips.

Falcon holstered his guns and stood.

“I’ve got something else for you.”

“Sweetheart, my look is complete. Unless you want to strap me with a gat.”

He chuckled. She rarely used slang even though she thoroughly enjoyed it. Blending with the times was an art form, every vampire had to hone their craft.

He pulled a black leather sheath from his duffle bag that rested beside the couch.

Sonya took the knife he offered, her fingers wrapped easily around the hilt. Her heart clenched as she pulled the weapon free.

Her eyes foolishly misted over with tears. Swallowing the lump that suddenly formed in her throat, she asked, “Where did you find this?”

“Embedded in the skull of a hunter. I came across it when I surveyed the scene of your…abduction.”

Sonya slipped the blade back in its sheath. She thought she would never see her father’s hunting dagger ever again. But Falcon had recognized the blade and saved it for her. He had even carried it with him for three weeks as he searched for her.

God, the knight was just too much. She blinked the tears away. “Thank you, Falcon.”

Unfortunately, there was no comfortable way for her to conceal it beneath her skintight dress. She replaced the blade in its sheath, kissed the hilt and gently set it on the coffee table.

She smiled. “Let’s go clubbing. I’ve been on my best behavior ever since I made my vows and accepted the crown. And I’m in need of a seriously good time.”

Red velvet lined the walls of the hallway, sensuous and erotically inviting. Hypnotic rock music thundered through the club. Wisps of smoke curled about the dance floor where half naked women moved along with the music as if in a trance. Their bodies were draped with shimmering red light, tinting their skin, darkening their hair and lips.

Shadows hugged the walls, disguising the numerous alcoves where patrons could sneak away. The sound of grunts and moans were faint and went unnoticed by those without enhanced hearing. Sonya glanced toward one corner, her superior vision allowing her to see perfectly, she discovered a man dressed in black leather was pounding into a very enthusiastic woman. The scent of sex mixed with the heady aroma of liquor and sweat.

Sonya thought this could easily become her kind of place, an escape from the strangulation of the hypocritical vampire high society. The pricks that served as her council were extremely old fashioned. It was considered unseemly for royalty to attend an establishment of this sort.

The Black Knight had led her down the narrow, red hall and metal stairs to the common area of the club. There were two bars, one flanking each of the right and left walls, and a raised dance floor situated in the center. Booths and alcoves claimed the remaining space. Glancing up, she noted the one-way mirror windows that rimmed the second floor. She assumed those were the private rooms Falcon had mentioned earlier.

Tonight, she had every intention of adapting the “what happens in Vegas” logo to “what happens in London, stays in London.”

Her gaze raked over the tall, sexy vampire at her side.

He walked with purpose, a man with a dangerous mission and a deadly destination, yet another thing she loved about the Black Knight.

Falcon leaned down. “Want a drink?” he asked, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered.

She suppressed a shiver and nodded.

Normally, she wouldn’t accept a drink, but tonight? Hell, yes! Her nerves had gotten the better of her on their way here. She had hoped Falcon wouldn’t notice her trembling fingers or the wild glint that had sparked in her eyes when a group of stumbling, drunk girls had passed them on the sidewalk. Easy prey.

Placing his hand on the curve of her lowe
r back, Falcon guided her past the dance floor to the bar on the right.

Liquor bottles of all kinds glowed various shades of red atop the glass shelves, while the bar top shimmered and glimmered
like flowing lava beneath a sea of cool crystal.

“I.D.” the bartender barked when they approached, his eyes fixed on Sonya.

She smiled sweetly and her eyes slowly fading from shimmering gold to demonic black as her fangs elongated.

The bartender nodded. “What will it be?”

“A shot of Silver Moon,” she answered.

Falcon ordered nothing. One of them needed to be sober and sharp.

“When is my…appointment?”

“Fifteen minutes.”

She tossed back the liquor, enjoying the way it burned her throat. Silver Moon was the only liquor that could get a vampire drunk and only the Mylonas Clan knew the recipe. Those vampires had the market cornered.

“Let the fun begin.”

She flipped her hair over her shoulder and fixed Falcon with a bold stare. Closing the awful distance between them, she slipped her hands up his chest.

Falcon didn’t push her away and he didn’t remove her hands. Instead, he leaned into her touch.

Peering up at him, she asked, “Will you dance with me?”

His hands came up to her shoulders. Sonya tensed, preparing for him to set her aside, but he brought her hard against him. Spears of pleasure shot through her at the contact. Her breasts pressed against his unyielding chest.

“If you would like to dance, then we shall dance.”

His fingers ran down her arms, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake.

Sonya clasped his hands in hers and led him to an open spot on the red-cloaked dance floor.

Falcon broke her hold and whirled her around before snatching her back to him. Their bodies came together in a rush. She wrapped her arms around his neck, getting as close as she could. Sonya knew this was a stolen moment, never would he hold her like this again.  And she was going to take advantage of this night.

She straddled his leg, his thigh pressing against her core as they began to sway along with the music.

The knight surrounded her. He radiated savage strength and vitality. He was big, his shoulders wide and he made her feel small, delicate, and beautiful. No man had ever made her feel that way. She was tall, gangly, with odd colored eyes. When she had been human, she had doubted her fiancé had found her attractive. As a vampire the males only saw her as a key to potential power.

Falcon’s hands slipped down her back to grip her hips. God, she wanted to feel those strong fingers all over her body. His soft exhalations fanned across her cheek. Every movement brought them closer. His thigh rubbed against her aching center and she felt his shaft, hard and long press against her abdomen.

Sonya surrendered to the moment and the ecstasy laced sensations that coursed through her veins. She tilted her head back. Falcon’s intense molten silver gaze sparked with need. Her breath hitched. His eyes revealed long suppressed desire, dark fantasies that would drive any woman
wild.