Dare to Believe (14 page)

Enough of the binding energy still surrounded him, however, that her hand got no closer than an inch before she pulled it back with a cry of pain. “Damn it to hell!” Angry red spots appeared on her fingertips as she hunched over her hand.

Leo shrugged. “I told you. My bondmate doesn’t like to share.” Leo stepped back, putting some distance between him and the seething woman before him. “And neither do I.”

“We’ll see about that.” Cullen totally forgotten, Leo stared at the woman he was rapidly coming to realize was his true adversary. She straightened up, a slow, sleepy smile crossed her face. “Perhaps I can change your mind.”

“I don’t think so.” Leo’s gaze was steady. He watched her smooth the skirt of her dress, her poise once more in place.

“We’ll see.” She turned to Cullen, her eyes once again serene. “Father?”

Cullen moved towards his daughter and assisted her into the limousine. “Leo. A pity we won’t be adding you to our family roster.”

“Pardon me if I find myself grateful for the reprieve.”

Cullen’s sour smile was his only answer. The Malmaynes drove away from the farm, leaving him with a new problem. How was he going to explain what had happened to Ruby? Bonding her had been instinct, the sight of Cullen dragging Ruby away, hurting her, more than he could bear. He turned back to the house, the sight of his mother in the doorway bringing him up short.

“Damn it.” Leo sighed as he realized they hadn’t promised to return Shane.

It wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

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73

Chapter Seven

Jaden Blackthorn was having one of the best nights of his life. He watched the security monitor, nearly cackling with glee. This was better than Buffy reruns. Better than sex!

Scratch that. Even Kaitlynn’s failure and ultimate humiliation isn’t…

Never mind. This
is
better than sex.

Shane Joloun was making a break for it, and fairly successfully, too. The reason it was so successful was the two guards who were supposed to be monitoring Shane’s cell, weren’t.

Shane had managed to conjure up a tire iron and wasn’t afraid to use it. Cold iron in a Sidhe household could be a real bitch. Oddly, the hybrid didn’t seem to be affected by it at all. He was dressed in the dark blue silk Jaden had seen him summon. With leather-soled shoes on his feet he made barely a sound. The hybrid ghosted through the corridors of Malmayne House, taking out anyone who made the mistake of getting in his way.

He winced with faux sympathy as Shane cold-cocked another guard, turning the poor man’s already muddy brains to pure mush.

Cullen and Kaitlynn were going to be
so
pissed when they got home. And Jaden hadn’t had to do a thing other than be quiet. And make sure the power went out on the whole block. Oh, and knock the stupid security guards in the control room out with a tire iron after kicking the door in. Funny, that; using cold iron really didn’t bother vampires. Something the Deranged Darling should keep in mind for the next time she threatened him, if he let her
have
a next time.

Hell, by the time the emergency generator had kicked in, Shane was halfway out of the house.

Jaden kept his thoughts, and his eyes, glued to the monitor and nearly crowed with glee. Beating the two guards and watching the hybrid work had been pure pleasure. Listening to Kaitlynn’s frustrated screams would be icing on the cake.

He stayed long enough to make sure Shane got off the grounds before leaving the security area the way he’d come. He made it back to his room unnoticed by any of the surviving guards. Settling back down on his bed, he finally allowed the laughter he’d been holding back free rein.

Then, hungry, he went out for a bite to eat. He decided on a blonde, finding a lovely little piece of ass just wandering, slightly drunk, out of a bar. He followed her down the street, ready to pull her into a dark alley…

The knife at his throat didn’t scare him. The voice, however, did. “Hello, Jaden.”

Dare to Believe

He swallowed, terrified, as the slender man pulled him into the alleyway. He knew better than to fight.

“Hob.”

He bit back a cry as he was slammed, hard, to the ground. Tendrils of…
something
, broke the concrete pavement to wrap around his body, piercing his skin and pinning him in place through the arms, legs, and abdomen. The pain was excruciating. They pinned him to the ground and he screamed, but he made no sound. The Hob had muffled it.

He looked up through tear-drenched eyes to see the Hob smiling down at him. “Where’s Shane Joloun Dunne?” The Hob asked Jaden the question in the same tone of voice someone would ask where the bathroom was.

“Gone.”

Slender fingers, tipped in black claws, gripped his chin. “Don’t lie to me, Jaden. Not to me. I don’t like it when people do that.”

“He’s gone!”

One slender black claw began tapping against his cheek. “Really?”

He sobbed as the tendrils in his body pulsed, pouring poison into his system, ratcheting the pain up to nearly unbearable levels.

“I’m going to ask you again. Where is Shane Dunne?”

“Gone!”

The Hob shook his head, his eyes closing. “Oh, Jaden. And you were one of my best.” He tsk’d before opening his eyes to reveal Hell.

By the time the screaming died down to low whimpers the Hob had all the answers he needed.

Robin stared down at the sweaty and blood-soaked vampire on the ground. He actually felt some remorse for what he’d done to the man, but he had to be sure Jaden was telling the truth.

He
hadn’t
lied, and now Robin owed him. And the Hob
always
paid his debts.

He started by removing all of Jaden’s memories from the point he’d taken him. No need for him to remember what had been done to him. The wounds would heal on their own. Given enough time, the poisons would pass, the fractures would mend, the cuts and bruises disappearing after a good feeding. But time wasn’t something Jaden had at the moment. If Kaitlynn got her hands on him in this condition, the vampire didn’t stand a chance. And that would be Robin’s fault.

With a sigh the Hob slit his wrist and held it, dripping, to the vampire’s mouth. “Debt repaid.”

He deemed it enough when Jaden’s body began to glow. He was gone in a swirl of dust and wind before Jaden even had a chance to regain consciousness.

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75

Dana Marie Bell

Leo stared down at Ruby, sleeping so peacefully in his bed. She was curled up on her side, her breathing deep and even.

He swallowed. He couldn’t shake off the terror. “It’s been two days. She hasn’t woken up. Not once.”

His mother rested her hand on his shoulder. “Give it time, Leo. It was a very powerful bonding.”

“What if it was too much for her? What if she never wakes up?” He ran his fingers through Ruby’s hair, willing her to wake up.

“She’ll wake up.”

He sat on the edge of the bed, unable to leave his mate’s side even for a moment. “Has a human ever survived a bond this strong?”

His mother’s moment of silence only deepened his fear. “Her body is changing, Leo. Her energies are aligning with yours. She’ll share your lifespan. Some sleep is normal.”

“This much sleep?” He looked up at his mother, pleading with her to reassure him.

Aileen looked away, her eyes closing in pain.

Leo closed his own and prayed.

She’ll be all right. She has to be. Lord, please let her be all right.

Ruby sighed. She tugged at the comforter, frowning when Leo’s butt kept it from moving very far.

Leo jumped up, watching with joy as Ruby snuggled under the comforter. She pulled it up to her chin and settled back down.

He allowed his mother to tug him from the room. “Wake her in a few hours, Leo.” She grinned up at him, some of the worries of the last few days leaving her face. “And then wake her properly.”

He leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek. “I will. Thank you, Mom.”

She nodded and left him to watch over his wife.

The scent of fresh-brewed manna from heaven wafted by her on the morning breeze.

“If you don’t wake up, I’ll drink your coffee.”

The demon’s threat filtered down into her caffeine-deprived brain and she groaned. One hand lifted weakly in the direction the wonderful aroma was coming from.

“That’s it, kitten, open those pretty brown eyes.”

The demon was laughing at her. Ruby opened one weary eye and glared blearily up at the Evil One.

She closed her eyes and groaned.

She could hear him blowing. The scent of the coffee went straight to her nose and filtered into her brain. “Cooo-fffeeeeee. C’mon, kitten, you can do it for coffee, right?”

76

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Dare to Believe

“Gimme.” She lurched up and grabbed the mug, downing the entire contents in one very long pull, ignoring the sting of heat. She then, very precisely, put the mug on the end table and collapsed, all without opening her eyes. She pulled her pillow over her head. “Go ’way.”

Okay. The demon was definitely laughing at her. “If you get up I can get you more coffee.”

She pulled her head out from under the pillow and glared at him some more. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

She sighed, her natural sense of humor waking up. The caffeine moving through her system didn’t hurt, either. “Okay, fine, I’m up.” After a long, languid, full-body stretch she sat up, running her fingers through her tousled hair.

Leo wasn’t laughing any more. His gaze was riveted to her body, watching her stretch with a hungry expression. With a start she realized what kind of a show she was giving him. She also realized for the first time that she was stark naked.

“Oh, no. No, no, no. Not before two cups of coffee, at least.”

“How about a good morning kiss then?”

“Hmmm. All right, seeing as you brought me my coffee.” Ruby screwed her eyes shut and pursed her lips, waiting for his.

She waited.

And waited.

Finally she opened one eye. “What?” she said from between her still puckered lips.

“You’re kidding me, right?”

She bit her lip and tried to look innocent. “No. You asked for a kiss. Did I do it wrong?” She batted her eyelashes and gave him her most fake innocent smile.

“Yes.”

When he pounced she was unprepared. In less than a second she was flat on her back and giggling like a mad woman.

Leo grabbed both of her hands and pulled them over her head. He gathered her wrists in one large hand, pinning her in place with his weight. He nudged her legs apart and settled his body between her thighs. With his free hand he cupped her cheek tenderly. “Now, let’s see about that good morning kiss, kitten.”

She didn’t get the sweet good-morning kiss she’d expected. What she got was a great deal more. Leo shifted his hand from her cheek to her hair and, with a gentle tug, pulled at her head until he’d tilted her enough to satisfy him. Her eyes widened at the dominant gesture. His mouth swooped down to hers, his lips parting hers with all the force of an invading conqueror. When she gasped he took advantage of it, parting her mouth even further with his tongue, tasting her in a primal possession that had her nipples hardening in

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77

Dana Marie Bell

anticipation. His tongue began moving rhythmically, fucking her mouth. She moaned beneath him, all thoughts of playing one game gone, taken over by the thought of playing a much more satisfying game.

The hand in her hair began drifting down, reaching for her breast so slowly she thought she would scream. When he finally palmed the weight of it in his large hand she nearly did scream.

“Mmmm, that’s what I call a good morning kiss.” He whispered the words across her lips. His thumb strummed over her nipple, teasing it even more erect.

Once again her sense of humor got the better of her. “I don’t know. That kind of seemed like an average morning kiss.”

One brow rose arrogantly. “Is that so?”

“Mm-hmm. You’ll have to work at it to turn it into a
good
morning kiss.”

“Oh, a challenge.” His whisper was full of dark hunger, and Ruby shivered, wondering what Pandora’s Box she’d just opened. “I wonder what it would take to make it a
great
morning kiss.”

She shifted, pulling at her hands. She frowned slightly when Leo didn’t let go. “Coffee.”

“I don’t think coffee is what you need, kitten.” His thumb continued to move over her nipple. Ruby decided it was a good thing she didn’t sleep in panties, since they would have been soaked by now. Being held down by him felt surprisingly erotic.

Although I might not want to tell the big Neanderthal that. God knows he gets off on hauling me
around enough as it is.
“Oh, coffee’s good. I could
really
use coffee, Leo.” She looked up at him with hopeful, innocent eyes, all the while laughing inside.

Ruby shivered again. The heated promise in his eyes and smile said she wasn’t going anywhere. “I think I know exactly what you need.”

“What’s that?” The breathy sound of her voice would have shocked her at any other time. But by then, his hand had left her breast and was easing down the length of her body, sending tiny little shivers of need down her spine.

“I think—” his fingers stroked her lower stomach, tracing an erotic pattern that made her breath hitch,

“—you need—” his hand inched its way towards her bared pussy, stroking along the top before delving between the cleft, “—to purr.” One finger inserted itself between her wet lips, stroking her clit so softly she sighed. His head dipped towards her mouth, pausing when she licked her kiss-swollen lips. His eyes flared with otherworldly light. “Purr for me, kitten,” he breathed into her mouth before claiming it.

The light, teasing flicks of his finger over her clit nearly drove her insane. She writhed beneath him, pulling on her wrists, trying to get closer to those teasing fingers of his. He refused to let her go, careful not to bruise her while holding her where he wanted her. He watched her out of hot, glowing eyes, his glamour dropping away from him completely. She bit her lip and moaned beneath him, eager for more of the pleasure he was giving her.