Kathi S Barton - [Aaron's Kiss 04] (18 page)

The surgery was a success, the bullet had been removed, and they were pumping her full of fluids. Thomas Reilly made sure she was in a room where he could get his people there to keep an eye on her. Reilly was a vampire, David knew, but he had others, humans that he trusted to take care of his patients when he couldn’t. He was on hand to make sure Sam got the best care, and when the time was right and she was released from custody, he would see that she was transferred home into Tucker’s care.

David had an officer outside her room to keep her safe. Two armed men in such a short amount of time made him nervous. There was another officer inside the room with her on hand to ask questions when Sam woke up.

He’d had her cuffed to the bed for two reasons. One, she would leave if he hadn’t, he was sure of that, and two, she had shot a man…well, two men.

There hadn’t been any official word yet, but Sam was being charged with first degree murder in the death of Juan Hermendez until all the facts were gathered. No one believed she’d murdered him, but had only been protecting the people in the shop. By all accounts, Sam was considered a hero, and would more than likely have the charges dropped as soon as it went before a judge.

David went home and after being questioned again by his brother, he went to bed.

Just before he closed his eyes, he wondered how she was being located. She had been helping women for some time, David was sure, but over the past few days, she’d had two people try and kill her.

~CHAPTER FIFTEEN~

When Sam finally opened her eyes eight hours after being brought in, she was disorientated and confused. She remembered the shooting, but very little else that happened afterwards. She moved her arm to test the wound, and was surprised to find the pain wasn’t so bad. Her right arm felt heavy, she couldn’t move it, and realized it was in a handcuff.

“How are you feeling?” Tucker moved through her mind like a caress and she had to smile, even for a moment.

“Where am I? Oh my God, the little girl, is she all right? I hurt her, Tucker.” She started to move off the bed and stopped when he spoke again.

“She’s fine, her mother too. Everyone is just fine. You didn’t tell me how you’re feeling, baby. Are you okay?”

“Just peachy, I guess.” She didn’t actually hurt all that badly. “My arm doesn’t feel so bad. Did you have anything to do with that?”

She could feel his grin. “Yeah, a little. The next time you plan on getting shot, I’ll try not to take so much of your blood, that way you’ll heal faster. You know I’ve known you two weeks and you’ve been shot twice. You do live an exciting life, love.”

“I could do with a little less excitement, thank you very much. Why are we mind melding? I can feel you are close.”

“They won’t let me see you but for ten minutes every hour until you wake up, but stay quiet for a little longer.” She felt his tension and nearly asked him when he continued. “I have some things I need to tell you so that you aren’t surprised. Though with your lifestyle, I’m sure it will be old hat. You’re under arrest for now. David seems to think that will go away when it goes before a judge in the morning. Aaron has gotten you an attorney and he is going for justifiable homicide. With all the testimony, it looks good. Sam, I’m sorry. I was so scared when I couldn’t reach you and I yelled at you.

Can you forgive me?”

“Did you?” She tried to remember those minutes after she’d been shot. “I don’t remember. But I didn’t know you would be affected too when I was shot. I’m the one who is sorry. Sara. I remember her shoving a phone in my face. Boy that woman is a piece of work. She really hates me.”

“I don’t think so. She was pretty impressed with how you handled yourself. She sort of has an inside track to people’s minds, I guess, kinda like you do. That’s why you have an attorney through them; she is feeling guilty about her treatment of you.” She felt his hunger then, sharp and hot. “It’s almost time for us to come in. Why don’t you wake up now for them and we’ll be in shortly.”

Sam rolled her head to the left and opened her eyes to the officer in the chair. She had to clear her throat twice before he looked up at her. Officer Mason—this one seemed a little more on top of things—said that she was under arrest pending further investigation. He explained how she was not to leave the state, like she could, shackled to the bed like she was, and about the officer outside. When he had read her her rights, he stepped back to allow her visitors time to see her and he could call Lieutenant Wolff, he told her.

~~~

Marta opened her eyes. Something was different. She reached out in the room and found that one of the humans she had brought in the evening before was dead, the other was nearly so. To her, humans were nothing more than food anyway, cattle. There only for her pleasure and food. She didn’t even bother with trying to remember who or what they were.

Tucker James. He had finally bonded with his mate. Yes, that was what was wrong.

She never thought he’d go through with it. Taking a mate was against her rules. What belonged to her belonged to her until she said otherwise.

Her pet had tried to escape her before and she thought he’d learned his lesson.

Apparently not. Well, it was time to bring him home. And when she did, she would drain his mate just to prove to him who was the boss. Oh yes, Tucker was going to learn his lessons and she would be thrilled to teach them to him again.

Closing her eyes, Marta contacted her minion in Ohio. She smiled at his fear. Fear made blood so much richer than that of mere mortals. She wished suddenly that she was there with this man. Drinking from him now would be all the sweeter.

“I take it she has escaped again. You must know that I’m not pleased with your performance. I said for her to be dead, and dead soon.” She sent him a small dose of her plans for what his failure was going to cost him. She was thinking she might just kill him anyway for being stupid. “When I give an order, there is no room for stupidity. Kill her,” Marta screamed in his mind.

“My lady, she is armed all the time. I’ve sent two of the men she has wronged, but she has taken them both without any problems. And this time there was…”

“There was what? Did Tucker help her? He’d better not have had the opportunity. I told you only during sunlight. If you’ve fucked this—”

“No! No, my lady.” She loved his fear. “It’s during the day, I swear it. Today, as a matter of fact. The news is running it all the time. No, my lady, it was a surge of power.

Magic. More than I’ve ever felt before. More than you have—”

“No one is stronger than me,” she shouted though their link. “I will know who dares to interfere in my work. You’ll find this person and bring them before me. And I’ll...no, it’s time I brought my Tucker home. I’ll be there soon. You’ll make sure that I’m welcomed in the way befitting me.”

The connection closed, but not before she felt his terror. Smiling, she sat back down on her bed, thinking. It was time to bring Tucker home, past time really. He would pay for this, pay for making her angry. And so would that interfering woman he thought to replace her with. No one, not even a mate, would take Marta’s place in Tucker’s life. She had made him. He was hers and hers only.

She rose from the massive bed and summoned someone to come and clean up the mess. Dead bodies were not her problem. Cleaning them up and disposing of them was not her job. She was master. There were plenty more cattle around when she needed them and didn’t give another thought to the dead bodies strewn about the room.

Marta was an older vampire, but not nearly as old as some masters. She had come into her power position by good, old fashioned lying, cheating, and black magic. She had killed more than two hundred mage, witches, and other magical beings and had absorbed their power base. Whenever she felt one enter her territory, or one was close enough, she would hunt them down and kill them. The added strength and energy they gave her kept her strong and feared. She ruled with an iron fist and a heavy hand, killing the strong as well as the weak and smashing the ones who got into her way. She often used sex, or what she considered sex, as a punishment. To her, they were one and the same.

Tucker was hers and she’d have him back. She couldn’t wait to tie him back to her bed. Just thinking about the gorgeous, superbly well-formed man made her wet with need. He could make her come more and harder than anyone else. Yes, it was time to bring him home. She reached out and summoned him, knowing full well that he wouldn’t answer. It was like a game to her, one that she had no doubt she would win.

~CHAPTER SIXTEEN~

Tucker came into her room and went directly to the bed and kissed Sam. He had never been so happy to see anyone in his entire existence. The kiss might have gone on longer had Aaron not interrupted him with a gentle but firm push.

“Hi,” Tucker said. Sam was embarrassed, but he didn’t care. He just realized he loved her, he loved her very much.

“Hi yourself. They said I was under arrest and that I couldn’t leave here.” Sam spoke to the room in general, but kept stealing glances at him. Tucker sat on her bed and pulled her onto his lap. He laughed when she struggled, but he was stronger and she was still slightly weak from all that had happened to her.

“I’m taking care of that,” Aaron told her. “I have hired you a lawyer and he’ll have you released into my custody by tomorrow afternoon. Duncan will come and get you and bring you to my home. We can care for you there, and Tucker will be able to see you.” Tucker hadn’t asked, but apparently Aaron had done so anyway.

“I don’t think so. I have a business to run.” Sam looked at him then at Aaron. “I need to be there. Thanks, but I think under the circumstances, I’d like to be at my home.

Beside, before you make arrangements like that you should really clear it with your...mate? She doesn’t particularly care for me and I’m pretty sure she’d be pissed about me being there. I know I’m not real thrilled about being there.”

“Sara is the one who suggested it. Besides, it’s a moot point. You’re coming and that’s all there is to it.” Tucker nearly laughed at Sam’s expression, but thought he might live longer if he didn’t. “My way is law with my vamps and I can’t care for you or see to your wellbeing if you aren’t close.” Tucker felt Sam tense in his arms and tried to pull her back. He wondered if there would ever be a time when these two got along.

“Does that tone usually work for you? ‘Cause I gotta tell ya, it doesn’t do a thing for me.” Sam sat up in the bed and poked Aaron in the chest with her finger. “I don’t need you or anyone else ‘seeing’ to me. I’m a big girl and have been on my own, taking care of myself for a long time. So, Mr. High and Mighty, fuck off.” Aaron just grinned at her. Even though Tucker didn’t know the master well, he could tell that this particular grin was not one he’d consider friendly. Maybe even a little scary. Sam looked as though she could give as good as she got. Tucker smiled and admitted only to himself that he was very proud of her.

“I see. Well how about this then, Sam it would please me greatly if you were to come and be a guest in our home.” His tone was sugary sweet. “You will need to heal for a few more days. And as you know, you’ve lost a great deal of blood and have been shot twice now. I think it would be very beneficial and wise of you if you were to come so that your mate, Tucker, could be with you and you two could use this time to get to know one another.” He paused, then, “Nah, I like ‘my way is law’ much better. Duncan will be here in the afternoon to collect you. Someone will go to your apartment and pack you a few belongings as well. I am master of this realm and as my newest subject, you will obey.”

Aaron just stared at Sam and before either could say anything to either of them, Tucker felt someone enter his mind.

He stiffened and stood up. He looked around the room as though he felt someone’s presence. He looked at Aaron. Tucker didn’t need to try and figure out who had invaded his mind with an iron fist. Marta. His mind seized up and his heart began to pound. He started to back away from Sam’s bed.

“Stop! What is it? You’ll tell me now, Tuck, is it her? Is she summoning you back?

Answer me, damn it!” Aaron was sounding frantic, but Tucker could barely focus.

“She calls,” Tucker gasped out. “She is demanding that I return to her posthaste.

And that I bring Sam with me. I cannot go, sire, she will kill her. It is forbidden for me to kill my maker and I will if she tries to harm Sam.” Tucker was afraid to look at Sam so he watched Aaron pulled his cell phone out and called Thomas, and then he called to his mate. He needed Sam at the estate immediately and with Sara clouding everyone’s mind, and Thomas taking care of the paperwork, she would be gone within the hour, he told someone over the phone.

“What is it, Tucker, what’s happening?” Sam’s voice was as gentle as her touch.

“Who is she, your wife? I don’t understand what’s happening.” Sam was scared for him. Tucker could feel it. His fear, his hatred for his maker was tangible and he wished again that he had just left when he’d realized what Sam was to him.

“She’s my maker. She turned me. She is calling me back to her side and you with me. It is her right to demand, and I...I don’t...Sam, I cannot take you with me. She will kill you.”

“No one is going anywhere. As soon as Duncan arrives, we’re leaving. And Sam, I’d very much appreciate it if you’d just cooperate. I don’t have time to explain now, but you should know that I will do what I need to keep you both safe. I don’t like doing this, but I will command you if you don’t.”

“You know, asking someone to do something might go a lot longer toward getting cooperation than fucking acting like you’re the only one who can fix things,” Sam snapped. “I’m not stupid and I don’t appreciate you treating me like it.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Aaron took a deep breath. “Please, let’s just get you both at the mansion and we’ll explain everything. Tucker is in trouble and he’s come to me for help. You were an added bonus none of us expected. I swear I will explain things when we are somewhere safe.”

Duncan and the large Hummer arrived thirty minutes later. No one seemed to notice or care that Sam was being escorted out of the building by Tucker, two very large men and one small, dapper man. Colin Larimore, a friend and master of his own realm, had come to help with the escape. Sam was thankfully silent as they moved from hospital to car. But when they got to the house, she started to protest again. Tucker pulled her into his lap.