Raven's Desires (Night Hunters) (32 page)

“I don’t know. The demon grabbed him and pulled him into the portal, before it closed again.”

“Where he should be.” Donavan looked at Kristian. “Due to the testimony I free you of all charges and you are now a free vampire.”

Raven saw the smile spread across Kristian’s face.

“But you have to return home,” Donavan quickly added.

“Wait, sir!” Kristian quickly broke in.

Let me explain to my mate what is expected of me. I promise to return home in one week.

You have one week. That’s it.

“Thank you,” Kristian said out loud this time.

“Now, Santiago, what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Well, Levy, I was placed in prison for two hundred years for saying something.”

Donavan lifted an eyebrow at him.

“What did you say?”

“One more word.”

“And you were placed in prison for that?”

“Yes, sir, Arthas abused his powers with me.”

“I see, no need to put you in prison so long for being disrespectful.”

“But I wasn’t…” Shane started speaking but quickly quieted when Donavan looked up from his papers.

“I know you were disrespectful that day, Shane, it’s written here, but two hundred years was a bit extreme. Maybe a month or two, but not that many years.” Donavan looked at Raven then back to Shane. “You are freed, Santiago, but do not underestimate my kindness and think you will do the same to me in the future.”

“I will not, sir.”

“Good. Then this case is now closed. Blackburn and Santiago are now free vampires. You can pick up your items at the front desk. Your cards and cells have been returned. That includes you, little slayer. Kristian, your time is limited, don’t disappoint me.”

“I will not.”

“Next on the agenda step forward.”

Kristian grabbed Raven’s hand, pulling her with him as he left the room. After picking up their packages they all walked outside.

Shane raised his hands as the sun’s ray beat down on him.

“Oh god, I forgot how good the sun feels.”

Kristian lifted a hand above his eyes.

“It feels good to be free.”

“Yes, it does.”

Raven looked at Shane’s hand where Kristian had his tattoo. “Shane?”

“Yes?”

“How are you in the sun? I don’t see a tattoo on your wrist.”

“I have one, see?” Shane showed her his hand. On his ring finger was a tattoo in the form of a ring.

“Neat,” she said.

“Yeah, I got this a long time ago. Much safer than those rings they have now a days.”

“I agree,” Kristian said.

“So where are we going?” Shane asked.

“We, as in Raven and I, need to go spend time together. Alone. You know, without my pain in the ass friend with us.”

“God, I get the hint. I’m going to go talk to Veronica I guess.”

“You do that, and don’t be mean to her,” Kristian told him.

“I will not. I will see you guys later.”

“Later,” Raven finally said.

While they stood in the parking lot Raven had to ask, “What was Donavan talking about with time, Kristian?”

Kristian let out a long sigh. “Nothing that I wish to talk about at this time, love. Let’s go and be happy. We can talk about it later.”

Raven knew Kristian hid something, but she didn’t know what it was. If he wanted to keep it a secret then she didn’t mind. As long as he told her eventually.

* * * *

Veronica grinded her teeth as she wiped down the table. Simon was a bastard. He had come to her last night saying that they would never be able to be together and his family would never approve of a half breed. Well, fuck his family, she didn’t need him in her life.

Simon did promise to keep paying her as long as she worked for him, but they wouldn’t be together again. He claimed he had to take the witch and warlock somewhere to help develop their powers.

The door to the café opened and she growled, pissed that she’d forgotten to lock it when she came inside.

“We are not open yet,” Veronica said.

“I know, I wanted to talk to you,” Shane said softly.

She took a deep breath and slammed the towel down on the table.

“What do you want to talk about? If you are here to yell at me more, I don’t want to hear it.”

Shane moved with vampire speed and stood close to her in a blink of an eye.

Veronica stared into those brown eyes, drowning in them.

“What if I told you…that I love you?” Shane’s voice cracked when he spoke.

Oh how she wanted to believe that he did, but she knew about vampires. They had mates and the moment that Shane found his, he wouldn’t love her anymore.

“I would think you were telling the truth but…I know you have mates now, and we could never be together.”

Shane shook his head.

“What?”

“I
had
a mate, Veronica. A long time ago.” Shane sighed then moved away from her.

“What do you mean?”

“I fucked up, okay?”

Shane paced back and forward as he spoke.

“You are not making sense, Shane.”

“I found my mate over five hundred years ago. She was only five at the time. A human female.”

“Please tell me you didn’t try to…” Veronica couldn’t finish her question.

Shane stopped pacing and frowned at her. “God, I’m a vampire, not a child molester or rapist.”

“Just wondering.”

“I met her and I was going to wait for her to come of age. I should have just taken her away from her parents.” Shane breathed deeply. “Her name was Tiffany Harris. She was so cute, with blue eyes, blonde hair and was very smart. I talked to her a couple times when her mother took her shopping.”

“Her mother let her talk to a stranger?”

“Well no, I had to do mind control on her mother. Tiffany’s first words to me were, I see you in my dreams all the time. That let me know she would be my future mate. Almost twenty years I had to wait and I was going to. I left town for ten years, coming back to visit her on her birthday and Christmas to give her gifts. Then on her sixteenth birthday, her father came home drunk and he shot Tiffany and her mother in the head while they slept, then killed himself.”

Veronica’s hand went to her mouth. “Oh god. Why?”

“No one knows why he did it. They claimed insanity, but he was sane, just evil. Tiffany died that night and I was never the same. I only lived because I didn’t want to forget her.”

Veronica dropped her hands then leaned against the table.

“What about when she was a teen, did she remember you?”

“Yeah, she remembered me all right. At fifteen she tried to get me to take her virginity. I told her that I would wait for her to be eighteen before taking her with me. She was hurt, but she understood. I should have taken her with me then but I didn’t. I was trying to be a good mate and wait.”

Veronica grabbed his hand. “You were, to wait for her as you did.”

“Yes and then fate took her away from me. I went into a deep depression and the few people who talked to me told me that maybe I lived because she would be re-incardinated one day.”

Veronica eyes widened.

“You think I’m your mate?”

Shane looked deep into her eyes. “I noticed something about you the day in the café when we met. I fought the feeling but I slowly fell in love with you. I was going to tell you about it that night when you got off from work, but I was put in prison. The need to mate was there, but I didn’t know if it can be possible that you are my mate. I knew Tiffany was and you…you smell exactly like her. Your voices are exactly the same. The way you giggle. Everything. Even your features are similar. Nose, mouth, body. Just the color of your hair and eyes makes you two different.”

Veronica didn’t know if he spoke the truth or not, but she only felt sexually satisfied when she was with Shane.

“What would have happened if Simon hadn’t turned me? I would have died and you would have lost me, too, after two hundred years.”

Shane framed her face with his fingers. “I tasted your blood and I gave you a lot of mine. Not for a full exchange but just enough to keep you alive for a very long time. Our blood slows down the aging process. A lot. You could have lived for a very very long time.”

Veronica shook her head. “I don’t remember that.”

“Don’t be mad at me, but I erased your memory of it. When I went to prison I knew you would wonder why everyone around you aged and you didn’t, but I knew you would survive.”

“But what about mind to mind? Couldn’t you have talked to me that way and told me what was going on? I wouldn’t have let Simon turn me.”

Shane shook his head. “I tried, but could not. They have a field set up that nothing can get in or out. Or it’s not supposed to
—
somehow Kristian got to Raven one night. I was waiting to be able to write to you. Unlike regular prisons, in Arcadia they let you write a letter after about fifty years. But I felt you were still alive. Each day I could feel you. I was waiting to send someone out to find you and let you know what happened.”

Tears stung her eyes.

“What happens now? I let Simon turn me into a half breed.”

“You have nothing to worry about. My blood was in you first and I can change you into my mate, if you would forgive me for all the mistakes I made.”

Tears rolled down Veronica’s cheek.

“Please don’t cry, Veronica,” Shane said, then reached up and pulled her to him, kissing her passionately.

Shane’s hands were everywhere, touching her, making her body flame, sending her to the point of no return.

It took all her effort to pull away from him when she felt her panties being ripped away from her body.

“Wait…wait…not here, Shane.”

Shane looked at her. His fangs were long in his mouth. He breathed heavy.

“Why not? No one is here but us.”

He leaned and placed a kiss on her neck. His teeth scraped her skin, raising goosebumps on her flesh.

“I know but there’s a camera and someone can walk in.”

Shane bit down on her neck, piercing her skin.

“Shane!” Veronica didn’t know if she was going to ask him to stop or continue.

Shane pushed her back until she sat on the table. When she was in position he fumbled with his pants. It was when she heard his zipper that she thought about anyone seeing them.

“Cameras…Shane.”

Shane lifted his head and raised his right hand. The shades on all the windows dropped and closed. The sounds of the locks sliding into place, making her look at the front door as the shade closed.

Her attention came back to Shane when he pushed deep in her. Shane brought pleasure to her like no other had ever come close to. It didn’t take long before Shane had both of them falling over the edge of pleasure. In the process he bit into his wrist and gave her his blood, changing her into his mate for all time.

“You are mine, forever,” Veronica heard Shane say before her eyes closed.

Epilogue

Raven walked out on the balcony and handed Kristian a glass filled with wine.

“Thanks, baby.”

“You’re welcome. I can’t believe we just took a private jet to Hawaii,” Raven said and sat on the lounger with him.

Kristian set the glass on the table beside them. He wanted to take Raven away from Meadville for a while. She said she had never been to Hawaii. He called the airport for a flight, but they didn’t have one, so he paid for a private jet to get them there quickly. All he wanted to do was relax and forget about what he had to deal with in the future.

“Raven, I have to ask you something,” Kristian said softly.

Raven looked into his eyes. “What is it?”

Kristian stood from the lounger and pulled her up to him. He reached into his pocket and gripped the small case. “I know this is not the way I want to do it, but I love you so much, Raven, and you have made me the happiest vampire ever. I would be honored if you would be my wife.”

Kristian opened the box, letting her see the ring.

Raven opened her mouth as tears flowed down her cheek.

Kristian thought she would say no until she took the ring, nodding her head.

“Yes, I will be your wife.”

Kristian took the ring out the box and slid it on her finger. He pulled Raven to him, kissing her deeply for a moment before pulling back.

“Will you tonight?”

“Tonight what?”

“Marry me.”

“Wha…I…so soon?”

“Yes, baby. I know that women love big weddings and we will have one, I promise you that. I just want you to be my wife, tonight and forever.”