Robert (2 page)

Robert admired her for stepping closer, but also for being alert. Sophie Ford wasn’t a stupid woman.

“My daughter will be the price for this protection.” Mrs Ford gestured to her daughter, determination dripping from her tone.

Robert could see the mother shaking for the first time since he’d seen her. It wasn’t an act…her daughter left her worried. Her daughter was unpredictable. Interesting.

“Does your daughter know what would be expected of her?” His father was intrigued by the family—Robert could hear it in his voice. Hell, he was intrigued, too—by the woman to whom, only moments ago, he’d referred as a child when speaking to her parents. The first human female to capture and hold his attention in a very long time.

He imagined it was the pure blonde locks. It had been so long since he’d seen natural, beautiful, long, blonde curls. Most of the women he’d met dyed their hair. The smell of the peroxide left a rancid taste in his mouth and the women always looked fake. He wondered if it was as silky as it appeared. The light on her hair gave the impression that the locks would be glorious and full. His fingers tingled to reach out and feel. He cut the impulse off. It wouldn’t do him any good, having her running away from him. Especially when they were about to partake in an intimate binding ceremony.

“The daughter has a name.” When she spoke at last, her voice echoed around the big hall.

He could hear her anger, resentment and defiance, all in that one brief sentence. His body responded to the outburst. All the blood in his body rushed to his dick. If he was alone, he’d take himself in hand and bring about a climax. It was like a beautiful pulse spreading inside his body, lighting up his world and mind. He would willingly have her talk the whole night away. In fact, he would fuck his fist as she whispered sexy, slutty stories to him. Robert shook his head. The woman stood less than three feet away—having sexy thoughts wouldn’t get him in her good books. First, he needed to make sure she agreed to the connection. At least he could say that her voice was pleasing to his ears, even edged with anger.

“Well, then, be kind enough to share it with us,” Robert Valentine senior offered. Robert could tell that his father was amused by the girl’s guts. Very few humans had as much spirit when faced with something so much stronger than them.

“Sophie.”

“Well, does Sophie—”

“Sophie is the one you should be talking to.” Sophie unfolded her arms. She passed her parents, sending them a glare that clearly told them to back off. She moved closer to the centre stage, next to Robert.

Now he could smell her heavenly fragrance. Even her scent was delightful. He could live with this girl. Robert didn’t doubt it. The good thing about being a vampire was the ability to know and make up one’s mind when faced with something like this. It was why they were stronger. They took risks. This woman, he knew in his soul—the little he had, if he even had one at all—was meant for him. He had been taken by her at once, and he wanted her.

He admired her spunk, her beauty and her tantalising voice.

“Excuse me, Miss, but you must deal with respect—”

“With all due respect, sir, I give my respect only to people who have earned it. And since, by definition, a person is someone who breathes, you don’t qualify.”

Gasps of outrage filled the room. If Robert hadn’t been so amused by this little feminine package, he might have gathered the energy to be insulted.

“I could have you killed.”

“You can try—but just like you, I have a lot of backing. Besides, last I heard the humans were looking for any excuse to kick your sorry asses out of this town for good.”

Murmurs of curiosity replaced the outrage. She had them intrigued. Shit, she had
him
intrigued—but for an entirely different reason. He imagined the whole Council weren’t visualising her naked and spread out on their silk sheets driving their cocks into her wet heat. When he took her she would be slick and melting—he’d make sure of it with his tongue.

“Care to tell us of whom or what you speak?”

“Nope.”

Silence descended on the hall. For the first time in centuries, a human was in control of the proceedings…and the vampires didn’t like it.

“My daughter can be a little headstrong—”

“Mrs Ford, your daughter is handling herself perfectly,” one of the Council members interrupted her.

So, her attitude was impressing more than just him. It was good to know. It suggested that they were going to agree to this bond. Sophie was either stupid, or indeed had knowledge the Council would want.

He was pleased. She had impressed him, and not taking her as a bond mate would be a huge mistake. She was strong and brave—a perfect combination for a vampire to mate with.

Robert was looking forward to it.

“My parents have bargained me away as the price for protection. I believe it is only fair that I get to make the negotiations,” Sophie said to the room at large.

“What if we only wish to deal with your parents?” Robert asked her. He wanted her undivided attention focused purely on him. To have those eyes staring into his own.

She turned her interest to him, fire flaring from the bluest eyes he’d ever seen. Having those eyes on him was worth her fury.

That’s it, my little hell-cat—burn me with your eyes.

“Then no deal. They don’t get their protection and you don’t get me.” She turned to the rest of the room. “I know the procedure—the blood bond that my parents want to happen requires a willing sacrifice.”

“What about the ‘virgin’ part?” Robert was having fun. This woman was a complete contrast to every other human female he’d ever come into contact with. He saw her blush and knew her innocence was intact. His body reacted violently to the knowledge that he would be the first and the last man to enter her body. His mind filled with images of taking her. How he would get her nice and wet, teasing her wet pussy until she was begging for his touch. Robert couldn’t stop his mind reacting. For the first time he needed a woman, and not just any woman, but Sophie Ford. His cock tented his trousers—if he was a human male he’d be embarrassed. He wanted the ceremony done and this woman naked beneath him as he drove his dick inside her. Vulgar words, but necessary. This virgin would be his. He would make certain of it.

“I’ve got that part as well.”

She shocked the whole hall of vampires when she pulled out a tiny pocket knife. She should have been searched before she was allowed onto the premises. No weapons were permitted in the building. The soldiers tensed and went for the guns at their sides. Bullets intended to kill any non-vampire species. Robert waited, knowing Sophie had no intention to harm. She wanted this deal as much as any of them, he was sure of it.

Sophie slit a tiny cut on the tender flesh inside her wrist. She turned her wrist up, displaying it to the others before moving to him for inspection.

The smell of blood permeated the room. The scent reminded Robert of vanilla and honey. He took hold of her wrist. He could feel the rapid beat of her pulse, giving away how scared she actually was. Sophie might talk tough but the little cat didn’t play it rough. He smiled at her, trying to calm her erratic nerves.

He flicked his tongue out, swiping the offered cut. The saliva his body created sealed the wound at once. Just a drop and he could taste her world on his tongue. She was indeed a virgin. Her blood tasted of the innocence of her body, the tender, caring nature of her soul…and the pain in her heart. Not every person’s blood was the same. The flavour differed for every person. If a whore had presented her wrist, her essence would have been dirty and soiled, like the world around her, on his lips. However, if a woman who’d been a whore cleaned up her act and stopped sleeping with men for money as she had in the past, then her blood would become clean—but not pure. There was a difference between clean blood and pure blood. Sophie’s blood would go for thousands of pounds on the black market.

He experienced the flavour of her emotions on his tongue. Her fear of her predicament but her very nature stopped her from losing control and giving in to her enemies… and she considered her parents the enemy. She wasn’t fighting for them, but for herself and her friend.

If only humans knew how much information they were giving away just through a drop of blood.

“She matches the terms of the contract,” Robert said, still holding her wrist in his grip.

Sophie wanted protection and he would make sure she got it.

“I want to add to the contract. My parents only negotiated for themselves—their wealth and protection guaranteed.”

“State your desires.”

“I want the deal to be extended to
my
loved ones. The people in my heart, whom I care about.” Sophie pressed a hand to her heart.

“We can’t do that,” Robert’s father told her.

“Yes, you can. Through the blood bond, the vampire to whom I become bound will have complete access to my thoughts, my essence, my very soul. In other words, he will have everything that is me. By that, I mean that I’ll be owned by him and him alone. Through that connection, he can create a link that will stop any harm coming to my friends—to my loved ones.”

Robert watched her. She was hiding something, he was sure of it. She wasn’t worried about her siblings—she was worried about one particular friend. A female friend.

“That is
if
a lifelong blood bond is brought into effect,” his father said.

“I’m prepared to do it.”

“Do you know what you’ll be agreeing to?” Robert asked.

Sophie nodded but didn’t speak.

“You’d be my woman, completely, to suck and fuck as I desired.”

“Robert, stop being crude,” his father said.

“By the blood bond she has a right to know.”

“And by that very bond I agree to the terms set out before me. I might be a woman but I know my own mind,” Sophie interrupted.

His father was not a stupid man. He was hard and blunt, but not stupid. A connection like this could strengthen his family. He would be able to sense great power—power that the Fords must have access to. Otherwise, their enquiry would have been pushed aside. Blood bonds like this, between a human family and an immortal, were few and far between.

For the most part, humans were there for blood—nothing more. Maybe the occasional screw.

Robert wished he could see inside her head and know what she was holding back from them.

“You will come willingly?”

The most important element of the blood bond ceremony was that the human taking part must be agreeable. The bond would not work without it—the mind and the body had to be in sync.

“Provided my terms are met.”

His father sat back, looking at Sophie with his head cocked to one side.

A tiny little blonde—plump and delicious—full of attitude. She was hiding something. Robert could sense it, even if the others could not. Yet this girl was strong. Her destiny was as a bond mate.

“The full ceremony will begin this evening. Take Miss Ford up to her chambers and have the ceremony room prepared and ready. I want this done immediately. Mr and Mrs Ford, your presence will be necessary for tonight only.”

With a shove of his hand, he dismissed the humans. Robert watched as Sophie was led out by a female blood donor they kept on tap for whenever sustenance was needed. His mother followed close behind them. He knew they would collect his two sisters before they began making preparations.

Sophie turned back once to look at him.
 

He noticed the curiosity in her eyes. He had suddenly found a human female worthy of his attention and admiration. Robert smiled at her, watching as she blushed.

Once all the women had gone, the real problems started for the Council, a select group of people who took the care of the vampire world seriously.

“We already have too much at stake, what with all the bloody vampire hunters.”

The Council members nodded their heads in agreement. All of them were prepared to agree to anything Robert Valentine Senior offered. His father was not only the most powerful among them, but, over the centuries, he’d been responsible for keeping relative peace between the vampires and the other species. He had gained respect through listening and taking his time to make a decision. Robert Senior fought battles with his head.

“We need more protection in place.”