Sanibel Sizzle - Vampire Werewolf Menage (36 page)

“The bloodsucker drew too much blood, got greedy. As they all do.  You’re much better but we need to get you warmed up.” 

When Mike stared down at her, he wore a semblance of love on his face, yet they hadn’t been around each other enough for that.  Nevertheless, what was there was probably fueled by the mating bond, the celestial pull - their union together.

Thankfully, Mike wasn’t in a mating frenzy, since the vampire hung too close.  He held himself in a precautionary stance, as protection always outweighed sex in the world of Weres.  A female’s safety came first. Tatum knew this to be factual from personal experience.  And the way that Mike looked at her right now, she knew he would tear Maestru’s head off and suffer the wrath of his coven without a second thought.  She asked calmly, “So now what?”

“I’ll
take you to
the Alpha
,” he gritted out, “and maybe he’ll
permit
me to touch what’s mine.”  He tenderly touched the side of her throat, flinching when she winced in pain.

She was used to the high-handed ‘you’re all mine’ speak, which meant she knew how degrading it was to a male of his species to
ask
for his mate.  Shaking her head at the unbelievable, she wondered how her life would change if Jayce allowed Mike to remain free.  Under duress, she made an agreement with Mike to get Rebecca back, but she had to ask an unavoidable question.
So
ghost from my past, how do I move on after this?
She took a calming breath.   “But what if Jayce doesn’t listen and really kills you this time?  And God help you if Bren gets a hold of you first, he’ll torture you just for allowing the vampire to feed off me. And I’m
not bragging
about that but
facts are facts. The only fear Bren knows is losing the ones he loves.”

“He’s not the only one that feels that way,” Mike said quietly.  “I’m their co-mate.  All Jayce or Bren can really do is
knock me around and
lock me back up.” He shrugged. “I have salts in the bath, come.
You can’t leave looking this way.
” Lifting her gently, he placed an arm under her knees and one under her upper back.  No matter the care he took, Tatum almost fainted.  “Should I feel this bad?”

He squeezed his eyes shut a moment before answering.  “Give my blood time to heal you.”

“I was told I only had to drink once a month to maintain immortality,” she said wearily. “I’m not into the blood drinking thing.”

“You’re not a full blood
.  Your inherent nature isn’t led by the thirst for blood.  Even so, you needed to replace a pint or two quickly.  I took care of that for you.”

“Let me remind you,” she snapped while making a feeble attempt to get down, “that I wouldn’t have needed the blood in the first place if it weren’t for you.”

“I can’t split hairs with you, Tatum.” They stepped in a bathroom that put her Mediterranean masterpiece on Sanibel to shame.  “I took my mate under the full moon.”

She asked, “Because you didn’t want to share?”

“Maybe….  I don’t have a straight answer that would comfort you.  Not because I’m hiding something from you, but merely because I don’t know what I was thinking at the time.  Excuses are excuses.  And I’ll be the first one to admit that I screwed up.   But know this, Tatum.” His stared intently, seeking something in her eyes that he wasn’t going to get.  “If I have to live out the rest of my life, I can’t do it without you. I won’t”

His proclamation merely made her angry, but she was
resolved
on simmering for a while.  “So you made a deal with Maestru to barter with Ciaran.”

“Jayce gave me no other choice.”  He willed her clothes to the floor and lowered her in a marble garden tub.  Whatever modesty she had was lost the night Mike
manacled her spread-eagled on his bed
.

“You had a lot of choices, Mike.” She pulled a washcloth from the edge, shrinking down into the tub, watchi
ng as flakes of dried blood floated
to the surface. “You just circled the wrong answers on your test.”

“I’m going to help Ciaran…there are females in need…”

“Yeah, buddy, you definitely need to give back.” She paused to bite her tongue. “Get some
good Karma going for yourself and start fresh.”
If Jayce allows it.
  “What about
Count
Chocula
?”

Sighing, he reached for bath gel and another cloth.  “A few brides were taken from Maestru’s coven and many species females.  Of
course,
he wants them back and doesn’t trust Ciaran to care once the Habaline compound is overthrown by the pack.”   He soaped the cloth and skimmed her throat.

“Don’t go any lower, Mike.”

Color flushed across his cheeks as he angled his head in the werewolf’s way.  “I’m only bathing you.”

She shoved his hand away shaking her head.  Tatum hadn’t bothered to ask where they were.  She knew she wouldn’t get the truth out of Mike.  So until she could literally stand on her own two feet without keeling over, she’d pump him for information.  “Ciaran took Rebecca…do you think she’s okay?”

“Apparently, you haven’t heard.” He fought his urge to bathe her, fisting his hands on the side of the tub.  “Rebecca is his queen.”

What a nightmare for Rebecca, Tatum thought.  Rubbing her hand over her throat to shake the raw feeling, she asked, “Does…well, you wouldn’t know if Bren’s heard.”

“Ciaran sent word through Blade.”

“At least he won’t physically harm her…but mentally.”

“Is that what I did to you, Tatum?”  Mike’s face filled with utter desolation.  “Answer me.”

“Or what?
  You’ll let a vampire gnaw on me?”  Her heart pounded fiercely, hard enough to implode.

A dark male voice answered her.  “The vampire won’t feed on anyone for a while.”  Two long and bloodied fangs hit the tile before Gage misted in with Rock behind him.

Tatum’s body went limp.  A bizarre elation hit her when she saw Gage’s determined stance.  And even though she expected someone to help her, she was too stunned and too weak from blood loss to take it all in.  Rock held a silver dagger at Mike’s throat and they misted out. “What are you going to do?”

“Take you to Miami with me.” Gage said.  Steve Palazzo materialized at the door. “Not one more step, Steve.  Tatum is unclothed.”

“Is she okay?”

“Why
do you care?” Tatum tried to shout, but her vocal cords wouldn’t work with her. 

“He’s helping, sweetheart.  Calm down.”  Gage removed his shirt. 

“He’s the one that got me into this; I’m sure.”

“No…this was all Maestru’s doing.” Gage gingerly lifted her. 

“You’re always there for me, white knight.”

“Because I want to be,” was his easy reply.

“Are those really his fangs on the floor?”

Gage frowned.  “Did you expect anything less?”

“No.”  He brought her to the bedroom.

“Get towels
,
Steve
,
and don’t ogle her.  I haven’t the patience to wait for your eyes to regenerate if I have to remove them.  Time is wasting.”

“Easy,” Steve said, before he jaunted into the bathroom.  “I don’t want any further dealings with Bren Walker so don’t worry about it.”  He produced the towels with his eyes averted. 

“Steve’s going to
mist
y
ou,” Gage explained after patting her dry and carefully placing
his shirt over her.  “Your neck is ravaged, but it will heal,” he soothed.  He drew her hands up and studied her wrists.  Anger rolled off him in violent waves.  “Turn around Mike.” Gage inhaled above her apex.

“What are you sniffing?”

“Think calmly, Tatum.  Did Maestru use endorphins on you?”  His voice was calm but his face said Maestru might miss more body parts soon.

She went cold inside. “I blacked out…totally blank each time.” 

“I should have asked Maestru before I cut out his tongue.” Tatum’s brow curled before she followed Gage’s eyes zeroing in between her legs.  “You’ll have to feed here, Steve, where she wasn’t touched.” Stroking her arm
,
Gage stood.  “Can you do anything your wicked brother does?”

“Pretty much,” Steve answered, stepping closer.

“Then I want her unconscious before the first draw, she’s been through too much.”

Before Tatum’s rebuttal left her lips, Steve sank fangs into her thigh, and she remembered nothing.

Miami FL

I
t was neither night nor day.   Grey painted the walls, the floor, the ceiling and Bren’s mood.  She searched her man with gritty sleep-filled eyes.  His bare back turned to her with pajama bottoms slung low around his waist.  Dark skin was a shadowed contrast in the monochromatic scene.  The hurricane blinds were drawn tight, and he stared through the obstructed window at nothing. 

“The windows may be covered,” she stated with a mildness she didn’t feel, “but I still have the best view in town.  Mouthwatering I’d say.”  The last thing she
remembered was Steve biting her
.  “We’re in the penthouse.”

“Yes.” By her side before she took her next breath, he asked, “How are you, love?” Bren brushed her hair back with a tenderness that brought on waterworks.  Wiping away her tears, he snuggled her against his chest and drew them in a sitting position against the headboard.  “Dumb question, huh?”

“I’ll be fine.”

He reached the nightstand and snagged a box of tissues. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

“Purely selfish, love, it’s for self-preservation.” A broken voice teased. “You are a snot factory when you cry.”

“Gross,” she quipped, though not embarrassed in front of Bren.

“Sometimes, but I’ve seen a lot worse.”

“Speaking of which…”

“He’s here.” A clipped tone that said he hadn’t simmered down. “Jayce is with him.”

“Will I ever understand one thing that goes through Mike’s head?”

“Probably not… he’s in love with you.” Oppressive heat left Bren’s body.

“Right, love is permitting a vampire to use me as his chew toy.”

“I was surprised to find Maestru was in on it.” A steely whisper held a whip readied to lash.  “But desperation often makes fools of the powerful.” 

“What did Gage do to Maestru?”

“He’s regenerating
quickly…unfortunately
.”  Often
,
vague answers need
ed
no elaboration.

Part of her didn’t care what happened to Mike but she asked anyway. “What’s going to happen?”

“What do you want to happen, Tatum?” Jayce misted inside the bedroom and eased next to her.  A forehead marred with concern while blazing eyes scanned the damage cause by Maestru’s repeated feedings.  Fine lines pinched his mouth while he waited for her answer.  They were scary calm, both of them.

“Is this the calm before the storm or after it?  Maybe it’s the lull in between, but I have to know.”

“The storm was over before you awoke, Tatum.” Bren spread out his legs on the bed, settling her between them. “I’m sure you do not want the details.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right.” She cleared her throat. “Send him in.”