Unbound (60 page)

“Ladies and gentleman, we have two joyous announcements to make. The first is
mine;
the second will be made by Deborah Deidrick.” Everyone at the table looked at Debbie. She shot a wicked little grin at her mate. Mason’s eyebrows shot up. Good to know his father didn’t know everything either. Sarah got up and left the room.

“This is a momentous occasion indeed,” Griffin revealed. “I do not intend to answer any questions on the subject now or in the future. But I want to share my joy with everyone. This is the perfect venue given the amount of us that gather for this annual celebration. I hope you will all be happy for me and my family.”

Dani hung her head and Chase pulled her closer to him. Griffin continued, “I was secretly bonded as a young man before I met Sarah.” The room hummed with the news. “I believed
that my first mate and child
died in childbirth until very recently. Just days ago I found out through a stroke of luck that the girl you know as Danielle Scott is actually my long lost baby girl. Danielle, come, be welcomed by our community.” Griffin beamed at her. She felt sick. “I would like to formally introduce my daughter, Soleil Danielle Vaughn.”

Chase was now ramrod stiff in his seat and yes, Cayden was standing in disbelief across the room. It all fell into place. His first
instinct when he
met Danielle was correct. That hadn’t been a fake ID used for getting into clubs. Her last name really was Vaughn, as her driver’s license stated. Chase shared a glance with Cayden and knew they were remembering the same thing and adding up the facts. Danielle was the child from the House of Vaughn that would join the House of Deidrick. Together they would stop the deaths of the children, and bring their families back together. She was his soul mate. They were meant to walk together throughout life. That was why they shared such a strong mental and physical connection.

In his daze, Chase missed Danielle walking to meet her father until she spoke to the crowd. Jeez, it wasn’t that bad. He had to get it together. He rushed to stand behind her and support her in any way he could. Chase missed everything she said until the end.

“I have an announcement of my own to make. Chase Deidrick has asked me for my hand and I am honored to accept him as my one true mate. We will be bonded as soon as we are able,” she took his hand, and dazzled the crowd with her smile.

The crowd was reeling. Most were happy and cheering, some were less enthused. Debbie jumped up and darted to her son who was looking a bit pale. Chase was the one in need of support now.
She just
told the world she belonged to him and his heart was so filled with the rightness of it he could hardly breathe. Griffin put a hand on his back to steady him and Danielle wrapped an arm around his waist.

“Isn’t this what you wanted, boy? Don’t you want my girl to love you the way you love her? Isn’t that what you told me?” he whispered.

“Yes, sir,
I just didn’t know she was your girl. It would have made for a much less stressful day for me had I known.” And with that, Chase’s world righted itself and he wrapped his arms around the star that his life would forever revolve around. Soleil. He never wanted the embrace to end, so he carried her back to their table, refusing to release her. She was forced to sit on his lap.

“Debbie, my dear, would like to the put the icing on our family cake?” Griffin gave her the floor and went to stand by Mason who would be the next to need his support. Sure enough, when Debbie began to speak Griffin had to put a hand on Mason’s back to keep him in his seat.

“My news is a surprise to everyone except my new daughter-in-law to be. She was with me when Doc called yesterday to inform me that Mason and I are expecting our second child.” Debbie beamed at her mate who was a little woozy, but grinning from ear to ear. The room engulfed their table. The well wishes and expressions of welcome overflowed.

* * *

Dani managed to get in a dance with her fiancé and several with her date who had been patiently waiting for his sister’s attention. She stepped away from the floor for a breather and a drink. Darren grabbed her arm and quietly pulled her to the hall, practically propelling her with the force of his movement down the corridor.

“I just got a call from the perimeter team. The rogues are moving in right now. We have to move. They’re coming for you,” he demanded.

“Wait, what? There coming now? We have to warn everyone. I need to get Chase.” Danielle tried to go back but Darren stopped her.

“They are after you, not everyone else. If they stay where they are and don’t have a reason to panic, they won’t get caught in the crossfire. What do you think Chase is going to do if he goes with you? That’s right. He is going to get hurt trying to defend you. But it’s up to you. Go get him if you like.” The sarcasm was thick and annoying.

“No. Let’s move. Do you have a gun I can use?” she groused, and contin
ued in the direction he pushed
her.

“Just stay close and I’ll keep you safe.” The place was like a maze. They made so many lefts and rights she was lost. Finally, he stopped in by a set of double doors.

“In here. It will all be over soon.” She walked through the door first. Immediately both her arms were grabbed and restrained but she stunned her attackers and put them down in a flash.

“Run, Darren!” she shouted, not wanting him to be injured or worse.

“You behave, and no one else will need to get hurt! You don’t want me to hurt your Mommy do you?” The voice echoed around the room and froze her in her tracks. It looked like a locker room of some sort. An oddly familiar man stepped out from beh
ind a wall. She was sure they’
d never met but she couldn’t shake the feeling of recognition. He
had her mother by the neck. Tessa
was bound and gagged, and he held a gun to her head. She wasn’t struggling and she looked vacant. She was enthralled.

“This puts a damper on your party doesn’t it?”

He looked over her shoulder as Darren entered the room. “I’m impressed, Darren. You got her here so fast I wasn’t quite ready for you. You’re right. She really does trust you, or at least she used to. I bet you’ll have a hard time getting her to follow you anywhere after his. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Shut up!” he shouted at the stranger.

Dani looked into Darren’s anguished eyes. He was so handsome. The spiked blond hair and the scar that ran down his cheeks belonged to her friend and protector, but he was a stranger now. He’d brought her here, to this monster.

“You did this to me? How did you find my mother?” she asked while sending out major distress signals. She may not be able to fight physically but she’d do all she could to get her mother out of here alive. Chase had already heard her call and was getting the others. She was so close to his mind now that he was watching flashes of the action through her eyes and she could feel his rage.

“I thought your parents died,” he was truly confused. “We’ll discuss that later. It’s going to be fine, Danielle. I can explain.” He pulled her to him and began stroking her hair. “He says if we give him the power he wants, he will leave you alone. He will go away and we can be together. He will leave you alive and I will feed you my blood until they bring the blood bags I already have on standby. We will be mated and live in peace together. You will forgive me for this once we are bonded and he is no longer hunting for you. I have to wait in the hall until he’s done, but I will be back in a moment.”

“You have lost your mind. Don’t you know he has to drain me completely to take my power? He is going to kill me.” She shook her head at his stupidity.

“He has to drain you to take all of your power. You are very strong. He doesn’t need it all.” He was seriously trying to sooth her. He actually believed this shit.

“And you think he’s going to stop at some of my power when he can easily take it all?” She extracted herself from his arms. “As soon as you step out that door I’m as good as dead!”

He caressed her cheek, “You’ll see, Dani. It will all work out. And I know you care for those two boys but the life I will give you, the passion I have for you, is far beyond what a pup can offer. When you wake later, we will talk more. Now it’s time to get this over with so I can take you and your mom home.” He stepped out into the hall, leaving her to her death. Two men stepped up and took Tessa from the rogue. Her eyes were vacant and unseeing. They could do anything they wanted to her and she wouldn’t fight. She couldn’t fight.

The man was tall and brooding with dark hair, broad shoulders and sunglasses. He was every bit as large as Vince. He waited for her in the darkness of the vacant locker room. His voice made her skin
crawl. This was the man who
killed so many young vampires and tonight it would be her life gushing down his throat.

“Come now, sweet. These men have been instructed to kill her if you so much as think of fighting me. I will do my best to leave something for Darren to work with if you don’t struggle. It won’t take long.” He manhandled her to her knees before sinking his fangs into her neck. His bite was excruciating. It wasn’t sensual and hot like it should feel. It burned like fire spreading out from her neck. He was trying to make it as painful as possible. She could hear his thoughts connected like this. He was full of rage and vengeance. She didn’t want this to be the last thing she heard. Her world was too full of love now to allow the end to be so tainted. 

She continued to talk to Chase. Chase had been yelling in her head and trying to get dir
ection the whole time but she’
d gotten so turned around getting there. All she could do now was say goodbye. He refused to let her finish. He wouldn’t let her go. He was coming for her, but it was too late.

“It’s getting dark, Chase. It’s too late. Can you still hear me? I
can’t hear you anymore
. I love you, Chase. I love you.”

THIRTY~

Finally, he had the slippery little bitch and he intended to make her feel ev
ery ounce of frustration she
caused him. She would hurt while he took pleasure from absorbing her very force of life and the power she didn’t deserve. Why would a half-breed mongrel be so gifted? He knew she wouldn’t fight or run as long as he had her mo
ther. That idiot Nathan was
goo
d for at least one thing. He
reported the location of a home belonging to the girl and a human servant. Once he realized it was the home of her mother everything fell into place. It was
n’t
easy to nab the female from her home.
She fought like a mad woman. It had taken his st
rongest telepath to contain her. She had a strong mind for a human.

Triumphantly, he grabbed the girl and sank his fangs deep into the tender flesh of her neck. She smelled and tasted like the best of both worlds. She tasted of the power and sensual grace of a vampire mixed with the delicate sweetness of a human that drove his kind insane with hunger and want.

Ravaging her greedily, he began to notice the sensation of emptiness human blood always
brought him. He’
d drained many of his kind and was always overtaken by the exchange of power. A vampire’s power rushing into your body was an extreme high. In the case of draining a female, the experience usually ended with sexual release from the sheer heat and power of the experience. While this little morsel was very warm and attractive, the heat of power was missing. He pulled harder at her vein to derive all he could but all he got was blood. No power. The rogue was exasperated, but he kept at her neck. It couldn’t be possible after all this trouble that she wouldn’t give up the treasure he sought. Could it? Was she capable of blocking his gift? He needed her psychic abilities and he needed them now!

Then it began to dawn on him. He pulled away from her neck and looked at her mother hanging limply in the arms of his men. The human was special. She had supernatural powers of her own. Why hadn’t he thought of this before? He dr
opped his prey to the ground in a fit of temper. H
e kicked her in the gut. The seat of her psychic power was human! Human power enhanced by her coming of age as a vampire! He couldn’t absorb human power, only vampire! He already possessed the telekinesis she wielded. The bitch was of absolutely no use to him as anything but a tasty snack! He roared to the rafters.

He felt no exchange whatsoever. Even the short-lived bond he usually attained from drinking another vampire was absent. He never worried about the bond becau
se his prey usually died. He
learned long ago that even if they lived, the bond would fade. The nature of
his gift wouldn’t permit him to
experience a real blood bond. He kicked her again and let out a string of curses that could’ve made Satan blush. The sound brought Darren back to the room. He took one look at the heap of pale skin and slightly blue li
ps at the Ro
g
u
e’s feet and advanced on him with vengeance in his heart.

“You weren’t supposed to kill her! We had a deal!” Darren bellowed, and grabbed the rogue by the neck. They flew across the room hitting a row of lockers with such force it knocked the air out of them both.

“She’s not dead yet! Can’t you hear her worthless heart beating? You should let her die. She is a half-breed piece of trash, so diluted with humanity I couldn’t even reach her power! Let the bitch die!” he cursed into Darren’s face. Darren was visibly taken aback by his statement.