Untamed (Vampire Awakenings, Book 3)
Read Untamed (Vampire Awakenings, Book 3) Online
Authors: Brenda K. Davies
Tags: #romance, #vampire, #suspense, #action, #adult, #paranormal, #sex, #lust, #forbidden love, #new adult
By: Brenda K. Davies
Copyright © 2014 Brenda K. Davies
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Author
The Vampire Awakenings Series
Awakened (Book 1)
Destined (Book 2)
Untamed (Book 3)
Historical Romance
A Stolen Heart
Thanks
To all the fans, you are all amazing and without
you, I couldn't do any of this. To my husband for always being
there. To Leslie for her continued hard work and to ebook launch
for their amazing cover work!
Table of Contents
Ethan felt like he was trying to squeeze
himself into a space the size of a high school locker as he kept
his arms close to his sides in an attempt to avoid bumping into
anyone around him. It was bad enough hearing the human's heartbeats
and smelling the blood that flowed through their veins, but the
thought of actually touching one of them made his skin crawl. He'd
been crazy to make this trip though he'd fed almost double what he
normally did before leaving home in order to curb the ever-present
hunger within him. Being so close to so many humans was straining
his control and trying his patience. That nagging voice inside him,
the one that wanted to taste every single one of these people, was
begging to be obeyed. He was afraid of what might happen if he
didn't get away from this crowd soon.
Sliding his sunglasses into place, he stepped
out of the airport and into the bright light of the day. The heat
was like a slap in the face after the cool air inside the airport
and it caused him to inhale sharply. Adjusting the bag in his hand,
he scanned the crowd of people swarming around him.
Ants
, he thought. Annoying ants he would prefer to
stomp, but he gritted his teeth and concentrated on keeping his
desire to become a blood sucking terminator under control. He'd
never been a fan of people, however being enclosed within three
different flying tin cans for almost a day, had frayed his nerves
and shortened his already low tolerance for the creatures.
He couldn't believe he'd let Isabelle talk
him into this, but getting away from his siblings for a month and
vacationing in paradise, had seemed a lot more appealing before
he'd stepped onto that first airplane. He glanced around the crowd
again, searching for two familiar dark heads but he didn't see them
amongst the crush of people.
Inhaling, he took in the familiar and
pleasant aroma of the tangy ocean air. After a shower, a change of
clothes, some blood, and a few drinks, he'd be back to looking
forward to spending the next month with his sister and
brother-in-law in Bermuda again.
He stepped away from a young girl that
brushed his arm and smiled flirtatiously at him. Normally he would
at least return the smile, now he stared relentlessly back at her
until she began to blush and hurried away. The last thing he needed
was some human thinking he had any interest in them. He may have
embarrassed the girl but she didn't know just how close he was to
the edge, how close she had come to being the one to finally ease
the insistent call for blood that flowed through his system.
A small squeal alerted him to Isabelle before
he spotted her. He turned just in time to catch her as she flung
herself into his arms. A small grunt escaped him, but he dropped
his bag and wrapped his arm around her waist as she laughed loudly.
"I'm so glad you came!" she cried.
Relief filled him as he lifted her off the
ground and hugged her back. It had been almost six months since she
and Stefan had left home, a week after their bond had been
completed. Until now, he hadn't realized just how much he'd missed
her, even if she was a pain in his ass. "I'm glad I did too," he
replied honestly as he placed her back on the ground.
Her violet eyes twinkled in the sunlight
shining over her as she grinned up at him. The golden highlights in
her deep brown hair were even more vibrant and blonder than the
last time he'd seen her. She was tanner too and freckles now dotted
the bridge of her slender nose. "Did you have a good flight?" she
asked.
"A few of them." He wasn't about to tell her
that he'd been tempted to eat the tourists more than a few times
throughout the trip. He loved Issy, she was his best friend and the
sibling he was closest to, but there were things he didn't share,
not even with her.
She laughed as she took a step back from him.
Her eyes focused on his right arm and she slapped her hand against
the tattoo there. "What is this?"
"That, dear sis, is what most refer to as a
tattoo," he teased.
She rolled her eyes at him. "I know that but
when did you get it?"
"Three months ago."
"Why? You've never shown an interest in
tattoos before."
Ethan glanced at the intricate black flames
that curled up from his wrist to the middle of his bicep. A black
phoenix, on his upper bicep, rose out of the top of the flames with
its wings spread wide. He wasn't about to tell her the real reason
he'd gotten the tattoo, so he just shrugged and retrieved his bag.
"Boredom," he answered absently.
"Boredom?" she inquired in a disbelieving
tone.
"What can I say? I've had no one to entertain
me since you left home."
His words had the effect he'd been hoping for
as she laughed and slipped her arm through his. "I'm sure you've
had plenty of people keeping you entertained with the mob that
lives there."
"Yes, but no one quite as fun as you."
"I
do
have to
agree with that," she said and flashed a smile. "You should see the
house that Stefan has rented for us, it's beautiful!"
His gaze traveled past her to the large and
powerful vampire standing just beyond her shoulder. Stefan's onyx
eyes were focused upon Isabelle, before he turned to look at Ethan.
His black hair curled around his face, easing the austerity of his
high cheekbones and the narrow bridge of his nose. Ethan had never
been quite sure what to make of the guy; he'd always been a bit
arrogant, and more than a little overprotective when it came to
Isabelle, but he made Isabelle happy and in the end that was the
most important thing.
"Stefan," he greeted.
"Ethan." Stefan smiled at him as he extended
his hand. "It's good to see you."
"You also." Ethan realized that those words
were true as they shook hands. Stefan had become easier going and
more approachable after his bond with Isabelle had been completed,
but Ethan had never really considered him a friend. He was family
though.
"Is this all you have for luggage?" Isabelle
inquired.
Ethan turned his attention back to his
sister. "I travel light."
"Apparently. Too bad mom and dad couldn't
come with you." He was used to her abrupt changes in conversation
so he wasn't thrown off by it now.
"They've got enough going on with that
devious horde their raising."
Isabelle laughed as she began to tug him into
the crowd. "I can't wait to see them again. I've missed them and
everyone else
so
much."
"They've missed you too," he told her as
Stefan parted the crowd before them. "I know they're looking
forward to you returning home next month."
"Me too, but we've had an amazing trip. I
loved Rome; I think it was my favorite. You
have
to see it one day. Maybe the next time we go
you can come with us. Australia too, you would
love
it there. Aiden would probably get himself
killed swimming with the sharks, but I'm pretty sure that's where
he belongs."
"You think he belongs in Australia or inside
a shark?" Ethan was unable to keep the humor from his voice as he
asked the question.
"Australia," she said with a laugh. "But
there were a few times I would have liked to have fed him to a
shark."
"Me too," Ethan agreed.
Ethan couldn't help but smile as she started
to ramble on again about all the places she and Stefan had visited
over the last six months. It amazed him how much she had changed
from the girl that had once been determined to never leave home
because she was determined not to find her mate. That girl had been
happy and content with her life, but the woman on his arm radiated
joy and actually seemed to glow as she bounced along beside
him.
Stefan stopped beside a blue Jeep and opened
the passenger side door. Isabelle released his arm, kissed Stefan
on the cheek and jumped into the passenger seat. Stefan smiled at
her as he closed her door and walked around to open the hatch door.
They stepped aside as the door swung out toward them.
"She's really missed you guys," Stefan told
him as Ethan placed his bag inside.
"We've missed her too," Ethan said as he
closed the door. "She seems really happy though."
"She is, but she became a lot happier after
you agreed to join us here. She can't wait for Ian and Aiden to
arrive in two weeks."
"You're in for some trouble then," Ethan told
him with a grin.
"Looking forward to it."
Ethan realized that Stefan actually seemed to
mean that. He'd never been entirely sure what Stefan thought about
all of them, it was obvious how he felt about Isabelle, but he'd
always thought that Stefan found them to be the annoying family
unit he would have to put up with in order to be with Issy. He was
beginning to think that maybe he'd misjudged him.
Ethan walked around the side of the SUV and
opened the backdoor. Isabelle turned in the front seat, propped her
hands on the shoulder of the chair, and continued talking about
their travels without missing a beat. Stefan pulled onto the road
and drove cautiously down the clustered streets that wound through
the island.
Ethan sat back in his seat to watch all of
the yellow, blue, orange, and green colored houses passing by.
People walked the streets and rode their bikes down the sidewalks
as they explored the sites or went about their day. The aqua
colored ocean shimmered in and out between the buildings that lined
the waterfront as they drove onward. Boats of all makes and sizes
dipped and swayed on the calm sea. The people strolling the beach,
splashing in the water, or fishing reminded him of a postcard of
paradise.
He'd never been more than a couple hundred
miles away from home, being here now seemed almost unreal as he
took in the pink sandy beaches and the numerous bikini-clad bodies.
He may not enjoy being near the humans in those suits, but he
wasn't above admiring the bodies wearing them.
The further they drove the more into vacation
mode he got, and once he was done with a shower, he might actually
check out one of these beaches. He wasn't like Ian and Aiden, he
didn't chase after girls or go to the clubs often, but he was going
to be here for a few weeks and the idea of a vacation hook-up was
appealing. This trip was already out of character for him, he might
as well completely enjoy himself while he was here. He just hoped
there was another sane, female vampire on the island, but then
again, if she wasn't a killer then he didn't really care if she was
entirely sane.