As he spoke, her healer moved that black thing around and the pictures changed. There were ones of the man in other athletic contests, and then smiling by some kind of large building construction, and then with him seated before a red ribbon with a big pair of golden scissors in his hand.
Paul is the mayor of Caldwell. Her healer gently turned her face back to his. Listen to me . . . and I want you to remember this. Your legs are part of you, but not all of you or what you are. So wherever we go after tonight, I need you to know that you are no less for the injury. Even if you are in a chair, you still stand as tall as you ever did. Height is just a vertical numberit doesnt mean shit when it comes to your character or the kind of life you live.
He was dead serious, and if she were to be truthful with herself, she fell a little in love with him in that moment.
Can you move the . . . that thing? she whispered. So that I may see more?
Hereyou work the mouse. He took her hand and placed it on the warm, oblong scooter. Left and right . . . up and down . . . See? It shifts the arrow on the screen. Click this when you want to see something.
It took her a couple of tries, but then she got the knack of it . . . and it was absurd, but just making her way around the different areas on the screen and choosing what she wanted to look at gave her a dizzy sense of energy.
I can do this, she said. Except then she got embarrassed. Considering how simple it was, it was too small a victory to crow over.
Thats the point, her healer said in her ear. You can do anything.
She shivered at that. Or likely it was because of more than merely his words.
Refocusing on the computer, she liked the pictures of the man in the races best. His expression of agonized effort and indomitable willpower was something she had long felt burning in her own chest. But then the one of the family together was also among her favorites. They were humans, but the bonds seemed so strong between them. There was love, such love there.
What do you say? her healer murmured.
I think you came at the perfect time. Thats what I say.
She shifted in his strong arms and stared up at him. As she sat in his lap, she wished she could feel more of him. All of him. But from the waist down there was only a nonspecific warmth, one that was better than the chill that had persisted since the operation, yes . . . but there was so much more to be had.
Healer . . . she whispered, her eyes going to his mouth.
His lids lowered and he seemed to stop breathing. Yeah . . . ?
May I . . . She licked her lips. May I kiss you?
He seemed to wince, as if in pain, but that scent he carried roared, so she knew that he wanted what she did.
Jesus . . . Christ, he bit out.
Your body wants this, she said, bringing her hand up to the soft hair at the nape of his neck.
And thats the problem. At her look of confusion, he leveled a hot stare right at her breasts. It wants a hell of a lot more than just a kiss.
Suddenly, there was a shift inside her body, one so subtle it was hard to pin down. But she felt something different throughout her torso and all her limbs. A tingling? She was too wrapped up in the sexual energy between them to worry about defining it.
Snaking another arm around his neck, she said, What else does it want.
Her healer groaned deep in his throat, and the sound gave her the same shot of power as when shed a weapon in her hand. To feel that again? It was like a drug.
Tell me, healer, she demanded. What else does it want.
His mahogany eyes were on fire as they locked on her own. Everything. It wants every square inch of yououtside . . . and on the inside. To the point where Im not sure youre ready for how much Im after.
I decide, she countered, a strange, pounding need taking root in her gut. I decide what I can and cannot handle, yes?
His half smile was all evil. In a good way. Yes, maam.
As a low, rhythmic sound filled the air, she was surprised to realize it was her. Purring. Do I have to ask again, healer?
There was a pause. And then he slowly shook his head back and forth. Nope. Ill give you . . . exactly what you want.
TWENTY-ONE
When Vishous pushed open the door to the exam room, he got a gander at the kind of seating arrangement that made him think fondly of castration.
Which, considering his own experience with the knife-on-the-nads routine, was saying a lot.
Then again, his sister was all but straddling that ass-wipe humans Mr. Happy, the mans arms around her, their heads all nestled in. Except they werent looking at each otherand that was the only reason he didnt break up the party: They were staring at the computer screen . . . at a man in a wheelchair racing a bunch of other guys.
. . . Height is just a vertical numberit doesnt mean shit when it comes to your character or the kind of life you live.
Can you move the . . . that thing?
For some reason, Vs heart pounded as the human showed his sister how to work a mouse. And then he heard something that gave him reason for hope:
I can do this, she said.
Thats the point, Manello said softly. You can do anything.
Well, shitthe gamble had come up aces, hadnt it: V had been willing to throw that human back into the mix briefly, just to get her past the suicidal impulse. Except hed never once thought the guy would give her anything more than a case of puppy love.
And yet, here the motherfucker was . . . showing her so much more than how to kiss.
V had wanted to be the one to save herand he supposed by bringing in Manello, he might have, but why hadnt he done more sooner? Why hadnt Jane? They should have gotten her out of this place, taken her to the mansion . . . had meals and talked with her.
Shown her that her future was different, but not disappeared.
V rubbed his face as anger tackled him to the ground. Goddamn Jane . . . how could she not know that patients required more than pain meds and sponge baths? His twin had needed a fucking horizonanyone would go mad stuck in that room.
Fucking hell.
He glanced back at his sister and the human. The pair of them had locked eyes and it was looking like it would take a crowbar to get their heads apart.
Kinda got V back to wanting to kill the bastard.
As his gloved hand went into his pocket for a hand-rolled, he had half a mind to clear his throat loudly. Either that or take his dagger and end-over-end it at the humans head. Trouble was, that surgeon was a tool to be used until he wasnt needed anymoreand they hadnt reached that point yet.
V forced himself to back out of the doorway
Howre they doing?
As he wheeled around, he dropped his fucking cigarette.
Butch picked it up. Need a light?
Try a knife. He took the thing back and got out his new Bic, which actually frickin worked. After he inhaled, he let the smoke drift from his mouth. We going out for a drink?
Not yet. I think you need to go talk to your female.
Trust me. I dont. Not right now.
Shes packing up a bag, Vishous.
The bonded male in him went crazy, but nonetheless, he forced himself to stand there in the hall and keep smoking. Thank God for his nicotine addiction: Sucking on the hand-rolled was the only reason he wasnt cursing.
V, my man. What the hell is going on?
He could barely hear the guy for the scream inside of his head. And couldnt come close to a full explanation. My shellan and I have had a difference of opinion.
So talk it out.
Not right now. He put the tail end of the cig out on the sole of his shitkicker and deep-sixed the butt. Lets go.
Except . . . well, when it came down to it, he somehow couldnt walk off to the parking garage where the Escalade had been getting its oil changed. He was literally incapable of leaving, his feet having glued themselves to the floor.
As he glanced down toward the office, he mourned the fact that just an hour ago it had looked like things were back on track. But no. It was almost as if the shit before had been nothing except a warm-up for where they were now.
I got nothing to say to her, true. As always.
Maybe itll come to you.
Doubt that, he thought.
Butch clapped him on the shoulder. Listen to me. You have the fashion sense of a park bench and the interpersonal skills of a meat cleaver
Is this supposed to be helping?
Let me finish
Whats next? The size of my cock?
Hey, even pencils can get the job doneIve heard the moaning from your room to prove it. Butch gave him a shake. Im just telling youyou need that female in your life. Dont fuck that shit up. Not nownot ever, feel me?
She was going to help Payne kill herself. As the guy winced, V nodded. Yeah. So this aint about some he-said, she-said argument about the cap on the fucking toothpaste.
After a moment, Butch murmured, There must have been a pretty damn good reason.
There is no reason. Paynes the only blood Ive got and she was going to take that away from me.
With the situation boiled down to its basics like that, the buzzing at the base of Vs brain got so much stronger and louder, he had to wonder if he was going to stroke outand in that moment, for the first time in his life, he was scared of himself and what he was capable of. Not hurting Jane, of courseno matter how fried he was, he would never touch her in anger
Butch took a step back and raised his palms. Hey. Easy there, roomie.
V looked down. In his hands were both of his daggers . . . and his fists were so tight he wondered whether the grips were going to have to be surgically removed from his palms.
Take these, he said numbly, away from me.
In a rush, he gave all of his weapons to his best friend, disarming himself completely. And Butch accepted the load with quick, grim efficiency.
Yeah . . . maybe youre right, the guy muttered. Talk to her later.
Shes not the one you need to worry about, cop. Cuz apparently suicidal impulses ran the fuck all over his family tonight.
Butch caught his arm as he went to turn away. What can I do to help.
V had a quick, shocking picture filter through his brain. Nothing you could handle. Unfortunately.
Dont do my thinking for me, motherfucker.
V stepped in close, bringing their faces to within an inch of each other. You dont have the stomach for it. Trust me.
Those deep hazel eyes held his and didnt blink. Youd be amazed what I would do to keep you alive.
Abruptly, Vs mouth opened, his breath growing tight. And as the two of them stood chest-to-chest, he knew every inch of his body, felt all of it at once.
What are you saying, cop.
Do you honestly think lessers are a better option, Butch muttered hoarsely. At least I can make sure you arent dead at the end of it.
Images flickered through his mind, graphically detailed and appallingly perverted. And all of them with him in a starring role.
After a moment of neither saying a word, Butch stepped off. Go see your female. Ill be waiting for you at the Escalade.
Butch. You dont mean it. You cant.
His best friend regarded him coolly. The fuck I dont. Turning away, he strode down the corridor. Come find me. When youre ready.
As V watched the guy go, he wondered whether that was about them going out to drink tonight . . . or the pair of them walking through the dangerous door the cop had just opened.
In his heart of hearts, he knew it was both.
Holy. Shit.
Back in the exam room, as Manny stared into Paynes eyes, he was dimly aware that someone was smoking somewhere close by. Knowing his luck, it was her cocksucking brother, and the big bastard was getting nicotined up right before he came in here to mop the floor with Mannys piehole.
Whatever, though. Paynes mouth was mere inches from his own, and her body was warm against him, and his cock was bursting at the seams. He was a man of willpower and self-determination, but stopping what was about to happen was waaaaaaay beyond even his skill set.
Reaching up, he cupped the side of her face. As contact was made, her lips parted and he knew he should say something, but his voice had packed its bags and taken a bus out of town, evidentlyalong with his brain.
Closer. He drew her closer and met her halfway, their mouths fusing. And even though his body had all the patience of an unfed tiger, he was careful as the contact was made. God, she was soft . . . oh, so soft . . . in a way that made him want to spread her wide and penetrate her with everything he had, his fingers, his tongue, his sex.
But none of that was happening right now. Or tonight. Or even the day after. He hadnt had a lot of experience with virgins, but he was pretty damn sure that even if she was having a sexual response, how it was taken care of could be overwhelming
More, she said with husky demand. More . . .
For a split second, his heart stopped and he rethought the go-easy routine: That tone of voice was so not little-girl-lost. It was all woman, ready for a lover.
And gee whiz, under the she-didnt-need-to-ask-twice theory, he took over, stroking her mouth with his own before sucking in her lower lip. As his hand wound around her nape, he wanted to undo that braid and get into that hair of hers . . . but that was too close to undressing her, and this was far from private.
And he was close enough to coming already, thank you very much.
He slipped his tongue into her and groaned, his arms tightening around herbefore he told them to loosen up or he was going to break them both off below the shoulder. Man, she was pure octane in his blood, his body in full gear and roaring. And hed thought those dreams were hot? The real thing made that shit feel room-temperature compared to the surface of Mercury.
More with the tongue, more getting into her and pulling out, more of everything, until he had to force himself back. His hips were grinding against her tight ass in his lapand that hardly seemed fair, given that she couldnt feel it.
Taking a deep breath, he didnt last long before dropping down to her neck to suck along the column of her throat
Her nails bit so hard into his shoulders, he knew that if hed been naked, shed have drawn bloodand that fucking turned him on. Shit, the idea that there could be even more than just sex, that she could lock herself on his neck, and take him into her in more than just one way
With a sharp hiss, Manny yanked himself off her skin and let his head fall back, breath shooting up and out of his lungs. I think we need to slow it down.
Why, she said, her eyes missing nothing about him. Leaning in, she growled, You want this.
Oh, fuck . . . yeah.
Her hands went to the front of his shirt. Then lets keep going
He snapped a hold on her wrists as an orgasm tingled at the tip of his erection. You have to stop that. Right now.
God, he could barely breathe.
Abruptly, she pulled herself out of his grip and ducked her head. Clearing her throat, she said roughly, Verily, I am sorry.
The shame she had made his chest raw. No, no . . . its not you.
When she didnt respond, he tilted her chin up, and had to wonder if she had any clue what the male body did when it was this turned on. Christ, did she even know what an erection was?
Listen carefully, he all but growled. I want you. Here. Back in your room. On the floor out in the hall. Up against the wall. Any way, anywhere, anytime. Clear?
Her eyes flared. But then why dont
I think your brothers out in the hall, for one thing. For another, youve told me youve never been with anyone before. I, on the other hand, know exactly where this could lead, and the last thing I want to do is freak you out by going too fast.
Their eyes stayed locked. And then after a moment, her lips lifted into a smile so far and wide that a dimple popped out on one side and her perfect white teeth gleamed
Jesus . . . her fangs were longer. Much longer. And oh, so very sharp.
Manny couldnt help himself: All he could do was imagine what it would feel like to have one of them dragging up the underside of his cock.
The orgasm in his shaft made yet another bid to break free.
And that was before Paynes pink tongue came out and did a lingering sweep over the sharp points. You like?
Mannys chest pumped hard. Yeah. Fuck, yeah . . .
All at once, the lights went off, the room plunging into darkness. And then there were two clicks . . . locks? Could it be the locks on the doors?
In the glow of the computer screen, he saw her face change. Gone was any remnant of shy, innocent passion. . . . In its place was a raw, strapping hunger that reminded him she was not human. She was a beautiful predator, a gorgeous, powerful animal that was just human enough for him to forget who and what she really was.
Moving without thought, Manny brought one of his hands up to his white coat. In the process of his sitting down with her, the stiff lapels had popped up and now he pulled them down, exposing his neck.
He was panting. Straight-up panting.
Take me, he ground out. Do it . . . I want to know what its like.
Now she was the one in control, her strong hands coming up to his face and dragging down his neck to his collarbone. She didnt have to tilt his head back. He did that without direction, his throat bared and inviting.
Are you certain, she said, her accent rolling those Rs.
He was breathing so hard he wasnt sure he could choke out a reply, so he nodded. And then, worried that wasnt enough, he put his hands over hers, pressing her hold into him.
She took over from there, focusing on his jugular, her eyes seeming to light up like stars in the night. When she closed in, she did it slowly, disappearing the inches between her fangs and his flesh with aching delay.
The brush of her lips was nothing but velvet, except the anticipation of what was to come had him hyper-focusing so everything was magnified. He knew precisely where she was
The scrape was viciously soft as she nuzzled him.
Then her hand snaked around to his nape and clamped on, holding him in place so hard, he realized she could snap his neck if she wanted.
Oh, God, he moaned, giving himself over completely. Ohfuck!
The strike was strong and sure, two points going in deep, the sweet pain robbing him of sight and sound until all he knew was the sucking draw at his vein.
That and the massive orgasm that rolled through his balls and pumped out the head of his cock, his hips jacking up against her as his erection kicked and jerked . . . and kept going.
He wasnt sure how long the release lasted. Ten seconds? Ten minutes? Or was it hours? All he knew was that with every drawing pull she took from him, he came some more, the pleasure so intense he was ruined by it. . . .
Because he knew he wasnt going to find this with anyone but her. Vampire or human.
Palming the back of her head, he pushed her down tighter, holding her to him, not caring whether she drank him dry. What a way to die
Too soon, she went to pull away, but he was desperate for her to keep going, and tried to force her to stay at his throat. It was no contest, though. She was so strong physically, it was as if he had put up no protest at all. And didnt that make him come again.
As overrun as his nervous system was, he still felt the retraction of her fangs from his neck and knew the exact moment she was out of him. Then the biting pain was replaced with a soft, lapping stroke, as if she were sealing him closed.
Falling into a semi-trance, Mannys lids lowered and his head lolled on the top of his spine like a deflated balloon. From out of the corner of his eye, he looked at her perfect profile, the illumination from the monitor giving him plenty of light to watch her lick her lower lip
Except it was not the computer.
The screen saver had come on and all that was showing was a black background with a Windows logo.
She was glowing. All over. From head to foot.
He guessed they did that, and how . . . extraordinary.
Except she was frowning. Are you all right? Mayhap I took too much. . . .
Im . . . He swallowed. Twice. His tongue felt numb in his mouth. I am . . .
Panic set into her beautiful face. Oh, fates, what have I done
He forced his head upright. Payne . . . the only way it could have been better is if Id come inside of you.
She was momentarily relieved. And then she asked, What is coming?
TWENTY-TWO
Up at the Pit, Jane was moving fast through her bedroom. Opening the closets double doors, she started pulling white shirts out and throwing them over her shoulder onto the bed. In her haste, hangers flipped off the rod and bounced on the floor, or twisted around and got pinned at the back of the closetand she couldnt have cared less.
There were no tears. Which she was proud of.
On the other hand, her whole body was shaking so badly it was all she could do to keep her hands corporeal.
As her stethoscope slipped off her neck and landed on the carpet, she stopped only so she didnt step on it. God . . . damn it
Straightening after she picked the thing up, she glanced at the bed and thought, right, maybe it was time to quit with the white shirts. There was a mountain of them on the black satin sheets.
Backing across the room, she sat down next to her Mount Hanesmore and stared at the closet. Vs muscle shirts and leathers were still all arranged; her side was a train wreck.
Wasnt that a perfect metaphor.
Except . . . he was a mess, too, wasnt he.
God . . . what the hell was she doing? Moving down to the clinic, even temporarily, was not the answer. When you were married, you stayed and worked it out. That was how relationships survived.
She left now? No telling where they were going to end up.
God, theyd had what, all of two hours of back-to-normal? Great. Frickin great.
Taking out her phone, she called up a blank text and stared at the screen. Two minutes later, she flipped the cell shut. It was hard to put everything she had to say into 160 characters. Or even six pages of 160s.
Payne was her patient, and she had a duty to her. Vishous was her mate, and there was nothing she wouldnt do for him. And Vs twin had not been prepared to give her any time whatsoever.
Although apparently that was something she was willing to grant her brother. And obviously, Vishous had gone to their mother.
God only knew what was going to come of that.
Staring at the mess shed made of the closet, Jane ran through the situation over and over again, and kept coming to the same conclusion : Paynes right to choose her destiny superseded anyones right to trap her in her own life. Was that harsh? Yes. Was it fair on those who loved her? Absolutely not.
Would the female have hurt herself worse if there hadnt been a humane way of doing it? One hundred percent, yes.
Jane didnt agree with the females thinking or of her choice. But she was clear on the ethics, as tragic as they were.
And she was determined that Vishous hear her side of it.
Instead of running, she was going to stay put so that when he came home, she would be waiting for him and they could see if there was anything left of their life together. She wasnt fooling herself. This might well not be something they could work through, and she didnt blame him if that was the case. Family was family, after all. But she had done what the situation had called for according to the duty she had to her patient. Which was what doctors did, even when it cost them . . . everything they had.
Getting up, she picked hangers off the floor until she got to the closet. There were a lot of them in and around the boots and shoes, so she bent down, reaching into the back
Her hand hit something soft. Leatherbut it was not shitkicker.
Sitting back on her heels, she brought whatever it was with her.
What the hell? Vs fighting leathers didnt belong shoved behind the shoes
There was something on the cowhideWait. It was wax. It was black wax. And . . .
Jane put her hand over her mouth and let the pants slip out of her grip.
Shed given him enough orgasms to know what they looked like on his leathers. And that wasnt the only stain. There was blood. Red blood.
With a dreadful sense of inevitability, she reached into the closet once more and patted around until she felt a shirt. Pulling it out, she found more blood and wax.
The night hed gone to the Commodore. It was the only explanation : These were not ancient, forgotten relics, the dusty remnant of a life hed previously led. Hell, the scent of the wax still clung to the fibers and hide.
She knew the instant Vishous walked into the doorway behind her.
Without looking up, she said, I thought you werent with anyone else.
His response was a long time coming. I wasnt.
Then can you explain these? She held up the leathers, but come on, like there was anything else in the room?
I was not with anyone else.
She threw them back into the closet and tossed the muscle shirt in there as well. To coin a phrase you yourself have used, I have nothing to say right now. I truly dont.
You honestly think I could fuck something on the side.
What the hell are those clothes, then?
He didnt respond. He just stood there looming over her, so tall and strong . . . and strangely foreign, even though she knew his body and face as well as her own.
She waited for him to speak. Waited some more. And to pass the time, she reminded herself that his upbringing had been a bitch and that remaining stoic and unyielding had been the only way to survive.
Except that rationale simply wasnt enough. At some point, the love they had deserved better than silence that was grounded in the past.
Was it Butch? she said, hoping that was the case. At least if it was Vs best friend, she knew that any release had been incidental. Butch was a totally faithful guy to his mate and he would do any Doming only because it was the strange, dark medicine V needed to keep level. As bizarre as it sounded, that she could understand and get past.
Was it? she said. Because I can deal with that.
Vishous seemed momentarily surprised, but then he shook his head. Nothing happened.
Then are you telling me Im blind? she croaked. Because unless you give me a better explanation, all I have are these leathers . . . and the pictures in my mind that are making me sick.
Silence, only silence.
Oh, God . . . how could you? she whispered.
V just shook his head, and said in the same tone, Right back at you.
Well, at least she had a reason for what had happened with Payne. And she hadnt lied about it.
After a moment, V stepped into the room and picked up a duffel bag that was empty of his gym clothes. Here. Youre going to need this.
With that, he tossed it over . . . and walked away.
TWENTY-THREE
Down in the exam room, Paynes healer was looking halfdead, but entirely happy with his partial demise.
As she waited for him to answer her question, she was rather more concerned with his condition than he was. His blood had been shockingly rich on her tongue, the dark wine slipping to the back of her throat and tunneling into her, flooding not just her gut but her whole body.
It was the first time shed ever taken a vein at the neck. Chosen, when they were in the Sanctuary, required not the sustenance of blood, nor did they cycle through their needings. And that was when one wasnt in suspended animation, as she had been.
And she barely remembered feeding from Wraths wrist.
Strange . . . the two bloods had tasted much the same, though the flavor of the kings had been bolder.
What is this coming? she repeated.
Her healer cleared his throat. Its . . . ah, what happens when youre into someone and youre with them.
Show me.
The laughter that came out of him was velvety and deep. I would love to. Trust me.
Is it something I . . . can make you do?
He coughed a little. You already have.
Really?
Her healer nodded slowly, his eyelids dropping low. You most certainly did. So I need a shower.
And then you will show me. It wasnt a request; it was a demand. And as his arms tightened up on her, she had the sense he was aroused. Yes, she growled. You shall show me everything.