Dangerous (Courting the Darkness Saga) (22 page)

She heard the door open,
then close. The sounds echoed in her head. Then she felt Drake wrap his arms
around her, holding her close.
I’m here
,
he spoke to her mind.

She turned into his
arms and buried her face in his neck. “What’s wrong with me?” She moved her
hands to cover her ears. “Ah! Why is my voice so loud?”

He rubbed her back in a
soothing manner, rocking her gently.
You
were mortally wounded in the battle
.

Her voice caught. “What
are you saying?”

I had to convert you, love.

“You mean I died?”

No, let’s just say you were born again. You will never
die, love.

“I thought you said I
wouldn’t become a vampire like you.”

That wasn’t my intention, no, but I guess that is what
the Fates had planned all along. I knew that you would become immortal, but at
the time I didn’t know how. Had I been given a choice I would have tried to
find another way, but Desiree said you were injured too badly for even magic to
heal you. There wasn’t time to find other help. Had I tried you would have been
dead.

“Then you would have
died too.”

Yes.

“Why aren’t you
speaking out loud?”

He chuckled softly.
I could, but your senses will be in
overdrive for the next couple of hours. You’ll need to sit quietly for a few
more hours until you feel a little more normal
.

She sighed heavily and
snuggled a little deeper into his neck. “Okay. Mmmm you smell good.”

Are you hungry?

“I’m starving.”

You can feed from me. In fact, you need to feed.

“How?”

Run your tongue along the vein in my neck. Yes, that’s
right. You’ll feel your teeth drop
.

All her senses were
heightened. He smelled so good her mouth watered. She ran her tongue along his
neck, following the artery from the crook of his neck to his ear. She felt the
familiar ache in her core as she ran her tongue over her teeth and felt their
newfound sharpness. She bit down, sinking her teeth into the tender flesh of
his neck, his blood flowing freely into her mouth.

He held her close,
allowing her free reign to take what she needed from him.

She pulled her teeth
back and sealed the wound with her tongue. “I’m still hungry.”

You didn’t have to stop
.

“No.” She fisted his
shirt in her hands and flung him back on the bed with her new strength. “I need
to feel you between my legs.” She worked the button on her jeans, unzipped the
zipper, and
shimmied
them to the floor. “I need to
feel you deep inside me….” She pulled her sweater over her head and threw it to
the floor.
“To touch my soul.”
She stopped and raised
an eyebrow. “You’re still dressed?”

A smile touched his
lips as he reached for the snap on his leather pants. “I figured that you’d be
angry with me for changing you.” The pants slid past his hips exposing his hard
cock, then he kicked them the rest of the way off.

Sherry straddled his
legs and sat down, considering his words. “I can’t find it in myself to be
angry with you. Would I have chosen this for myself? I would have to say no,
but I do choose you, love. If it means living for eternity as a vampire to
remain with you…well, I can’t be angry with you about that.”

His smile grew. “Good.”
Grabbing her hips he flipped her over on her belly, spreading her legs,
exposing her fully to his gaze. On his knees now he peeled the shirt over his
head. It followed the rest of the clothes to the floor. “Because I want to show
you how it feels to feed from each other. But first….”

With one hand he fisted
his cock, and with the other he pumped a finger in the slick opening, spreading
her juices around and over her tight ass. Her inner walls clenched and wept.

Looking over her
shoulder she asked, “What are you doing?”

“Relax, love. I’m going
to heighten your pleasure. For now I’m only using my fingers.” Dipping his
fingers into her creamy wetness, he again used the wetness to massage the tiny
bud,
then
slipped a finger into the opening.

Sherry moaned and
undulated
her hips to get closer to his hand. Plunging his
finger slowly in and out, going deeper with each stroke, he eased his cock in
past the silken lips and began to rock his hips in rhythm with his finger, pulling
both nearly out to ram all the way back in, picking up the speed and abandon.
Sherry threw back her head and bucked her hips, taking him in to the hilt. Her
body shuddered over his cock and finger, pulsating and milking the swollen
member.

Drake shoved his cock
in as deep as it would go and roared out his own release. Removing his finger
and cock, he rolled her over and buried his cock again in her wetness,
undulating
his hips to stoke her need again. Her inner wall
still pulsated, sucking him deeper. He licked the vein in her neck. “Here’s how
we’ll feed, love.” He sank his fangs into the tender vein as his cock plunged
deeper.

Sherry’s body was on
fire. Every movement of his hips wound her tighter than before, and the feel of
his mouth on her neck was heaven. On the verge of her own climax, she sank her
teeth into his shoulder. Together they crested and felt their souls merge as
one.

***

Sherry dressed in a red
velvet gown that Drake insisted that she wear. He had told her that she would
receive her coronation, and there would also be a trial of sorts for Santana.
They all already knew he was guilty…it was just a formality.

She brushed her hair as
she looked into the mirror. Her eyes were now a deep shade of red. Drake had
told her that her eyes would remain that color for about a year, then they
would slowly change back to her natural color, and then only change if she were
angry or on the hunt. Her complexion now was the color of flawless porcelain.
She turned her face from side to side as she studied every detail. Being a
vampire seemed to enhance the good parts of her features and hide the bad.

There were still a
couple of unknowns: Was she still a witch? Could her body handle the sunlight
without an amulet? She was anxious to find out.

Drake walked up behind
her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He kissed her neck. “Are you ready,
my queen?”

She placed the
hairbrush on the counter and smiled at their reflection into the mirror. “Yes,
sire.”

He turned her around and
kissed her lips gently, then placed her hand on the crook of his arm. “Let’s go
make this official.”

This trip down the hall
was different from the last. This time there were no secrets. They walked
through the throne room doors arm in arm.

The entire clan stood
at attention. They raised their right fists in the air, then across their
hearts, and back in the air as a silent salute to their king and queen.

“My love, I need you to
face the throne and kneel.”

She gave him a half
smile and kneeled as he asked.

Drake held her crown in
his hands and held it up for all to see. “I have claimed my life mate and your
new queen. Serve her as you would serve me.” He placed the crown on her head.
“Rise, my queen, and meet your subjects.”

She rose, placed her
hand on his arm again,
then
faced the clan. The entire
clan saluted her with their fists. Drake led her to her throne and encouraged
her to sit. He sat in his own throne and raised his hand for the meeting to
continue.

“You did beautifully,
vixen.”

“Thank you.” She looked
around. “What’s next?”

“We will hear and judge
Santana together. Are you up to it?”

“The man almost
succeeded in killing me. I will take great pleasure in sitting in judgment.”

“Now vixen, we have to
go by facts, not personal vendettas. We are supposed to be unbiased. Don’t let
the power go to your head.”

“I count myself blessed
to still be here. I won’t be biased.”

He nodded. “Good.”

Drake lifted his hand
and motioned with his fingers to bring the prisoner forward.

Santana swaggered to
his place in front of the throne, his hands tied securely behind his back, chin
held high.

Drake raised his hand
for silence. “Santana, you are charged with plotting to overthrow my kingdom
and attempting to kill my mate. How do you plead?”

“This kingdom should
have been mine. It was promised to me. Your mate was in my way and just a means
to an end. She should have died, thus ending you.”

“Who promised you my
kingdom? Was it the Fates?”

“Who?”

“Did the Fates promise
you my kingdom?”

“No.”

He’s hiding something
, Drake said to Sherry.

I think so too
.

“Who promised you my
kingdom?”

“It doesn’t suit me to
tell you.”

“You are going to die,
Santana. Would you rather die alone with your secret?”

“The deal is off,
Sean.”

Sean backed up toward
the door.

Drake tilted his head
and glared at his long-time servant. “Sean?”

Two guards stopped Sean
by gripping his arms. “He
lies
, sire.”

“A dead man has no need
to lie. Why?”

“I was promised your
throne.”

Drake raised an
eyebrow. “Do you honestly believe that Santana would have let you live long
enough to rule? If you did, you are a bigger fool then you appear to be.
Santana wanted to rule New Orleans himself. He told me so as he tried to kill
me. The key focus is the word tried. Sean, you do not have the backbone to be a
ruler. The others would not have followed you. If you had succeeded in getting
me killed, another stronger vampire would have risen up and overthrown you. You
don’t have what it takes to be king.”

Drake stood. “You both
are sentenced to death.” Drake looked to the guard.
“Strip
Sean of his amulet.”
The guard reached over and yanked the chain from
his neck. “Take them to the plantation. It is secluded. Stake them outside.
They will meet their end by meeting the sun.”

Sean tried to yank away
from the guard. “You can’t do this! I demand to be set free.”

Drake glared into his
eyes. “You are in no position to make demands, Sean. You betrayed your own
friends and sealed your own fate. Guards, take them away.”

***

“I asked Mica and
Desiree to meet us in our chambers.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“I have to decide what
to do with Santana’s kingdom.”

“You’re not thinking of
moving to Texas, are you?”

He chuckled softly.
“No, love, I like it here.”

She smiled. “I do too.”

There was a knock at
the door.

“Come in, Mica.”

Mica and Desiree
entered the room,
then
closed the door behind them.

Mica held up his hand.
“Drake, before you begin, can I say something?”

Drake nodded. “Sure,
what is it?”

“I thought you said
that we wouldn’t be subjected to anymore summons. We no more than got home then
were called right back out here.”

Drake laughed. “I did,
didn’t I?”

“I don’t see what’s so
funny.”

“Mica, I called you
here to give you Texas. I can’t think of a better person to rule than you and
your mate. I would rather have a friend than foe at the helm. What do you say?”

“Texas is a large
kingdom.”

Drake nodded. “Yes, but
a kingdom without a ruler, or subjects for that matter at the moment. Your mate
had a hand in destroying the entire clan. You are charged with building your
own armies just as I did. Do you think you’re up to it?

“I would be honored.”

“Good. We will miss
having you around, but we will see you from time to time. After all, we are
friends and our mates are related.”

“Thank you, sire. This
is the last thing I expected.”

“Just
be
a good, strong ruler. You are my firstborn. Make me
proud.”

***

Sherry snuggled closer
to Drake beneath the sheets. “That was a very nice thing you did tonight,
love.”

“Say it again.”

She laughed softly.
“You want me to repeat myself?”

“I never tire of
hearing you say it.”

She giggled.
“Love, love, love, love.”
She propped up on an elbow. “I
love you, Drake.”

He flipped her over on
her back and buried his cock deep between her soft folds. He wrapped her legs
around his hips. “You asked me once if you could keep me.”