Good, the Bad, and the Vampire (18 page)

“I'm not letting you go,” she whispered. “Don't you get it? I love you, Dakota. The only thing I'm afraid of losing…is you.”

Those words shredded his last ounce of self-control. He crashed his mouth down into hers in an explosion of need. He tilted her head, taking full control of the kiss, licking and sucking those luscious lips like a man who'd been starving. Hadn't he been? Starved for truth, acceptance, and love. And Trixie was giving him all of it, and then some. He trailed kisses down her neck, nudging the chain of the necklace out of the way. Only then did his protective instincts go on overdrive, pulling his lust-fogged head out of his ass.

“Wait.” He tore his mouth from hers and shook his head, his fangs unsheathing in protest and need. Dakota held her face inches from his as she tried to kiss him again. “It's too dangerous to be out here in the open. We don't know where the gargoyles are. It's not safe.”

“Dakota? You have an arsenal hidden inside this coat,” Trixie murmured. “Besides that, did you forget that your bloodmate has a bona fide gargoyle alarm inside her?” She lifted her lip and ran her tongue along the tip of her fangs. She whispered, “Trust me, baby. We are covered.”

The sight of her wet tongue sliding over the curve of her gleaming white fang was deliciously carnal and more than Dakota could bear. He dipped his head low, cursing all the while, and devoured her mouth with his. His fang scraped her lip, sending a few drops of her rich blood over his tongue. Light and color erupted behind his eyes and only made him want more. He wouldn't take it—not until she was ready to do the same.

They broke the kiss just long enough to strip the clothes from each other's bodies in a furious rush of limbs. She went to remove the leather sheath and harnesses around his forearm—the ones that held his sentry dagger and the stone dagger—but Dakota shook his head.

“Sorry, darlin',” he rasped before trailing his tongue along her throat. “Those stay on.”

“Alright then.” Trixie sighed. She trailed her fingertips lightly over the leather sheaths and rubbed her thumbs along the handles. All he could think about was having her hands on him like that. “As long as you don't keep your boots on. A girl has to draw the line somewhere.”

Mourning the loss of the taste of her, he quickly captured her lips again. He tasted peppermint and whiskey, and Dakota realized he'd been wrong about something. He'd said that the ranch was his home but that wasn't entirely true. His heart would be with this woman for the rest of his existence—no matter how short-lived it might be. Her spirit, heart, mind, and body. That was where he would worship, and that was all he would ever need to know that he was home.

They stood naked in each other's arms, and Dakota groaned as he reveled in the feel of Trixie's soft curves against his body. The cool gold coin pressed against his chest as her breasts melded to him. The soft curve of her hips and belly was in stark contrast to him. Every inch of him was wound tight with desperate need and anticipation. Kissing her deeply, Dakota scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the hot, welcoming water of the pool.

She tangled her arms around his neck and sighed into his mouth as he dipped her deeper under the surface, letting the naturally heated water wash over them. He tore his lips from hers and held her tightly, while taking in the glorious feel of her. Trixie's naked skin was slick and glistened in the moonlight. Her mouth, swollen from his kisses, parted and revealed the enticing tip of her fangs. She wiggled in his arms and whimpered, a pleading sound that cried for more of what they both wanted.

Kissing her deeply, he brought her to the edge of the pool and set her down gently. He knelt in the water, settling between her legs. He pressed one hand to her belly and urged her to lie back, then curled his other hand under the crook of her knee. Trixie nodded and leaned back on her elbows, her lower lip caught between her teeth. She let out a moan, a needy whimper, and opened her legs wide.

“Oh my God,” Trixie whispered. She settled on one elbow but her other hand curled around her breast. Dakota almost lost it when she rolled her erect nipple between her fingers. “I want to watch you put your mouth on me. Please, baby.”

Dakota linked his arms under her legs and tugged her wider still before leaning in and blowing softly over the swollen flesh. She flinched but he held her, anchoring her to him as he pressed delicate kisses along her quivering inner thigh.

Tell me, Trix
. He touched her mind and felt her shudder when their thoughts mingled.
I want to know exactly where you want me to put my mouth
. He licked a hot trail all the way up to the soft flesh along her hot center.
And my tongue. What will make you come the hardest?
He peered at her over her sex and licked her clit in one slow pass. Trixie shuddered in his arms and pinched her nipple harder, her head falling back.

That was all the information he needed. She tasted sweet and hot, and she was all his. He took his time licking and suckling her clit and alternately sliding his two fingers deep into her tight channel. Trixie writhed and bucked as he continued his merciless assault, and as she grew closer to her climax, her sweet juice bathed his tongue.

“Not yet,” Trixie gasped as she grabbed his hair and pulled him toward her. “Kiss me… I want to taste myself on your lips.”

Dakota groaned at the wicked decadence of her words, and when his tongue met hers in a frenzy, he knew what they both needed. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her into the water. Trixie wrapped her legs around him and impaled herself on his thick hot shaft in one swift move. Dakota knelt in the shallow pool and clung to her as she rode him. But as the pace increased, so did the call for blood.

Trixie broke the kiss and stared into his eyes as she slid up and down on his cock. Fangs bared, she touched his mind with hers.
Let me taste you, Dakota. All of you
. And as his climax began to crest, he tilted his head and Trixie dove deep. Dakota's orgasm erupted violently when her fangs pierced his flesh, and he clung to her like his existence depended on it. Perhaps it did.

He tangled his fingers in her short hair and returned the favor in kind. His fangs broke the barrier of her skin, and he felt her spasm around him as her own climax reached its peak.

Clinging to one another, connected in every way possible, they shuddered as the delicious waves of pleasure ebbed. Wrapped in her arms and with the fog of lust fading, he heard a sound he almost didn't recognize. Amid the distinct pulses of the waning orgasm came the clear and strong beat of his heart. It was perfectly mingled with hers. Dakota licked the wound on her neck closed and lifted his head as their gazes locked.

Neither one wanted to move.

They remained that way, joined in body and mind. They quietly reveled in the hypnotic sound of their long-dormant hearts beating together as one.

What happened in his past might not be able to be undone, and he would likely have to pay for his actions. But in that moment, with her body curled around his and their hearts beating together, he knew it was worth it.

Whatever happened down the road, no one and nothing could take this away.

Trixie was furious with herself for waiting so long to bond with Dakota. The moment his blood touched her lips had been exquisitely intimate and not one she would ever forget. She had been cradled in the very essence of Dakota Shelton.

She saw the almost idyllic childhood he'd had with his parents, who he'd loved and been loved by with Rockwellian-like perfection. She witnessed the cockiness of youth as he rounded up horses and worked the land of the ranch. Her heart ached from the pain and agony of the night he'd been attacked, the satisfaction of revenge when he hunted down the one who had done it, and the outright regret that haunted him for believing Jonner's lies.

Yet through it all, the one fact, the sole truth that rose above the tsunami of his memories was the core goodness and loyal heart of the man who was Dakota Shelton. What had she ever done to deserve this kind of gift from the universe? She smiled at the memory of her last conversation with Damien.

A bloodmate is a gift and not one that should be squandered.

Trixie let out a groan of discontent because right now that gift was covering up his beautiful body with clothing. What a shame. She was pretty sure that he should be naked all the time. Dakota's gifts were not limited to his huge heart.

“Your body is too fine to be covered up like that all the time.” Trixie pulled her clothes on over her wet body. She snuck a glance up at the brightening sky before blatantly staring at Dakota's bare chest. “I think that from now on, when we're alone, you should stay naked so I can stare at that gorgeous bod all day long.”

“Fine by me, darlin'.” He whisked over and planted a firm kiss on her lips before smacking her butt. “But turnabout is fair play. If I'm naked, then so are you, and I won't keep it to lookin'. There'll be lots of touchin'. But we are burnin' moonlight. Let's get a move on and see if you can find your rock pyramid before the sun comes up.”

Trixie couldn't help but laugh as she pulled on her leather jacket.

“We could test it out at sunrise and see if the bloodmate bond worked and we can daywalk like the others.” She jumped up into his arms and wrapped her legs around him. She wiggled her hips playfully when he palmed her ass with both hands. “What do you think?”

“I think it would be safer to try it near some shelter.” Dakota kissed her before placing her on her feet. “Let's go.”

“It's gonna be pretty cool to be in the sun again. I mean, it's only been thirty or so years for me but…” Her brow furrowed and her mind careened back to the picture they'd found of the men. She stopped short. “Oh my God.”

“What?” Dakota's jaw set and that steely look came over his face again as he scanned the area. “Are you sensin' a gargoyle?”

“No.” She shook her head furiously. “The picture of the gang. The one of Gatlin and the others. It was outside a saloon.”

“So?”

“So? It was
outside
.” She slapped his arm. “It was during the day. They couldn't take pictures at night…in the dark. Not at that point in time.”

“But that can't be possible,” he murmured. “Gargoyles turn to stone in the sun and vamps get dusted.”

“Well, not those guys apparently.” Trixie tangled her hand with his as they walked down the embankment of a hill back toward the house. “Isadora said that Pilar cast some kind of spell and then her lover jilted her. What if she gave them all the ability to walk in the sun? I bet that's it! She cast a spell to make them daywalkers. Think about it, Dakota. It makes sense. She's a witch and has no problem living a regular life among humans. Wouldn't she want her lover to be able to live in the daylight with her?”

“Could be,” Dakota said slowly. “If they attacked the gargoyles during daylight hours, that could explain how they were able to make a clean getaway. The rest of the gargoyles couldn't follow them out of the Dome because they'd turn to stone.”

“The most annoying part is that we don't
know
, and until we find Gatlin, we're just guessing. He's the only one left alive.” Trixie let out an exasperated sigh. “The more I hear about him, the less happy I am that he's my granddaughter's father. He probably only used Chelsea to try to get that gold piece from her.”

“I hate to say it but that's likely the case.” Dakota turned his gaze to the sky. “We had better get a move on if we want to cover some decent ground before sunrise.”

Trixie nodded her understanding. As the two of them took flight and headed for the west side of the Dome, a pang of disappointment fired through her. She almost laughed at her foolishness. She'd put off blood bonding with Dakota all this time and now that she'd finally done it, she was impatient to see it all come to fruition. She rolled her eyes. It would serve her right if the universe decided to take its sweet time.

For the next two hours, they flew low and scanned the entire west side of the Dome, and while there were several unusual rock formations, it seemed like they would never find the one in question. But right as Trixie was about to give up hope, she spotted a large cluster of trees with low-lying branches—much like the ones that had hidden the hot spring.

Let's check out what's under there
. She caught Dakota's eye and pointed to the area in question.
It could be interesting.

Sun's gonna be up soon
. He stopped flying and hovered above the tree line.
We can always come back tomorrow.

It may not be anything, but let's have a look before we head out
. She threw a sultry smile his way.
You never know what might be hidden under there
.

Alright, darlin'
. Dakota winked and his voice, full of that suggestive rumble she'd come to adore, tickled her mind.
If it's anythin' like the last little bit of heaven we found in the trees, then sign me up.

They landed silently side by side and Trixie immediately spotted the cluster of rocks they'd been searching for.

“Jackpot,” she whispered, a wide grin covering her face.

Trixie held out one hand, which Dakota promptly slapped in a victory high five.

“It's been forty years since I was here.” Excitement shimmied up her back. “Jeez. I didn't take into account the changes to the landscape. Those trees were more like bushes or brush when I was a kid.”

“Nice job, darlin'.” Dakota slipped his arm over her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. “Now all we have to do is find the rest of that gold. It's probably buried under there. We'll have to come back tomorrow night with some shovels.”

“Hang on.” Trixie scooted over to the boulders and got down on her hands and knees, checking the crevices for evidence. “Maybe not. I found this one right in here. I mean, it was hardly even hidden.”

As soon as she got close to the spot, the earth began to shake and the coin on her chain levitated away from her body, as though reaching out in search of the rest of the treasure.

“Holy shit,” she whispered.

Dakota was beside her in a blink. He crouched next to her with his back to the boulders, gun drawn and his keen gaze scanning the area around them.

“I don't mean to sound like an ingrate,” he whispered. “I'm glad we found it. But I'd be much obliged if this thing wasn't so damn loud. This is too close to the Dome for my liking.”

Trixie's teeth clattered as the ground vibrated and the coin hovered in midair. She held up both hands as if in surrender, kneeling in front of the boulders.

“Take it off, Trix,” Dakota said quietly. “It's tryin' to go somewhere, so I say we let it.”

Trixie nodded and licked her lower lip as she carefully pulled the chain over her head. She held the chain and let out a shuddering gasp. The coin floated away and slowly up the side of the structure, and the gold links slipped through her shaking fingers. She and Dakota got to their feet and stood side by side as the gargoyles' gold made its journey.

The vibrating grew stronger when the coin reached the pinnacle of the pyramid and erupted in a blinding flash of green light. It was so bright that Dakota and Trixie briefly shielded their eyes. When they dropped their hands, it was to the gritty sounds of rocks moving and grinding against the earth.

The large pyramid of stones began to open, almost like a rock flower that had started to bloom in the sunlight. Dakota linked his hand around Trixie's arm as they backed up to avoid being crushed by the enormous rocks. The earth shook one last time when the last stone hit the ground. The coin drifted gently down before landing with a high-pitched clink on top of an open black bag full of gold.

“Son of a bitch,” Dakota murmured. “That Rathbone woman sure did find one hell of a hidin' place.”

“We did it!” Trixie jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly. “Everything is going to be okay,” she whispered. “We can give it back to the gargoyles and Zhao will have to pardon you.”

Her joy was cut short when the familiar scent of rotten flowers drifted over them with the breeze.

Then, as if they'd been doing it all their lives, Trixie and Dakota shifted their positions so that they were back-to-back and ready for battle.
Do you smell that?
Trixie asked.

Sure do. And I can't help but notice that you aren't feelin' sick
. Dakota withdrew the stone dagger from the sheath on his wrist and then handed his gun to Trixie.
It's loaded with thirty silver rounds and the safety is off.

Got it
. While she was grateful to not be incapacitated by nausea and pain, she was also confused.
What the hell is going on, Dakota? It smells like a gargoyle but…not
.

The wind picked up and with it came more of the flowery aroma.

But there was something else mingled with it, another scent that she couldn't put her finger on. Trixie sharpened her focus and raised the gun, clutching it tightly in both hands, wanting to be ready for who or whatever was lurking in the shadows.

Don't move. I know that scent
. Dakota's voice, dark and serious, filled her head and she could feel his tense form directly behind her.
I'll be a son of a bitch… It's Jonner.

Before she could say what-the-hell-do-you-mean-it's-your-dead-maker, Jonner shot down from the sky and slammed into Trixie and Dakota, instantly separating the two. Trixie was knocked to the ground and rolled to the right, but quickly recovered and started to scramble to her feet. Fangs bared and gun at the ready, she crouched and spun on her heel in search of Dakota and Jonner.

The two vampires were nowhere to be seen. And as she scanned the area, the rock pyramid closed up, once again concealing the treasure within.

Run, Trixie
. Dakota's voice, gruff and pained, echoed in her head.
Get the hell out of here.

No way
. She rose to her feet, gun in hand and desperate to find him. She spun. The sound of grunting and growling cut through the night. She was looking in the wrong place.
I'm not leaving you here.

They were above her.

Get him on the ground, Dakota
. Trixie pointed her gun at the sky as Dakota wrestled in midair with his maker, who was obviously not dead. They tumbled and battled, with the moon looming behind them. She struggled to separate one from the other as their grunts of fury filled the air. Trixie sharpened her focus and aimed her gun toward them.
I can't get a clear shot.

Don't shoot him, Trixie
, Dakota grunted.
This is my kill.

Trixie lowered her weapon only for a moment. The cramp in her stomach hit her right before a second gargoyle did. The massive creature slammed into her from the right and sent her tumbling to the ground. The fall knocked her gun from her grip and it went skittering across the dirt. Even though she wanted to retrieve it, her bigger concern was trying to avoid the poison-tipped talons of the gargoyle.

Trixie flipped onto her back and grabbed the gargoyle's grotesque arms. The beast had to outweigh her by at least a hundred pounds. Its greenish-gray leathery body was thick and muscular, and a pair of yellow glowing eyes glared at her with blind—almost hypnotic—fury.

In that moment, she knew the monster had only one thought on its mind—to kill her.

It was no wonder these things were tasked with protecting humans. They were as powerful as vampires, and that made them a formidable enemy. With all of her strength, fangs bared and arms shaking, she held it away from her. She only had a moment. Trixie pulled her knees in and planted her feet on its torso. With one massive rush of effort she shoved the creature away from her body. She scuttled onto the balls of her feet and the gargoyle shrieked with frustration, flapping its massive wings.

It shifted its weight from one clawed foot to the other, as though weighing its options. Trixie could hear the clash still raging in the air above her but she dared not look away even for a second.

“That's all you've got?” Furious but surprisingly invigorated by the attack, she fleetingly wondered if all of her fight training had been preparing her for this moment. Trixie narrowed her gaze and waved the creature toward her with both hands. “How about you bring that ugly ass a little closer.” She gave it a big, fang-filled smile. “I didn't get a kiss.”

Screeching, the gargoyle lunged toward Trixie with outstretched hands. She spun on her left foot, swung her right leg around, and delivered a roundhouse kick to its face. The gargoyle stumbled back but recovered quickly and slashed at Trixie with its poison-tipped claws.

She dodged to her left and grunted with the effort. The talons whisked by her cheek with a whistling sound, barely missing her. Trixie tried to lunge over and get the gun, but the beast managed to herd her away from the weapon. And as it did, one hand shot out and swiped those claws through the flesh of her forearm.