Hunter Reborn (8 page)

“They killed five of us. What was I supposed to do?” Logan snapped. In vampire years he was only two years old. A child. Having been turned at eighteen, he was incredibly young. He was also handsome and knew it. Something he probably thought would save him now. Just because she'd fucked him a few times meant nothing though. “You're lucky we decided to keep one of us as a lookout, otherwise you wouldn't
have even known what happened,” he continued, oblivious to her ire.

She reined in her snort of disgust at his stupidity. Of course she would have known. Her master had been watching
everything
through their eyes. His powerful gift allowed him to control almost anyone with vampire blood in their veins, even from a distance. He was their puppet master. They were just too weak and stupid to realize they weren't in control of their own bodies.

Her master could even control humans who were hopped-up on the addictive vampire blood—which was why he'd taken to selling it in huge quantities. Winston-Salem was his testing ground and so far, things were moving along smoothly enough. His control wasn't perfect with vamps, but for humans, he'd been directing them to do all sorts of nasty things, including robbing banks and other places. Her master sometimes did things just because he could, but the stealing was for a purpose. He wanted power but also money. He didn't care how he attained it.

Using her own display of power, she reached out a hand and curved her fingers as if she were choking someone. Logan started gasping for air, as if she was physically strangling the life out of him.

Eyes bulging out of their sockets, he fruitlessly clawed at the invisible hand around his neck. With another burst of power, she held his entire body immobile. This would drain her, but she didn't care. She'd been so sure these fools would bring Larissa back after the failure last night. Now she would be the one who suffered her master's wrath.

So Logan would feel hers before she endured her own agony. She drank in his fear as she choked the life out of him. While holding him immobile, she reached for a dagger on her altar. His eyes widened even more as she came near him.

When she reached him, she pressed her body to his, rubbing her breasts against his chest. Even with their clothes separating them, she could feel the fear emanating off him. The stench wrapped around her, invigorating her. “I'm going to enjoy this,” she said as she stepped back and dragged the blade down the front of his shirt.

It fell away as if it was a piece of paper. He started making grunting sounds, like an animal, but she kept her tight grip on his entire body. Normally she liked to hear her victim struggle and fight, but she didn't have time for any distraction right now.

Not when she was going to attempt to put off her master's wrath for another day. Shoving the blade through Logan's chest, she twisted hard, shredding his heart. His eyes widened even further. At his young age he wasn't powerful enough to heal from this wound. And he definitely wouldn't heal from what she did next. She pulled the blade out, then shoved her hand through his chest cavity.

A ripple of arousal went through her when she grasped his heart. After pulling it out she licked her wrist and fingers as the blood dripped down her arm before she placed it on her altar. He fell to the floor, but she ignored his body. She'd deal with the cleanup later.

Clasping her hands together, she smeared his blood
over her other hand before she closed her eyes, lifting her hands out in a wide, welcoming gesture, and started chanting a locator spell she'd used many times before. Usually on humans, but Magda had to try to find Larissa. She still couldn't believe the bitch had found her tracking spell.

Magda focused all her energy on Larissa's face.

Energy drained from Magda as she chanted. The harder she tried to find Larissa, the blurrier the female's face became in her mind. It didn't make sense. She wasn't sure how much time passed, but guessed it had been close to an hour when the air in the room suddenly changed, becoming colder, heavier.
He
was here. She felt his presence even before her eyes snapped open.

“Master,” she whispered, staring as he slowly descended the stairs to her basement.

“You've lost Larissa.” A statement, not a question. She shivered.

He wasn't wearing the hood he often chose and his eyes weren't glowing red, which meant he was in full control of himself. He was impossibly good-looking. With dark hair and beautiful eyes . . . She locked down her thought process at his knowing smirk. He loved the effect he had on her. “A momentary setback. She must have discovered my tracking spell, but I can still locate her.” Magda simply needed to try harder with her locator spell. With the vampire's heart as a sacrifice it was possible. And if not, she'd sacrifice more vamps.

As if he read her thoughts, her master looked at the
dead male on the ground, then at the now-shriveled heart on the altar. His jaw tightened. “It would seem you couldn't.”

She swallowed hard, hating that familiar glint in his eyes. When they'd first met they'd been equals. She'd even revealed ancient spells from her line to him. Now he treated her like a whore. Like one of his minions. “I
will
find her.”

He covered the distance between them before she'd blinked. Reaching up, he grasped her jaw in a tight, unforgiving grip. His touch was unnaturally warm. “I don't doubt that,” he whispered, that red glow flickering to life once again. “Because if you don't, I'll make you regret being born.”

Before she could respond, he turned her around and slammed her face-first onto the altar. The blood from the vamp's heart spread over her face. She knew what was coming before it happened. Her nipples pebbled tightly as he shoved her skirt up. Seconds later, he was inside her, his thick length spreading her. Groaning, she arched her hips up as he thrust into her over and over. Bastard wouldn't let her come. He never did when he was pissed like this.

When she reached between her legs to stimulate herself, he stopped, buried deep inside her. “Don't.” The warning sent a wave of fear rolling through her.

Though she wanted to orgasm, she knew better than to defy him. By now she didn't bother fighting him. There was no point. If she stroked herself anyway, he'd let her come, but then he'd punish her afterward. She'd
rather deal with no climax than with what he'd do to her later if she defied him.

He resumed thrusting and she gritted her teeth. As soon as he was through with her, she'd have to find Larissa. Or suffer far worse consequences than this.

A
iden tugged on one of the sweaters he'd grabbed earlier as he took the stairs to the second floor two at a time. The cabin he and Larissa had just broken into was huge, with two fireplaces. Luckily the one in the master bedroom was gas operated so he could start it without worrying about alerting anyone to their presence.

Larissa was waiting downstairs in the kitchen while he made sure the place was secure. He hadn't even had to break any windows or pick a lock to get in the place. One of the upstairs bathroom windows had been unlocked. The window was narrow and high up, but he'd used his skills as a shifter to jump up to it. Of course it had been the very last window he'd checked.

At least they were someplace relatively safe. He didn't think anyone had followed them and after he'd texted Connor he'd turned off his phone and taken out the battery. Going completely dark for a few hours was
the only option right now. Larissa was beyond exhausted and needed to feed. Once she did, he planned to make sure she got more sleep. It was the only way she'd start regaining some of her strength. Since he couldn't take her back to the ranch yet, this place would have to do.

After checking the propane tank, he turned on the fireplace and turned it up high. He wanted to get this room as warm as possible, quickly. The cabin was located right near the top of one of the mountains at the Sugar Mountain ski lodge. If they'd been here on vacation it would have been the perfect getaway spot. They could practically step out the front door and hit the slopes.

But they weren't on vacation and the woman he'd never stopped loving didn't remember him. He bit back a curse and tried not to dwell on that. It wouldn't do him any good.

As he pulled two thick electric blankets down from the closet, he paused at a slight shuffling sound.

“It's just me,” Larissa whispered nearby.

He stepped out of the walk-in closet to find her hovering in the doorway, arms wrapped tightly around herself. Wearing a thick jacket over a sweater, snug jeans, and knee-high snow boots, she was still practically shivering.

Damn it, he needed to feed her and get her warm. “I've got the fireplace going and I'm going to plug in these blankets. This will warm you up, but you've got to feed.” He tried to brace himself for how arousing it would be for him. In the past they'd always been
intimate when she fed from him, but things were different now.

She nodded as she stepped into the room. “I know.” She took off her boots and set them neatly by the door. Next went her jacket, which she hung over the back of a tufted chair within arm's reach.

As he started plugging in and situating the blankets over the bed, she fiddled with the hem of her sweater, looking anywhere but at him.

“What?” he demanded, crossing to the entryway where she still hovered like she was ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

The thought pissed him off. He'd already proved he was trustworthy, that he'd never hurt her and wouldn't take anything that she wasn't willing to give of her own free will. She might not remember him, might not remember how good it had been between them, but she shouldn't be afraid.

Clearing her throat, she looked up, her indigo eyes confused. “How do we do this? Do I take from your wrist or . . .” Her gaze fell to his throat, her eyes going heavy-lidded with an emotion he recognized clearly.

Lust.

What he saw matched exactly what he was feeling. What he never stopped experiencing in her presence.

She wasn't afraid, she was
nervous
. And she was shaking. Shit.

Aiden closed his eyes and took a deep breath. No matter how much he wanted her, there was no way he could take advantage of her. Not now. He might want to use her own desire to win her over, to seal their
bond, but something told him now wasn't the right time. He needed to take care of her other needs first and that meant making sure she was healthy.

When he opened his eyes, he held out a hand, let her see he was in complete control of himself and his baser desires. “Come on.”

Tentatively, she placed her smaller hand in his. She seemed surprised when he led them to the tufted chair near the window rather than the bed. The curtains were shut and he didn't plan to open them or any of the others in the house. They weren't turning on any lights either. Nothing to draw attention to themselves. The soft glow from the fake wood in the fireplace barely illuminated her delicate features, but he didn't need it to see in the dimness anyway.

As he sat, he tried to order his growing erection to stay down, but it didn't work. The thought of Larissa's mouth on him was too much. Well, he'd just have to ignore it then. Without him having to say anything, she tentatively sat on his lap, perching on the edge of one leg.

This close to Larissa, that crisp forest-in-winter scent of hers wrapped around him, making him crazy. Fall and winter were always hardest for him because the smells had constantly reminded him of her. Hell, he was reminded of her no matter what.

Now he wouldn't have to worry about that anymore. He spread his thighs wider as she turned toward him, giving her more space to move. Her breathing increased as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

“You're turned on,” she whispered, stating the obvious.

“So are you.”

She nodded. “I should take your wrist . . .”

He tilted his head to the side, baring his neck completely to her in a way he never had or would with anyone else. She might not remember him, but maybe she would remember this. Even if she didn't, he was showing her, the best way he could, how much he cared for her. “Take what you need.”

For a split second indecision flared in her eyes, but then they glowed brighter as her basic hunger took over. He thought she was just going to pierce his neck, but she bent down and started nuzzling him. The brush of her mouth against his skin was soft and sweet and so much like the first time she'd fed from him, his throat ached with too many emotions.

Closing his eyes, he let his head fall back against the chair as she gently raked her teeth over his neck. He shuddered at the feel of her teasing him with her teeth and tongue, the erotic action pushing his control to the limit. Combined with the growing sweet scent of her arousal, it was almost impossible to retain restraint. His cock ached between his legs, but he made himself stay still, just loosely holding her. One of his hands was wrapped around her back as she sat perched on his leg, but he didn't want to screw this up.

Aiden knew she needed to feel comfortable with this, feeding from him. As a rule vamps and shifters didn't comingle much, and vamps rarely fed from shifters. Even though she'd fed from him before, she didn't remember it. This would be new to her.

To him, it was heaven and hell. He was so fucking
turned on he was afraid he'd embarrass himself. The first time he'd allowed her to feed he'd been shocked by how erotic it was. He hadn't been able to control himself and they'd started fucking before she'd taken a few pulls of his blood.

When she raked her teeth against his neck again and made a purring sound, the leash on his control slipped. He slid his hand under the back of her shirt, along the length of her spine, rubbing her soft skin up and down in a soothing gesture. With each stroke, she pressed harder against his neck with her teeth until finally she penetrated his skin.

There was the briefest moment of the discomfort of two pinpricks against him, but it gave way to a pure shot of pleasure as she started to suck. His cock pulsed each time she dragged in his blood.

He groaned and wrapped his other arm around her, needing to hold her completely. Needing to feel her body pressed against his. He hated that clothes separated them. He wanted skin to skin, his cock pushing inside her as she rode him.

Larissa made a low sound of satisfaction and shifted positions so that she was completely straddling him while she fed. As she clutched onto his shoulder with one hand, her other one slid down his covered chest and didn't stop until she reached the top of his jeans. Through their link he knew exactly what she intended. And God, how he wanted it. But not now.

“No, you don't have to,” he somehow managed to rasp out, though he wasn't sure how the hell he found
his voice. He put a hand on the back of her head, more to ground himself than anything.

Ignoring him, she tore at the fastening of his jeans, ripping the fabric and tearing the button free until she found what she wanted.

He settled his hands on her hips and held tight as she grasped his hard length. Somehow he had to ground himself, to stop himself from stripping her down and thrusting into her tight heat. He should stop her . . . for some reason. He couldn't remember why he needed to, much less remember his own fucking name as her fingers fisted around his cock with the perfect amount of pressure.

In tune with the way she sucked his neck, she started stroking him until he couldn't think at all. He wasn't sure how much time passed as she sucked his neck and pleasured him, but when she pulled back, only stopping briefly to lick the wounds on his neck, he let go of his control.

She stared at him, her gaze an electric blue of hunger and raw need as her fist squeezed him. It was as if all his nerve endings lit up at once. “Larissa,” he growled her name, sounding ragged as his climax surged through him.

She slammed her mouth down on his, stroking and teasing her tongue against his as he came on her hand and himself. He was barely aware of moving until he had her on the hardwood floor beneath him, his cock still hard in her hand.

It didn't matter that he'd come already. That had just
taken the edge off. After sixty years without her, he could fuck her for days. Weeks. The thought of being buried inside her that long made another growl tear from him.

Only when her hands pressed against his chest did he realize she was trying to tell him something. His breathing ragged, he pulled his head back and stared down at her.

Her eyes were now heavy-lidded, her gaze soft with adoration. “Aiden . . . I wanted to do that for you, but what you're thinking now . . . I don't think it's a good idea.” Blushing, she trailed off and he realized what she wasn't saying.

He'd projected his thoughts to her, his hunger. And she was exhausted. This feeding would only be the first of many. She would need a few more before she was even remotely back in top form. He couldn't just take her now on the floor like he wanted. Because once he started, he wasn't stopping. He'd tire them both out until they couldn't walk. Which would just exhaust her even further.

His wolf was edgy, needy. For her. He knew his wolf was in his eyes because she went still, watching him not exactly warily, but damn close.

The caution there killed him. He forced his animal back as he cupped her cheek gently. Rubbing his thumb against her soft skin, he couldn't fight the shudder that overtook him. “We don't have to have sex, but I want to pleasure you.” He needed it. To bind her to him even more, show her how good it could be between them.

She gave him a smile then, a real one. The first since
he'd found her again and it took his breath away. “I know you do. I can feel all of your emotions right now and it's amazing and overwhelming. I just, I don't think it's a good idea. If we go any further . . .”

“We won't stop until we pass out and you need more blood.” While he hated the thought of her drinking from anyone other than him, he knew that to heal her quicker, he'd need to find donors. Supernatural ones. “After we rest, you can feed from me again and then we'll find you more blood.”

She slowly licked her lips, the action so erotic his cock ached as he watched her tongue move. “You taste amazing. I wish I didn't have to feed from anyone else.”

“Eventually you won't. Once you've regained your strength, you'll feed only from me.” He knew he sounded high-handed, but didn't care. He didn't want her drinking from anyone else. Especially another male. The thought made his wolf go rabid.

She didn't acknowledge what he said as she continued. “Now that I've taken the edge off, I can find a human to mesmerize and take a little blood from. I won't hurt anyone.”

“Is that why you didn't feed more until now?”

She nodded. “Yes. Magda gave me some blood but it was weak. I was too afraid to search out humans on my own. I didn't want to accidentally injure someone.”

That was definitely the Larissa he remembered. Even though she'd been haughty when they first met, she'd been so kind and considerate of others. She'd viewed it as her duty to protect those she considered
weaker. Because she was a bloodborn, someone higher up the evolutionary ladder than the majority of the planet, that had surprised him. But she was so respectful about not crossing boundaries and taking what didn't belong to her. It was one of the reasons he'd fallen so damn hard for her.

Closing his eyes, he touched his forehead to hers. He knew if he pressed hard enough he could have them both naked. Using willpower he hated, he said, “Let's get cleaned up, then get some sleep.” His inner wolf clawed at him, telling him to shut the hell up and get them both naked, but Aiden had to think about what was best for Larissa right now. Standing took monumental effort, but he forced himself to get off her and tuck himself into his jeans before helping her to her feet.

As they headed for the bathroom, she asked, “Why did you wait so long to tap into our telepathic link?”

“I didn't want to overwhelm you at first, especially since you don't remember . . .” He trailed off when he felt sorrow emanating from her. The scent of it filled the air and he wanted to punch himself. “I'm sorry,” he said, feeling like an ass.

“I'm the one who's sorry. I should remember you,” she muttered, making a beeline for the shower. “Do you mind giving me a little privacy while I clean up?” She didn't even look over her shoulder as she started stripping.