Into Death's Arms (25 page)

   I stopped laughing when a
ll hell broke loose. I felt his anger like a palpable force in the room. The shade slammed shut of its own accord. The bedroom door slammed shut and locked. Dayton Tameron stepped from the shadows. I started to
shake;
I was too weak to defend myself. He was wearing blue jeans and a white button up that wasn’t buttoned up much.  It covered his arms, shoulders, and his navel that was about it.
I take it back, I thought. I don’t want him to add color to his wardrobe because when he did he was devastating.
His eyes glowed that terrifying neon color. His fangs were fully extended; claws hung at his sides held ready should he have to defend himself. His black hair fell around him. I was terrified and yet that hair. I wanted to sink my hands into that silken mass.

   
God he was usi
ng his power on me even in his
immense anger.
He strode forward, you know that stalking thing Laith had done it was nothing compared to the way Dayton walked. I threw off the blanket and tried to rise
. I didn’t get very far. I slid
back down into the softness of my comforter. I held out my hand trying to keep him from coming any closer.
He stopped cocked his head to one side and looked a
t me quizzically. “You are hurt,
” h
is voice was a deep rumble like thunder through the room.

    I nodded
,
not trusting my voice
. Oh, God he knew I was
hurt;
he was going to kill me.
I thought about screaming for help
,
it would bring Laith but it would bring Laurna too and I wasn’t about to do that. He moved to the bed so fast I did scream a little despite all my good intentions. I clapped my hand over my mouth to keep it from reaching the two in the kitchen downstairs. His eyes were still glowing but they had returned to that amber color that was uniquely his. He leaned over me. I was having a hard time breathing. Fear ran rampant through my system. I was hot and cold at the same t
ime. I shivered uncontrollably.
I resisted the urge to beg him not to hurt me. AoD
did not beg, not even new AoD.  He leaned in closer and scented me. His eyes rolled up in his head and he let out a soft sound, it wasn’t frightening
,
it was carnal, whoa, it sounded
like a plea. “You smell so good,
” He growled as he slid his arm under my legs. Oh, crap, if he was going to kill me
,
I knew how to deal
. T
his I did not know how to deal with.

  
He lifted me gently off the comforter and slid my body back beneath it. Some of that hair I had been dying to touch since our first meeting snaked down over my should
er
it was just as soft as it looked.

    
I reached out and caressed it. I don’t know what I was thinking
,
I wasn’t really. He sucked in a sharp breath. “You mustn’t tease me Macyn
. It is bad for your well being,” he whispered.
I nodded agreeing with him but couldn’t seem to retract my hand. “You haven’
t been eating properly have you,
” he asked. I shrugged still petting his hair. What was wr
ong with me?  The scent of his cologne
filled the room I took a deep breath. He shook his head in a chastising gesture. “You must eat four times a day.  Protein and Vitamin C must make up a good part of your diet.
Do you have fresh fruit?
” I took one of those soft strands and
brought it to my lips. I wanted to feel that softness on more sensitive skin.  His eyes widened to something that looked a great d
eal like panic. “Damn it, Macyn,” h
e snatched the hair back from me and stepped back away from the bed. “If you continue to use your power and not take the proper steps to insure your
body’s
health you
…
will
…
die.” 

       Was the big bad
Vamp
ire
running from me it certainly looked that
way?
I almost smiled.
I took a deep breath that wonderful smell filled my lungs. “How would you know?” I asked amused that a
Vamp
ire
was trying to explain
to me
how to take care of myself.  He smiled again that seductive movement of his lips.
Oh,
God
,
Macy
n
,
stop checking out the
Vamp
ire
!
He placed his hand on his chest and allowed it to
slide
down his shirt until he reached the place where the buttons were still done.

  
I vaguely thought I should not be watching this, but my gaze was riveted to his hands
, his fingers graceful
as the
y
slid the button free and moved down to the next button. The air in the room was suddenly too thin. “Umm, you probably shouldn’t…” I started.

    He laughed, “Probably AoD, you aren’t sure,
” his gaze met mine and burned,
n
o I wasn’t sure at all. I heard the movement of cloth and was able to break my gaze free just so I could lower it and see the flesh he had exposed. My jaw dropped again.
Across his belly lay the tree of life set between a set of angels wings.

  
The mark of an AoLi.

    Despite my weakness, I reached out toward that mark. I looked back up at his eyes. My hand shook wild
ly. “What, how is that possible,
” he stepped forward and my hand connected with the hard plane of his belly. I ran my hand over the texture of his tattoo.
I felt an almost electrical current as my fingers traced the mystical ink.

    He leaned in closer, his head fell back, and he groaned
as if savoring the feeling. “Have you never wondered how I
have gained so much power Macyn,
” I nodded
.
I had wondered
several times. “Let me heal you,
” it was a question. A
Vamp
ire
healing, the thought was just too unreal. 
If you continue to stoke me in such a fashion Macyn
,
I will not be responsible
for my actions
.
I snatched my hand back as if it had been burned.

    “Exp
lain how this is possible to me,
” I asked.

     He shoo
k his head no. “Let me heal you,
” he asked again. An AoLi could not heal a conscious person without first gaining their permissi
on. Did that rule apply to AoLi-
Vamp
ires
?
What was I saying?
There was no such thing as AoLi-
Vamp
ires
.
How had such a thing happened in the first place? I nodded. I was weak, I needed to get better
,
if
he could heal me
,
I would allow it. He
smiled;
it was a brilliant thing
showing off all those perfect white teeth
. His hands started to glow with the soft white healing light I had seen before.
I thought you would resist.
I could feel the surprise rushing through me.

   
I felt surprise and lust. Ha, well at least I wasn’t the only one who seemed to be
affected
. Power rushed through me. My body buckled up off the bed, Oh
.
My
.
God. So much power, it felt like I’d been plugged into a giant battery and coated in healing salve at the same time. I took a deep shuddering breath.
I do not sense another
Shadow-born
. Why did you say
you had one in your room?
His voice was like a caress across my mind.

    I laughed
I couldn’t help it too much power
.
We
re you jealous?
I asked his power coursing through me made me bold.

    He growled again.
Had there been another
Shadow-born
male in your room
I would have torn him to pieces,
h
e admitted.
The words thrilled me I knew they shouldn’t but they did.

    I don’t know why I did it but I felt the need to poke at it.
There was another here.
I fought not to smile.

    His hands clenched my arms tightly.
Do not play with me Macyn
. I am an AoLi but I am also a
Vamp
ire
. I can be extremely violent when pushed to it.
There, that thrilling feeling again I closed my eyes and let it course through me. Suddenly there were lips pressed against mine. I tried to protest but it was
useless. The need to protest only lasted about two seconds
then I found myself kissing him back. His mouth felt divine hot and soft. I reached up and ran my fingers through that silken hair again. He crushed me to him and moaned into my mouth. One of his hands snaked under my t-shirt. Tiny electric shocks ran through my belly
as his fingers moved over my AoD mark
. 

     We devoured one
another.
I shuddered beneath his touch.
I tried to tell myself he was a
Vamp
ire
but my brain wasn’t working anymore.
His lips left mine and slid down my throat. I had to be crazy necking with a
Vamp
ire
. It certainly wasn’t the smartest thing I’d ever do
ne.
I arched my neck
,
my body reaching out to his. “Dayton,” his name left me in a soft moan.

    He chuckled against
my shoulder.
“So eager my pet,” h
e whispered against my skin.

   A loud banging broug
ht me back to my senses. “Macyn,
” Laurna’s voice was shrill with worry.

   “Macyn,
” Laith’s voice was louder and almost threatening.  The door came off the hinges. Laith burst through the empty space he
was larger
than before massive limbs swung away from his torso
, his body covered in a tawny fur,
his
fingers ended in deadly cat-like claws.
His massive head
complete with lion-
like main and fierce feline canines,
swung toward Dayton. “Get away from my sister bloodsucker or I will rend you into large chunks.” He flexe
d his fingers as if he could fee
l flesh tearing beneath them.

    
Sister?
Dayton lunged away from me toward the shadows.
I assume this means you would prefer I not kill him?
He
barr
ed
his fangs at Laith.
Power coursed through the room making my skin crawl.

    Please
…
Great not only had I just made out
with a
Vamp
ire
now I was begging
him not to kill my half
Shifter
half
brother. What was happening to my life?
 

  
He was laughing again. “Easy,
Shifter
, I was healing her.” He held up his hands in a placating gesture. 

    “You’re a
Vamp
ire
, healing was the
very
last thing you were doing,
” Laith growled. He moved toward Dayton again. His massive canines mashed together in a biting gesture.

    Okay this was going to get messy. “He’s an AoLi, Laith.” I said as I climbed out of bed.
I was steady
on my
feet,
more steady than I had
really b
een in days. “He was healing me,
” I assured him as I put my body between him and Dayton. 

    He growled that lion sound again. “We all know that wasn’t all he was doing Macyn.”

   I blushed a very crimson color. Yeah, I knew that wasn’t all he was doing but I had completely forgotten about a
Shifters
superior sense of smell. He knew exactly what had been going on in this room. 
“Well he wasn’t hurting me,
” I said feeling like a complete ass. I had just been caught making serious time with a
Vamp
.

    Laurna laughed uproariously. “What was it she asked me with such horror earlier? Oh yeah, Laurna are you…” she blushed herself
,
“sle
eping with
Bouncer
-
Vamp
?” I grimaced;
she avoided the language I reveled in.  She was giggling like mad.
She fell against the wall and gasped for breath.
“I see I’m not the only one attracted to
Vamp
ires
.”