Just a Vampire [tribal Bonds 1] (7 page)

“Is this another one of your family traits?”
Rowan nodded. “I’ve never found anything to counteract it until I met you.”
Luca’s eyebrows shot up. “Me?”
“Well, more specifically, your smell.” Rowan’s face filled with color. “For some reason, your scent calms the ache in my head when I feel strong emotion.”
“Then we will ensure that I am always close at your side if you get another one of these headaches.”
“You still need to worry about that guy.”
“Is he the one you felt in the main room when we arrived?”
“I can’t tell. I know he doesn’t like you and I know he’s lying, but I can’t tell if he was the same one I was feeling in the main room.” A little frown furrowed Rowan’s eyebrows. “It might have been because we were sitting too close together and your scent was all around me. Maybe that mutes it, too.”
“I’m not into testing your theory, Rowan.” The mere thought made Luca want to growl. “We’ll just keep an eye on it and see when and where it happens. Agreed?”
Rowan nodded. “Agreed, believe me. I hate those headaches.”
Luca grabbed the phone, dialing Manu’s cell phone. He needed someone to follow Darius and find out what he was truly up to. He didn’t like being lied to, and he didn’t like feeling as though something sinister was brewing.
This was his territory, and Luca planned on keeping it peaceful. Maybe if Manu caught Darius in the act of some sort of betrayal, he could finally kick the bastard’s ass out of his tribe.
After he issued Manu the order to follow Darius, another knock sounded on his door. Luca released Rowan and yelled for whoever was there to enter. It was Jackson, looking a little green around the edges.
“I have come for my charge, Electus.”
With Darius up to no good—and Luca had no doubt about the vampire’s intentions—he wanted to keep his anamchara by his side. But as Rowan had stated, boredom equaled trouble. Luca nodded as he tapped Rowan on his shoulder and then looked back at Jackson.
“With your life, Jackson.”
“Yes, Electus,” Jackson answered as he bowed.
Somehow Luca knew this was a match made in hell. Rowan was going to run circles around Jackson. The young vampire wouldn’t know what hit him.

Rowan wasn’t sure what to say to Jackson. He felt kind of bad that he had gotten the man in trouble, but as he thought earlier, these vampires needed to loosen up. Jackson was a prime example of what a constipated person looked like. His face looked pinched as he walked with Rowan through the halls.

“So what do you do around here for fun?” Rowan was ready to go out dancing. He wasn’t used to being stuck indoors. He was a wolf, after all. He needed the great outdoors, not marble floors and elevators.

Rowan’s footsteps faltered as he stared at his bodyguard with his mouth hanging open. “Say it ain’t so?” Was the guy serious or busting his balls? Rowan knew he would climb the walls if someone tossed a ball of yarn at him. He was a wolf, not a damn kitten.

Rowan was about to throw a fit in the hallway until he saw the side of Jackson’s lip twitch.
The bastard!
He had Rowan going for a minute. Two could play at that game. “My pack likes to yodel. I think I’ll suggest it to Luca. It’s kind of a group thing. What do you think?”

Rowan had to bite back the laugh as Jackson grew even paler than his already pale skin. The man snapped his head around as he visibly gulped. “You’re kidding, right?”

Rowan wasn’t sure if he should be offended by that or not. He decided not to be. “I knew you were pulling my chain.”
“How?” Jackson asked as he walked Rowan to the kitchen. One wouldn’t think a vampire hotel came equipped with a fully stocked kitchen, but lo and behold, here it was.
“Because I was born on a Sunday, but I was never dropped on my head.”
“That doesn’t even make any sense,” Jackson stated as he stepped to the side of the counter and watched Rowan prepare something to eat.
“Stick around me, Jacky, my boy, and you’ll be making just about as much sense as I do.”
Jackson began to rub his temples. Rowan snickered. He was being a prick, and he knew it. It was just so easy to mess with the guy. He planned on having fun with Jackson until the vampire loosened up.
“Is there any place to run around here?” Rowan asked then started chewing on his sandwich.
“Run?”
“Yeah, you know, run.”
Jackson’s nose crinkled. “You’re not one of those health nuts, are you?”
“Uh, no.” Rowan’s eyes almost rolled. “But even a wolf has to get out every once in a while and feel the earth beneath his feet.”
“Wolf?” Jackson’s eyebrows drew together. “What would a—”
Rowan slowly lowered the sandwich in his hand to the countertop when he heard a low hiss fill the room. A lump formed in his throat when he looked up and saw Jackson crouched on the floor, his white fangs flashing in the kitchen light.
“Uh, Jackson, what are you doing?”
Rowan started backing away when Jackson’s eyes turned red. This wasn’t good. Rowan knew any sudden moves would more than likely set the vampire off. He just wasn’t sure what to do.
“You’re a wolf!” Jackson growled.
“Whatever you’re thinking of doing, Jackson, you do not want to do it. Luca knows exactly who and what I am. Don’t do something you can’t take back.” Rowan held his hands up in front of him to ward Jackson off. At the same time, he silently screamed for Luca.
“You’d better get your pointy-fanged ass down here before I have to hurt my new bodyguard!”
Rowan’s back hit the kitchen door. Before he could step back through it, Jackson attacked. Rowan barely missed having his throat slashed by ducking out of the way and twirling around until he stood on the opposite side of Jackson. Unfortunately, in doing so, he cut off his escape route.
Not the smartest move he could have made.
“You really don’t want to do this, Jackson. Luca will not appreciate it if you hurt me.” Rowan tried to avoid another swipe from Jackson’s long lethal-looking claws but felt them rake down his side. The cuts weren’t deep, but they hurt like hell.
“Luca, I’m warning you. If you don’t get down here and stop Jackson, I will.”
“What’s going on, anamchara?”
Luca’s amusement came through their bond.
“Did Jackson refuse to play Go Fish?”
“No, you smartass,”
Rowan shouted right back.
“He’s trying to rip my throat out. Apparently, you forgot to tell him that I’m a wolf.”
“Shit!”
Rowan rolled his eyes when he felt Luca’s panic.
“I’ll try not to damage him too much.”
But that was all Rowan could promise. He wasn’t going to let anyone rip his throat out, not even his bodyguard.
The next time Jackson came toward him, Rowan extended his own claws and raked them across Jackson’s chest. It seemed to be enough of a shock to the vampire that he stepped back and stared in confusion.
“Stay the hell away from me, Jackson. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You’re a wolf!”
Rowan rolled his eyes. “I’m pretty sure we established that already, Jackson.”
“You must die!”
Rowan’s head snapped back. “Really? That’s what you’re going with?”
“You are our enemy.”
“I’m Luca’s mate.”
Jackson growled. “I will not let you harm my electus.”
“Is that what you think I’d do?” Rowan’s eyes narrowed. He retracted his claws and stepped closer to Jackson until he was within killing distance and then tilted his head back, baring his throat to the vampire. “If you truly believe I would harm a hair on my mate’s head, then go ahead. Rip out my throat.”
Rowan swallowed hard when he saw Jackson’s body tense. He closed his eyes, expecting the killing blow at any second. He even felt Jackson’s claws settle against his throat. When the killing blow didn’t come, Rowan opened his eyes to find Jackson staring down at him in complete confusion.
“Why would you offer me your throat?” Jackson whispered. “You have to know I can kill you with one swipe of my hand.”
“I do.”
“Then why?”
“Because you believe I would harm Luca.”
“You’re a wolf.”
“I am. I was born a wolf just as you were born a vampire. I can’t change that.”
“But—” Jackson shook his head, as if trying to clear it of years of prejudice. “This doesn’t make sense. Wolves and vampires are mortal enemies.”
“Why?”
Jackson’s eyes snapped up from where he was staring at Rowan’s exposed throat to meet his eyes. “Why what?”
“Why are wolves and vampires mortal enemies?”
“I don’t know.” Jackson shrugged. “They just are. They always have been.”
“I don’t consider you my enemy.”
Jackson’s head tilted sideways, his eyes scanning Rowan’s face. “But I’m a vampire.”
“And I’m a wolf.” Rowan shrugged. He really didn’t understand the animosity between many of the different species in the paranormal world. “So the fuck what?”
“I don’t—” Jackson stepped back, looking at Rowan like he had never seen him before. His eyes started to go down Rowan’s body when they suddenly paused and widened. “Oh shit!” Jackson whispered. “You’re hurt.”
“Oh this?” Rowan glanced down at the four long scratch marks on his side. He grimaced when he realized his shirt was beyond repair. “Nah, they’ll heal soon enough, but you owe me a shirt. And it better not be one of those cheap imitations either. I paid good money for this shirt.”
“Oh hell.” Jackson dropped to his knees before Rowan, tilting his head forward until the nape of his neck was bared to Rowan. “Kill me, Rowan. Kill me now.”
Rowan blinked. “Uh, why would I want to kill you, Jackson? I just told you that I don’t consider you an enemy.”
“You heard Luca. I caused you harm, Rowan. What do you think he’s going to do to me once he learns of this?” Jackson’s head suddenly snapped up. He grabbed Rowan’s arm. “Please, kill me. I’ve seen what he does to those he punishes. I’d rather die!”
“Jackson, Luca is not going to kill you.”
“No!” Jackson shouted. “He’s going to torture me.”
Rowan huffed and sat down in the nearest chair. “Jackson, Luca is not going to kill you. I can’t promise he won’t torture you, though. He did assign you as my bodyguard. That’s pretty much torture in itself.”
“Rowan, please.” Jackson bent his head forward again until it was nearly touching Rowan’s knees.
Rowan sighed deeply and reached down to pat the top of Jackson’s head. He felt horrible. He blamed Luca and himself for this situation more than anything. One of them should have told Jackson from the very beginning, especially considering the man was supposed to be guarding him.
Rowan glanced up when he heard the kitchen door slam open. He held up his free hand when he saw Luca and Manu run in and skid to a stop.
“I won’t allow you to hurt him,”
he told Luca through their bond
.”He made an honest mistake, one we are both responsible for.”
“What happened?”
Luca asked silently.
“He discovered I was a wolf.”
Rowan grimaced as he lifted his arm and showed Luca the shallow gashes on his side.
“He didn’t take it well.”
“I’ll kill him,” Luca growled out loud.
Rowan felt Jackson jerk. He patted Jackson’s head again. “No, you won’t. Neither you, me, nor Manu took the time to inform Jackson that I was a wolf. He was merely trying to protect you and his tribe from a perceived threat.”
“He injured you!”
“I also injured him, and I suspect the wounds I inflicted are far worse than the little scratches he left on me.” Rowan flashed the claws on one hand. “My claws are longer.” Rowan rolled his eyes when Luca growled again. “We fought. We made up. Get over it already.”
“Damn it, Rowan!”
Rowan merely arched an eyebrow.
Luca glared for the longest time. Rowan knew that his mate wanted to tear into Jackson. He just couldn’t allow it.
“Please, Luca?”
he asked silently.
“Fine.” Luca sighed deeply. “He can live.”
“He needs medical care.”
Luca nodded and waved his hand at Manu. “See that he gets medical care then assign Rowan a new bodyguard.”
“No!” Rowan’s hand tightened in Jackson’s hair. “I don’t want another bodyguard. I want Jackson.”
Luca and Manu stared at Rowan like he had lost his mind. Even Jackson raised his head to stare at him.
Rowan rolled his eyes. “Look, Jackson made a mistake, but so did we. I don’t have any ill feelings toward Jackson.”
Luca opened his mouth, and Rowan knew his mate was about to argue with him. Rowan smirked.
“Besides, you can think of a better torture than being my bodyguard? I can promise you, it won’t be easy.” Rowan winked at his mate. “I’d wager he will be begging you to kill him within a week.” Rowan knew he had won when the corners of Luca’s mouth began to twitch.
“You need to decide if you want the rest of your tribe to know what I am, Luca. We both know they won’t smell me, but they are bound to find out eventually. Hiding my existence won’t win you any brownie points.”
“Is that why I didn’t know?” Jackson asked.
“Rowan doesn’t have the wolf scent. He smells totally human.”
Jackson’s eyes widened as he looked at Rowan. “How is that possible?”
Rowan shrugged. “I’m unique.”
“How did you find out Rowan was a wolf anyway?” Luca asked of Jackson.
“He said he wanted to go for a run.”
One of Luca’s eyebrows shot up. “Didn’t you just go for a run a couple of days ago?”
“Luca, how often do you need to drink blood?”
“As old as I am, about once a week.”
“And when you were as young as me?” Rowan was really curious to find out just how old his mate was, but now was not the time to ask that.
“Maybe two or three times a day.” Luca frowned. “Why?”
Rowan stood and slowly walked toward his mate. He saw Luca swallow hard as he flashed the man a wicked smile. He stopped right in front of Luca and trailed his finger down the man’s firm chest.
“I’m young, Luca. I have a lot of excess energy to burn off. Now, you can fuck me until I’m exhausted, or you can let me run and burn off that excess energy.” Rowan wrinkled his nose at Luca. “Believe me, babe, you do not want to find out what happens when I have too much energy or too much time on my hands. It’s not pretty.”
Luca’s eyes narrowed. His jaw clenched. His hands curled into fists. He obviously wasn’t happy. “I could just chain you to our bed.”
Rowan’s surprised laughter filled the room. “You could try.”
“Oh man,” Jackson whispered behind Rowan. “We are so fucked.”

Luca glanced up from the inventory list he’d been working on when Manu walked into the room. “Did you find anything?”
Manu plopped down in the chair across the desk from Luca and shook his head. “No, and that’s what worries me.”
“You’re worried because you didn’t catch Darius doing anything wrong?” Luca frowned. “Wouldn’t that be a good thing?”
“No!” Manu snapped. “He’s dirty. You know it, and I know it. I just can’t prove it. Unless he outright challenges you, there is no way for us to get that asshole out of the tribe unless we can catch him on something.”
Luca nodded his agreement. “Did you watch the security tapes of his meeting?”
“Yeah, it actually looked above board, and that right there worries me. Darius’s business interests have always skated the edge of what is legal. Since you brought Rowan home, Darius suddenly seems to be playing it safe.”
Luca leaned back in his chair and tapped his pen against his lips. He didn’t like the idea that Darius might be planning something involving Rowan. “We’ve never been able to prove that Darius is doing anything wrong in the past, but we know he has. Darius acting all innocent now is enough to send up red flags for me.”
“Exactly.”
“Okay, I want him watched. In the meantime, I’ll have someone go over his financials. There has to be some way to prove that he’s up to something. I want to know his every move, where he’s going, and who he’s meeting with. Darius is up to something.”
“I’ll assign someone to it right away.”
“I also want Jackson to beef up Rowan’s security. If Darius plans something against Rowan, I don’t want there to be a chance for him to go through with it.”
Manu was silent for a moment. Luca just waited.
“Are you really going to trust Rowan to Jackson’s care?”
Luca sighed in frustration and tossed his pen down on the desk. “I don’t think I have much of a choice.”
“You’re the electus.” Manu snorted. “You always have a choice.”
“Hello, have you met my anamchara?”
“You need to get a handle on him, Luca. The tribe is starting to talk.”
Luca’s eyes narrowed. “Talk?”
“It’s just whisperings, but they don’t understand why he doesn’t follow the rules. Until you announce that he’s a wolf, they are going to continue to wonder why you’re letting a mere human do whatever he wants.”
Luca rubbed his hand down over his face. Rowan was turning out to be a huge pain in the ass when it came to accepting his role as the anamchara of the electus. He didn’t have a submissive bone in his body.
On the other hand, the wild streak in him was drawing Luca in more and more each day. Luca was entranced by Rowan. His mate was a wild man in bed and out of it. There was never a dull moment. And strangely enough, Luca loved every minute of it. He didn’t want to squash Rowan’s spirit.
“Okay, I’ll ask him to tone it down a bit, but I’m not making any promises.”
“Why don’t you just tell the tribe that he’s a wolf?”
“Because I want the tribe to get to know him first, to learn what type of man he is. Rowan is unlike any wolf we’ve ever encountered, and I do not believe he is a threat to us. Once the tribe knows that, I’m hoping they will accept him no matter what he is.”
“You know this is going to backfire on you, right?”
Luca chuckled ruefully. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” “Just be careful, Luca.”
Luca nodded. He knew he should tell them, but he was hoping for time and acceptance before dropping the proverbial bomb on his tribe. He just prayed he was making the right decision.
Luca’s head snapped up when he heard a loud knock on the door and one of his guards rushed in.
“We’ve got problems, Electus. Daniel Everson’s limo has been spotted in the area. Our scouts say he’s headed this way, and he has two cars full of soldiers with him.”
Luca’s heart thundered in his chest as he reached for his phone. “Manu, take a unit of soldiers with you and go find Rowan. He’s out for a run with Jackson. I want him returned home as fast as possible. Electus Everson wouldn’t think twice about kidnapping Rowan and using him as leverage. Find him!”