Marked for Pleasure [Blood Bond] (7 page)

“It’s natural, but you have to fight it. She’s a human, and no good can come from courting her.”

“But others have taken humans. She could be my mate, right? Everything I feel would make sense if that were the case.”

“How many generations do you think it would take before there is no pure blood left? Our race will die out as fast as it was created. Do you want that? Now be strong and know that you’re making father proud by maintaining order.”

He nodded, unwilling to blather on about the years of unfulfilled desires he had for the girl. Or the fact he couldn’t even contain his fangs when she was in the room. If Francis knew the whole truth, he’d hand him over to the other elders himself for reprimand.

They returned to the main floor. It killed Joseph to leave Heidi alone with the man he knew had ulterior motives. He saw the way Jeremy looked at her, heard the minute changes in his heart rate when she brushed against him. He cracked his knuckles as he paced the kitchen, waiting for their return.

“Relax.” Francis took a seat at the table beside Christian. “You’ll put the power out again.”

Already the lights flickered from the energy waves Joseph unwittingly emitted.

“What’s his problem?” Christian asked Francis as if Joseph wasn’t even there.

“He needs to feed.”

“No. I think he has his panties in a bunch because of Heidi’s new boy toy.” He chuckled as he continued playing his game, nonchalant about the war waging within Joseph. How could his brothers be so calm? Was he a freak amongst freaks, destined to stay on the periphery of society because he had no self-control?

“He’s just a client…and I could care less if he was her boyfriend. As soon as the house sells, we’re moving to the homeland, where I’ll find myself a proper vampire bride.”

Christian flipped another card. “Sure, big guy. Keep telling yourself that.”

Before he could throttle his younger brother, the distinct click of Heidi’s heels neared the kitchen. He stood straight, smoothed away his frown, and greeted them with all the sickeningly sweet hospitality he could muster.

“As you can see, the kitchen’s huge. Everything’s custom built. You could create a meal for a small army in here.” She motioned her arm at the wide expanse, ignoring the brothers. The girl was just doing her job, but he had the overwhelming urge to toss her over his lap and smack her bare ass.

Jeremy wandered around, his hands in his pant pockets. “The house has been well maintained. How long have you three lived here?” he asked.

“Five years,” said Christian.

“Seems odd, three brothers living all alone in this big place.” He opened one of the refrigerators and peered inside before quickly shutting it. The human was overstepping his bounds in more ways than one.

Joseph wanted to tell him to mind his own fucking business, even taking a threatening step forward. But Christian saved the day. “That’s why we’re moving, Mr. Carpenter. We aren’t getting any younger, and we plan to choose wives from our native country.”

* * * *

Wives?
Heidi felt sick to her stomach. No wonder these men didn’t appear interested in her. Their plans here had always been temporary. It was time for them to move on and find some dark-haired beauties to raise their children. She remembered her erotic dream with Francis and cringed. It no longer felt good to desire a man who was already planning to marry another.

Why had Joseph looked at her like a piece of meat? He probably wanted to sow his royal oats on her before moving on to bigger and better things. She felt cheap and stupid, and if it weren’t for the huge commission on the property, she’d have asked to get out of the contract. There may not have been any relationship between her and any of the DeVilles, and therefore no betrayal, but she’d crushed on them for years, even dreamed about them in unholy ways at night. There was even a small inkling within her, hoping one of the brothers would suddenly realize she was the woman they’d been waiting for. It was all just one of her fantastical daydreams, never to come true. Heidi Walsh would probably become another statistic, marrying one of the town losers and pumping out the kids like a rabbit.

If she had her way, she’d have no children at all. The world was already sorely overpopulated. The one thing she yearned for was the love of a good man. A guy to come and sweep her off her feet, get her out of her parents’ basement, and show her what if felt like to be wanted. Her mom and dad had been married forever, and they got along fine, but it was clearly evident the love had fizzled out long, long ago. She didn’t want to be like them, playing a role to please everyone but her. Heidi wanted to break the mold, live dangerously, fuck hard, and have no regrets.

“Can you show me the backyard?”

“Huh?” She had to pull out of her reverie. Jackson…Jeremy was standing beside her, awaiting her response. How long had she zoned out?

“The rear gardens. Could you show them to me?”

“Yes…” She adjusted her bun, feeling slightly frazzled, as if her personal thoughts were on display. “They’re all professionally manicured, of course.”

Jeremy was good-looking, fit, with an adorable dimple set deep in his left cheek when he smirked. But he wasn’t a DeVille. He was only an afterthought with the three other men in the room with her. Their piercing black eyes seemed to look right into her soul.

As she turned to leave the kitchen, she glanced back and met eyes with Francis. His leveled stare nearly brought her to her knees. Her pussy responded as she recalled the way his lips and tongue felt against her clit. The spark of recognition in his eyes when her mouth parted had her rushing to get out into the fresh air.

Chapter Six

Francis whacked the ass of his vampiress plaything. The meaty sound echoed within the concrete walls. The women in his race were masochists, well fitted to their males. Her long black hair fell forward like a waterfall at night, the flickering candles resembling the glow of the moon. He couldn’t seem to expel all the unwanted energy pent up and growing inside him. Keeping such a profound secret from his family was eating away at him. He often doubted if he was making the right decision at all.

Fate was toying with him, giving him a gift that he wasn’t allowed to accept. Heidi Walsh bore the mark. He’d seen it on her milky-white skin as she writhed beneath him the night before. But somehow he’d known all along. That simple little birthmark on her hip carried unparalleled significance. Francis, Joseph, and Christian had an identical mark to hers. It was a symbol, a binding icon to help vampires recognize their true mates. In this case, it couldn’t be true. Even elders rarely spoke of fated partners, arranging many marriages that would keep the lines purest. Survival of the fittest was what he was always taught.

But he had the visible proof. There was no refuting it. Why would a human bear the mark? If she was truly their mate, then everything he’d worked to defend, and the ideals he’d enforced over a lifetime were all in vain.

Joseph had been an excellent student for decades, and then five years ago he took an abrupt turn for the worse. It was the girl. Without knowing why, Joseph was drawn to her, to the point he thought he was losing his mind. It would be so easy to give him the explanation he probably sought so desperately—that he craved her because she was his. All of theirs.

Francis wasn’t sure what kind of cruel hoax was being played on him. First, he was expected to ignore vampiric law and mate with a weak human, further diluting the bloodlines. Then he was supposed to share her with his own brothers? His race was known for their ruthless possessiveness. If he chose a mate, he’d snap the hand of a male who dared to lay a finger on her. Sharing was an absurd proposal. It’s why he knew the marking on Heidi must be a coincidence. He hoped.

He rubbed circles over the bare flesh of the vampiress’s ass. She lay over a leather-covered bench, naked, her rear branded by his hand.

Whack, whack, whack.

His plaything moaned, wriggling about for more. She wanted it harder, rougher, needed to reach a certain threshold of pain to meet her peak. He usually found much more pleasure in doling out her punishment.

“Hurt me. Please…”

This had gone on long enough. He’d tried to arouse himself with the women they kept for blood, but it had little effect. Francis braced one knee on the bench and leaned across her back. Her neckline was lovely, but marred by several fresh bite marks. It seemed Joseph had been visiting more often, same as he. The sooner they moved away from Heidi Walsh, the better.

He sank his fangs into her neck, cracking the thin membrane. His eyes lolled back in his head as the sweet, metallic blood swam over his tongue and down his throat. He savored the taste, the texture, the power. The female under his grasp cried out in orgasm as he took what he needed, but his cock remained only semierect. All he could think about was that foolish little human girl, the one with the blonde hair, peach-colored nipples, and irresistible scent. He tried to imagine it was her beneath him begging for more. Only her blood would be even more exquisite.

Night had fallen over the town, so he removed the binds from the vampiress’s wrists and set her free. They never kept a woman for more than a week. No long-term commitments.

“No, please, let me stay with you.” She palmed the front of his pants before dropping to her knees. “I can give you everything you need. No woman will be as obedient as I.”

He stood still as she unzipped him and released his cock. Would she be able to arouse him? As soon as she wrapped her warm lips around his head, he knew it was a futile effort. Francis couldn’t even recall her name. He wanted only one, and he’d visit her again tonight.

* * * *

He waited in silence, not moving a muscle or taking a breath. The shadows concealed him from sight. It was the reason they were nicknamed
nightwalkers
. Those who committed no crime had nothing to hide, and they could walk about guilt-free in the light of day. How easy the human life must be, not needing to hide from the sun or live off the life essence of others. But he had to feed, had carnal lusts that demanded to be sated. Tonight was not about quenching his thirst but revealing the truth.

Heidi was deep into REM sleep, her breathing slow and rhythmic. She slept naked. He hadn’t expected that. While she had some crazy hold over his brothers, he was free to come and go as he pleased. What was it about this little blonde that had his usually controlled brothers so out of sorts? He stepped closer to the bed, still concealed by darkness. As he studied her features, it was as if time stood still. She resembled an angel, the picture of innocence. Her hair was so pale, so silky. He had to touch it.

Just as he began to reach out, he felt the slightest disturbance in the air and retreated to his spot against the wall. As he’d suspected, Francis had arrived. He knelt beside the bed and waved a hand over her sleeping face. He was the only one with full control over his mind-bending powers. It took decades to perfect. Tonight he only calmed her.

“I’ve come for you again, little lamb.” He brushed his hand over that silky hair, moving slowly and gently—so unlike him. “Do you still desire me?”

“Yes,” she murmured, half-asleep.

Francis chuckled, deep and dark. “Good, because you’ve been a naughty girl today. I saw the way you looked at Jeremy Carpenter. I didn’t like it very much at all. You’ll have to learn that you’re mine. Mine, Heidi.”

“Yours.” She shifted in the bed, stretching slightly. “Touch me.”

Francis peeled the comforter away from her body. Her pale skin nearly glowed in the dim room, only the moonlight filtering in through a crack in the curtains. She had a great body—soft, lean curves and breasts that would fill his hands without overflowing.

“Do you remember what I did to you last time?”

She nodded, eyes still closed.

“Would you like that again?” He trailed a single finger down her stomach, all the way to her pink, shaved pussy. She jolted as soon as he touched her little pearl. “Do you want me to fuck you with my tongue?”

Christian didn’t plan to witness Francis in action, the idea revolting. He had to reveal himself before things went too far. He only came to prove to himself that Francis had a secret obsession with the neighborhood girl. All that bullshit about keeping vampire blood pure and staying away from human females was all hot air. While he scolded Joseph for wanting Heidi, he was sneaking out for a sample every night himself.

“I’d really rather you didn’t.”

Francis leapt away from the bed, poised to strike in a feline-like crouch, his eyes carrying a shimmer of red. “You!”

“Didn’t expect to find me here? Of course not. You’re the almighty voice of reason, aren’t you, big brother?”