Reign of the Vampires (18 page)

“Get yours out of here,” he yelled back.

Inside the car, she and William stared at each other. “What did you see?”

“Someone standing in the shadows, trying to hide,” she replied. Danika looked out the window.

“Vampire?”

“I don’t know,” she snapped. She closed her eyes and rubbed her head.

A loud knock on the window next to Danika made her jump. Mason’s face loomed in the glass. She unlocked the door and slid over. William knocked on the window separating them from the driver and the car pulled away from the curb.

“What happened?” she asked.

“What did you see?” Mason turned to face her.

“A person. I don’t know whom.”

“There was someone there. I’m assuming a Vampire or vampyr, from how fast he moved.”

“What did he look like?”

“He was already about a mile away by the time I made it to the edge of the parking lot.”

Again a chill ran through her. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.

“Is there something else going on here that I should be aware of?” Mason’s gaze pierced her.

“I don’t know what you mean.” She had to keep it together.

“Have you seen someone watching you before?”

“No.” She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from telling him the truth.

His gaze never wavered. “Danika, I’m here to protect you.”

Mason sure was having a problem calling her by her proper title. “No, Mason, I have not seen anyone watching me before. Whoever it was gave me a bad feeling, that’s all.”

“Nothing else? Just a feeling?”

Danika turned away from him. She didn’t need him looking at her like she was crazy. She wasn’t crazy. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Xenock’s form sitting next to William, staring at her. She wasn’t.

* * * *

Lance and Merrick’s car sat out front of the coven house. Ike was speaking with Siad and several other guards. They turned as her car came into view.

Great. Now she had to deal with this. Siad strode to her car, whipped open the door and helped her out before Mason moved.

“Are you in trouble, my lord?” Siad held onto her arm.

“Someone lurking outside the office, that’s all. But it’s fine, Siad. Everyone can go back to what they were doing,” she said.

“I should come with you tomorrow to scope it out.” Siad looked at Mason.

“I can do my job without any help.” Mason’s voice was dangerously low. He opened and closed his fists several times, staring at Siad’s hand, which was still on Danika’s arm.

Danika removed her limb from Siad’s grasp.

“I’m suggesting that you might be able to use some help from someone who knows the area a bit better,” said Siad.

“Stop,” she hissed. “Siad, thank you for your offer, but I need you here at the house.”

“M’lord. We might want to check out the nearby businesses to find out if anyone saw anything.”

“Siad—”

“That isn’t such a bad idea,” Mason interjected.

“Excuse me?” Danika’s eyes narrowed and she planted her hands on her hips.

“Siad’s right. Checking out the surrounding businesses is a good idea.” Mason tried not to meet her eye. “Of course, my lord is the one who needs to make the decision,” he finished with a bow.

He was up to something. Mason hadn’t called her lord or bowed to her since he’d arrived, except once.

“I’ll help.” Ike joined the small group. “I’ll be there anyway.”

“Fine.” She threw her hands into the air and scowled. “The three of you may do it, but that’s all. And don’t make a big deal of it. I don’t need anyone else jumping to conclusions the way you three have.” She pushed past them into the entrance hall. “Oh, for Pete’s sake,” she muttered. Everyone stood around. “Everything is fine,” she announced. “It was a misunderstanding, please retire for the morning. The sun will be up soon.” Chase waited on the landing, looking concerned. Her blood spiked with anger at the sight of him.

She walked past the entire coven and straight up the stairs toward him. Her blood was at its peak when she reached him. She was about to let into him for not getting her the files, when he reached out and embraced her. She stiffened at his touch.

“What happened now?” He released her from his grasp.

“Nothing,” she said, drained. “I saw someone in the shadow of a tree at the edge of the company property. I couldn’t make out who he was, but something about his scent was familiar. When Mason went to investigate, he fled.”

“That’s strange.”

“Yes it is. Something about him was familiar, though. I’ll have to think about it more. But right now I’m tired and need to feed and get some sleep.”

“Yes, yes, of course.”

“If you could forward the files tomorrow, I’d appreciate it.”

“Absolutely. First thing.” He smiled.

She nodded, then turned and headed down the hallway to her room. Her door was open a slight bit. Slowing her pace, she sniffed the air. Her fangs shot from her gums and her rage built. This would not do.
Danika threw the door wide and like the night before, the small amount of force was more than necessary. It flew open and hit the wall behind it. Her sudden and dramatic entrance was enough to shock Matthew off her bed where he’d sat, waiting.

She was on him in an instant, throwing him onto the floor. Quick as light, she straddled him, pinning his arms. She growled and bared her teeth. “You are not to enter my private rooms without being invited. Do you understand?” she spat.

“Yes, my lord,” he said in a husky voice. “I apologize. I’d heard that you were involved in an incident at work and I wanted to make sure that you were all right. It won’t happen again.”

His eyes were lit with anticipation. Matthew was a skilled blood slave. He would know exactly what she wanted and he’d give it to her without being asked. Her adrenaline coursed through her veins, heightening her senses. Leaning close, she breathed him in, her hormones in overdrive.

When she’d tackled him, she’d split her skirt. It had ripped almost all the way up to her waistband, and her black garter and lace panties were visible. Matthew’s arousal grew by the minute as she pressed against him. The musky scent he gave off made her mouth salivate. She wanted to taste him, but just then another scent hit her and her head whipped up. Mason’s face was a mask of anger.

It wasn’t Matthew that she wanted. It was Mason. Mason, Mason, always Mason. She let out a howl of frustration. His gaze moved from her face down to her split skirt and then to Matthew.

“I came to see if you needed anything before retiring,” Mason said in a tight voice.

Danika stood, letting go of Matthew’s arms. He slid out from between her legs and sat up, rubbing his wrists.

“This is Matthew, he’s one of the house blood slaves. Matthew, this is Mason, my guardian.”

Mason made no effort to say anything to Matthew, or acknowledge him.

“If you have no further need of me Lord Danika, I will retire,” said Matthew.

“Remember what I said.”

“Of course, my lord.” He scooted around Mason.

Neither she nor Mason moved. “He’s a blood slave?”

“That’s what I said.” Danika’s skirt was ruined. She grabbed it, ripped it the rest of the way, and let it fall to the ground.

“But he’s been more to you. He’s been your lover,” he said matter-of-factly.

“No.” She turned from him and flung her shoes into the corner. They hit the wall with a whack. Pulling off her jewelry, she tossed it onto her vanity. When she turned back, Mason had moved closer.

“You would’ve though, if I hadn’t walked in. You would’ve made him your lover.” His eyes traveled up her bare legs, over her long white blouse, landing on her breasts.

“Yes. No. I don’t know.” Her body was sticky and her core ached for the touch of a male. She rubbed her head trying to concentrate. “It isn’t him that I want, he just happened to be here. It’s a flaw I have. I get lonely sometimes.” She sighed. Why did she talk to him like this? Tell him things she never told other people?

“Who were you hoping it would be?” Mason stepped closer.

“What?”

“You said it was someone else you wanted, not him. And I asked who you wanted it to be.” He took another step.

“Uh...” The air around her swirled with heat. They were almost touching. His amber eyes burned into her. Her breath quickened
.
This was bad. They couldn’t do this. She couldn’t get involved again with the help.

But Mason wasn’t the help, wasn’t a slave, wasn’t even a minion. The bond between them wasn’t what it should’ve been.

His eyes betrayed what he wanted. Danika stood frozen. He lifted his hand and brushed a stray hair from her face. His warm fingers caressed her cheek as he bent down and breathed her in. She closed her eyes and his warm, soft lips pressed against the base of her throat. She couldn’t do this. But her body responded to his touch, and came alive. A shiver ran down to the base of her spine. A pulsing need grew between her thighs. Goosebumps stood up on her neck and arms, and he pressed his lips against her skin again. Kissing her, he moved his way up her throat to her face. Every touch of his mouth was a soft worship of her flesh. It made her head dizzy, and her fangs burst from her gums. Danika had never been kissed so reverently.

His lips melted onto hers. He swirled his tongue against hers, tasting her. The need to be close to him, to lie underneath his tremendous weight as their hips ground together was all-consuming. After what seemed like forever, Mason broke the kiss, his gaze boring into her.

“What are you?” she asked in a husky voice.

His face changed. His heat warmed her all over. It surrounded her in a comfortable cocoon of security.

“I...I’m... I am nothing. Just Mason, a human.” He looked away.

“You’re not. I can feel it inside of me. It’s in your blood. You’re stronger than any human should be. Even stronger than most Vampires, I would suppose. And your rage, the rage you feel inside—”

“You’ve felt the rage?”

“Yes. It’s an anger like nothing I’ve experienced. It makes no sense, and it’s uncontrollable. Neeman was right.”

“I didn’t think it was controllable, either. But somehow your blood is helping me control it.”

She wanted to kiss him again, but instead she tried to focus. “I’m glad that I’m able to help you. Will you tell me what makes you this angry?”

“I can’t,” he whispered. His eyes held longing. He inspected her face as his fingers traced her lips. He bent close enough for her to taste his breath in her mouth.

“Is it your hatred of Vampires?”

He pulled away and his face hardened. “It’s been a trying evening. You should rest.”

Confusion overtook her. What had she said?

He turned to leave. “I’ll see you in the evening. I’m sorry for what my blood has done to you.”

The warm cocoon of safety left with him. She didn’t want him to go. “If we try the bonding again tomorrow night, it won’t work, will it?” she blurted.

He stopped. “No.” He didn’t turn.

“Then we’ll forgo it for now. But Mason, you will tell me what you are. Eventually.”

“It’s better for you that you never find out.” Loneliness cracked his voice. It made her chest ache. He left without another word. She waited, hoping he’d come back.

The room felt frigid now he was gone. The way he spoke to her, touched her, looked at her, made her feel safe. She’d finally met the male who she could see herself spending her immortality with. Danika shook her head. There was no way she could mate him.

* * * *

Mason stood with his hand on the door, listening to Danika on the other side. He envisioned her removing the blouse that covered her perfectly round breasts. The black stockings and garters that had almost thrown him over the edge when he’d seen them. He wanted to rip the blankets from her cool body and smother her with his mouth; but he didn’t. Instead, he turned, once again angry for letting her get to him. She was beautiful, more than beautiful. She was exquisite. But it was more than that. It was her strength, her compassion, and even her inability to tell anyone how fragile she was. The need for companionship and love, which she didn’t allow herself to have, for fear of appearing weak.

He was beginning to understand her, more than anyone else could. Tonight, after her frightened whisper outside the car, he’d known. Despite her dominatrix dress and high-platform boots, there was a very real reason she’d purchased him. Inside she was terrified.

Somehow, in the last two days, keeping her safe had become his lifeblood. He was still plagued by thoughts of someone discovering what he was, but it was no longer as important as keeping her safe. How had that happened? He sucked in a ragged breath. He didn’t want this; she was Vampire.

Mason entered his room and removed his shirt and pants, enjoying the freedom from them. He was used to wearing jeans and T-shirts and even felt restricted in those, but he had to wear them to cover his runes and tattoo. In nothing but his dark boxer briefs, he spread out on his large bed.

Mason had wanted to smash that human slave Matthew into the wall. But he hadn’t. He’d stood there, waiting, to see what she would do and when she’d stripped off her skirt, he’d used every ounce of his restraint to be gentle with her. Tender even. It went against everything inside him to force her to submit to his will. But she’d responded to his touch, even suspecting that something lurked inside him that wasn’t completely human.

If she found out what he was she’d care. She’d care a lot. And even her small budding feelings for him would most likely not be enough to keep her from running from him in terror. Unless...

Chapter
13

Danika stepped out of the car and was up the steps before Mason had even left the car.

“Lord,” he yelled from behind her. “Danika.”

She didn’t stop. The receptionist didn’t have time to greet her before Danika was in the elevator and heading up to her office. She could just hear William’s soft voice saying “good morning” to the receptionist as the doors closed.

Danika leaned against the far wall and blew out a sigh. The car had been so warm. She plucked her shirt from her chest trying to clear her head of Mason.