Sanibel Seduction - Vampire Werewolf Menage (Fanged Romance Series Book Four) (16 page)

“And I scented a touch of vampire blood running in her veins.” Jayce’s mouth hardened into a tight line. “Not yours, though, definitely not yours, Sayer.”

“No, I didn’t feed her anything.” Sayer’s fangs were lowering at the thought of his Bride being injured in any way. “They hurt her and then healed her? For what purpose would this serve?”

“Can you calm yourself?” Gage asked, considering Sayer’s youth, his emotions were all over the place.

“Trying,” he hissed quietly. “Damage?”

“Her leg. Teeth. Lots of teeth.”

“They’d better run from me.” Sayer was nearly undone. Slipping from a dangerous edge only Habalines could walk. “Run while they still have legs.”

Gage and Jayce had convinced Sayer to move in the new penthouse. He couldn’t endanger Azure any more than she already was. All thanks to fucking Tare. “We can sublet the beach condo to a second renter if you’d like.” Jordan Marketing owned that property. Sayer lived there for free, but benefited by having a roommate, which gave him additional income on the side.

“As a gift to Azure, we could permit her friend, Nick, to stay there rent free while he finishes his residency,” Sayer said, still keeping his eyes closed, though he’d removed his glasses.

He’d started managing a local pro-celebrity, doing an excellent job of it, too. He was young but incredibly smart. Not just from his immortal blood, but from that alien side of his. Habalines were so intelligent, they were frightening.

“Gage, you know I still don’t have the savings,” he added despondently. “I’ve been freed for scant weeks. Everything I have was bestowed by the Pack, by the Alpha.”

Sayer’s pride was in the way. The precise reason Gage hadn’t told him, as a co-mate, he would fully support him financially. That wasn’t what a male wanted to hear. After centuries of working and investing, Gage was more than comfortable. Presently, he only worked to help the Pack, to manage and protect their assets so their race could continue and thrive. Soon, he was going to suggest putting Sayer through college, but now wasn’t the time. So he changed the subject.

“No longer will we have to be alone when we get home at night. We’ll have our own female to join bodies with in a decidedly werewolf way under the moon, someone to drink from and feed in return, someone to bathe and clothe. A mate to spoil rotten with our attentions just to see her smile, wouldn’t that make you feel like the best male walking the face of this earth?”

“I’ll do that and more,” Sayer laughed, opening those iridescent eyes. “My love for her is so pure, it’s one of many reasons I’m weak. I haven’t fed except for that vampire’s devious offering. After connecting with her, I don’t want the intimacy feeding entails with anyone but my mate.

Sayer’s professions of love hit him square in the heart. Eventually, Azure would love him, and he would love her easily. They’d whisper across the bed at night about utter nonsense and make babies while mating in the Sanibel Island marsh. Gage wanted that now, was ready for it. “You only drink from females?”

“Since, I was freed, yes.”

“In your camp,” Gage said carefully, “You only had males to feed on?”

“Understandable,” he snapped irritably, “since we weren’t to touch females.”

“She’s recovering from whatever happened to her. Did she have a limp before?”

Sayer flinched. “Never.”

“Umm, perhaps we should get her more Species blood,” Gage suggested. “It’s known to heal humans at an incredible rate.”

“Is it, now? Then she can have all I’ve got.”

“Not when you’re weak, and it’s diluted by Were and Habaline blood.”

“Where else will you find it? You don’t just get it in a carton at the store, Gage. She has to drink from the source.”

“I know a reliable source,” Gage said, clapping him on his broad shoulder as the doors opened. “And unless you go out hunting, you’ll have to take my vein tonight.” Gage hated being fed on by vampires. He’d had a few wild days that were well past him and didn’t want to relive those memories. But his new co-mate needed it now, and he had to care for his needs as much as Azure’s. So he’d have to deal.

Many scents hit him when he stepped into his new home. But one signaled him out. A Were’s heart thundered proudly inside his chest, slamming against his sternum in a frantic tattoo. Ummm, she was just upstairs and in the fiery throes of heat. “I’m coming for you, sweet mate,” he whispered. “Going to claim you this night,” he promised her, breathing in more of her lush scent: night-blooming jasmine, musky salt, and a heavy dose of heather. With such a scent, Gage wondered how she’d slipped under Bane’s radar.

Tatum and Bren came through the corridor under the double staircase. And he was still shocked that he felt nothing for Tatum but a deep friendship. And thinking of Azure, the way he already felt connected to her made him realize how much he’d hurt Bren and Jayce by wanting what was theirs. He didn’t even love Azure yet, but they’d loved Tatum for a lifetime. And at one time, he’d thought to take that away from them. Countless times, he’d gotten off on the sight of Tatum, from her images he’d kept on that ridiculous hard drive. He couldn’t even get hard for her now. And although life was far from perfect right now, when he crossed the grand foyer to greet her, he felt the weight of the world slide right off his shoulders.

Tatum reached out for him and he gripped her fingers lightly before releasing them and introducing Sayer. “This is your very queen, Sayer.”

“I’m honored.”

She waved a delicate hand dismissively. “Don’t start the queen stuff,
seriously
. And I’m glad to meet Gage’s co-mate. You look like the kind of male who will keep him on his toes, young and fit.”

At that, Bren arched a brow and tucked her into his side. “I think we’ll be going home now. I won’t be available like before, Gage. Ciaran and Blade just took Rebecca back to Scotland. So, Arian has offered to lend aid if there’s a need before he takes Renee overseas.”

“I understand, and congratulations. Heath told me before Jayce could get to it.” He turned to keep Sayer in the conversation. “Tatum is pregnant.”

“With the next Alpha?”

“Oh, yes,” Gage continued, “we have to celebrate soon.”

“Yes, my felicitations,” Sayer added.

“I don’t know how you all can say it took yet. In hours? Really,” she muttered while tapping her foot on the marble floor.

“When the Alpha is ready, it takes,” Bren explained, leading her to the elevator.

“I never want to lay eyes on Heath and Rock again,” she growled in a queenly way. “Never.”

“You’ll have to face them again,” Bren snickered. “They are leaders within our pack. But you’ll be so deliriously happy from our child growing inside your belly” - He placed a large palm against her stomach lovingly - “you won’t remember your awkwardness.”

“You call that awkward?” Her face flamed. “Underestimate, much?”

“We need to get going. You’re acting up. Maybe it’s because you know I won’t spank you in your condition. But I have news for you, withholding your orgasms for hours can be far worse. Think about it.” He tapped her nose with his index finger.

That just made her horny. “Oh, I am soooo ready to leave.”

“Are you?” Bren faked astonishment.

Gage cleared his throat, snagging their attention before the doors shut. “How long has Azure been sleeping?” He’d recognized her heart rate and respiration patterns were in a resting state when he’d stepped inside.

Bren didn’t bother looking at his watch. “Since ten minutes after you left.”

“Due to her body’s demands,” Tatum explained, “the heat was torturing her. I’m thinking she would be very receptive if you two just laid it out there for her. Most definitely, she’d be relieved after the initial, uh, shock of it all. Believe me, I know.”

“Enough to put her out?” Sayer asked.

Bren looked uncomfortable. “She began to assert herself with the nearest male.”

“That would be him,” Tatum laughed, patting Bren’s colossal chest. “He put her to sleep and had Jude carry her to your bed. Bren was afraid I would get jealous if he carried her up himself.”

“You would have.” He slanted his mouth over hers in a bruising kiss right as the doors closed on them.

“Are they always like that?” Sayer said to Gage.

“Always and I had to live in the same building with them until I moved here.” His lips twitched. “I think we’ll be worse than them with Azure, though.”

“And everything we discussed in the car on the way from the restaurant…” he stopped, his mouth drawing tight.

“Has to work,” Gage said while pulling off his coat. “Let’s get you fed while she’s still asleep.” His hands moved to his tie, and then he removed his shirt in Were speed. He didn’t know yet if Sayer was a sloppy drinker and he liked wearing his clothes more than once. He cocked his head, hearing Jayce and the others arriving on the rooftop, readying for rights to mate. The unmated werewolves who wanted to scent Azure’s climax to find out if she belonged to them were waiting. Gage couldn’t think about it, but simply go through the actions and hope for the best. “Will fresh blood tamp down your Habaline irises?” They were extraordinary, and he should be proud to have them. But they would frighten Azure.

“Yes,” A vampire’s hiss left Sayer’s throat. “I must warn you.” He wrapped his hand around the back of his neck, massaging the tension. “I harden when I feed.”

“I’m sure you do.” Gage expected it since feeding caused an unavoidable intimacy for both parties. Been there done that.

He circled Gage, his dark head down, canting. “I want right on your throat.”

Gage sensed Sayer’s hunger rising and smiled back. “Are you going to stalk me to death?” His co-mate’s eyes flickered with challenge. Obviously, Sayer had
really
hunted in the breeding prison. Nothing had been given freely. And that’s when Gage realized he couldn’t possibly feed on Azure until he curbed his inherent instincts. He soon realized that those females Heath said were mesmerized by Sayer into thinking he’d fucked them silly were probably hunted in this way and frightened until he enthralled them, planting carnal memories in his wake.

Sayer’s jaw contracted, flexed. His fangs lengthened, scraping past his chin. Gage saw him move to the left, but he was in the air before he picked up his change in movement. He shoved him into the door underneath the left staircase. A storage closet he’d broke clean through with their bodies. Gage held back, allowing him his show of dominance, but this was the extinct of his property damage. Nothing else was going to be bashed in.

While hissing in the way vampires do, he ran his tongue up Gage’s throat, right over his pulse point, hovering before he bit down. Savoring his meal since he couldn’t hunt in the way he so desired. And Gage could read his disappointment. He wanted Azure, and he wanted a high dose of adrenalin spurring through Gage’s veins. Vamps loved the taste of fear, especially after playing with their food. But Gage couldn’t even
pretend
to fear him. “Do it already!”

A second hiss sounded, and he bit down, brutally. And if Gage had a throat left after this, he’d be surprised. “No endorphins, Sayer. Oh, shit.” He should have made himself clear from the beginning. He preferred pain over endorphins, but Sayer was pumping him with the good stuff. Suck, fluttering tongue, suck, fluttering tongue, moaning as he drew Gage’s essence inside his body, Sayer ground his arousal into his hip. The mesmerizing rhythm coincided with the beat of Gage’s heart. “Oh, hell, Sayer.” He was drugging him. “Finish this.” All he could do was think of Azure sleeping just right upstairs, imagine himself under her skin, buried deep inside her pussy.

Sayer was hungrier than Gage realized, and he was weakening as Sayer became more empowered by his ancient blood. It dawned on him that he had never fed on a pure-blood werewolf. He was shuddering above him, climaxing as he fed. “Sayer, listen to me. Back off.” He was in deep, his daggers in a main artery. “Blood lust,” he groaned since Sayer threw more endorphins his way. Sayer’s body ran on instinct, trying to shut down its prey in order for Gage to become compliant. But even with blood loss, Gage was stronger than that.

“I have all the control, Sayer. Are you listening to me? I have it, not you.” He pulled at his co-mate’s black hair, feeling the fragments from the door he’d demolished, splinters and flakes of paint. He didn’t want to rip him off for two reasons: One, he didn’t want his own head torn clean off his shoulders. Two, he didn’t want to reject Sayer after he’d lived such a horrid life, a child who’d probably suffered atrocities Gage didn’t want to imagine. So he gave him a few more minutes.

After Sayer had inched back from a rocking climax, he seemed to collect himself, coming down from his feeding frenzy and realizing Gage had asked him to stop. He released his throat, easing those monstrous fangs out slowly before licking him closed. New flesh instantly covered Gage’s wounds.

“I guess,” Sayer said in a warm, sleep-fuzzy voice, “we should be glad you weren’t Azure.”

Gage rubbed his neck, making sure everything was closed for business. “You fed on humans in that way? Should the Pack be looking for a pile of bodies buried somewhere?”

Sayer tried to laugh, but it sounded rusty. “No. I was hungrier than I thought. And I was, well, pretending you were Azure.”

A bark of laughter left Gage, he’d imagined the same thing. “I’m insulted. No one’s ever had to pretend with me.” He misted away, listening as Sayer’s body thumped to the floor in the absence of his. “I didn’t make this mess,” he scolded him. How would he explain that missing door to Azure? He couldn’t have it replaced without her seeing the repairs. And the wall looked as though a missile went through it. “Clean your shit up, Sayer.” He misted to the landing, staring down over the railing as Sayer inched out of the storage closet with wooden splinters falling from his massive shoulders. “Oh, and remember the plan.”

An answering groan was the only response Gage received.