The Warrior Vampire (42 page)

Another orgasm claimed Naya at the same time. “Ronan!” His name burst from her lips with all of the sanctity of a prayer as she came. For long moments they cleaved to each other and Ronan continued to move over her with slow, shallow thrusts that left them both shaking and panting for breath.

“This chair is officially christened,” he teased low in her ear. He withdrew from her body as he closed the punctures at her throat.

Naya melted over the arm of the chair, her tiny form shuddering with each breath. “One piece of furniture down,” she panted as she brought her head up to look around, “ten or twelve more pieces to go.”

Ronan let out a soft chuckle as he rolled onto the chair and gathered Naya up in his lap. “I promise you, love, by sundown the entire place will be properly used. I don't plan to let you put a stitch of clothing on until it's absolutely necessary.”

“Oh, really?” Her voice was a sensual purr that Ronan felt on every inch of his skin. “Even while we're cooking? Eating?”

Ronan nuzzled her throat as his hand came around to cup her full breast. Naya's breath left in a soft sigh that stirred his cock. “Who says we're going to stop for food? I have all of the sustenance I need right here.”

He tugged at her nipple and Naya let out a sensual moan. His opposite hand searched for the juncture of her thighs, sliding over the slick flesh of her still-swollen pussy. “Funny,” she said as she flung a leg over the arm of the chair, opening her legs for him, “I was thinking the exact same thing.”

Ah, gods
. This was bound to be the best day of Ronan's existence.

 

CHAPTER

37

“I don't want you here. Let Jenner take you home.”

Home
. After a blissful twelve hours of daylight shut up with her mate, Ronan's penthouse had definitely begun to feel like home. Though he could have lived in a cave or a ramshackle old shed on the outskirts of town and it would have been home. Because wherever Ronan happened to be was Naya's home. And nothing would ever change that.

The building they stood before looked like it would be better off demolished. It seemed a strange place to meet the dhampir female whose reputation was far grander than the building she chose to live in. “I'm not going anywhere,” Naya replied. She caressed the hilt of her dagger and shifted her weight to the balls of her feet. “We're a package deal now. Where you go, I go. Your fights are mine.”

“Together, then,” Ronan said.

He led the way into the building and up several flights of stairs. The place was certainly creepy. Their footsteps were amplified in the quiet, and every shadow that formed in the dusky gray of twilight caused Naya's senses to go on high alert. They'd ventured into enemy territory and Naya was about to publicly challenge a claim that another female made on her mate. Of course, she'd agreed to let Ronan take the lead and negotiate his freedom first. But if that didn't work, Naya was more than ready to kick a little ass.

They exited the stairwell on the tenth floor. Part of the floor had been gutted, forming a sort of common area that branched off to other rooms. At the far end of the space was an enormous bed decked out in luxurious black satin bedding. Apparently this fearsome dhampir was a bit of an exhibitionist as well.
This oughta be fun.

The female in question lounged upon an ornate chair that had been elevated on a makeshift dais. From the way she lounged, one shapely leg slung over the arm, Naya had to assume that Siobhan had a flare for dramatics. Naya tried not to roll her eyes as she and Ronan strolled across the expanse of the room. She chanced a look around and noticed that parts of the ceiling had been torn out to expose the iron support beams above. Dhampirs dangled from their perches in the ceiling, lined the walls of the room, and lounged on the floor space. She thought herself a queen, this Siobhan, and she was currently holding court. This was a female who wouldn't let Ronan go without a fight. Good thing Naya came prepared for just that.

“Ronan.”

His name rolled off of Siobhan's tongue in a dark, sensual purr that caused Naya's hackles to rise. Ronan gave her look for look, his expression an impassive mask that gave nothing away. “Siobhan.” His own tone was cold, mechanical, as he said her name. Naya tried not to feel smug that his response lacked any heat. Because when Ronan spoke her name it nearly set Naya's skin aflame.

“I didn't give you permission to leave the city,” Siobhan said. Her emerald green eyes narrowed into hateful slits as her gaze landed on Naya for the barest moment. “You realize I'll have to punish you for it.”

Ronan snorted. “The last time I checked I was no longer a member of your coven, and I sure as hell don't need your permission to leave the city.”

“I'd say that point is debatable.” Her eyes slid to Naya again and her full mouth tilted in a seductive half smile. “But it appears you've brought me a peace offering? I can't say that I'm interested, but I'm sure she'll make a nice plaything for the members of my coven.”

An appreciative murmur spread throughout the dhampirs present and Naya bristled. Ronan reached out and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “This female belongs to no creature save me, Siobhan. She's my mate.”

Siobhan regarded Ronan as she flung her leg from the arm of her chair. The heel of her stiletto struck the floor with a crack as she leaned forward. “You lie.”

“Do I?” His dark tone brought a pleasant chill to the surface of Naya's skin. “She's tethered me, Siobhan. You have no choice but to release me from my troth.”

Anger boiled under the surface of the female's skin. The static charge of it brushed against Naya's senses. “I don't have to do
anything
!” Siobhan's shriek echoed throughout the building and faded into eerie silence. “I am not subject to vampire law. You sealed your troth with blood, Ronan. You. Are. Mine.”

Naya took a step forward, more than ready to show Siobhan exactly what she thought of her claim on Ronan. He reached out with a staying hand and pulled Naya back, wrapping his arm protectively around her waist.

“What are you?” Siobhan asked Naya. Siobhan's eyes flashed with silver, her mouth forming a thin, hard line, as she studied Naya.

“She's
mine,
” Ronan declared. “That's all you need to know.”

“Carrig?” Siobhan ignored Ronan entirely. “What is this gutter rat that Ronan's brought into my coven?”

“A witch, Siobhan.” A heavily muscled dhampir studied her from across the room, his head canted curiously. “Powerful too.”

The male must have been a sensitive like Manny. Not that it mattered. Naya would have gladly supplied the information—along with a demonstration—had she been given the chance.

“The mighty vampire tethered by a lowly witch,” Siobhan said with a sneer. “But powerful?” Her humorless laughter rippled through the air. “You're too generous in your compliments, Carrig.”

The male seemed unfazed by her chiding. He simply continued to watch the scene unfold with morbid interest.

“You certainly enjoy adversity, don't you, Ronan? Gone for a little over three weeks and look at you: begging for your freedom when what you should have done was tend to your king's most recent fuckup.” Ronan stiffened beside her and Naya sensed a coming storm. “Have you seen Jenner? What the transition has done to him? He hunts the members of my coven like a wolf, draining them of blood, fucking anything that walks past him. He's out of control. A fledgling with no one to mind him. From your own behavior, I can only surmise that being turned annihilates a male's common sense. You all can't help but let your dicks and your fangs make decisions for you. You are
not
released from your troth, Ronan. That female”—Siobhan stabbed a finger toward Naya—“will
never
know your body.”

“Don't be so sure, Siobhan.” Naya couldn't keep her mouth shut for another second. This female was out of her freaking mind if she thought she could talk to Ronan that way. “Like your Carrig said, I'm
very
powerful. I can see why you're reluctant to let him go, though. Ronan is quite the skilled lover, isn't he?”

Beside Naya, Ronan smirked.
Arrogant male
. A rush of delicious heat fanned out from her belly and spread between her thighs. The sooner they could get this situation resolved, the sooner they could return to his penthouse.

It was a wonder the female's head hadn't shot straight off of her shoulders from the rage that simmered under the surface of her calm façade. “Your bitch is obviously a good liar. I can't even smell the deceit on her.”

“Make another disparaging remark about my
mate,
Siobhan, and it'll be the last words you ever speak.”

She flounced back in her seat, clearly riled. Silver flickered in her eyes and Naya caught the slightest hint of fear in Siobhan's expression. She should've been afraid. Ronan was as deadly a male as she'd ever met.

“I didn't come here tonight to argue or play your games, Siobhan.” It was clear from Ronan's tone that he wanted their business conducted as quickly as Naya did. “We have much to discuss, and I want our future dealings to be amicable. I'm not here to make demands. I'm here to make a deal.”

“I already told you, I'm not interested in your
mate.
”

Good gods.
Was everything about sex with this female?

“As if I'd share her,” Ronan replied. “Come on, Siobhan. Stop being so damned stubborn and let's talk business. I promise I can make it worth your while.”

“A trade?” she asked.

Ronan flashed a confident smile. “I can guarantee you, you're going to want to see what's behind door number one.”

A long stretch of silence weighed down the air as Siobhan considered Ronan's offer. Her coven sat as still as statues, all eyes on her as they waited for her to make some grand proclamation. She certainly thought highly of herself, didn't she?

“Everyone out!” The command brought instant action as dhampirs dropped from the ceiling and scurried out from shadowed corners like mice. They emptied the common area in a matter of seconds, leaving Ronan and Naya alone with Siobhan. Finally, they were getting somewhere.

*   *   *

“As an act of goodwill, so that I know you're bargaining with me in good faith, I want you to tell me where you went and why.”

Never one to give up the upper hand, Ronan indulged Siobhan, but only because filling her in would only help to seal their bargain. “I went to Crescent City to find Chelle. She found something there. Something
ancient
. A relic so powerful that a crazed shifter thought to take it from her and use it for his own gain.”

Siobhan leaned forward in her seat. “Go on.”

Siobhan frequently used Chelle to recover relics for her. Ronan knew that Siobhan would take anything that had to do with his sister very seriously. “I could offer this relic to you.
If
you release me from my troth.”

A bark of disbelieving laughter escaped her mouth. “What relic would be worth sacrificing my favorite toy?” Her gaze slid to Naya, gauging her reaction. Ronan's mate remained calm. She simply met Siobhan look for look. Naya was far too powerful to cower in the dhampir's presence.

“You will,” Ronan said with confidence. “When I tell you what it is.”

“Well?” She flung her leg over the arm of the chair and settled back as though bored. “Are you going to tell me what it is or are you trying to kill me with suspense?”

“Chelle has found Set's chest.”

“You lie.” Siobhan's eyes grew large, her irises flashing silver.

“Do I?”

Siobhan beckoned him closer and Ronan grabbed Naya's hand and urged her forward. When they approached the female's makeshift throne, she shifted, her posture no longer relaxed but tense. Fear accented her fierce beauty, making her look almost softer. “Tell me everything,” she said. “And don't leave out a single detail.”

*   *   *

Naya hadn't spoken a word since they'd left Siobhan's. They were nearly to Mikhail's house, and Ronan didn't want to meet with his king if something weighed on Naya's mind. He didn't want to push her, but gods damn it, her silence was killing him. Her annoyance and discomfort pulled at their tether. Damn it, why wouldn't she talk to him?

Siobhan had been delighted to take Set's chest in exchange for releasing Ronan. Mikhail was going to blow a gasket when he found out, but in Ronan's opinion the relic was safer with Siobhan than anyone else. Her abhorrence for vampire-kind ensured that the chest would never be put to use. Chelle was proof that a vampire made from the magic contained in the chest was a volatile creature with insatiable thirst. Ronan knew that darkness. It lived inside of him now and probably always would. It was a weakness he would need to master, and he thanked the gods that he was given a mate who could help him shoulder the burden of that force that lived inside of him. He could only hope that his sister found a mate with equal strength.

Yes, the chest was best left in Siobhan's safekeeping. He didn't regret his decision to give it to her. But if her motives changed, if for one second Siobhan thought that the chest would give her an advantage in her efforts to depose Mikhail, Ronan's decision could mean his death. Until that time, however, he chose to give Siobhan his trust.

“I didn't like seeing her mouth on you.” In order to break their troth, Ronan and Siobhan had been required to share blood again. For him, the act had been as erotic as taking a bite from an apple. Siobhan, however, had used the opportunity to push Naya's buttons. “It took all of the self-control I had not to rip her away from you.”

Naya shouldn't have had to witness it. Ronan wanted her to leave, but if he'd asked her to it would have made Siobhan think that he lacked faith in the tether that bound him to Naya. And as painful as he knew it would be for her, it was important that Siobhan see them as a united front. “Believe me, love, I didn't like having it there. But now I'm free of her and that's all that matters.”