The Witch's Vampire (New Adult Paranormal Romance) (Mystery Springs Series) (32 page)

“And he gave it?” Sophie didn’t know why she was surprised. He told her just last week he approved. It wasn’t what he wanted for his little girl, but then again they live in a different world.

“You doubt it?”

“No.” She reached her hand toward the ring. It was a beautiful pear shaped diamond surrounded by other smaller diamonds and emeralds the color of her eyes. “It’s beautiful.” She pulled her hand back. “But you’ll live forever and I’m going to die someday. Then what happens?”

Giovanni slipped the ring on her finger and chuckled. “I’m asking you to bond with me, Sophie. That means you’ll become a vampire’s mate. With a little magic and blood sharing you’ll live forever at my side, still human, but also part vampire.”

It was such a romantic thought. To spend eternity together. But she didn’t know if she really wanted to be an immortal vampire. “Will I have to drink people’s blood to survive?”

“Only mine.” He pulled her into his arms. “And after the ceremony, I will only be able to stand your blood.”

“So we’ll keep each other alive.” Sophie’s doctor mind kicked into gear.

“Yes.”

“And if one of us dies?”

“The other will follow shortly.”

“So I will not only become your undead wife, but your weakness.”

Giovanni held her tighter. “It’s a big commitment.”

“Life altering.” She said her thought out loud. “Will I still be a witch?” Sophie didn’t know why that was important to her, but it was. She needed to be able to carry on her family’s work. She knew she was the end of her family line. She’d never have children as a vampire’s lover. It was something she already accepted.

Giovanni nodded. “You’ll still be you in all your glorious, vibrant, remarkable ways. You’ll even need to eat normal food to keep your blood supply fresh.” He looked her directly in the eyes. “I know you’ll need time to decide, but please wear the ring to dinner tonight.”

“No.” Sophie shook her head and Giovanni’s face fell. “No, I don’t need time to decide. My answer is yes. It was always yes, Giovanni Mancuso.” She kissed him and he fell backward pulling her with him. They tumbled out of each other’s arms while still connected at the lips.

“Are you sure?” he asked, all his hope hung on her answer.

“Yes.”

His emotions exploded as though a dam broke in his mind with that one word. He growled and took her in his arms. “Mine.”

“Yes.” And she sealed her promise with a kiss.

They were overcome with passion. He needed to claim her, to possess her. Blinded by desire he ripped the dress off of her, and then the camisole and slip. He only stopped when she was fully naked in front of him. He took a moment to admire every curve of her tanned body.

“I had planned on wearing that tonight.” She giggled as she pointed at the shredded mess of clothes on the floor beside them.

He ignored her, picked her up in his arms and gently tossed her on the soft kingsize mattress. Then he removed his grey shirt and unbuttoned his dark jeans. “I’ll buy you a new one.” He grinned as his pants and shoes fell to the ground leaving him naked in front of her. She took the moment to admire all his hard planes and solid body mass. She could spend eternity just getting to know every inch of his glorious body. “Finished?” he waited patiently for her invite.

She smiled and crooked her finger toward him. It was all the motivation he needed. He took her with so much possessive passion she thought she’d break into a thousand pieces.

The urgency between them reached new heights and they worked to please each other with touches, kisses and movement. When he broke the skin on her neck with his teeth they both exploded. Lost in the thralls of passion, they slowly fell back to earth, and he pulled her tighter against him. “All mine.” He smiled, fully satisfied and happy.

“Yes, always and forever.”

He rolled her on top of him and stared intensely in her eyes. “For eternity.”

“Eternity.” She echoed. Her heart soared as she laid her head on his strong cold chest. It always amazed her how his skin was cold to her touch, but ignited a ferocious warmth in her body. “What about your father?”

“He’ll come around.” Gio kissed the top of her head. “He has no choice.”

“No choice?” Gregor entered the bedroom without knocking.

Sophie grabbed the sheets and wrapped them around her body. It didn’t help. She still felt naked.

“Father! What in Hades are you doing?”

“You were late for dinner so I figured I’d bring dinner up here.” Gregor grinned. He knew he knocked them off balance. It was Gregor’s style. Never predictable. Gio was happy to see his father back to normal, but didn’t appreciate his crass nature in front of Sophie.

The house hands brought dinner trays and a tabl
e into the room while Gio threw on his jeans. He was unabashed by his nudity, but with his body who wouldn’t be? “Your theatrics are unnecessary.” Gio picked up Sophie’s sheet-clad body and brought her to the closet. “Throw on anything, darling. Daddy dearest wants to make a scene and we’ll not let him win.” He gave her a quick kiss on the lips and closed the door.

Sophie let out a breath she was holding along with the anger that was boiling in her blood. With shaky hands she grabbed a pair of jeans and t-shirt. She dressed quickly and let the anger gain momentum. How dare he break into their room like that? Who acts like that?

She ran her hands through her bed hair and threw the door open. She was sure she looked ridiculous, but the half grin on Gio’s face gave her the confidence she needed to join them at the table. “Dinner looks fantastic!” she plastered on a fake smile. “Thank you for the remarkable room service, Gregor.”

Gregor let out a deep belly laugh. “She is a spunky one, Gio. You chose well. Has she agreed to become a member of our family?”

“In a sense. She’s to be my mate, not a vampire.”

“We don’t mix species in this family, son.”

“Well, maybe it’s time we did.” Giovanni passed Sophie the sweet potatoes. “Eat up, my dear. You need sustenance after our passionate moments.”

Sophie hid the blush that crept up her cheeks by digging into the food.

“Your brothers Johnny and Nicky…”

“And now me, we have all chosen woman outside the vampire race. Perhaps we’re tired of inbreeding.” Giovanni took a drink of the red liquid Sophie assumed was blood and sat up taller in his seat.

“Don’t be ridiculous! Inbreeding is not something a vampire worries about.” Gregor snapped his dark eyes getting dangerous.

“Sophie is my true mate, father. She’s agreed to make the bond commitment. Why can’t you be happy for me?”

“Because we don’t mix races. She is a witch, a healing witch to make matters worse. She does not belong on the dark side.”

“And we don’t, either. Have you not paid attention to anything I’ve done to bring our family into the twenty-first century, father?”

“I’m aware of your petty projects. But that is all they are. Pet projects that will amount to nothing. You can’t kill the predator in a vampire.” Gregor zeroed his eyes on Sophie. “You can’t cage the demon that resides in your soul.”

Sophie put her fork down. “But he has.” She defended him.

“Sophie…”

“No, Gio, if I’m going to be your mate you need to accept that I won’t tolerate anyone making you feel inadequate. Your strides in making vampires a better race are admirable, and if your father can’t see that then he doesn’t deserve your love…or mine.”

Giovanni reached across the table and laced her fingers with his. “Father, if you force me to choose, I’ll choose her. I’m not like Nicky or Johnny. I won’t cave. She is a gift to me from the gods and I intend to cherish her for eternity. If you can’t accept that, I’ll leave. If you can, there is room in my heart for both of you.”

Gregor stood up and slammed his fist in the wall. Anger rolled off him in waves. Now Sophie knew where Gio got his anger from. Gio stood protectively in front of Sophie. “I mean it, father.”

“And you’re okay with the fact that your family line, your healing power ends with you?” Gregor asked bitterly.

“The heart wants what the heart wants.” Sophie replied.
And perhaps it doesn’t have to end with me. Mother had siblings out there and any one of them could carry the healing power in their bloodlines.

“Then you leave me no choice.” He headed toward the door as they waited for him to continue. “Welcome to the family, Sophie Waters.”

The End

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Author’s biography
:

Jami M. Brumfield has had a passion for the paranormal, supernatural, and mythological worlds for most of her life. She believes there is a kernel of truth in every story and loves playing detective to discover what that hidden truth is. She’s been writing most of her life. She started with poems and short stories, then graduated to journalism working for online websites like Examiner.com. It was only a natural progression that her love of writing and her passion for the unknown would combine. Her books blend the paranormal and urban fantasy worlds together to make entertaining stories which she hopes you enjoy.

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Here’s a sneak peek of book two in the Mystery Springs Series “The Consort’s Fairy King” (coming the end of 2014)

~The sun filtering through the window stabbed Marissa in the eyes forcing her from the happy dream she was enjoying. As consciousness spiraled toward her waking mind she heard a plea for help. It was a voice she didn’t recognize. One that trembled with fear, and Marissa wondered if it was a lasting impression of a dream or if it was someone reaching out to her for help.

She tried desperately to reach out and connect with the new consciousness that was reaching out to her but whoever or whatever it was remained just out of reach. It was the story of her life, always just out of reach.

“Wake up, wake up sleepy head.”

That nauseating voice she did recognize. It was Miss Velvetine, the Head Mistress of the School of Fae. Marissa had been there for a week, and had trouble adjusting to the new time frames she was expected to adhere to. In the Fae world, they played during the day, soaking up the energy from the sun and slept at night. In the vampire world, she had lived at night and slept during the day; her energy then came from the elixir Giovanni gave her. When she offered to act as an informant to the council on Brick she didn’t think everything through very well.

“Go away!” She fussed and buried herself deeper under the fluffy pillows and blankets.

“I’m sorry, dear.” Miss Velvetine chided as she zapped Marissa with a few electric jolts.

Marissa jumped out of bed and glared at Velvetine.
She wasn’t sorry in the least!
Marissa thought as Velvetine gave her a wickedly innocent smile. Her white hair was up in a bun that Marissa would expect from women two centuries past. Her skin was paler than Marissa’s which was strange since the fairy was out in the sun more than the rest of them. She wore a pale green business suit dress and six inch high heels. Electricity was still sparking between her perfectly manicured pale green nails.