Vengeance of the Demons (33 page)

“You did!” She pulled him into a hug. “I’m happy for you, Tommy. You deserve a nice girl.”

“You deserve to be happy too, you know? It’s good to see William back to normal.”

She let go and pushed her hair behind her ear. “Is he?”

“He came to see you last night. I told him you needed to rest. I don’t think he was very happy.”

She nodded. “Maybe I’ll go see him in a bit.” She burped and covered her mouth.

Tommy eyed her.

“I’m gonna go lie down a bit more. I’m still exhausted.”

“Okay.”

She waved at him and headed back to her room. She shut the door and fell into bed. She couldn’t deal with William today. Maybe tomorrow.

* * * *

William was called to a meeting when he awoke that evening, and though every fiber of him wanted to go see Evan, he put on a dress shirt and slacks and went to the atrium.

Hundreds of people waited for the meeting to start. The energy in the air crackled with anxious anticipation.

William passed by cluster after cluster of Vampires and vampyr. Some bowed, some greeted him warmly, most women looked at him as if he were a buffet for the tasting, and though his desired fantasies for each of them reached him deep inside, all he could think about was Evan.

He finally spotted Danika, Mason, Selene, and Neeman and headed toward where they stood with Sinya and Sherman.

“William.” Mason clapped him on the shoulder. “Thank you for helping me yesterday.”

“Thank you for not letting me splat to the Earth.”

The group chuckled.

Danika glanced around the room. “Is Evan not with you?”

William’s gut clenched and he cleared his throat. “Uh… no. She’s sleeping, I think.”

Danika and Mason exchanged a look that made the hairs stand up on William’s arms.

“You think?” she prodded.

“I haven’t seen her since we got back last night. She went to see Doc with me and then went to her room.”

Danika’s lips pulled into a grim line. “I see.”

Did she? That statement frustrated William because in all honesty, he couldn’t see. He had no idea why Evan had taken off like that and hadn’t come to see him today. He’d thought things were going to get better with them now.

“Shall we begin?” asked Sherman.

Danika nodded and walked to the small platform with three chairs. She knocked on her flute of blood with a spoon to get everyone’s attention.

“Brothers and sisters of the Society. I and my mate, Mason, welcome you into our home. We thank you all for coming and standing with us in our biggest time of need. As you know, our society has suffered many losses and much shock in the past year. Only our beloved King Sherman is left. I will turn the time over to him now so he may address us. King Sherman.”

Sherman stepped up on the platform beside Danika as she stepped away to give him space.

“My fellow Vampires and vampyr. I spent the entire night on the phone with the kings of the other countries trying to come to a decision about what we should do here in America. We have lost two kings and the lord of Las Vegas. On top of that we have come to the knowledge that the humans are trying to find a vaccine to cure the vamps.”

Whispers and gasps traveled the entire length of the hall.

“It is our desire to fill the positions of the kings first. Some of you may know Lord Jason Bontel of France. We believe he will bring some much-needed new blood to America. He will take Vinton’s place on the West Coast and oversee the reign of the areas there. We also feel that some new blood is needed here in the East. For too long the throne has been occupied by stuffy, old, self-serving Vampires who look to the past instead of the future. A new course and vision is needed to lead our people into a new age. Therefore we have appointed Danika Chekov the new queen of the Eastern states.”

Danika’s mouth fell open and her head whipped to Mason. His brow furrowed but William couldn’t help but smile. He clapped his hands and soon his clapping was followed by the claps and cheers of everyone in the room.

Danika blinked several times and gave a tight smile, the tension and honor of the situation was obviously overwhelming her.

Sherman raised his hand and the cheering died down.

“As Queen Danika will be too busy to run this coven, we will need to find a new coven lord. There are several names that we are still sorting through but for now Sinya will run the coven. Las Vegas and its lordship is to be given to Roth.”

Roth stepped forward, stoic as ever, and nodded to Sherman.

“Along with these new positions, it is proposed that we form a worldwide committee. One that will be made up in equal parts of all races that still live here. Vampire, vampyr, vamp, human, and fae. This committee will counsel together for the betterment of every single person. The idea of slavery is to be abolished here and now in the entirety of the United States. There will be no more slave markets. No more raids. No more capturing of humans. Slaves will be freed and paid. If we do not evolve, we will perish.”

Danika stepped forward and raised her glass. “Let it be so.”

The crowd raised their glasses. “Let it be so.”

William stood at his bedroom window staring at the barracks. It’d been an additional two days, and he still hadn’t seen Evan. She hadn’t come to him as he’d hoped, and every time he’d gone to see her, Tommy had guarded her door.

The anxiety in William’s stomach had turned to full-blown panic. He couldn’t understand what was going on with her. He knew he’d been a jerk and it was very well possible she’d learned about the two females, but if he could only get close enough to her that she’d let him explain.

The pent-up energy and mounting need inside him had him ready to explode on everyone. He’d tried to distract himself with drinking and with helping everyone in the house, but the more people that fawned over him, the worse it became. He’d locked himself in his room the night before, afraid that if he didn’t he’d drag one of the fawning females into the nearest room and screw her till he dropped. Possibly several females.

But that wasn’t what he wanted. For as much as his new nature craved acceptance and pleasure, more than that it wanted to love and be loved. And there was only one woman he wanted that from.

Sue and Tommy walked out of the barracks hand in hand. That explained a lot. Their smiling faces mocked William in his misery. Tommy said something and Sue smacked his shoulder. He grabbed at her, and she let out a shriek of laughter and then ran off around the side of the building toward the back of the property. Tommy took off after her.

William’s heart leapt. Without wasting a moment, he raced into the hall and jumped to the bottom floor, startling several coven members. He was through the kitchen and out the back in only a few steps. He ran to the barracks and up the stairs so fast no one had time to stop him. Skidding to a halt outside Evan’s room, he took a deep breath and let his hand rest on the knob. Nervousness skittered up his spine as he raised his hand to knock. What if she told him she didn’t love him anymore? What if she didn’t care? He didn’t know if he could take the heartbreak.

He sucked in a deep breath. It didn’t matter. The not knowing was killing him. He knocked on the door and then pushed it open. The lights were off and the curtains drawn.

“Evan?”

* * * *

Evan’s eyes opened and a shiver ran down her spine.

“Evan, are you awake?”

The soft sound of William’s voice both soothed and grated on her at the same time.

It had been three days and she still needed more time. Three days of silence. Three days of sleeping and thinking and sleeping some more. And now she lay in her bed feeling more tired than she had when she’d started.

“Evan?”

“I’m awake.” She rolled over and faced him. He deserved to know the truth. Even if he rejected her, he deserved to know.

He closed the door and moved to the edge of her bed. He sat down heavily, making the box spring creak.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “You’ve been sleeping a lot. Tommy wouldn’t let me bother you.”

She pushed herself into a sitting position and tried to flatten her hair and wipe her face before turning on the light.

He searched her eyes in the golden glow from the lamp.

“You’ve been crying.” He scooted closer. “What’s wrong? What’s happened? Did someone hurt you?”

She shook her head. “No. No one hurt me.”

“Tell me. Please, tell me what’s wrong. Did I do something? I know I’ve been an ass and I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be that way, it’s just now that I’m…well…the new me, I guess my dick does a lot of the thinking and I don’t—”

“Be quiet.” She put her fingers to his lips. “It’s not you. It’s me.”

He stared at her and then nodded. “It’s okay. You don’t have to give me the ‘It’s not you it’s me’ spiel. I get it. I’ve put you through too much. Between the following you across the country to the blood drinking and me killing that guy to me forgetting you and—”

“I’m pregnant.” The weight lifted off her shoulders for finally having gotten it out, but her gut twisted as she waited for him to say something.

William’s mouth hung open. He blinked several times. “Oh,” he said quietly.

He looked away and scanned the room.

She held her breath, waiting for him to speak. “Oh? That’s all you have to say?”

He looked back at her, sadness etched into his features. “I suppose it was someone back at the enclave? A guy you met while you were there? The one in the hallway that let us go that night? It’s okay. I understand.”

“Wait, what?” She shook her head. “What guy? There was no guy at the enclave, you idiot. The only guy I’ve been with in the last two years was you.”

“Me?” William’s eyebrows raised. She watched as his brain finally caught up with her words. “Me? I’m the father? I’m gonna be a father!”

A smile spread across his face, and he grabbed Evan and pulled her into a hug. Then he released her and cupped her face.

He kissed her forehead. “Evan.” He kissed her eyelids. “Evan.” He kissed her cheeks. “Evan.” He kissed her mouth. “Evangeline.”

Emotions that had been all bottled up inside boiled over and tears spilled from her eyes. William kissed them away tenderly, telling her he loved her with each worshiping kiss.

Finally, she brought her lips to his and kissed him hard. He growled deep in his chest and her body tingled all over. She grabbed at his shirt and fumbled with the buttons trying to get it off him.

He ripped it from his body and threw it to the floor. She stripped her tank top off and her bra as well. His hard, muscular body covered hers on the bed as he kissed down the side of her throat, his enlarged fangs grazing her skin.

She wrapped her arms around his back, taking stock of his newly broadened frame. His muscled bunched and flexed beneath her touch. He kissed down over her breasts to her stomach. He kissed her reverently and laid his ear on her belly.

“I can hear his heartbeat,” he said. “He’s strong, like you.”

“Oh, and you know it’s a boy, do you?”

William nodded and then kissed her belly once more before moving back to her mouth. “I love you, Evangeline. I want to marry you, mate you, and make you mine.”

She pulled him close and kissed him. She ran her fingers down the flat planes of his packed abs to the sensually cut V that started at his hip and dipped below his waistband. She undid the button of his slacks and went to push them off and found he wore no underwear.

She cocked an eyebrow.

He shrugged. “I like to make things easier.”

She slid his pants down to his thighs and grabbed his tight rear. “Do you now?” She moved her hand so she cupped his erection.

His head dipped, and he bit at her neck as she stroked him. Every inch of him was bigger, stronger, more muscular.

“Evangeline,” he moaned her name into her throat.

“Say it. Tell me.”

His red eyes looked straight at her. “I’m yours. Now and forever.”

She kissed him hard, and he stripped her of her sweats. She guided his large size against her, and he pressed inside her slowly, digging his nails into her hipbone. When he was all the way in, his forehead leaned against hers and he panted hard, his muscles trembling with strain.

“I can’t hold back,” he told her. “Not this time.”

She took his face in her hands. “Take me. I’m yours.”

William’s mouth clamped down on hers, and he thrust inside her hard. She moaned at the feel of him.

He rocked his hips, the friction between them making him moan her name.

Evan grabbed onto his rear and held on. He grabbed her by the back of the neck, and their bodies slapped together in a musical rhythm, her bed slamming into the concrete wall. Within a minute, he called out her name and she looked on as his face turned from a mask of agony to utter bliss within those few passing moments of exquisite torture.

She smiled as he fell on top of her, totally spent, and kissed her softly. He brushed the hair from her face and ran his fingers down her body.

He wrapped his arm around her and rolled on his side, keeping them joined together.

Caressing her body, he kissed her throat, her breasts, and her shoulders. Every touch a silent promise to worship her forever.

Finally, he looked into her eyes and she kissed him again.

“I love you, William.”

A broad smile crossed his face and his eyes dulled from bright red to a magnificent chocolate brown.

“I love you too, Evangeline.”

William stepped carefully down the stairs to the front foyer, one hand one Evan’s lower back, one hand on the railing.

“You do know I’ve walked down these stairs a million times, right?” she asked.

“Yes, but you’ve never been this large before,” he replied.

She stopped and gave him an icy glare.

“Large and beautiful. Radiant. Bursting with maternal—”

“Shut it.” She rolled her eyes and continued down the stairs.

The front door opened and Danika and Mason walked in followed by Selene and Neeman.

“Good evening.” Danika strode across the foyer to them and hugged William and then Evan. “Wow, you’re ready to burst.”