Vicente (8 page)

“I’m just Abbie.” He nodded and sipped his tea. “I don’t…I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do here.”

“Master Vinnie gave us instructions that you were to be pampered. He had to go to Master Hawk’s house to do some measuring. He will return shortly.” Abbie sipped her tea as she ate a second scone. She looked up at Doul when he stood up to get the tin.

“Oh no, I don’t need any more. I have to watch my weight.” He only opened the tin for her and pointed to the blueberry ones he’d made yesterday, he told her. “Okay, just one more, but that’s all.”

“You’ll not gain any weight, my lady.” She looked at him as he spoke. “Nor will you be ill or hurt. You may get cut from something or a fall, but it will heal in almost the same instant that it happens.”

“My arm was broken when I was at the hospital, and my legs had been….” She looked away. “I’d been hurt by some very powerful men. And now I noticed today that there is not even a scar. I was going to ask Vicente about it.”

“You call him by his given name. If you do not mind me asking, why do you do that?” She grinned and thought of why she did it. “Is it a story that you can tell us?”

“Oh yes. He and I had been seeing each other for about a week when he told him his given name. He said that no one called him that but his mother. I have a cousin named Vinnie that I can’t stand, so I called him Vicente. He started calling me Abigale about then too, but he told me the name was too formal, that I was more of an Abbie than Abigale.”

“It does suit. And Master Vinnie has said that we are to continue calling him Vinnie or he will murder us in our sleep.” Abbie laughed as he continued. “I may have to slip up once in a while just to keep him on his toes.”

They sat there quietly for several minutes when Auggie cleared his throat. She wanted to pick the poor man up and put him in her pocket, but she didn’t think he’d appreciate her doing it. He was still troubled by what had happened yesterday she could see, and she hoped he’d get over it soon.

“My lady, Master Vinnie has said that I could give you a tour of the house if you’d like. He asked me to take notes on things you didn’t like and things you’d like to change. We have lived here for a very long time without a female touching things, so it might be a little on the manly side.” Doul huffed and Auggie looked at him. “You just told me that the house hadn’t seen a woman’s touch in a great long time. Don’t you want her to know that before I take her around?”

“I said the house is in need of a woman’s touch, not that it hadn’t been touched by one. Why are you so literal? She’ll think we’ve been living as pigs do.” Auggie sat down and glared. Abbie tried her best not to laugh, but the man was simply too cute for words. When someone knocked at the kitchen door, Doul got up to answer it and Kennedy walked in.

“Hello. I’m here to rescue you.” Abbie looked at Doul, who shrugged. “Vinnie said you needed to get out of the house before anyone scared you off. He said he’d not had a chance to introduce you to the household staff.”

Doul sat a cup of tea in front of Kennedy and winked at her. The man was a sweetheart, she realized with a start. Abbie looked at Kennedy, who was taking a scone out of the tin.

“I’ve just been saying to Doul and Auggie that I’d like to look around here if you don’t mind.” Kennedy nodded and looked around the kitchen. “You told me once you’d never been here, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did. I’m just dying to see this house. I’ve heard that not a single human works here, and that all his staff are people that he’s helped at some time in his life.” Doul nodded when Abbie looked at him. “Would you mind terribly if I went with you?”

The house wasn’t big, it was enormous. There were enough rooms in this house that it would easily hold a hundred sleep-over guests, as well as an entire wing just for the staff. And there were more of them than she’d ever dreamed there would be. But Doul assured her that while there were a great many beings living here, most of them worked in the yard and gardens that supplied the house.

Auggie introduced them to his mother and father, and Abbie laughed when his mother made a fuss over him. They were nearing the ground level again when Doul stiffened. He looked at her and she knew that whatever had happened, she wasn’t going to like it.

“There is a problem, my lady. You’re needed as soon as possible in the den.” She nodded and followed him down the stairs as he continued. “There is a land dispute in the back of the property. One of the brownies have decided that they want to…shall I tell them to await Master Vinnie?”

“No. I think I can…is it really bad, or are you just thinking I might not be able to handle it? And be honest with me. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I can help if it’s not going to get either of us into trouble.”

“No, my lady, it is as I’ve said, a dispute over land. Though I must admit, for as many acres as are here, I cannot believe that there is a problem on where a house should be built.” She asked him how much land there was. “Nearly five thousand acres, including the lake and pond. There are also the out barns and other buildings, but they are used strictly for medical emergencies, such as it’s too cold for the brownies who have wandered too far from their home.”

Abbie held onto the railing as they moved down the stairs ahead of her. When Doul turned to look at her, he came back up the steps slowly. She felt as if she couldn’t take too much more of this overwhelming information.

“My lady?” She nodded, then sat down on the stair. “You’ve had a great deal thrown at you the past several days, have you not?”

“Oh no, why on earth would you say that. Let me think…I’m a dragon who is a mate to another dragon. I can fly and…can I breathe fire?” He nodded. “Of course I can. I can breathe fire, why not? I live in a house that has twenty-four bedrooms, some of which house as many as fifty small people. There’s a troll that cooks for me and does a fantastic job.” He thanked her. “Don’t interrupt me when I’m having a break down. It messes up my list. Where was I? Oh yeah, I have three men who tried to kill me, no job, no money that I know of, a hospital bill that is probably more than I make in a year, and a few friends that I just found out are lions and tigers and bears, oh my.”

“You’re taking this better than I did.” Abbie looked at Kennedy when she sat beside her. “Doul, do you think you could whip up a couple of drinks for us? Mayhap some Irish whiskey? Something with a lot of liquor, maybe?”

When Doul said he’d bring it to them immediately, Abbie looked at Kennedy as he walked away. “I’m not used to this…this much stuff.”

“No shit. I’d say that ye be handling it very well, by the way.” She stretched out her legs as she continued. “The dispute is probably nothing more than a pixie that wants to move out of his or hers parents’ home, and they need ye to okay it. As for the rest, can’t help ye there. But I can tell you that you’ve a bit more of everything than I’ve ever seen. Vinnie must be doing well in his business.”

He’d told her last night when a person lived as long as he had it was easy to invest. He’d also told her that the faeries and other small creatures would bring him what they found in the caves. Vicente had shown her more gems and stones than she’d seen even on jewelry commercials. But she didn’t tell Kennedy this. If he hadn’t, then she couldn’t.

“I have to see about this dispute.” Doul handed her a glass of amber liquid, and she sniffed it. Christ, it even smelled strong. Abbie handed it back to him. “I’m not going to get myself drunk before I have to take care of this. Where are the people?”

“In the den, my lady. But I shall take them to the office after you are there. I’ve had them go in the den with very firm orders not to destroy the room again. Master Vinnie had nearly a fit when they came here before.” That didn’t sound good, and she stood up. “You’ll do fine, my lady. Just make sure that you take a very firm hand. If not, they will walk all over you.”

By the time Vicente got home two hours later, she had not only settled things with the daughter who wanted to move out, but had also listened to three more complaints that needed fixing. Doul brought her a glass of tea and some lunch at around noon, and told her that the master was in.

Unless you need me, I’m going to stay out of this. Doul said you have a good handle on it.
Abbie was startled when Vicente spoke to her, but she recovered quickly. She didn’t want him to think she was a complete idiot.
I’d never think that.

You should also know that I’ve been informed that I’m the queen of dragons.
She felt his embarrassment.
You have to explain to me how that happened. Last I knew you said I could take it easy in moving forward as your mate. This does not sound like I’m going to be taking it easy for some time.

I never said I’d take that position. It was my father’s, and I…do you think we can talk about this face to face? Maybe naked in the bed? Or you riding me? I can think of any number of positions I’d like to take with you.
Her body heated up, and she had to take several breaths when he laughed sexily though her mind.
How much longer are you going to be? I’ve got a problem I’d like for you to settle for me.

I’m going to murder you. As soon as I’m finished. I’m going to murder you, and both our problems will be solved.
He laughed and she smiled. This mating stuff might not be that bad after all.

Chapter 8

Connie was sitting on his lap and holding his head to her naked breasts almost as soon as he walked into the room. Woodrow was naked as well, but he was having some difficulties getting hard. She told him she’d help. “Why don’t you tell me what has you bothered so much, and maybe I can find a way for you to relax? I’ve missed your big cock today.”

He held her to him and thought about how much he wanted to fuck her, but his cock wasn’t having anything to do with it. Woodrow leaned her back enough to take her nipple into his mouth and he felt a little stirring, and when she moaned, he decided to have a little feast while he waited for his cock to get with the program. Woodrow asked her to lie back on the couch.

Connie had met him at the door, naked. He’d been so upset about the shit that had happened at the cabin that he’d turned her into the wall as soon as he was through the door and freed his cock. He wanted to fuck something, and she was ready for him. Unfortunately, his cock just lay there. Now he was looking down at her pussy, all clean and ready for him, and forgot about why he was upset.

“I want to eat you. Then I want you to suck me off. I think that’s all I need.” She sat up and wrapped her fingers around his cock. “You want me first?”

“Hum, yes. To taste your cum sliding now my throat…there is nothing better.” She licked the crown of his semi hard cock and stretched out when she got up. When she bent over the coffee table to move it, he pulled her back. The idea of eating her this way was too much for him to deny himself. As soon as she spread her legs wider for him, he opened her ass up and rammed his tongue deep into her pussy. Christ, she was boiling hot.

“Oh baby, that’s it, ram your fingers in my ass.” He moved his fingers through her soaking pussy, then slid one of his digits into her tight hole. She nearly knocked him off when she moved back against his mouth and hand. He fucked her with his tongue until he felt his cock thickening. She reached between her thighs and wrapped her hand around him.

He was aching to be inside of her, and when she lowered her body over his, he held his cock for her as she took him in. He couldn’t believe how much he wanted her to come around him. She rolled her hips back and forth over him as he pulled and tugged on her nipples, wishing she was turned around so he could reach them. When she stood up, Woodrow whimpered.

“I want to ride you, cowboy. Take that lovely cock so deep into my pussy I can feel you at my throat.” She straddled his hips and lowered herself onto his waiting cock, taking her time and making him want to come. He was as wet as she was from her earlier fucking that she slid down and over him without a single problem. As soon as she rolled her hips forward, Woodrow took her breast and bit down on the tip. Connie curled her fingers into his hair and told him harder. He wasn’t sure if she meant fucking her or biting, and he decided it didn’t matter. He could do both.

Rolling her to her back, he pounded into her as hard as he could. Her nipple was red, and there was the tiniest drop of blood on the tip that he licked off and felt it burn all the way down his throat. When she cried out that she was coming, she tilted his head to her right and bit him. Woodrow’s climax nearly took the top of his head off when she did it. He’d never come that hard in his life, and found that if she liked it a little rough, who was he to deny her?

When he dropped down over her, she held him to her, and when he tried to lift his head, she held him still. That was when he realized she was still biting him, and she might be drinking his blood. He tried again to pull from her, but she tightened her grip on him and held him. Woodrow was getting dizzy from it.

Finally, when she rolled him to his back, she lay there licking his blood off his lips, and he could only stare at her. When she smiled at him, he saw that she did indeed have fangs and they looked real. His cock didn’t just go limp, but it felt as if it curled up into his body and took his balls and ass with it.

“They are real, you moron.” He tried to sit up but felt weighted by loss of blood. “Yeah, sorry about that. I was going out when you called, and figured I’d just have a quick meal with you.”

“You’re a vampire.” She grinned again and stood up. She pulled him up into a sitting position and sat between his legs. Before he could tell her no, she was licking his cock. Woodrow watched his cock not only start to harden, but seem to strain toward her open mouth. Christ. He wondered if he was as sick as she was.

“I’m going to enjoy this more since I don’t have to hide from you.” Another lick from root to tip had him rolling his hips up to meet her. “You can’t fight me even if you wanted to. You like me feeding from you a great deal. Have you ever come so hard as when I drink from you? But when you leave here all you’re going to remember is that we had a night of good sex and you’re exhausted from it. So in the meantime, you’re going to answer some questions. When you give me the truth, I’ll let you come. If not…well, then I take a little more of your blood. Either way works for me.”

“Who are you?” She tisked at him. “Why didn’t you tell me you were a vampire? I had no idea and would never have started this with you had I known.”

“That’s not the truth and you know it.” She sucked his cock, bobbing her head up and down until he felt his balls tighten against his body. When she shifted her head, he wanted to guide her back to what she was doing, but he couldn’t lift his hand. “I’ve got you held by magic. I can have my fun and you can too if you behave. Understand? I’m going to ask questions and for every right answer, I’ll give you a little relief. Not a lot, mind you, but enough to keep you hard and wanting more. Does that sound good to you?”

“Yes. Please let me come. My balls…they hurt.” She took one into her hand and suckled it into her mouth. Woodrow felt his climax race along his body, only to have it taken away before he could spray over her face. Now his balls didn’t just hurt, they felt as if there were a time bomb in them and it was set to explode at any second, and not in a good way.

“I work for someone very powerful. Well, I guess ‘work for’ is not really what I do. I’ve been a very naughty girl, and my master said I could work it off if I got some information. I was supposed to torture you, but this was so much better for me. Stephen loves that you’re under my power too.” He asked her who Stephen was. “He’s a master vampire. My master, as a matter of fact. And you’re all mine. But even that has its perks. I don’t have to go searching for food, and you’re not too bad in the sack. I wish you were a little more like me; you know, able to take it as hard as I can give it to you, but….” She trailed off and smiled at him.

She licked him again, taking the precum that was streaming from his tip into her mouth. Her moan made him hurt, but he couldn’t move at all now. Whatever kind of hold she had on him was firm and painful. Connie did this several times before she leaned back and looked at him.

“Where did you hide Abigale when you took her? Abbie Curry, you call her. Where did you have her hidden?” Woodrow tried to think how she’d known about her, but she was licking him again.

“She worked for us, Leonard and Nolan and me. But she was an upstart, making trouble in some of the departments, and we decided to show her who was boss.” Connie sat on the coffee table and played with her pussy while he watched. “Let me come, please?”

“Sorry, but you didn’t answer my question. I asked you where you took her. Where, not why.” She was moaning now, and he could see how wet she was. Woodrow licked his lips and cried out when she ran her sticky fingers over his wet lips. “Tell me, big boy, or you’ll miss out on me coming like this.”

“There’s an old cabin off of Route 29. It sits about four or five miles out off the road. But it’s gone. Leonard and I burned it down today. We needed to get rid of the evidence because Leonard shot and killed Nolan. He was wearing a fucking wire.” She sat up and pulled him toward her. He could just lick her pussy, and he suckled her clit into his mouth. She rode his mouth for several minutes before she backed away. Woodrow felt his temper detonate. “I want to come inside of you. Come here and fuck me right now.”

Her hand came out so fast he wouldn’t have been able to dodge it if he could have moved. His neck jerked around so hard that he was sure that he would have whip-lash from it. But she sat on his lap again and toyed with his nipples until he wanted to scream. His cock was so close to her heat that he felt scorched by it. He was ready to tell her anything she wanted to know, but she spoke first.

“How many women did you have there? And what happened to them when you burned the place down?” Woodrow rolled his hips upward, and she pulled him to her breasts. It wasn’t close enough for him to touch her, but he could stick out his tongue and just touch her nipple. “Tell me and I’ll let you come. Tell me everything I want to know or I’ll get myself off while you watch, then let you suffer.”

“We left them there. What good would it have done us if we had let them go? Most of them were about gone anyway. It’s doubtful that anyone would miss them anyway. We always made sure that we never fucked them like I want to fuck you. They would have made trouble for us. Not a lot because we have people in high places, but enough that we’d have to take time out of our day to deal with it. And then there’s Nolan, Nolan Black. He’s dead too. He wore a wire and we don’t know whether or not it transmitted somewhere we have to worry about.” She tilted his head and bit him again. His cock exploded between them, and he felt her fist him when he started to go limp. Christ, he was going to die, but he couldn’t think of a better way to go. He might tell her about the trip he was taking too.

~~~

Vinnie listened to Stephen and the woman talking, but he could hardly hear what they were saying. His head was buzzing. The man who had tried to kill his mate had killed several innocent women to hide his tracks. When someone touched his arm, he looked up at Abbie.

“She let him go?” He nodded. “I don’t understand. What would…why didn’t she just bring him in to the police?”

“Because we need them all. Or what’s left of them.” Stephen sat across from him and Vinnie pulled Abbie into his lap. The need to touch her was overwhelming, and she must have needed it as well. She wrapped herself around him tightly and then put her hand over his heart.

The woman, Connie Bishop, came over as well and looked at Vinnie as she sat down in the chair. “I’m not sure what you expected, but I did the best I could. Stephen told me to get information, and I did. I erased Woodrow’s memory of telling me too, just like Stephen said. If I got a good fuck out of it, what of it? He has a nice cock and he does satisfy me when I need it. You should be so—”

Stephen snapped his fingers, and Connie disappeared. “She’s a pain in my ass. If I could do over, I would have just sentenced her and been done with it. Now I have to fulfill my side of our bargain and let her go after this. Provided she stays out of trouble, which I doubt she will be able to. Her last master pretty much gave her what she wanted whenever she wanted it.”

“What did she do?” Stephen looked at Abbie for a long time before he said anything. From his look, Vinnie thought that whatever it had been was heinous. “I need to know these things. I know it’s not something you’d normally share, but…I’m trying to learn here. Tell me or get on with the issue, like why the hell did you let the guy who murdered more women than were in that basement go? Why he’s out there having a grand old time while I’m still hiding from them?”

“You
are
full of spit and vinegar.” Auggie suddenly appeared in front of Abbie and seemed to glow with anger as soon as Stephen spoke. “I’ll not hurt her. I was just making an observation. She’s a good deal more than I expected, and I’m growing quite fond of her.”

“See that you don’t. I might be little, but I can take on the likes of you.” Auggie flew closer to Stephen and had the large vampire backing up. “I am her faerie match. You heed me or I’ll harm you in ways that you’ll remember every time you pull out that cock of yours to take a piss.”

Stephen stared at Auggie for several seconds before he threw back his head and laughed. It resounded off the walls and back to them twice before he finally regained his control. Vinnie found himself laughing too. It was what they needed. The tension was now not thick enough to cut through.

“I like you, faerie dragon. You’re nothing like I thought you to be. And you’re a perfect match to her.” Stephen put out his hand and Auggie touched it. “Friends?”

“We will be until you upset her again.” Auggie sat down on Abbie’s leg and looked at Stephen. “You going to get this man that hurt what’s ours, or do I have to go and do it myself? I’m not liking this hurrying up and waiting crap. It’s hard on my old nerves.”

“I can handle it. But I do think I’d like your help. You are…how shall I say this? You are a force to be reckoned with when you’re in your protective stance.” Vinnie looked at Stephen, who was still smiling when he spoke.

“But I really don’t understand why you need them all. Can’t you just get the one and hope he’ll roll over on the others?” Auggie shrugged as he continued. “But that is up to you, I guess.”

“He didn’t speak. When we had that other man wear a wire, Woodrow never said a word, and the receiver was destroyed before we could get much more out of Dillard. We had the third man, Nolan Black, wear a wire to their meeting, as you know, but…well, it didn’t work out as well as we’d hoped. I don’t know what we thought to get in all honesty, but we gave him the idea that he was going to have them confess. I had no idea that the leader, Leonard Dillard, would shoot him. Now…well, now they might have run if we didn’t have Connie zap them a few times to take their memory. We thought them to be….” They both looked at Abbie when she took an audible breath. “You know something?”