“You washed the blood off,” she murmured, her spine straightening, her stance challenging. This man had her child. Did that made them allies or enemies? Either way she had to get Janie as far away from him as possible.
“The rain did that.” His eyes flared in response as he squeezed water out of his dark hair.
“Are you hungry?” She retreated from the battle, trying to add some normalcy to the situation.
“Starving.” His eyes flashed fire as they ran over her, claimed her.
“Sit.” Cara ignored his double meaning, gesturing him to the table, and ladled out two bowls of stew from a can left by the owner. “Um, how do we know more of those guys aren’t coming? Do we even have time to eat?”
He nodded. “I just talked to Dage and had him pull up a satellite for the area. No one is within hundreds of miles. We’re also monitoring enemy camps—we’ll hear when they’re informed about the failed kidnapping.” Talen dropped into a chair, which squeaked against his weight. “We’ll leave when dawn lights, so no worries.”
She sat across from him and unfolded her napkin on her lap, relaxing her shoulders now that she was safe. For the night at least.
He raised an eyebrow. “Where’d you get the sad plant?”
Really. “He’s not sad. He just needed some warmth.”
“He?”
“Yes, he,” she said, tossing her head. “So, you’re really a vampire?” Damn. She had meant to ease into the discussion.
Talen’s chuckle relieved some of the tension in the room. “Not like you think.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’ve seen my fangs. Sometimes I take in blood.” He took a bite of the stew and closed his eyes, his pleasure dancing along her own skin until she pulled mental shields into place. “But only in extreme situations like during battle or sex. We don’t drink blood to survive, and we don’t melt in the sun. A wooden stake through the heart would kill anybody but us.”
“You’re faster and stronger than most men I’ve known. And I’ve never seen metallic eyes before.” Plus, he’d killed four dangerous men without breaking a sweat, without receiving one tiny scratch in return.
“Yeah, I assume that’s just a difference in our races.” He shrugged, shoveling in another mouthful of the fragrant stew.
“But”—Cara sat back as the thoughts raced through her mind—”don’t you think it’s odd we have these legends about vampires and it turns out you actually exist?”
“No. Like I said, our mates have always been human.” His emphasis on the word mate brought a flush to her skin and a tingle to her belly.
“Why?” she asked, focusing on his words and not her internal reaction.
Talen shrugged. “Basic genetics. Human females have two X chromosomes and males have an X and a Y, right?”
Cara nodded.
“In humans, the woman always passes an X chromosome, and if the man passes an X, you create a girl, XX. If he passes a Y, you get a baby boy, XY.” Talen took another bite. “Chromosome-wise, vampires have a V and an X.”
“You have a different chromosome?” Cara thought for a moment. “So a human female will pass on an X chromosome to a baby, and you either pass a V or an X?”
“No. We can only pass on a V, thus creating an XV baby, which is a male vampire. Nobody knows why.”
“Never, in all of your history, have you created a female vampire?”
“Never.”
Wow. Emma was the geneticist in the family—she’d be fascinated by this. “So, somehow the word got out. About you guys, I mean.” Someone somewhere had to have noticed their odd eyes and fangs.
A dull flush worked its way over his face. “There was another reason.” Talen spooned himself more stew from the pot in the middle of the table. “About a century and a half ago, we had a group of nut jobs who thought they lived to suck blood. You’d call them a cult. They interacted with your people and acted like the vampires of your legends. We took care of them. But, we’re not proud of it.”
“My people? You mean the United States or all humans?” Cara asked. “And why didn’t you reach out to us before? I mean, if you are so advanced and everything, why didn’t you become allies with us earlier? Let all of us know about you?”
“You hadn’t advanced to a point that made you beneficial to us, so we protected you from afar.”
“Beneficial? Weapon-wise?”
“No. Science-wise.”
“You need our scientists?”
Talen took another bite of stew before shaking his head. “We don’t. The Kurjans do.”
“So you saw no reason to interact with us before now.” Truly, it was a bit insulting.
“Nope.” He shrugged. “Individual contact was one thing, but as a race, you didn’t have anything we wanted. Until now.” His gaze raked over her face, and she squirmed in her seat.
A braver woman might have asked what he wanted now. Cara accepted that she wasn’t as brave as she hoped. “Amazing.” She shook her head as the world changed around her. “Wait a minute. My daughter is with vampires? Right now?” Her gaze darted to the door, nerve endings flaring to life along her skin.
“She’s safe, Cara. My brother will protect her with his life.”
She didn’t think so, and her mind scrambled to keep up. “The Kurjans, evil vampires from somewhere I’ve never heard of, want my daughter.” A red haze wavered across her vision. “Does that fucking sum it up? Vampire?”
“Pretty damn close.” His eyes narrowed. “Though you probably have heard of it. They’re based in Minnesota.”
“Minnesota?” She breathed out in almost a laugh. This couldn’t be happening.
“Yeah.”
“How long have they been based there?” Her mind reeled.
“I think they moved there maybe three hundred years ago,” he said, as if discussing simple historical facts.
“Oh.” Sarcasm came easy to her now. “And we humans didn’t notice?”
“Nope. You humans don’t notice anything you don’t want to, Cara.” He took another bite of stew.
She asked her questions in rapid fire. “How have vampires lived among us for three centuries? Do they kill? Do I know any vampires? Do they pay taxes like everyone else?”
After she calmed down, Talen answered. “We’ve lived among you to protect you from the Kurjus nation. Our treaty has protected you.”
“And now they’ve broken it?”
“Yes and they kill, or used to before the treaty. You might know vampires, but definitely not the Kurjans. They don’t look like us and can’t go out in the sun, which is where your science is coming in. And of course, everybody pays taxes. You don’t mess with the IRS, no matter which race you belong to.” He gave a wry grin.
“How many people know you exist?”
“Not many. A couple of key people in your government, that’s all.”
“Are you immortal?”
“Close enough.” He sat back and studied her. “I’ve lived long enough to have lost loved ones.” Rubbing a hand across his chin, he cleared his throat. “Your file mentioned Janie’s father—I’m sorry you lost Simon. Is the wound still fresh?”
Cara’s breath caught in her throat, and she shrugged. “I miss him. We were good friends, and I think Janie would’ve loved him.”
Talen cocked his head to the side. “You were mere friends?”
Smoothing her napkin on her lap, Cara nodded. “Yes. We dated for a bit, but I never expected love or marriage in my life.” Her mind scrambled for anything else to talk about. “You said earlier you were a protector for your kind.”
“I am. As are my brothers.” Talen crossed his arms across his chest, a thoughtful expression sliding across the strong planes of his face.
“What does that mean?” She needed to find Janie.
“I guess you’d call us the ruling family. My eldest brother Dage would be considered a king in many civilizations.”
“If you’re in the so-called royal fa
mily, how are you a protector?” She placed her napkin on her bowl. “I mean, if your title means what it implies?”
“It does. Even when protecting impossible humans.” Talen snorted in amusement. “But as the royal family, we’re the first to fight when necessary. The five of us have trained since childhood. It’s our duty as the royal family to be the first to defend. The first to die, if need be.”
Cara took in his solemn gaze with a puzzled frown.
“I know.” Talen agreed with her look. “Your people wouldn’t fight with each other so often if the ones deciding to fight were the first ones to bleed. Your society has a ways to go, if you don’t blow yourselves up first.”
The superior look on his face rankled her temper. Her baby was with the protectors. The first to die, if necessary. It was unacceptable. “And where are you based?”
“You’ll learn all about our home when we get there, Cara.”
“Oh, I don’t think so.” The absurd reality hit her like a wrecking ball. The man before her was pure danger and every survival instinct she had screeched for her to run. “Get my daughter here, now.” She rose to her feet, her eyes darting to the knife block on the counter and back.
Chapter 7
“Try it.” His voice softened dangerously as he relaxed back in his chair. The rain beat a soft hum against the cozy cabin in direct opposition to the now tense energy swirling around.
She thought about it, she really did—the image of the blade piercing his immortal chest, the absolute surprise on his face as one of his prey plunged the knife deep, wiping that infuriating arrogance away. But the man still had Janie.
Cara took a full breath and used her most reasonable tone. “This isn’t going to work, Talen. I’ve changed my mind. Janie and I will be fine on our own.”
“We’re married, Cara. You and Janie will never be on your own again.” He spoke slowly, as if making sure she heard and understood each word.
“We’ll get unmarried, Talen. I’m not joking. Even your barbaric race must have some sort of annulment process. I want one.”
“Barbaric?” Talen raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Maybe. But only those who haven’t mated are granted what you’d call an annulment, Cara.”
“Good. We haven’t mated.” She blushed until her cheeks ached.
“We will mate tonight, wife.” His eyes flared hot and golden.
“No.” She lifted her chin and ignored the skittering in her lower stomach.
“Cara,” he leaned forward in his chair, “before this night has ended you will have no doubt you’ve been mated.” Intent surrounded him. Then it slammed into her. Damn those faulty empathic shields—maybe she should’ve been working on the damn skill instead of pretending it didn’t exist.
“Not a chance.” Her body hummed to agree while her mind screamed run. “Besides, you said you bite during battle or sex. You don’t mean you would, I mean—”
“Oh yeah, darlin’.” Glowing golden eyes met hers. “I will bite you. And you’ll like it.”
“No.” Cara tried to shove force into the words even as need scampered through her stomach and danced up her spine. “None of that’s going to happen, Talen.” A longing tingled inside her veins and called her a liar.
An arched eyebrow met her earnest gaze. “We’re married, Cara. Soon we’ll be mated. ‘No’ isn’t an option for you.”
“Bullshit.” Cara may not know the man very well, but he would never force himself on her.
“I should probably tell you now to watch your language.” Talen’s face settled into set lines, his eyes direct, his jaw firm.
“Fuck you.”
His teeth flashed and he stood to his full height. “Damn if you aren’t perfect.” He rubbed his chin, his gaze dropping to her breasts. “And don’t think for a second you won’t pay for your defiance.”
The rumble of his voice issuing the sexual threat soaked her panties. Plain and simple. She searched for another tact. “You promised you wouldn’t hurt me.”
Talen’s gaze traveled to her eyes, and his lips tipped in almost a grin. “I won’t.”
She slammed her hands on her hips and wondered if a decent sidekick could take out his knee. “I don’t want to be mated.”
“You will.”
Cara opened her mouth to respond just as he gave an annoyed snort and yanked his shirt over his head. Her gaze caught on a smooth, perfectly muscled chest before moving to the side. A bloody hole covered his upper arm. She gulped. Crimson wove through the outline of muscles. “You were shot,” she said slowly.
“Yeah, looks like it.” He shrugged. “I think one bullet hit me, but it went right through.” He poked at the round dark hole. “I should probably put something on this now, though.”
The room spun around her, and she grabbed the counter for support. “You sat through dinner with a bullet wound?”
Talen raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I said it went all the way through. It’s not a big deal, Cara.” He reached over and grabbed a kitchen towel to press against the wound. “Check under the sink for a first-aid kit, will you?”
Cara looked under the sink before darting into the bathroom to find a kit in the medicine cabinet. She concentrated on not throwing up as she wiped the wound clean, amazement pooling in her stomach as the bullet hole closed and pinkened into healthy flesh once she’d removed the clotted blood. She worked with plants for a reason. It didn’t help that Talen’s gaze heated on her as her hands touched his flesh. Then he emitted a low growl from his throat.
Cara cleared her own throat. He was the only access to her daughter, and she had to bide her time. She stepped back after taping the bandage to his large bicep and wiped a hand across her forehead. She studiously refused to look at his strong, very bare chest and moved so the table sat between them.
A flash of lightning caused her to jump. The storm outside broke with the fury of a long-ago battle, and Talen’s gaze remained hot and still on her within the tiny confines of the cabin.
“Stop staring at me,” she snapped, facing him squarely. She shivered as the storm outside brought an uncomfortable stillness to the small space.
“Stop running from me,” came his arrogant reply. He crossed his arms, his eyes darkly golden in the dusky light, his stance deceptively calm.
Cara stared at the intimidating warrior only a few feet from her. Arousal warmed through her like a fine wine. His long dark hair lay in thick, wet tendrils around a face carved from stone. His eyes sparked as wild as the land around them, his body forged from steel. He was every dark fantasy she’d ever had—she ached in undiscovered places. Her muscles clenched in the need to break something.
There was no way she’d give herself over to an arrogant, dominating alpha male she just met. A vampire, no less. A tiny voice reminded her he had hunted for her, he had killed for her. His actions had consequences she might not be able to put into words, but she felt them to her bones. Without even touching her, he had made her his. His primal gaze told her so.
Her nipples hardened at the thought, and she shook her head against his claim.
Talen’s eyes narrowed as the air vibrated around him. “You’ll not shake your head at me.” His command was quiet compared to the drumming rain outside, yet held more danger.
Her pulse quickened. “I’ll do what I damn well please, Talen.” She welcomed the onslaught of her rushing temper as a relief from the unfulfilled aching in her lower body. “We may be temporarily married, but I’m not one of your people, and I don’t take orders from you.”
He stilled, his unique eyes sharpening to burnt gold. Absent of even a hint of mercy, they captured hers.
“I had hoped to wait until we were home before taming that temper of yours, mate.” Talen’s voice softened in warning, a predatory light enhancing the green flecks in his eyes. “But I’m all right with taking care of it now, if you so wish.”
Cara could only stare at the large man before her. A rushing desire warred with her hefty temper. Danger swirled
around her. This shouldn’t turn her on, damn it. She bypassed the nearest movable object, an old cast-iron pot, and went for the knife block instead.
Talen moved faster than possible. His much larger body pinned her against the lower cupboards, one hand tangled in her hair, the other around her small waist. She never even touched a knife handle. He easily picked her up with one arm and plopped her on the counter. His hips forced her knees apart. With a twist of his wrist, he tugged her head back to stare down into her eyes.
“You’re not the only one with a temper, mate.” Churned gravel coated his voice. He lowered his chiseled face to within an inch of hers, and his hardened groin pressed firmly against her softness. “You’d best remember that.”
The rush of heat was unwelcome, and she struggled furiously in his firm grip. Her hands pushed uselessly against his rock-hard chest. Her breasts thrust out as he held her head still. “Stop calling me ‘mate,’ and let me go.” She stifled a groan against the desire pooling between her thighs.
His lips tickled hers before he spoke. “You are my mate,” he brushed her lips again, “and there’s no fucking way in hell I’m letting you go.” With a groan, he took her mouth, his lips firm and unrelenting. He delved deep into the warm recesses of her mouth, the arm around her waist pulling her against his straining erection. There was no issue of Cara refusing him. He didn’t ask. He took.
She froze against the demanding heat of his mouth, fighting the liquid fire rushing through her. He angled her head, delved deeper than before, taking exactly what he wanted, and apparently what she wanted as well. The rain and wind clamored outside while the erotic savagery of his kiss ruthlessly conquered any remaining resistance.
With a whimper, she stopped trying to wrestle control over her new reality and gave herself up to the fire rising fast and burning hot inside her. What could one kiss hurt? The scent of man filled her head and suddenly, she craved. She returned his kiss with all the passion she had kept at bay for years. The amazing strength of him, the sheer maleness of him, overwhelmed her. Her palm splayed against the solid granite of his chest, and she moaned deep inside her throat.