Sleight of Hand

Lauren Dane

Sleight of Hand Lauren Dane

Sleight of Hand

Warning This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language. This material is meant for mature audiences!

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Copyright ©2005 Lauren Dane Cover illustration copyright © 2005 Patricia Foltz ISBN Not Assigned All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system-except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the Web-without permission in writing from the publisher. All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention. Published by: Whispers, 107 Clearview Circle, Goose Creek, SC 29445 Trademarks Acknowledgement X Box: Microsoft Corporation Playstation: Kabushiki Kaisha Sony Computer Entertainment TA Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. NASCAR: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc.

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Dedication As always, for Ray, who is everything. And thanks to Marie for her great edits!

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Chapter One Lissette Norris slammed her fist onto the bar, barely leashing a snarl of frustration at the man standing before her. “No! You guys get enough from me. I’m drawing the line right here and now.” “Lissette, please. Just this once. We need a place to keep him. It’s just for a few days. We’ll move him elsewhere once this gets cleared up.” The man speaking to Lissette was Henry Brown, one of the business managers for the Emerald City vampire tribe. His voice had a pleading note. She knew he was uncomfortable with the task at hand. She also knew he’d do it without question. Brown’s boss and Lissie’s soon to be ex-boyfriend, Xander Stryker, instilled that kind of unquestioning loyalty in his people. Through love or fear. “Look, Henry, if her highness has trouble with a kid, that’s her business. I take this boy in and suddenly it’s my business, too. You know that. Problem is, I’m not a vampire. I’m not super strong or super fast, I’m just a human bar owner who can be snapped in half like a fucking twig.” “It’s not forever. Stryker will be sure that you’re safe, you know that. The boy just needs a place to stay until the politics of his presence in town are solved.” “And he’s planning to keep me safe how? Poof!

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I’m safe by divine decree? Come on, Henry. Sure, the vampires can’t enter my home, but they can sure as hell come into my bar. And they can always send humans to take care of the job.” Heaving a frustrated sigh, she shoved a hand through her hair. “And anyway, they’re all millionaires. Why not stay at the freaking Four Seasons? My spare room is not luxurious, I can promise you that.” Henry steeled himself, drawing his shoulders up, taking a deep breath. “Stryker wants him with you. It’s close to him, and he knows you’re safe and can be trusted. Hotels will involve human helpers and a bunch more politics.” He paused significantly. “He told me to remind you that you owe him one.” Her stomach sank, and her heart constricted in her chest. But for the moment, she chose to let the rage push away the hurt. “That fucker,” she growled through clenched teeth. “How many times have I saved his ass, and this is the thanks I get? Blackmail?” Reaching out, she poured herself a shot of good Scotch and drank it. Eyes closed, she let the fire of the amber liquid fill her as she made up her mind. “Fine. He wins. But not without a cost. Henry, you tell Stryker that he can store his brother at my place. You better also be sure to tell him that he and I are done. I don’t want to see his face here or at my house. He can see his brother when I’m here at the bar.” 7

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She narrowed her eyes at him. “And you also tell him that from now on this is a neutral bar. His exclusive grant is rescinded. Vampires of all tribes are welcome. But not him. He is not to set foot in this bar ever again. Stryker wants to fuck with me? He can kiss my ass,” she paused for emphasis, “figuratively, that is.” Henry nodded tiredly. “Thanks, Lissette. I’ll tell him, but he won’t be happy. Someone will contact you to make arrangements to get Alex to your house.” He stood. “You know, he doesn’t want to hurt you. He cares about you. Give him a chance to make this right.” He hesitated as if he wanted to say something else but shook his head and quickly left the bar.

*** Xander Stryker, the Scion of the Emerald City tribe, sat behind a mahogany desk, phone to his ear. He ran his fingers through his hair and tousled it further. Looking up and seeing Henry, Xander motioned him into the room. “Well?” Xander asked, hanging up the phone. “What did she say?” “She agreed.” Henry shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Stryker smiled. “Good. I knew she would be reasonable.” “Uh, well, about that…” Stryker sighed. “I knew it was too good to be true. What did she say?”

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“She said—and I quote, so don’t kill me—that you are never to come to her home while she’s there or the bar again. Oh, and that the bar is now neutral and open to all tribes. Your exclusivity is rescinded and that you can kiss her ass.” Henry sighed and looked at his hands clasped on his lap. “And then she said that the two of you were done.” Stryker winced. “She didn’t! She said that? All of it?” “All of it. She’s really pissed, boss. More than that, she’s hurt. You should have seen her face when I reminded her that she owed you one.” Stryker shook his head in denial. “No. I refuse to take this silly female behavior. I knew I should have gone to ask her myself. I know she’ll get over it. She can’t resist me. Even Lissie can’t stay mad forever.” But he said it more to convince himself than anyone else, and though Henry looked doubtful, he wisely remained quiet. “When does Alex get into town?” Henry opened his PDA and double checked. “Tomorrow just after sundown. We’re bringing him to the local airport rather than our airstrip. We’ve let it be overheard that he is coming into town three days from now and have arranged for a flight to come in that evening. I don’t know how long it’ll fool your mother once Alex gets here, but it should be enough to get him to Lissette’s house and settled in safely.” “Good man, Henry. My mother will get over 9

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this…unreasonable dislike of Alex soon enough. But until then, I want guards there. Put Dominic there starting today. And be sure that Dom checks her security system. Silver ammo at all times. If anyone threatens Lissie or Alex in any way, he’s got my clearance to shoot them in the head.” “Got it. And boss? If I were you, I’d give her a day or two to let this die down a bit. Maybe send flowers in the mean time.” Stryker smirked and then nodded. “You’re worth every penny, Henry. Please arrange to have a dozen red, a dozen pink, a dozen yellow, a dozen white, and a dozen lavender roses sent to her house. Have them sign the card with my name.” “Nothing else? Just your name?” “What else is there to say?” “Uh, an apology, perhaps? Send her your love?” “In a card written by a florist? I think my signature should be enough.” Henry raised his eyebrows, clearly not convinced, but Stryker waved him out of the room, dismissing him.

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Chapter Two

The next evening, Lissette waded through the dozens of guilt roses that Stryker had sent the night before to get to the front windows. She’d seen the lights of a car in the drive, and Dominic had told her to expect Alex that night. Peeking out, she saw Stryker approach her front door with a boy of about twelve. They were obviously brothers. The boy had Stryker’s ice blue eyes, and his hair was only slightly darker than Stryker’s own golden blond. Both had those luscious lips and were tall and athletic looking. Before Stryker noticed her staring, she allowed herself a long look at him. God, he was beautiful. He was wearing faded jeans and a sweater. Not very vampire king looking, but it worked for him. His hair kissed the top of his collar in its usual sexy disarray. She knew firsthand that it was soft and scented of amber and sandalwood. His features were perfect. Nose regal and just the right size for his face. Oh, and those eyes, so pale and yet deep. The contrast of the palest of blues with the dark sooty lashes made her melt the first time she’d seen him at the bar. The thing was, she always felt outmatched by him, and it made her defensive. He was so damned 11

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charming, so good looking and powerful. It always felt as if people wondered what he saw in her. She’d been dumped hard by the good looking playboy once before, and she’d vowed to never let her heart get broken again. But there he was, trampling over her without a thought. He walked like a predator, suave on the outside, but just beneath the surface lurked menace and violence if necessary. Straightening, she hardened herself and went to the door, opening it just after they rang the bell. “I told you, you’re barred,” she said to Stryker, her jaw tight. And like the sun came out from behind the clouds, she turned and smiled at the boy. “Hi, you must be Alex. I’m Lissette. Welcome.” She held out her hand, and he took it. He nodded, giving her a beautiful smile in return. His smile was more innocent than Xander’s, but they both clearly picked up their father’s genes and perfect teeth. “Thanks, I really appreciate you letting me stay at your house.” “Come on in, Alex.” She took Alex’s bag with one hand and held the other up at Stryker. “Oh no, not you. You can go now. Alex and I will do just fine. Dominic is here with one of your other vamp minions, so if we have any pressing vamp issues, they can deal with it." He arched a brow at her. “Come on, Lissie. Let’s not be hasty. Can’t we talk about this?”

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Stryker’s voice was silky, velvet and sensual, and he gave her his most engaging smile. He added a bit of magic to his eyes, just to keep her attention. Lissette looked back at Alex. “Honey, your room is up the stairs, second door on the left. After you check it out, you can head into the TV room. I’ve got some video games and loads of movies. There’s some dinner for you in the fridge. If you’re hungry, Dom will warm it up for you. I’ve got to get back to the bar, but Dom will be staying here. I’ll check in later, all right?” Alex, at the mention of video games and food, waved his thanks, and with a quick goodbye to his brother, scampered off to put his stuff away. Once he was out of sight, Lissie called out that she was leaving to Dominic and pushed past Stryker, stalking toward her car. He kept pace with her. The man not only had that creepy vampire stealthy speed but long legs, too. “You know you can’t stay mad at me, Lissie. Come on.” She stopped at her car and spun to face him. “Come on what, Stryker? You come on! You went too far. You blackmailed me into getting involved in vampire politics. I hate vampire politics. You’re all too complicated and quick to kill people. Damn it, you know how I feel about all of this stuff. I can stay mad at you, and I plan to do so for a very long time.” He touched her face, and she had to fight the 13

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urge to lower her lashes and lean into his hand. He always did this to her! Even at that moment when she felt hurt and betrayed, she loved him so much it made her ache. “Lissette—gorgeous—come on. I can’t trust him to anyone else. You’re home during the day when he’s awake. You’d never hurt him or manipulate him. It’ll just be until I can negotiate his living in town, and then he can be with me.” “Your mother is a stone cold bitch, Stryker. She already hates me. Now that Alex is here and with me, how do you think that’s going to play out?” “She can’t come into your house uninvited. She wouldn’t dare harm Alex again. She’s just hurt over my father’s infidelities right now. She’ll get over it.” “Stryker, why is Alex with me now? Because she tried to kill him! Do you think that she doesn’t have humans to do her dirty work? Humans who don’t get stopped at the door because they haven’t been invited.” She was so frustrated with his blindness about his mother that she wanted to scream and cry at the same time. “Think about this, you momma’s boy! Alex is with me because she tried to kill him, and she’s now using your stupid arcane vampire political bullshit to kick him out of the city! Don’t you tell me she’ll get over it. She’s a psycho. And now because of you, I’m in the middle.” Slapping his hand away from her face she pushed around him to get to her car door, but he held it closed.

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“Lissie, you know that I won’t allow harm to come to either one of you. Trust me, please.” “Trust you? Fuck you, Stryker. And I mean that figuratively. There’ll be no fucking between you and me ever again. I did trust you, and look where it got me. In a heap of vampire trouble with some crazy bitch out to smack me down to get to a kid she’s trying to kill. You got what you wanted. Now get back and let me in my car.” “You don’t mean it. You need me, Lissie. I need you.” She narrowed her eyes at him, eyes flashing. “You need me? You didn’t even bother to ask me to get involved in this shitstorm yourself! You sent a lackey. And worse, you use something that you know I promised in a moment of…weakness to force me into it.” She had to stop before her voice broke and tears appeared. She’d almost said a moment of love. A month before, he’d gotten a shipment of bottled blood through vampire customs. Another thing she hated about the vampires—their bureaucratic processes were ridiculously complicated and time consuming. Hell, they were the reason she needed the bottled blood anyway. If they’d drink whiskey instead of blood she wouldn’t have to dance through their hoops. The normal human customs process took her five sheets of paper, the vampire customs sheets numbered in the dozens. But he’d pulled strings for her. And she’d had bottled blood when others didn’t. 15

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At the time, she thought he’d done it because he loved her. It had made her feel special that he’d gone out of his way—unasked—to call in favors for her. She’d flung her arms around him and had proclaimed that she owed him a big one in return. Of course, she’d been hoping he’d want a blow job or something, not for her to risk her life and her business for his personal issues with his mother. “Stryker, you’ve just treated me like an employee. And great in bed or not, I quit.” Unease began to slither through him. For the first time since the whole thing started the evening before, he began to worry that he’d be unable to get her back. Still, he continued to block her way, an arrogant look on his face. Until she growled and kneed him in the balls. He heard the satisfied sound she made as he went down. And then without a word, stepped over him, unlocked her car and roared away, leaving him in the street, writhing in pain.

***

Later that night, he strolled into Velvet Underground, Lissette’s bar, still smiling to himself. The minx had caught him by surprise with that knee to the balls. It’d hurt to the point of paralysis for about ten minutes, but he had to give her credit. She was fearless and utterly fuckable, especially when she was angry. And she wouldn’t have reacted so viciously if she hadn’t cared for him. He knew her too well. It was too late anyway. Truth was, Xander

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Stryker had been falling for Lissette Norris from the first moment he’d seen her behind the bar nine months before. He’d pursued her relentlessly for three months before they finally went on a date. When he’d had her that first time, made love to her as she lay beneath him naked, skin glistening with sweat, writhing and making those soft sounds of desire he’d grown to adore, she’d begun to move into his heart and his life. Stryker had always had a terrible weakness for strong women, and Lissie was all of that and more. She was powerful, smart, savvy, and fearless. When Alex had called him, saying that he didn’t want to go to the expensive boarding school he’d been attending in Colorado, Stryker knew that of everyone, he could trust Lissie to care for Alex. Could trust her to protect Alex with her own life. He just had to deal with his mother before she went off the deep end again and tried to harm Lissie or his younger brother. Stryker sighed heavily when he thought about the whole situation with his mother. She hated Alex. Even though Alex wasn’t to blame for his and Xander’s father’s constant philandering, she didn’t want any reminder of it in her world. She considered his presence a slap in the face and was extremely unhappy in her opposition. The problem was that, as she was the highest ranking vampire in his tribe, tradition demanded that rather than just bringing a future blood drinker into their ranks, he needed her okay. 17

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Technically, he didn’t—as the king of his tribe, it was up to him—but the old school vamps sided with his mother. Not with the assassination attempts but on the issue of Xander getting her permission to have Alex in town and to bring him into their tribe when he achieved maturation later that next year. Stryker was desperate to keep Alex safe and stashed at Lissie’s until he bullied his mother into agreeing. Generally, he and Lissie’s relationship went well but for several, very large issues. First and foremost, Lissette hated vampire politics. As the owner of a bar that was right on the border between the Emerald City Tribe and the Plateau Tribe, she’d been neutral before he began things with her. Even so, she’d gone out on a limb for him six months before and allied herself with his tribe. This choice had caused her more trouble than he’d anticipated, but she’d never complained. Then there was his mother. Xander didn’t know what the hell happened to the woman who’d raised him. Graciella Stryker had been an amazingly gently and loving woman. He’d always thought of her as a friend as well as his moral and emotional compass until his father had died a year ago and the whole sordid mess of his affairs came to light. Publicly humiliated, and hurt to her very core by what she came to realize were affairs in the dozens and an illegitimate child, she’d turned into a revenge obsessed bitch. She not only tried her very best to break up his

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and Lissette’s relationship, she’d gone off the far deep end and sent thugs to try and harm Xander’s half brother, Alex. Lissie had been fairly accepting of his mother’s attempts to break them apart, but she was not okay with the attempts to harm Alex. And she was really not okay with his mother’s threats to harm anyone who took Alex in if the child came to Seattle. Lastly but not least, even in comparison to his mother’s insanity, was the issue of his donors. Lissie hated the dozen or so women who lived in his home and supplied him with blood. She most especially loathed Cherry, an ex lover of his and another person dedicated to breaking them up. While he did admit that his donors were unhappy with the loss of his bed, he’d assured Lissie repeatedly that he took blood and blood only from them, and he could not understand why she was so worked up about it. Stryker perked up when he caught sight of Lissie behind the bar. Emotion rushed through him, and he hardened as he watched her move. She was graceful and sexy in low slung leather pants and a tight black tee shirt. A shirt so tight he could see her nipple ring through it. Her bright red hair was caught back in a loose braid that trailed nearly to her waist. She tended bar and smiled at her customers, a bright, cocky grin that he missed already. She looked up as if she knew he’d been 19

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thinking of her and locked eyes with him. As there had been since the first night that he’d come into the bar and laid eyes on her, a shock of connection sparked through him. A connection that was abruptly cut off when she turned her back and filled some drink orders. Undaunted, he installed himself at the end of the long bar, the place he usually sat while she worked. She ignored him. Her eyes moved over him with a kind of frigid blast of emptiness, as if she didn’t even see him. He’d seen her give the ice princess treatment to others, and she’d even given it to him in small measure when he’d first tried to lure her into his bed. He didn’t like it now. Being chief in her regard had always made him feel special, worth something. But now, it was chilly. More that that, it felt empty where that warm part of him existed. Damn it, he loved this woman. Not only was she ignoring him, but she instructed her staff not to serve him. In a moment of gnashed teeth and slight humiliation, he’d had to send one of his people to go and order a drink for him. “So what on earth did you do to her?” Cherry asked, sitting down next to him. Her voice was a purr. Short black hair, big brown eyes and lush lips , she was a vamp and a vampire, and he’d been with on and off with her for several years before coming into Lissette Norris’ life. He and Cherry had a fire and ice relationship, and she was one of the most beautiful females he’d

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ever laid eyes on. Still, she paled in comparison to Lissie. He turned and groaned under his breath. “Nothing. Go away.” Damn it, if Lissette saw him with Cherry things would only be worse. Cherry tipped her head in Lissie’s direction. “She’s radiating a lot of anger and even more sadness. For god’s sake, Stryker, you finally get something real, and you mess it up? Is it another woman? Because if it is, after I’ve spent the last six months trying to break you two up, I’m gonna be pissed.” “You almost sound as though you’re sad that there may be trouble between her and me.” “Well, as it happens, she grew on me. I hate to admit it, but I like your little human. She’s been good for you—better than I ever was. She doesn’t take any of your shit. You need that. So did you cheat on her, you worthless bastard?” He turned to Cherry. “No! Now go away before she…damn it.” His stomach clenched as Lissette turned around and saw him sitting with Cherry. Saw her eyes widen and then narrow just before her face went totally blank and she turned, giving him her back. But he knew he wasn’t imagining the flash of pain in her eyes, and it knifed through him. One of the things he loved most about her was how hard she was on the outside to hide how truly sensitive she was inside. Her sarcasm was a front. He found it charming. Endearing. It made him want 21

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to take a sledgehammer and break down her defenses until she let him in. At one time it was the challenge of the thing. Now he wanted all of her. “I’ll go and tell her it wasn’t what she thinks,” Cherry offered. “No. I’ve got to talk to her. If you get involved, it’ll just make things worse. Now go.” Cherry sighed and patted his arm in sympathy before she slid off the barstool and swayed out of the bar. Feeling Lissie’s anguish, fury, and despair drove him to the breaking point. He wanted to fix things. Wanted to go back in time and ask her to have Alex stay with her himself. But he couldn’t. The damage was done, and he was going to make things right now before she pulled away from him any further. Stryker sat at the bar, watching her until after two when the bar emptied, and the staff cleaned up around him. He wasn’t above being amused as she continued to pretend he wasn’t there. Each time a staffer would move to go home, they looked back at her to get her okay after a quick glare in his direction. She rolled her eyes, waving them off and continued to wipe counters and put away stock. Finally, she filled the bank bag with her night’s take. Grabbing her jacket, she shoved the bag into an inside pocket, flipped off the lights, and went to the door as if he weren’t even there.

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Preternaturally quick, Stryker was up and moved to block her way. Body pushing against hers, he walked her back to the bar without saying a word. “Lissie, darling, this has gone on long enough.” “Get out of my way, Stryker. I’m not your darling, and you’ve had your say. I have a deposit to make, and then I need to get home. I have a houseguest.” She smirked. “Anyway, why are you still here? I saw your little moment with Cherry earlier. I’m sure she’s overjoyed.” The hurt anger in her eyes was irresistible and drew his fingers to touch the warm flesh of her cheek. She jerked away, and he shook his head slowly. “Don’t think you can hold yourself away from me, Lissette.” His eyes glittered with their otherworldly magic. “Don’t you pull out your vampire mojo! I told you we’re over.” Her back was to the bar. The scent of his skin wafted into her face. She adored the way he smelled—that combination of man, his cologne, and soap. It was extremely difficult not to fall under his spell. “We are not over, Lissie. You and I have had a misunderstanding, but we will work it out. And you know there is nothing between Cherry and me. There hasn’t been since the first moment I laid eyes on you. And it may amuse you to know she claims that you have grown on her. She even gave me a lecture for upsetting you.” 23

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Closing her eyes a moment against his appeal, she stomped her boot in frustration. “Why are you doing this? Damn it, Stryker! Get out of here. You are no longer welcome in my bar or my life.” He pressed his body against hers more fully, putting his face in her hair a moment, feeling that silk against his cheek before he pulled back and looked into her eyes. Lips just barely shy of hers, he murmured, “Don’t be stupid, Lissie. You’re angry and hurt. I get that, and I’m sorry. I should have asked you myself. But that doesn’t mean we’re over.” “You can come over and visit Alex when I’m here at the bar. I’ll work with Henry to make sure he gets in school and is taken care of during the day. Don’t come in here again, Stryker, or I’ll ban your entire tribe.” Worry that he couldn’t get her back slid through him. Not something he cared for at all. He had to pull out his big guns. Moving back from her a bit, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin and twirled it between his fingers. Wearing a predator’s grin, he asked casually, “Do you remember the first time we were together?” She closed her eyes, and he watched a shiver work through her. The tension holding his stomach loosened a bit. He still affected her. All wasn’t lost. “What about it?” she whispered. The memories

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of that night swept through her. His hands on her, his lips, and the way she’d felt as his teeth had slid over the tender flesh at the place where thigh met leg. He’d filled her up. Body and soul. From that moment, she’d felt as if her body was made for his, and he’d held her heart. She was a damned fool, but oh, how she loved him. Continuing to twirl the quarter, he went on, seeing in her eyes that she did remember it and as fondly as he did. “Come on then. Heads or tails, Lissie? Let’s leave this up to chance because you know I won’t give up. You’re mine.” “If I win the toss, you’ll leave me alone?” she asked, skeptical. “Of course not. I told you, you’re mine. If you win the toss, I’ll leave you alone until the Alex situation is resolved, and then we can work things out.” She narrowed her eyes. “And if you win?” “Oh ho. Much better than if you win. If I win, I get to fuck you right here against your bar. Then we go back to your house, and I fuck you in your bedroom and any other place that takes my fancy, and you let me feed. This whole ‘we’re over’ thing goes away. We can work out the rest, but you can’t dump me without trying to work things out.” Looking into her eyes, watching the flecks of color there, he did his own remembering of that first time they’d been together. He’d been coming to the bar nightly for months and had pursued her 25

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relentlessly. She’d continually deflected his advances, much to his great frustration. So he’d watched her, learned her. He took note of her love of games of chance and of taking risks, and he used it. Daring to lay it on the line, he challenged her to trust fate and let the coin decide. As he knew he would, he won the toss, they’d gone back to her Victorian in Queen Anne, and he’d watched her disrobe in the golden light of the candles she’d lit all around the room. Her hair had flowed over her shoulders like liquid flame, and he was sure at that moment he’d never seen a more beautiful sight. And for the last six months, he’d been with her as often as he could, in and out of her bed, but always in her life every moment he could steal. He had immense greed for her. “Well? What do you say, beautiful?” Chewing on her bottom lip, she considered what to do. The truth of it settled into her in a way she could no longer deny. She loved Xander Stryker to distraction. The fact that he’d sent Henry to strong-arm her into taking Alex in instead of coming to her himself—that he’d been heavy handed with something she thought he’d done out of affection—hurt her more than just about anything she’d ever experienced. All because she loved him. Nodding, she decided to trust fate another time. To let her know whether she should move on and kick this ass out of her life or give him another

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chance. “Okay, I call tails.” He made an annoyed sound and stepped back. “Fine! If you think it’s fair to throw it out there before I’d even known you were going to agree, then you can have tails.” He pouted, and she rolled her eyes. “Whatever. You’re lucky I haven’t staked your worthless ass yet. So get moving, fang. Toss that thing, and let’s get it over with.” Grinning, he tossed it into the air and clapped his hand over it. Heart pounding, Lissie leaned in close to see what side the coin would be on when he moved his hand back. And also to be sure he didn’t cheat. He pulled his hand back, and she saw that it was heads. She’d lost. Relief poured through her. Chuckling, he gave her a lascivious grin. “Heads.” The quarter disappeared back into his pocket. She grabbed his hand, pushed it out of the way, and shoved her hand in his pocket. “Let me see that. You probably cheated.” He moved her hand out of the way, digging into his pocket to pull out the quarter. Wearing a smirk, he handed it to her. Examining it, she saw it was a normal quarter and handed it back with a sigh, scowling at his arrogant smirk. “Satisfied, my darling?” His voice was suddenly 27

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a purr. Velvet and seductive, it slithered down her spine, leaving a flush of desire in its wake. “A bet’s a bet.” Her voice was slightly hoarse, and she clenched her hands into fists to keep from shaking. “Oh, it is. Now then, take the t-shirt off,” he said, crossing his arms across his chest. He leaned back against the table behind him, watching her every move. Moving her trembling hands to the hem of her shirt, she pulled it up and over her head and draped it over a barstool. She shot him a dirty look and stood before him, nipples hard, the silver of the ring winking at him in the dim light. “So damned beautiful.” The sight of her there made him ache with the miracle of it. Truly though, there weren’t words to accurately describe what she was. What she meant to him. Instead of speaking, he pulled his own shirt off and laid it with hers. Turning back to her, he slid his hands up her sides and around to her back. Quickly, he undid her braid and loosened her hair, freeing it. Leaning in, he inhaled her scent, the smell that always screamed out to his own system. Coconut. She always reminded him of what it was like to lay in the sun with suntan lotion on. Like a lazy, sexy day on the beach. It was nostalgia and sex all at once. His tongue darted out to taste her fluttering pulse. His own sped as he remembered he’d be

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sinking his teeth into her after he got her back to her house. Entering her body with his teeth and his cock all at once—the thought intoxicated him. For now though, he had to have her, and it wasn’t going to be finessed. She’d awakened his possessive instincts with her attempt to break things off with him. The feeling built over the evening as she’d held herself away from him. Wanting…needing to claim her as he’d watched how other men, vampire and human alike, had stared at her, wanting her for themselves. But she was his, and he meant to underline that very salient fact for her. Right then. Leaning down, he brushed his lips over the flesh of her breast that led to her nipple. He continued on, kissing his way toward her nipple. Hot and wet, his mouth closed around that sensitive skin, ring and all, bringing a mewl from her lips. Sliding over hard, muscled flesh, her palms skimmed up his arms and shoulders and into his hair. Surrendering to the sensations he brought her, her eyes slid shut as her head fell back. Stryker’s nimble fingers brushed down the flesh of her belly and to the ties that laced up her pants. In moments, he had them loosened and shoved the pants down her thighs. Seeing her bare, he froze, causing her to open her eyes and look down at him in question. “You aren’t wearing any underwear. You know 29

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how that drives me crazy.” He dropped to his knees before her. “I didn’t do it for you,” she breathed out as he blew across her flesh. She was so wet he could see her pussy glistening in the low light. Drawing a finger over that slick flesh, he brought it to his mouth, tasting her, delighting in the way her breath hitched. “Yes you did. You were naked all night, knowing I was here. Did torturing me make you wet?” Replacing his fingers, his tongue snaked out and traced her plump lips before dipping into the well of her pussy. Her hands gripped the bar. “I got dressed before…oh god…you came over. Everything isn’t about you, Stryker.” “Don’t lie to me, Lissie. Don’t lie to yourself, either. You knew that I’d come to you. You knew that I’d never just let you walk away from me. You know you’re mine.” Those words thrilled her, and hope rose in her stomach. In her heart. Despite knowing it was stupid to let herself believe he might love her after all. “Just shut up and eat me! Fuck me! Something. Anything!” she cried out in frustration. With that same feral grin he’d been wearing some minutes before, he moved back to the balls of his feet. “As you command me then, my sweet. Turn around. Hands on the bar.” She allowed herself the luxury of closing her

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eyes for a moment, internally celebrating the knowledge that he’d be inside her in mere moments. Turning, she gripped the bar, her body slightly bent, and her ankles hobbled by her pants. Shivers rose as his hands stroked down her spine. Gentle and seductive, warmth spread in the wake of his touch. He continued over the curve of her ass and slipped between her legs. Those questing fingers spread her open and drew her honey through her folds. Desire slick and drunk with need, she pushed back against him with a whimper. Chuckling, he leaned in and kissed the back of her neck. She gasped and then sighed as she felt him press the fat head of his cock against her gate and began his inexorable push into her body. “Great god,” he murmured. “Lissie, you feel so fucking good around my cock.” Grunting, he pulled nearly all of the way back out, and with a flex of his hips, slamming back into her. Her reflection in the polished surface of the bar showed her biting her bottom lip. Before her eyes fluttered closed, she saw his lips curve up into a satisfied smile. “This is going to be over quick, I want you too much. I’ll be more refined next time. For now, hang on.” His body caged her. Her heart belonged to him. She was his, and she was helpless to do little more than grip the bar tightly and hold on as he fucked into her in deep digs. A moan escaped her as he rolled and pinched a nipple with one hand. The 31

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other moved to her clit, flicking over it with a feather light touch. The way he knew her body was comforting and frightening all at once. He increased his speed and hammered into her wet flesh as she writhed, trying to move but held in place by his body and her pants. “I like you bound. We’re going to have to try that more often,” he said in her ear. He loved her beyond redemption. Beyond reason. He would have done anything to have gotten her back. He realized and accepted that as her pussy sucked at him, pulling him back into her body’s embrace. He loved the way she smiled, her laugh, the fearless way she ran her business and stood up for herself. He’d been bowled over by the way she’d softened toward his brother and hadn’t shown Alex any of her hesitation about having him with her in her house. He’d been afraid to admit it, but he couldn’t deny it any longer. He couldn’t hide behind love proxy words and phrases like he’d been falling for her or that he really enjoyed her. No. He loved her. That realization, along with the way her pussy clutched at him, pushed him over the edge. He increased the pressure on her clit and nipple as he felt his orgasm build, rolling through his body from the tip of his toes to the top of his head. His scalp tingled, and he threw back his head, whispering her name as his pleasure unleashed and poured into her body.

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After the waves had crashed over him and she’d come, he bent, laying his head on her shoulder. Breathing hard, he enjoyed the feel of her pussy muscles twitching and grabbing at him. Loved the heat of her skin against his cheek and the scent of her body, of clean sweat and coconut. The scent of their sex mingled in the air. Getting his breath back, he straightened and stood, tucking himself back into his jeans. Unable to resist, he pressed a kiss at the back of her neck. Lissette bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out as her climax hit, not wanting to give him any more satisfaction at how much she wanted him. Eyes rolled up into her head, she held onto the bar as he came into her, deep and hard. His body tightened as her name came from him in a soft whisper. She didn’t want to feel the ache of his tenderness when he’d laid his head on her shoulder as he gently pulled out of her body. Didn’t want to feel the pounding of his heart against her back and feel like she’d come home again. But she did. She did, and it scared her because if he wanted to hurt her, he very easily could. He had. Taking the proffered towel he’d pulled from the stack on the bar, she sent him a grudging thank you. Pulling her clothes back on quickly, she laced her pants up without looking at him. She’d deliberately kept her gaze from him, knowing how the sight of him made her heart ache. At the same time, she missed that intensity of connection she 33

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always felt with him after they’d had sex. With a sigh, she grabbed her jacket and headed for the door but halted as he banded an arm around her waist, yanking her back to his body. “Look at me.” No one could issue a demand like Stryker. She steeled herself as she turned and saw his face. The tenderness there—softening the arrogant, regal features, the way his eyes burned for her, the sweet upturn of lips—it pulled at her, and she couldn’t stop herself from reaching out to touch his hair. “Please don’t hold yourself from me. I can’t bear to see you so distant. We can work this out. Starting tonight. There are only a few hours before sunrise, so let’s get cracking.” He raised a brow. “I’m hungry.” Against her better judgment, she laughed. Damn the man, he was utterly charming. “I’ve got to make this deposit. You’ll have to come with me to the house. You won’t be able to get in without me.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “Why? You think Dominic would take your side over mine?” His snort of disbelief brought an echo as she arched her eyebrow in his direction. “No. But I revoked your invitation.” “You did?” he asked, hurt on his face. “Yes, Stryker. You’re the one who started this whole thing! Why shouldn’t I have revoked your

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invitation? Just a few hours ago I never wanted to see you again, damn it!” Even as she said it, she knew it was a lie. Knew she’d revoked his invitation to keep him out of her bed because if he’d come to her while she was drowsy, she never would have been able to resist her desire and love for him. She shoved a hand through her hair and made a loose knot that she quickly secured. “Oh, never mind. In any case, you need me to get in my house.” He gave her a look that meant he’d be taking up all of those issues later. “And to get to your house, as well. I caught a ride with Nick.” “God, you’re so Machiavellian, it scares me sometimes. Come on, then. It is always nice to have superhuman back up to take so much money to the bank.” He grabbed her hand and wouldn’t let her pull away as they walked to her car.

***

Admittedly, she did take delight in driving just a bit more recklessly when he was in the car with her. Served the smug bastard right! Anyway, she needed to concentrate on driving instead of thinking about him. About being in love with a man who was basically a playboy with fangs. The last thing she wanted to think about was the fact that he’d never even told her he loved her. Plus, the comfort of scaring the crap out of him was an added bonus. 35

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“Must you drive like you believe you’re in a NASCAR™ race?” “You’re going to damage my door by ripping the leather! Let go. You’re gripping it too tight. Wuss. And why do you have to talk that way? Like you’re in a book and born a century ago instead of in the early 1960s?” He snorted but refused to take the bait. “You don’t need this little car anyway, Lissie. Why not let me buy you a nice, big, safe SUV? Hmm? This tiny thing is a death trap, and humans are so fragile.” She held back a grin at his worry over her safety, but she couldn’t stop her heart from beating faster at his concern. “Can an SUV go from zero to sixty in 0.4 seconds? I think not. Plus, this car is hot and sexy. It gets me major action.” She knew she was playing with fire but it was irresistible. It was a good way to keep her distance. And anyway, she was annoyed with him, and he was too fun to antagonize. “Lissie, if you get any so called action from anyone but me, I’m afraid I’d be most upset. You’re hot and sexy enough as it is. The last thing you need is something to add to your allure. You don’t know what it does to me to watch other men want you. I don’t share. Not now, not ever. Because, Lissette Norris, you are my woman.” The giddy female that lived inside her jumped up and down, squealing at the words but, the other woman, the one who lived in her head, scowled. It

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made that woman nervous, vulnerable. His woman indeed! Oh, okay, so she liked hearing him say it. She was in love with the pig. “Hmpf.” She had to content herself with that because she didn’t have anything else that wasn’t embarrassing or a total lie. The bank run was quick, and she wasn’t lying when she said she felt better when he was with her. Superhuman back-up was a big bonus to having a vampire for a boyfriend. Well, there were other bonuses, too. Heh. “What are you laughing about?” he asked as they pulled into her driveway. Like she was going to tell him and inflate his ego one bit more. “Nothing. Just thought of something funny. Come on, I need to re-invite you.” She approached the front door, tamping down the urge to laugh at his grumbling over her revoking his ability to come into her house at will. Walking inside she turned back to face him. She did wait an extra two or three seconds to tease him and finally uttered the words, “Xander Stryker, please enter my home.” Walking in through the door with a glare at her, he growled. “I can’t believe you did that.” She held her tongue until they were safely inside her bedroom. Once she’d closed the door, she turned to him with a glare of her own. “I can’t believe you didn’t have enough respect or feeling for me to come to me in person and ask if Alex 37

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could stay. And then you sent me flowers? Instead of coming over here to apologize in person?” Her voice threatened to break. “I do respect you, Lissie. I sent Henry because I had a huge amount of work to do last night, and it needed to happen before Alex got to town. Christ, you know the tribe doesn’t run itself. I had to deal with the new properties we’ve just acquired and signing off on payroll. And I didn’t come over last night because I knew how angry you were, and I wanted to give you a bit of space. Didn’t you like the flowers?” The look on her face was sour. “What? You think this can be fixed by some pretty posies? You think you can just buy me off? You only came today because of Alex!” “Bullshit! Don’t you tell me what I think, Lissie. I came tonight because there was nothing else I could do. I wanted to see you. And yes, I wanted to bring Alex over personally. I would have been here earlier, but I had to stop to feed before I went.” After he said it, he realized the stupidity of telling her such a thing. Her eyes narrowed, and her back went ramrod straight. Where just moments before, the heat of her anger radiated from her, there was now ice. Her jaw opened just wide enough to let out the words, but they sounded sharp and deadly. “Well, you certainly can’t leave your donors waiting. I suppose it’s good to be reminded of my relative importance in your life. After all, I’m just the

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human you’re fucking.” He was standing before her gripping her upper arms in a firm but gentle hold, lips set in a tight line before she could blink. “Lissie, you’re seriously pissing me off.” One of his hands pulled at the waist of her pants, bringing her body flush with his, and the laces popped open. “Damn it! Those pants cost me three hundred dollars,” she protested, trying to slap his hands away before he could do any more damage. But that damn vampire speed thwarted her as he pulled them from her body and tossed them aside. “I’ll buy you new ones!” he said in a growl. “That’s not the point!” “I know!” he yelled back, pulling her shirt up and over her head. Sighing, he held her, his hands on the soft skin of her shoulders, lower body pinning her to the bed behind her. “The point is that you are not ‘just the human I’m fucking,’ Lissette. You’re everything to me. Can’t you see that?” The words were like a physical blow to her gut. To her heart. She stopped struggling and looked into his face. His ice blue eyes were sincere. His hands on her skin were warm and skilled, even as they only held her. But more than that, his presence was a brand on her soul, on her heart. He only had to be there, and she wanted him. For more than the great sex. She wanted him forever. Heart pounding, she found her voice. “How can 39

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I see that, Stryker, when you send a lackey to call in a marker for something I thought you did for me out of affection? All you had to do was ask.” Without wanting or meaning to, she arched into him. Their bodies had a language all their own as he pressed into her, pulling an unwilling gasp from her lips. Desire, hot and heady, hung in the air between them like a spell. Kissing the tip of her nose, he moved to pull off his shirt, and kick off his pants and shoes. He was back beside her, naked and hard in a matter of moments. She could have her hair in curlers and wearing a paper bag, and he’d want her. She was magic to him. “I’m sorry. I was a coward not to ask you myself. I knew you’d be pissed, and I didn’t want to face it. But it wasn’t because I don’t respect you. Never that, Lissie. ” He traced lazy circles around her nipple with a fingertip as he spoke. She bit her lip as the circles of pleasure broke over her skin. Steadying herself to speak, she took a deep breath. No matter how much she wanted him inside her body right then, the issue of those bitches needed to be dealt with. “But you—once again—choose those donor bitches over me.” The women who were his donors were a sore subject between them. It wasn’t just territory they’d gone over and over, it was scorched earth. “Sweetheart, we’ve gone over this before. I didn’t choose them over you. I fed. You know I’m not fucking any of them. I haven’t since you and I

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began to see each other. There’s been no one but you since the first day I touched you. And I can’t feed from you every day. You’d develop anemia, and you know how much I hate bottled blood.” He simply was not going to allow her to use anger to keep him out anymore. He’d gentle around her defenses, seduce her out of her shell. Putting her hand over her eyes, she exhaled with palpable sadness. “I don’t want to have this discussion again, Stryker. It makes me hate you, makes me hate myself,” she mumbled. He gently pulled her hand away and looked at her with a soft smile. “You don’t hate me, Lissie.” “You are so damned arrogant. It drives me crazy.” Sitting up with a growl of annoyance, she pushed him off and jumped off the bed. She stalked into her bathroom, slamming the door. After turning on the taps and checking the temperature of the water, she stepped under the spray and wished the day was over. However, she wasn’t surprised when he came into the bathroom and got into the shower behind her. She knew it couldn’t be that easy. He’d never give up. “Lissie, my sweet, why are you so determined to be mad at me?” He paused for a moment, soaping up her back and neck. “I thought I made you happy.” She was silent for a moment, trying to gather her words. “You do. Most of the time.” Despite his recent admission, it still ate at her that she felt so much more for him than he appeared to feel for 41

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her. It wasn’t that he was inattentive or neglectful. Most of the time he was very sweet and attuned to her. But she loved him. She loved him, and he was a fucking vampire king who had a harem of ten women that writhed all over him every night when he woke up. It wasn’t so much that they gave him blood. Hell, it wasn’t even that they got off from his feeding from them. It was that they all wanted to have sex with him and repeatedly threw themselves at him. It was enough to give even the most self confident of women a complex! She didn’t do vulnerable well, and this man made her feel it with a sting. Oh, and his batshit crazy mother. The one who wanted to break them up and wanted to kill a twelve year old boy. Oh, and probably her now that she’d taken him in. And she couldn’t get the sight of him with Cherry at her bar out of her head either. There were, she realized with a start, a lot of things making her feel unhappy about their relationship. Love wasn’t everything and certainly not enough to live with feeling insecure all the time. But she had no idea what to do about it. Try as she might, she couldn’t imagine her life without Stryker in it. Even the last day without him was hell. “You’re thinking. Tell me. You can trust me, you know.” He massaged the shampoo into her scalp. She was so prickly, and so dear to him. She

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was also prone to over thinking each and every thing that came up. He had no idea what was going on inside that gorgeous head of hers, but he knew enough to understand it was his job to fix it. “I thought you were going to feed from me.” She stepped back, bringing her body into full contact with his. Tilting her head, she bared her neck to him, exposing the flesh for him to bite. He knew it for the stalling tactic that it was, and he tsked under his breath. “Mmmm hmm. I will. Later.” He pulled her out of the tub and quickly toweled off, turning to watch her. Impatient as she dried her shower flushed skin— bare and dewy—he grabbed the towel from her hands and tossed it on the counter. Taking her hand, he pulled her into the bedroom and pushed her gently onto the bed, moving to stand beside it. She looked up at him, into his face as he loomed over her, blocking out the light. All she could see was him—his face with those high cheekbones, those ice blue eyes, the cruel but carnal lips, the rakish blond hair that grazed his shoulders. She loved that face. Loved the way he moved, the ripple of muscle under his skin. She let it happen, pushed away everything else for the time being to appreciate him. Her eyes traveled down and over broad shoulders with flat hard muscle, a tight stomach, lightly furred with the same golden arrow of hair trailing southward. Long legs, powerful thighs, and oh the cock. She looked her fill and got a wicked 43

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smile as it hardened at her perusal. She’d never felt anything as good as him inside of her. He was meaty and thick, capable of filling her up to just about too much. The way she looked at him always did him in. No one in the world ever looked at him with that combination of yearning, desire and adoration. She saw pretty deeply into him, and it used to scare him. Now he wanted to be sure she saw all the way, right into the place in his heart where she lived. “I love the way you look at me,” he said softly, kneeling beside the bed. He pulled her butt to the edge of the mattress and smoothed his palms up the inside of her thighs. Pushing them apart, he looked at her, pussy spread open to his gaze. “And I love this. Your pussy so pretty and glistening with honey. Swollen and slick—ready for me. Me and only me. I love how you’re always ready for me.” Holding her open with his thumbs, he leaned in and took a long lick, giving her aching clit a flick with the tip that made her gasp. She slid her hands over her breasts, cupping their weight in her hands. His eyes darkened to a deep gray-blue as he watched her touching herself. She watched him watch her hands, his teeth gently grazing over her clit, tongue spearing into her. They both moaned as she pinched her nipples and then tugged on the ring. His hands were holding her up to his mouth, as if he were serving her pussy to himself, fingers digging deep into the flesh of her

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ass. He sucked her clit in between his lips, bringing a squeal of delight from her as she arched into his mouth. Pressing two fingers slowly into her, he hooked them, making a come here motion. He found her sweet spot, and stroked over it the way he knew she liked. “Oh god, Xander, that’s so good.” The murmur of his first name on her lips instead of her usual insistence on calling him Stryker, sent more blood rushing to his cock. That deepening of intimacy hardened him to the point of near pain. He could taste her desire, hear her yearning for him. Flicking his tongue over her clit, he reached out, his strong hands pulled her even closer to his mouth as that sensitive flesh came into contact with the edge of his teeth. His fingers fucked into her and then over that sweet spot in a continuous movement of into and across wet flesh. He watched her hands as she touched herself, his eyes sliding up to hers, half lidded and liquid with desire. He’d never seen anything so beautiful in his life, never wanted anyone more desperately. He knew by the quicksilver change in her taste, her climax was there. Her back bowed off the bed just moments later as her thighs clamped over his ears. Lost in her own flood of pleasure, she pressed herself into his face, and he took every bit that she was offering and more until her thighs fell open 45

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and she sighed, satiated. He arched up and laved the vein on her inner thigh, taking a moment to revel in the feel of her pulse beat under his tongue. Incisors, hard and waiting to strike, slid across her skin, opening her, pulling her rich, velvety blood into his body. The essence of her life exploded through his system like nothing else ever had. “Oh god.” She groaned, clutching his head as he drank from her. Endorhpins rushed through her system as climax claimed her again. The interaction of the chemicals in his saliva and her blood created an explosion of pleasure that was the byproduct of a vampire feeding on a human. But between them it was far more. It was a twinning of their lives again, a stronger statement than mere words could make about how each felt about the other. He took her in, knowing her more intimately than he deserved to. This woman was someone so special, so strong and sexy. Sharing her blood was like a sacrament. She filled him up in ways he was afraid to ponder too deeply but could no longer avoid. Drawing his tongue over the bite, he moved up her body and rolled, pulling her on top of him. Her hair was a glorious cloak of flame around her shoulders, her lips swollen from his kisses, skin flushed from pleasure. She rose up on her knees, positioned his cock and sank down onto him, bringing a deep moan from them both.

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“I love you, Lissette,” he murmured, eyes locked with hers. He saw the surprise and the rush of emotion she couldn’t hide. She put a finger over his lips. “Don’t. Don’t say it if you don’t mean it, Stryker. I have no plans to kick you out of my bed, so if you’re just saying it because you think it’s what I need to hear, it’ll only end up hurting.” Seeing the fear in her eyes, he kissed her finger before he pulled it away from his lips. “You’re such a wounded bird, love.” He stared at her body, at the swell of her breasts, the graceful line of her neck, her beautiful blue eyes, the heart shaped face with the rosebud lips, and the smattering of freckles across her nose. He loved every bit of her. “I don’t just say things—especially not to you. I love you, Lissie. I’ve loved you for a while now. I suppose it took the thought of losing you to make me admit it to myself and say it out loud.” She arched, taking him deeper into her body. “I love you, too. Desperately. And it throws me off balance, scares me.” The words exploded from her of their own volition. “You love me?” He grinned. “Yes, you arrogant bastard, I love you. I’m easy apparently. All it took was that shipment of bottled blood.” Her eyes got sad as she finished, and the memory of his using that as a chip to get her to take Alex in hung in the air between them. “Hey,” he said softly. “I’m sorry I hurt you. It 47

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was meant in a teasing way, not as a heavy handed thing. I did do it because I love you. You needed that shipment but never would have asked me to pull strings. I did because I could, and because it made you happy. And I’ve discovered that I like you happy. And I like being the one to make you that way.” He sighed. “I see now that having Harry remind you was stupid. I understand how it must have felt, but I didn’t have him remind you to hurt you. Or to pressure you. Well, okay, not pressure you in an extortion sort of way but to remind you of something good to put you in a better mood.” Her eyes lost some of their sadness, and she traced the brand on his chest just above his heart that marked him as the leader of his tribe, his family sigil. She braced her hands on his biceps and began to ride him, glorying in the feel of his cock slicing through her over and over. He was beautiful spread out below her like a fallen angel. Radiant and yet frightening in his otherness, clearly a predator, but the kind of predator you’d smile at as you fell with him. She watched as his eyes lost focus and blurred with his impending climax. Unable to hold her own back once he reached down and plumped her clit with thumb and forefinger, tugging on her nipple ring with the other hand, she cried out. Her head lolled back as she sighed out his name, her sweet pussy superheated and wet around his cock, squeezing him, pulling his orgasm out, demanding it. With a hoarse roar, he followed

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her, and she collapsed onto his chest, her ear over his heart, listening to the very slow, very strong beat.

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Chapter Three

As dawn approached, he burrowed under the blankets with her in his arms. He knew her home was safe for him—her windows were darkened because she worked nights, and he stayed over so often. One of his human lieutenants, Dominic, was already there protecting Alex. He was able to rest without fear. Lissette awoke at eleven and took a shower and dressed, leaving Stryker to sleep until twilight. She descended the stairs and saw Alex playing a video game with Dominic and his son. Dom saw her and smiled. “Coffee’s in the pot for you. Strong like you like it. I hope you don’t mind that Shane is here. School’s out for winter break, and I thought he and Alex could hang out.” She smiled back, unable not to. Dominic was over six and a half feet tall, fists the size of pit bulls, and he could rip the head off most adversaries, but he was a gentle soul underneath it all. That he was a good dad on top of that made her feel even more warmly toward him. Or perhaps she was just in the mood to love people in the wake of the intense talk of the early morning between her and Stryker. Patting Dom’s arm, she nodded. “No problem.

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Thanks for the coffee.” Peering around him into the television room, she saw his son and Alex furiously mashing buttons and involved in some kind of martial arts fighting game. She grinned at Dom who shrugged. “Hi, Shane! Please make yourself at home, Hon. Morning, Alex. Did you sleep all right?” Alex turned to her, his eyes alight with glee. “You have the coolest toys ever! A Playstation™ and an X Box™! Heck, I’m not in any big hurry to move in with Xander. Your television is twice the size of the one he owns.” Lissette laughed. “Well, your brother isn’t much for video games, and he isn’t home often enough to watch television much. But you’re always welcome to come over and play here though, all right?” “Did you two make up?” His eyes were so wide and innocent, she wondered if she’d ever been that way. This kid was in the sights of a crazed bitch who tried to kill him, and he was playing video games and drinking soda in her house like any other kid his age should be. The realization made her even angrier at Stryker’s mother. Dominic looked up, too, waiting for the answer, clearly as interested as Alex was. “Yes. For the most part, anyway. He’s upstairs sleeping, but he told me to tell you he’d take you for pizza when he woke up, and that he’d talk to you about schools in the area.” 51

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“Cool. You know, he’s the closest thing I’ve ever had to a dad. His father, our father, only visited me once. He did write me a lot, and he called me once a month, but he never came to my school stuff. After my mom died, I was thinking that I wouldn’t have anyone at parents’ weekend, but Xander always came out. I know there’s some trouble with my father’s wife. I know she doesn’t like me. But Xander is a good guy, and you’re a good woman. I’m glad you forgave him.” She sat down next to him on the arm of the chair and touched his hair. “Don’t worry about her, okay? Xander will work it out, and until then, you’re safe here with me and Dom. This thing? It’s not about you. I want you to trust your brother to make everything all right.” Alex sighed and nodded back at her with those same blue eyes that Stryker possessed. She’d only barely resisted the urge to lean down and kiss the top of his head before she got up to leave the room. She and Dominic shared a look as she filled her cup and stirred in milk and sugar. “That crazy bitch has got to be muzzled.” “I hope Stryker can talk some sense into her. I’ve never seen her so out of control. She wasn’t always like this, you know. She used to be a different person. Rueben was a philanderer. He always was. For three hundred years, he was. Frankly, I’m shocked Alex is the only offspring from his affairs. I mean, he and Graciella only had

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Xander, and it took her nearly two hundred and fifty years to get pregnant. “The shock of finding out did something to her. I can only hope Xander can give her the cold slap of reality that she needs. You’d like the old Graciella, and I think she’d like you, too, if she just got hold of herself.” “I wonder about that myself. The other kids thing.” She shrugged. “I’m guessing there are others out there, but they never came forward for one reason or another. But Alex is a sweet, smart twelve year old who has absolutely nothing to do with his father’s problem keeping his penis in his pants. She’s a mother. You’d think she’d understand that.” Sometime later, she heard the doorbell ring and went toward the door to answer it. Dominic met her in the hall and shook his head, motioning for her to get behind him. Looking into the room where the boys were, he ordered, “stay in here.” There was no room for argument in his statement, so they nodded. Backing out of the room, he shut the door and turned back to Lissie. “You know this is going to be from her, and we don’t know what it’ll be. Stay behind me until I see who and what it is.” She gave him the same nod the boys had, always amazed when this part of him surfaced. His face was hard, eyes alert and mean. He looked out the glass on the front door and sighed. “Yep, it’s one of her people. Looks like a lawyer.” 53

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“Oh great,” Lissette said without enthusiasm. “Let the vampire games begin. Move back, and let me open it. Rip his head off if you need to. I promise to get out of the way.” The look he gave her promised he would indeed do it if he needed to. She opened the door and gave the man in the suit her best arrogant glare. “Yes?” “Ms. Norris?” “Yes. What do you want?” “I am here on behalf of Graciella Stryker. She wishes me to tell you that you are harboring an outlaw. A member of another tribe who does not have permission to be here. As such, you are involving yourself in matters that will only complicate your life.” She snorted. “You really came all the way over here to deliver that little message? She knows my number. She’s called me enough times to let me know how disappointing I am as a potential mate for her son. I hope you charge her extra for mileage. “Look, tell her highness that she can kiss my ass. I’m not in your little tribe system and as such, I couldn’t give two fucks about it. The boy who is staying here is twelve years old and still human. If she complicates my life, she should know that Xander will complicate hers right back. Perhaps she ought to not issue threats and try to harm children because her husband was a faithless asshole. Alex

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bears no fault in that.” “She told me you’d be difficult.” “Look, she has no power here. I am human. I live by the laws which govern my race. I’m not even a shadow of difficult yet. Let me get another cup of coffee in me, then you can see difficult.” She made a shooing motion with her hand. “You’ve said your piece, now take yourself back to wait at her coffin-side to tell on me like a good little pet. If you attempt to harm Alex while he’s in my care, I will personally see you pay for that and her, too. You can tell her that from me. She has to sleep sometime, and I used to carve wood when I was younger. Catch my drift? Now, go on. I’m sick of her threats and, my soup is getting cold.” “She’s prepared to file a complaint to the leader of the tribe.” “This is me shaking. But let me make it easy for you. He’s sleeping in my bed right now. I’ll give him the message. In any case, he’s the one who brought Alex here to begin with. Why don’t you ask her to be reasonable with all of this? She knows her son would never turn his back on Alex. Alex is his brother, his responsibility, Xander loves him. She’s only going to push Xander away with this.” Suit boy looked uncomfortable but kept the stern glare going, impressing her. “You really shouldn’t involve yourself in something that could end in a lot of pain and trouble for you.” Dominic stood forward then, pushing the other 55

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man back a step. “You will not threaten the concubine of the leader. She is under his protection, as is his brother. The same rules apply to Graciella as everyone else in this matter. If she continues to make threats and plans to harm either Lissette or Alex, she will be the one with pain and trouble,” he threatened in a low bass voice that made the hairs on the back of her arms stand up. She let the issue of being referred to as a concubine pass, for the moment. He brushed invisible lint from his jacket, and got off the porch, turning to walk down the sidewalk without another word or a backwards glance. “She won’t stop until someone is killed,” Lissette said in an undertone so that the boys couldn’t hear. “She’s totally insane about this. Normally, she’s just a bitch. I mean, she’s hated me from day one. Tried to break us up. Called me to threaten, all that jazz. But this? Jeez. I get the sense she’s hurtling down the mountain with no brakes. Someone needs to slap her or toss water in her face or something.” “I’ve told Xander this many times. He still thinks he can reason with her. I agree she needs a shock of reality and that she’s out of control. But she’s old and powerful in the tribe, and some feel sorry for her. And,” he shrugged, “she’s his mother. He loves her. Regardless, she’s dangerous, and I’m going to send some of my personal team to the bar with you tonight. I don’t trust her. And the

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bar is a public space, she’s not dependent on an invitation.” Despite her tough talk, a shiver of fear slid through her at the idea of meeting up with the Loony Queen of Homicide Attempts in her bar after closing. She squeezed his arm. “Thanks.” “I’m sorry you’re involved in this. For what it’s worth, I told him you should have remained outside of this situation.” “Yes well. I’m in it now, and I’ll be damned if I let that bitch get her hands on that boy.” Lissie was determined to protect Alex. He was totally blameless. An innocent, and Graciella, as a mother, should understand that. The boy had no mother, no father. He had no one in the world but Stryker and now her. He was hers now, just as Xander was. And that meant she’d do anything in her power to keep him safe.

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Chapter Four

Stryker awoke as twilight fell. Winter in Seattle meant that he was awake from three thirty or so in the afternoon until nearly seven in the morning. It was glorious to be able to have so many hours of consciousness. Even better, he opened his eyes to see Lissie’s deep blue ones staring back at him. He froze for a moment, struck by her beauty, the sensual curve of the soft upturn of the corner of her mouth. That smile. Those lips. The dimple in her chin. “Live with me,” he said before he could stop himself. “I want to be with you every day.” “Your mother sent a toady to tell me I was harboring an outlaw. Threatened me with general unpleasantness should I not give up the fugitive for whatever water dungeon torture she has in store for little boys whose fathers cheat on their wives. By the way, said fugitive and or slash outlaw was eating potato chips and drinking soda while playing video games in my television room. Very dangerous.” He sat up and sighed. “You’re avoiding the question.” “I’m avoiding the question? Did I not just tell you about your crazy mother’s threats? Are you

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trying to talk about cohabitation instead of that? Okay, I’ll let you live in denial for another few minutes. To answer your question, I can’t live with you. More than that, where would Alex go?” “Is that what worries you?” He reached out to caress her jaw line. “So sweet for a girl who acts so tough. He’ll live with us, of course. He’ll be changing in six months, anyway. I’m committed to bringing him over. And since we’re on the subject, why don’t I bring you over, too? It’ll be harder for you, of course. You’ll need a full conversion. But my blood is strong. I’ve never made another, so it’s undiluted.” “You want me to be a vampire?” She couldn’t keep the incredulity out of her voice. He’d go to any length to keep from dealing with his batshit crazy mother! “I want you to be my wife. My partner in all things. It’ll be easier if you’re a vampire, too. You’ll be so much stronger, I won’t worry about you as much. And I’ll have you for hundreds, if not thousands of years. I don’t want to lose you, Lissie.” Xander Stryker had never been felled by anything in his life. He’d always been in charge. Always in control and on top. And here this woman came and tossed all of that on its ear. Turned his world upside down in amazing, wonderful, beautiful, annoying, frustrating and, infuriating ways. She connected with that part of him that no one else had ever seen. That no one had ever even 59

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bothered to see. She knew him. He smoothed a thumb along the line of her cheek. “My mother will accept this situation soon enough. She’s just throwing a tantrum right now. Once she gets over this nonsense, you can move in. I’ll convert you when Alex matures. I love you, Lissie. Say you’ll do it. Say you want to be with me, too.” “I do love you, Xander,” she said softly. “But there are a few big issues standing between us. Your crazy-assed mother is one. Sweetie, you are not rational about her. She tried to kill your brother! She sent her lackey to threaten me for taking him in. The fact that you refer to this kind of behavior as something she’ll get over just tells me you are out of your mind, too.” “She’s upset. Having Alex here means she’ll have to face my father’s behavior. It’s hard for her.” She growled inarticulately and punched the pillow in frustration. “Stryker! Wake up! She. Tried. To. Kill. Him!” Why couldn’t the man see it? “Upset is when you torch the cheater’s car or his clothes or you put his name on mailing lists for a cult. Once attempted murder is involved, we’ve officially moved past upset and into crazy. That boy in there is flesh and bone. A human who is twelve. She could crush him like a bug.” She sighed, pushing off the bed to stand and pace. “More than Cruella DeVille, we have the issue of your little harem to deal with. I know you need

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blood, but I do not understand why they have to live with you. Why you need ten of them and why they have to be like some scene out of Bram Stoker!” Her voice got all breathy as she imitated the women. “Walking around in filmy peignoirs and throwing themselves at you. Oh, Xander, you’re so sexy! Gah!” She stamped her foot in frustrated anger. “I might be able to deal with the fact that the feeding causes orgasm. But, Stryker, other vamps seem to be able to be collegial with their donors. Why are yours like your fuck dolls? I’m not living with ten women that you get off daily, women who constantly throw themselves at you. I won’t do it.” He quirked up a smile. “Jealous?” She spun and narrowed her eyes at him. “Hell yes! Jesus, Stryker, how will you feel when I need donors? Hmm? How about I get ten hot men who writhe all over me? Men who I’ll make come every day, who will constantly offer to fuck me? Okay, this is sounding pretty damned good now. I’ll let you keep your harem if I get one of my own.” She lifted an eyebrow in challenge. “You’ll do no such thing. You’ll get older women, say in their seventies.” “And why is that? It stands to reason that young men—virile men—who are at their top physical shape would be the best donors for me. After all, it’s just about nutrition, right?” “Do you think I want you getting other men off? 61

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How do you expect me to live with that?” She threw back her head and laughed. “You are the most self-centered man I’ve ever known. God help me for falling in love with you. This is the root of the problem. You try to push the spotlight off to other things. Crazy homicidal mother? Here, move in with me and become a vampire! Skanky floozies who throw themselves at you? Oh, you need donors, too, but only old ones because how can I make you stand it?” She grabbed her coat. “We have a long way to go before I’ll be buying sheets with you. I have to get to work. Don’t forget you promised to do pizza with Alex. He’s talked of little else all day. I’ll see you later.” He pulled her back to the bed and yanked her down to the mattress, covering her with his body. “This isn’t over. I’ll come into the bar after Alex goes to bed. I have some work to do, and then I’m going to deal with my mother. Be careful.” She chewed her lip a moment, wanting to scream in his face that she wouldn’t have to have bodyguards if his mother would listen to reason. But she just sighed, not having the energy to say it again. “Dominic already has two bodyguards on me. One vamp, one human.” He nodded, satisfied. “We’ll get back to the issue of donors later. Don’t think I’ll forget.” She nipped his chin and got up. “Donors and more, Xander. There’s a lot more than the issue of

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my dozen studly donors to hash out. I’ll see you later.” She stifled her laugh at the scowl on his face. Downstairs, Dominic was waiting in the kitchen with two of his men. “Hang on a sec. I need to go tell Alex that Stryker is awake.” Poking her head into the TV room, she saw Alex watching a movie. “Hey kiddo, your brother is awake now. He’s getting ready to jump in the shower, and then he’ll be down. But if he’s not down in ten minutes, go and bug him. He’s in the second room on the left.” “She sent someone here to threaten you, didn’t she?” She thought about what to do and say to soften it, but how could she? “Alex, Xander is not going to let her harm you. Dominic is here, his people are here, and your brother is here. She can’t come in, and before you came to stay with me, Stryker had Dominic come and put in a new security system. You’re safe here.” He reached out and took her hand. She squeezed his in return. His voice was small when he finally spoke. “But are you?” She sighed. “Of course I am. Xander is going to fix this whole mess. He won’t let you down, Alex. He takes family very seriously. You’re his family. He loves you.” “And you, too. I can tell by the way he goes on and on about you all the time.” 63

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She smiled. “That so? Huh. Well, he’s pretty all right for a vampire king. Now, I have to go to work. Give that lazy bones brother of yours ten minutes and no longer. And tell him I said he can’t use my hair product! He’s always using it, and he never replaces it. Bad enough he always takes my coffee and eats my cookies.” Alex laughed, and she couldn’t help but lean in and kiss the top of his head. “Keep him in line, kiddo. He needs a keeper when I’m not around.” “Will do. And Lissie? Please be careful.” “Will do.” She saluted and went into the kitchen where two men, nearly as hulking as Dominic, were waiting. She knew the vampire. He was a cousin or some such and was quite nice. You wouldn’t know it to look at him though. His face was impassive, and he was the size of a mini van. She guessed that alone made it unnecessary to show his mean side most of the time. Since he was on Dom’s team, Lissie guessed he had one though. When he needed to. The human was quickly introduced as an old marine buddy of Dom’s. Dominic gave her instructions, told her to stick close, and urged her to carry her cell phone with her all night, just in case of a problem. “If you’re trying to scare me, you’re doing a bang up job,” she mumbled as she pulled her jacket on. “Good. Fear keeps you alert, and being alert

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keeps you alive. Now, go on.” Dominic waved them out once his man outside had given the thumbs up. “Oh, and your car stays here. You’ll use one of ours until this thing ends.” “What? I can’t drive my baby? Why?” “Our cars have armor plating on them.” A sick feeling permeated her gut. “Great. I could have fallen for a dentist, but oh no, I had to have the vampire.”

***

Fortunately, the bar was so packed and busy that Lissie really didn’t have the time to think about anyone out to hurt her. Despite her fears, there hadn’t even been a hint of danger. And thank goodness because it was Friday night, and the place was crawling with humans and vampires alike. The din was deafening, the crowd chaotic, and the air was filled with the clove cigarettes that vampires seemed to love so much. Her core clientele was there as usual. The vampires who liked a bar experience where they weren’t gawked at or harassed, and the humans who liked to be around vampires. Most of them were young and good looking, and Lissie did have to admit that profits had gone up and problems had gone down after she’d allied herself with Emerald City. Now other vampires didn’t come in looking for fights. She’d been concerned about how they’d react when she declared her allegiance and became a part of their territory, but more vampires came in when it was established as a safe place to 65

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hang out. Fights had all but totally disappeared. The bar had belonged to her grandfather and his father before him. Of course, when the bar had first opened up, it served loggers, and vampires hadn’t yet announced their existence to the world. Back then it was the Lucky Spur. She still had the large disc of a very old tree that her great grandfather had carved the family crest into. She’d finished it and hung it above the front door. It was smooth and shiny in the spot she reached up to touch each day as she came into work. Of course, Jacques Norris would have lost all his hair if he’d had an inkling what his bar would be after she took over. The idea that she’d dare to change the name and add velvet upholstery was bad enough. But her clientele, vamps and wannabes with dental implants and spooky contacts, would have given him a heart attack on the spot Big night meant lots of trash. Needing some fresh air, she grabbed a bag, twisted it shut, and looked for one of her rent-a-vamps. One of them was across the room, near the front door where she liked him. The other had gone to the restroom. Shrugging her shoulders, she realized she was being stupid. She took out her own damned trash every other night. There was no reason to panic, and the dumpster was just out back anyway. She hefted the bag and told one of the other bartenders she was making a quick trash run and headed out back.

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The relative quiet was like an instant calm around her as she stepped out into the alley. She took a deep breath. It’d rained recently, and the air was crisp and clean. The heat from the crowded space poured off her skin, and she tossed the bag into the big dumpster. The night was cool, but not overly cold, and she hung back for a few moments more, just wanting that clean quiet for a bit longer when she heard a noise. She turned quickly, but before she’d completely spun to face the noise, she was struck in the face so hard she saw stars. Hearing the crack, feeling the bones break and the skin tear, she felt almost as if it was all happening to someone else. She stumbled due to her loss of equilibrium. She held her hands out to find purchase and was shoved to her knees. Knowing she was in big trouble, she screamed out so loud it hurt her lungs. She hoped against hope that she could be heard over the noise inside or by someone out front. The blood from her head wound ran into her eyes, nearly blinding her. But she didn’t need her eyes to get savage satisfaction from the pained grunt her attacker made when she kicked out and connected with his knee. The crack of his bone dislocating gave her a bit more energy to continue fighting, and she scrambled backwards, wiping her eyes. Her attacker was a beefy vampire she’d never seen before. “You’ll pay for that, bitch! You were 67

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told not to mess with things that aren’t your business.” Fury lit his eyes as he limped toward her, his body radiating menace. Her body screamed in pain as she forced herself to move away. Warily keeping an eye on him, she continued to wipe at her face to keep the blood from her eyes. She sighted the bloodlust in his eyes and the glint of light off his extended incisors. The scent of her blood and fear had pushed him into that state where vampires think of one thing and one thing only—feeding. Gritting her teeth, she swore to herself that if she survived the night, she’d kick Graciella Stryker’s ass personally. Cursing herself for keeping the alley clean to avoid rats, she futilely scanned the area around herself for weapons. She found nothing. But there was no way she was giving up. Making her mind up, she decided she’d have to make a run for it. Knowing the door back into the club had locked behind her, she knew her only option was to make a run for it. Past him to the street. He’d be faster, but if she could get to the mouth of the alley, there might be people out front who could help. He had the limp but wouldn’t for much longer as he’d already begun to heal. She feinted left and then made a break for it, screaming over and over as she ran towards the entrance of the alley. The light was there, taunting her, its yellow glow calling out freedom and safety. But it all faded as his hand caught her upper arm in

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a vise-like grip, and he brought her down to the pavement. Just before everything went black, she saw the glint of light off his teeth as his head lowered to her throat.

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Chapter Five

Air rushed into her lungs, and she woke up with a scream on her lips. Her eyes opened, and she was still blind as she scrabbled, attempting to sit up. An arm banded about her waist, and a voice told her to be calm. Blinking her eyes to clear her sight, the world shifted and fell into place. Her nausea passed, and she looked toward the voice. Those ice blue eyes, worried, stared back at her. “Are you all right, love? Lissie? Darling?” She thought about it for a few moments, mentally touring through her body. “I guess so.” The memories began to return, and a hand went to her throat, but there was no bandage. “What? Why isn’t there a wound? A bandage? I know he ripped my throat out.” She gasped. “Oh my god! Have I been in a coma or something?” Stryker put his head in her lap, and his arms encircled her waist as he hugged her tightly. “Oh sweetheart, I thought I’d lost you. Lissette, it was so close. If I hadn’t been coming to the club right as you were screaming, right as he was attacking you…” his voice trailed off, choked with emotion. “You saved me?” Her hands stroked through his silky hair, over his shoulders, overjoyed at being

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alive, at his touch. “Thank you. But what happened?” A cramp hit then, and she grabbed her stomach, curling into herself. Wonderful. What a time to have her period. After the pain eased a bit, she looked up, and saw that she was in his house. In his bed. In his room. “Uh, Stryker, how long was I out? Why am I not in a hospital? And why aren’t you telling me what happened?” “You’ve been out for two days. You didn’t need a hospital. We’ve been watching you here.” “Two days? And my neck is totally fine, why?” She suddenly remembered his brother. “Alex! Oh my god, where is he?” She tried to get out of bed, but he shook his head and held her there. “He’s fine. Safe. He’s with Dominic and several of my men at a secure location. I didn’t want to take a chance and have him stay at your house in case the attack had something to do with his being in town.” “In case? You are so obtuse! Of course it had to do with him. It was your mother! How long are you going to live in denial about this?” She slammed her hand down on the bedside table in frustration. Only to find herself staring, shocked at the splintered ruins as it fell apart under the force. Surprise rushed through her, stilling everything in her head. It was as if someone else was watching the gash in her hand heal as if by magic. 71

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Time returned to its normal flow as it became crystal clear just why she had no wound on her neck. Turning to Xander, she managed to find words, even if they were spoken in a harsh whisper. “You converted me!” He was on his knees on the bed, his hands in the air in front of him. “I know you hadn’t totally agreed yet, but there was no way around it. You were dying! He’d torn your throat out. You’d lost too much blood. Oh god, sweetheart, you were…it was such a mess.” His eyes flashed with fear and panic as he remembered the way she’d looked. “You were so pale. White as moonlight. Your pulse was fading. There was…” his voice broke a moment. He cleared his throat. “There was no time. No time to get you to the emergency room, and they couldn’t have saved you anyway.” He took her wrist, bringing it to his lips and brushed them over her fluttering pulse. “It was convert you or let you die, and there is no way I am prepared to live without you.” Lissie had never seen him that way. Vulnerable. Emotionally raw and exposed. She felt his panic, heard the fear of losing her and in that moment his love, too. There was no shutting that out. In that moment every last wall she had against him fell. What defense could there be against the kind of love that risked everything to keep her alive and at his side? Her fury at losing her humanity drained away. How could she be angry that he wanted to save her life?

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Taking a deep breath, she let it go as she exhaled. The regrets, the anger—they did her no good. She was alive, and he was there. “It’s okay. I understand. And I’m grateful, Xander. You saved me.” She sent him a reassuring smile. Still, the unreality of the whole experience hit her. “Wow, I’m a vampire? Is that why I’m so damned cold? And why am I having period cramps?” Wincing, she rubbed her stomach. “I thought at least I’d be PMS and period free once I changed. Tell me the bonuses again?” He looked slightly horrified that she’d discussed her “female problems” with him, and she stifled a grin. “The cramp is the hunger. You need to feed.” He got up and spoke to someone in the hallway. Shortly thereafter, three people came into the room—one of his harem, who looked significantly less arrogant than she usually did, and a woman and man she’d seen as daylight security. “I’m going to go first, sweetheart. Watch me.” Xander leaned toward his donor, and she pushed herself against him eagerly. Lissette was up and standing quicker than she’d even thought of doing it. She pulled the woman back and got in her face. “Oh uh-uh. There’ll be no more of that, honey. There’s a new sheriff in town, and she says you’ll be giving him your wrist.” An eyebrow arched up, and she dared the hoochie to say one word. Wisely, the donor held her tongue but did send a pout in Xander’s direction. Lissie noticed his attempt to stifle a smile. Oh, he had a great many 73

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lessons to learn now that he’d converted her, and she was going to be around more. Starting with the harem. Snorting in amusement, he took the woman’s wrist, feeding quickly before turning to Lissette. “It’s all pretty basic. All you need to do is think about feeding, and your incisors will come out.” He stroked a hand over her hair. Hunger rode her as she felt her incisors lengthen while he spoke. Nodding, she flashed them at him, and he chuckled. “That’s the way, Sweet.” Stryker held his hand out to the man who came to kneel at her feet. Turning back to her, Xander nodded reassuringly. “I’ve fed from you before, so you know the basics. Just drag the teeth over his jugular to open the vein and drink. I won’t let you take too much. When I touch your shoulder, lick across the bite marks to close them.” Wary, she bent her head toward the man. Her hunger gnawed at her gut as the sound of the blood rushing just beneath his skin met her ears and the scent of his skin reached her. It was irresistible not to slide her sharp teeth over his flesh as Stryker had instructed. A moan slid through her as the blood filled her mouth. It was dark, forbidden, and velvety. And the joy of it made her see stars. The deep rich bouquet coursed through her system. It quenched her thirst like a tall glass of water on a really hot, dusty day.

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She felt him tense up and groan long and hard. She knew he’d come because she tasted his orgasm, metallic on her tongue. Her eyes fluttered closed. Gooseflesh erupted up and down her spine. A groan of her own broke from her at the sheer rapture of it all. At Stryker’s tap on her shoulder, she forced herself to stop, remembering to lave a tongue over the bite. After she did so, Stryker pulled her back to lean against him. “Thank you,” she told the man, and he nodded, eyes slightly dazed. “Any time, Lissette.” Stryker’s grip tightened on her shoulder, and Lissie felt a surge of triumph—now he knew how it felt. She got the feeling that the donor discussion would be a lot different now. “One human won’t be enough for your first feed, so drink again,” Stryker murmured into her ear. Lissie watched as the human security officer knelt and pushed her hair out of the way. Everything seemed so bright and vivid. Her senses were so very sensitive, every sound was clear—she could hear them all breathing if she concentrated. She could smell their cologne and soap, smell the warm scent of their blood. It was amazing but more than just slightly overwhelming. Lissette bent forward and struck again, marveling at the difference between the two humans she’d fed from. How unique each had been 75

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in vitality and in taste. She drew back on her own and closed the bite. “Wow, you’re even better than he is,” the woman said, face flushed from orgasm. Lissette gave a startled laugh. “As long as you realize that he won’t be feeding and fucking, we’re good.” “He hasn’t in six months, truly,” the woman said as she went to the door and left. “Lucky for you,” she murmured. Stryker was behind her on the bed, on his knees. His hands gripped her shoulders. “I could watch you feed from other women all night long.” He growled in her ear and ground his erection into the flesh of her ass. “You’re such a pervert,” she said, breathless, as always, utterly affected by his voice. “On your knees, Lissette. Suck my cock,” he ordered in a dark, velvet voice that went straight to her pussy. She turned slowly and looked into his eyes. “Well, I am ever so grateful for your saving my life, sir. I do think we could work something out that might prove amenable.” She fluttered her lashes, and he gave her a sexy grin that was quickly replaced by hunger when she dropped her robe and slowly sank to her knees. Drawing his pajama bottoms down, she looked up at him with a sexy smile as she took him into her hands. Rubbing her cheek across his heated

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flesh, she was amazed as always at how soft that skin was while also being so very hard. She felt the veins throb as she passed over him. She slowly took the meaty cockhead into her mouth, and he jumped as she swirled her tongue over it, tasting the salt of the bead of pre-cum that had beaded there. He rolled his hips and stroked into her mouth, groaning as she took him as deep as she could. “Yes.” His voice was hoarse and tender at once. His hands went to her head, fingers threading in her hair. She slicked his soft as velvet skin with saliva and loosely ran her lips and tongue along his cock, in and out, over and over. His hands tightened in her hair, guiding her. She loved the feel of the muscles of his lower back and ass as she slid her hand down. The hair at the top of his thighs was wiry, and her palm tingled as she caressed him there. He moaned as she stroked her fingertip over the puckered star of his rear passage, eliciting a deep moan from him as he widened his stance. She lubed her finger with her own cream and brought it back, pushing inside of him. Finding that bundle of nerves that was his sweet spot, she stroked while she kept her mouth steady, wet, and tight. “Oh, Lissette, you feel so fucking good. Made for me. Ahh, I’m going to come.” Stryker gasped out and began to pump his cock into her mouth, muscles clamping down on her finger as he began to come. 77

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She waited until he softened before pulling back to bestow a kiss to the head of his cock and hopping back up in bed. With a happy sigh, he collapsed beside her. He lay on his back, panting, covered in a sheen of sweat. Wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her close, into the shelter of his body. He pressed his lips to her temple. “Lissie, darling, on your hands and knees.” His murmur was gentle but edged in steel. He sat up to kneel on the bed as she moved to obey. “You ready for me?” he breathed into her ear, and she whimpered in response and rolled her hips, pressing back against him. She was so wet and aroused she trembled with it. “You make me wet, Stryker. I need you. Please.” He gentled her with a hand on her hip. Reaching around, the fingertips of his free hand slid through the folds of her pussy, pulling moisture up and around her clit as he stroked in wide circles. Her thighs shook and a gasp tore from her lips as she felt the head of his cock nudge against her, pressing inside. Forcing himself to hold back, he took it slow. More than anything he wanted to slam into her, wanted to crawl inside of her and stay there forever. She was so right, so beautiful and all his, and he knew he’d never let her go. She made him complete. “More,” she gasped and pushed back when he

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pushed inside a bit more. Finally, when he slid in to the root, she sighed in triumph. Knowing what it did to him, she wiggled her ass a bit and tightened herself around him, smirking at his gasped moan of surprise. She felt stretched and full and for want of a better word, home. It was her turn to gasp in surprise and pleasure when he slapped her ass soundly with an open palm three times. “Ow!” she said as it began to sting, but she moaned when he stroked a hand lightly over her pinked and heated flesh. “Oh, I think you liked that, didn’t you?” he said through clenched teeth as he pulled almost all the way out and slammed back home with a grunt. She felt her eyes roll back into her head with pleasure at that thrust. “Yes.” “Should I do it again, Lissette?” She nodded her head, afraid to speak. “If you want it, say so.” He traced the tips of his fingers across the pinkened flesh of her bottom. She moaned, “Please.” “Please what?” “Please spank me again,” she said, biting her bottom lip. He smiled and gave her three sharp, open palmed slaps on the other cheek. Just the sound was enough to push him, but the sight of the pink impression of his hand on her creamy flesh, oh. Caressing that heated spot, he thrust deep into her. 79

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She was so wet, and the sound of the union of their bodies echoed through the room. The scent of her desire, of their sex, hung in the air around them like a spell. He grinned wickedly when she unashamedly arched her back and pushed back against him. “Oh beautiful, you are so hot, so fucking wet.” His body tightened as his climax approached. “Lissette, I’m going to feed. Turn your head,” he grunted out. No sooner than she’d tilted her head to the side, he struck. Eagerly, she moved back to meet his thrusts as the euphoria of his strike rushed through her. He took her newly converted blood into his system, and it hit him like he’d stuck a finger into an electrical socket. It all hit him, the pinkness of her skin from his spanking, her whimpers and moans of pleasure, and then her pussy clamped down on him. The rolling flutters of her orgasm drew his own from him violently, bringing her name as a roar from him as her flesh wrung him dry. “Oh, how I love you,” he murmured as they collapsed to the mattress, exhausted.

*** After a cat nap, he came awake and marveled at the sight of her in his bed. It wasn’t the first time, but it was a first. She was his now. The bed was theirs. Of course, he knew he’d have a job of it to convince her of that. Her eyes came open slowly and came to focus

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on him. He sent her a wicked grin. She looked delicious, debauched, and thoroughly satisfied. Her hair was tousled around her face and shoulders. Lips swollen from his kisses, she stretched slowly, giving him a bit of a show. “And how are you feeling after that nap? Refreshed? It can be hard after a conversion. I shouldn’t have let myself get so tempted by you. You need rest.” The light danced in her eyes as she laughed. He mentally shook his head at his fortune. She sat up and he marveled at the way she looked at him. He hadn’t lived the most conscientious of lives and yet, he was blessed with her. He’d need to work on being deserving of that. Of her. “I’m just fine, Xander. I do need a shower, though. I feel a bit cold.” “It’ll be easier to regulate your body temperature after a while. I’ll be sure the heat is up over the next few weeks especially.” He stood and went to the thermostat on the wall to set it higher. “Come on, a warm shower is just what you need.” “Why are you so nice to me?” She moved under the spray, groaning as the hot water began to warm her. “I love you. And I’d like to add that I’m always nice to you!” She grinned, pleased that he’d said it again. “A 81

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girl could get used to this.” “Well good, you’re my queen now. You’d better get used to it.” Her head was under the spray as she rinsed her hair. She wasn’t sure she caught that whole sentence. “What did you just say?” “We’ll talk about it later,” he told her as he got out of the stall. After she’d dried off he held his hand out to her. “Come with me.” He pulled her into the room adjoining the bedroom. Poking his head into the hallway, he asked someone to bring some mulled wine and came back to sit across from her. “Why do you seem so surprised that I’m treating you well? Have I not always been good to you?” He thought he knew. Was pretty sure that no one had ever spoiled Lissette Norton without wanting something in return. “Well, as I told you, you’re attentive, sure. And good in bed and I was feeling like your Saturday night girlfriend and all. But the last time we were together and you asked me to live with you, you still weren’t ready to deal with a whole lot of issues. And now you seem to be acting as if I’m living here or something.” “You are living here! I can keep you safe here. And I thought we’d already worked through this issue of your holding yourself back from me.” He raised a brow at her. His assistant came in with the wine and poured

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some for her. She thanked him, and he quickly left. She took a drink, the warm liquid sliding down her throat, leaving a trail of heat through her. “Do you feel this cold all the time?” She avoided his point for the time being. And he let her. For now. “No. At first when the change happens your metabolism doesn’t know how to compensate. It’ll take a while, but after a month or two, your body will handle it much better. Until then, we’ll make sure to keep the house warmer. I’ll make sure we get your clothes here and keep you in cashmere.” “What about Alex?” “He’ll live here, too. Once I deal with my mother. You’re okay with that, right?" “Yes, of course I’m okay with him living with us. But, Xander, he’s all alone right now. I can’t just forget about him and live here while he’s off in some secret place for god knows how long. I can’t do that. He needs family right now. I can’t be here playing house knowing he’s out there, lonely and needing love.” “Do you think I don’t know that? That I’d forget about him? I’m the one who brought him out here to begin with. I’m risking a hell of a lot to have him here. I love my brother, Lissie. I’ll take care of him.” Xander stood up, face flushed. Hurt flashed over her face. “I didn’t say you forgot about him, Stryker. I said I couldn’t.” Her voice was quiet. 83

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Drinking the rest of her wine, she stood. “And for the record, since you seem to have forgotten— you brought him to me. You asked me to care for him, and I do. And it is really fucked up to now turn it around on me for being concerned about him.” He let out an explosive breath. “Don’t you want to be here with me?” “There are some big issues that didn’t just disappear because your homicidal mother forced you to change me into a vampire to save my life. What about the donors? What about your mother? What are you going to do to her?” “To her?” “Yes. What are you going to do to her for trying to have me killed? What are you going to do to her for trying to have Alex killed? I know enough about vampire culture to know she broke your laws as well as human law, too.” “You don’t know she was behind the attack on you.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You have to be joking. Tell me you’re just joking and failing.” “You’re so quick to judge her!” “She tried to kill me! Yeah, that makes me a tad bit judgmental! So sue me.” She knew he was in pain, but he had to deal with the truth. “Xander, you know it was her. She sends some asshole to my door to threaten me, and that very night someone tries to kill me and tells me I shouldn’t have messed in things I didn’t have any business in. Am I

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supposed to believe that’s just a big coincidence? This after she tried to have Alex killed just three weeks earlier?” “I need to do some work. I’ve been putting it off for the last two days.” Not looking at her, he moved to the door. She stood there, stung. “Don’t expect me to be here when you’re done working, Stryker.” He turned to look at her. “What do you mean?” “I mean that if you won’t even talk this through with me, if you won’t even expend the energy, I’ll know where I fit in your life. I won’t play this game with you about your mother. She’s dangerous, and she tried to kill me. Now it’s personal.” “She’s my mother,” he said, sinking into a chair. “What am I going to do?” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “I don’t know where the woman who raised me has gone, Lissie. This is heading into a place that becomes more and more serious as the days pass, and I don’t like thinking about killing the woman who taught me how to ride a bike by moonlight.” She went to him, kneeling and hugging him tight. “I know, and I’m sorry. But, honey, you can’t ignore this anymore. She’s gone beyond stuff you can just pretend didn’t happen. I’d love it if we found a solution that left everyone alive. But you know that there’s a chance you may have to pursue more…stringent methods.” “You called me honey.” His voice was muffled 85

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against her shoulder. “That’s what you’re going to say?” She laughed. Before they could get back to the conversation, someone knocked on the door. Xander took a deep breath, and the king was sitting there again, composed and powerful. He stood up and held out his hand to her to help her up. “Yes,” he called out, and an older vampire came into the room. “Xander, Scion, a Call has been made.” “My mother?” The older man nodded and then looked to Lissie. “Ah, you must be Lissette. It is my pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty.” He bowed, and she barely held back a scowl. “This is Charles Diamond. He’s one of the elders in the tribe. He is three hundred years old.” Xander introduced him to Lissie. “It’s nice to meet you, Charles.” Lissie knew that by Charles’ age, he’d be a very powerful member of the tribe. Vampires lived for hierarchy and status markers. Xander’s mention of Charles’ age was like telling her he drove a Bentley. “We’ll be there in twenty minutes.” Xander sighed, and Charles bowed deep and left. “You mind telling me what the hell is going on?” “My mother has called a meeting of the tribe. As an elder, it’s her right.”

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“Okay.” Lissie rolled her wrist in a ‘get on with it’ motion. “Let’s get to the way he called me Majesty.” “Well, darling, as my mate, you’re co-leader of the tribe. That’s how we do things.” “When did I get promoted from human girlfriend you dated to bug your mom to your mate?” He smirked at her before turning to walk back into the bedroom. Pulling a suit out of his closet he began to get dressed. “You may want to dress up a bit. And I never dated you to bug my mother. Although you’ve bugged me quite a bit.” “Hardy har har. You still haven’t answered my question.” She looked into the closet to find her clothes hanging there. Quickly, she selected a pair of gray pants and a black sweater. Finishing up with a pair of black heels, she turned around, eyebrow raised. “I’ll tell you on the way. Let’s go.” There was a car waiting out front with a full escort of bodyguards. Once they’d pulled away from the house, she turned back to him. “Well?” “The blood exchange. It bound us together. A king only uses his blood on family. You’re my family. Plus, I wanted it that way.” He gave her a look so arrogant she had to laugh. He then sobered. “Do you want to be with me, Lissie? I need to know.” She closed her eyes a moment and swallowed 87

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her fear. “Yes. Yes, I do, but Xander, there are still a lot of things we need to discuss before we can move forward.” He groaned and leaned back for a moment. “I can’t deal with this right now. I promise we’ll talk about all of it once this Call is finished. What’s important is that you want to be with me. We can deal with everything else.” She nodded and began to plan on her own. If Xander wasn’t going to deal with Graciella Stryker, well, there was a new queen in town. She’d done a fair bit of research when she began to do business with the vampires on a regular basis. Knew enough about vampire politics and culture to understand what her rights were as queen. They pulled into the drive of a very posh country club that catered to the vampires in the region. After they’d been escorted inside, Lissie saw Dominic and headed toward him. She took him aside, speaking with him quietly as Xander worked the room for a few minutes. The deep sound of a gong-like bell echoed through the room. Once. Twice. Three times, signaling the start of the proceedings. Xander held a hand out to her, and she went to him, taking it and her rightful place at his side. The room was a lush conference type space. A long, deeply polished mahogany table sat in the center with inset lights shining down on it. Chairs of dark red velvet flanked the table on both sides. The carpet was so plush that there was no sound as

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everyone filed into the room. Xander led her to the head of the table where two chairs covered in gold velvet sat apart from the rest. The presentation was not subtle. They sat then, and the guards fanned behind and beside them as the other high ranking members of the tribe then took their seats lower at the table until everyone was seated. Graciella came into the room and stood in the doorway. She was a striking woman, blonde like her son, but her eyes were green. She was petite and delicate and shooting an outraged glare in Lissie’s direction. “I’m here to force you to remove this interloper from Emerald territory, Xander. That half breed and this thing you’ve brought into our tribe have to go.” Dom gave an imperceptible nod, and before Graciella knew what hit her, Lissie was up and had connected her fist with Graciella’s jaw. With great satisfaction, Lissie saw her head snap back. Before she could do any more damage, two beefy bodyguards waded between them, and Lissie found herself less than delicately yanked off her future mother-in-law and held back. Graciella was behind a wall of testosterone just a few feet away. “What the hell are you doing?” Stryker asked Lissette. “You! Let go of me now.” When the vamp holding her back didn’t let go, Lissie looked him in 89

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the eyes. “I am your queen. You will unhand me now.” He started and let go, stepping back. She turned to Xander again. “I’m being a queen, Xander. This woman tried to have me killed. My life as a human is over because of her actions. And let’s not forget that she’s the reason your twelve-yearold brother has to hide! She’s not my mother, Stryker, and if you think I’ll allow some tight-assed old bitch to try and kill me without some ass kicking, you don’t know me at all!” “Tight-assed old bitch? How dare you!” Graciella thundered. Everyone in the room was silent, staring at the two furious women, wondering what would happen next. “Oh I dare all right. Look, lady, so your dead husband was an asshole who screwed everything on two legs for years, utterly humiliating you. I am sorry for that. I can’t imagine how much that sucked rocks. And I know it must suck even more that your son fell in love with some human woman who owns a bar and hates vampire politics, but that’s life.” “Lissie…” Stryker began, and she spun. “Look, am I the co-leader of this tribe or not?” “Well, yes. But…” “But what? You are not rational when it comes to your mother. I love you, Xander, but this has to be dealt with. She drew first blood, and I’m within

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my rights to kill her now. And as queen, I am most definitely within my rights to demand an accounting. Are you trying to stop me? Because if you are, you and I are going to have trouble.” He took a deep breath and decided to trust her. God knows he’d tried to talk to his mother about all of this on multiple occasions, and she wouldn’t listen. Maybe Lissie could talk sense into her. Hoping she could spare his mother’s life, he stepped back. “Go on, darling.” She smiled at him, hoping he’d see that she was trying to save his mother and not kill her. She turned back to Graciella. “Anyway, here’s how it’s going be. You’re really pissing me off. What’s more, you’re breaking the law right and left, and I’d totally hate to kill you. But I will because I didn’t even like you before you had some thug rip my throat out in an alley. But then, Xander will be mad at me because for whatever reason, he loves you and thinks you’ll get over this whole psychotic episode. “So the deal is this—you can hang on to this utterly ridiculous homicidal streak, which will end when I kill you. Or you can get a grip on yourself, reclaim your dignity, and let it go. Right now, you’re hurtling down a one way path to a stake in your heart. Alex is a child. A human. And you tried to kill him because you can’t just accept that you were cheated on. You’re not unique. It happens to people every day. I’m sorry to blow your I’m a special snowflake act and all, but there’s nothing 91

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unusual about what your late husband did. And I do take exception to being murdered, just so you know. Instead of being Bitter Betty, you could just drop this homicidal rampage and realize that, for a tight-assed old bitch, you are still incredibly beautiful and have plenty oats to sow of your own now that you’re free.” Lissie and Graciella stood, neither looking away from the other, as the time ticked by. Lissie knew that Dom had silver shot and would shoot Graciella in the head if she gave a signal. Silver shot would kill a vampire in seconds, one of the few things that worked so well. There’d be hell to pay with Xander, but it had to happen. She just hoped Graciella would blink first and give up this crazy behavior. Finally, Graciella threw her hands up and slumped into a chair with a violent exhalation. “Are you going to let this mongrel talk to me this way?” she demanded of her son. Stryker looked at Lissette, really saw her as the queen he told her she was. She’d loved him enough to do what he couldn’t bring himself to do, and he adored her for it even as he hoped to god his mother wised up. “She’s not a mongrel. She’s my queen. And yes, Mother, you need to hear it.” Graciella snorted and sat back, leveling her gaze at Lissette. “Have you ever been cheated on?” Lissette nodded. One of the reasons she was

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slow to trust men, as a matter of fact. “Yes. A few years ago. He’s meaningless.” “What would you do if Xander cheated on you?” Lissette looked over at him, and she felt her heart soften. He’d given her the power and the freedom to do something that could end up harming his mother. But he trusted her to make it right, and she loved him even more than she’d imagined she ever could love another human being. “He wouldn’t.” And he smiled at her, nodding. “But if he did, I’d cut his balls off, even though they’d grow back.” Graciella gave a slow smile. “I do believe you would. Good for you, girl. And you would kill me, wouldn’t you?” “I would. I might even like it a little bit. But I hope you won’t make me because I love your son an awful lot, and he seems to be fond of you and all. But he tells me I’m queen, and I’ve never done a job halfway. I’ll do what needs to be done because if you won’t stop this ridiculous vendetta, you’re a threat to all of us.” Graciella considered this for a few moments and finally nodded. “All right then, Lissette. I see I’ve underestimated my new daughter-in-law. I think my son may have actually met his match. Even if you were human.” Stryker gave a surprised bark of laughter, but Lissette raised a brow and sat down. “And another thing—will you leave Alex alone 93

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and let him go to school? Let him become a full member of the tribe when he turns thirteen and comes fully into his power? You’re a mother, Graciella. He has no one but Xander. Can’t you see that?” Graciella sighed but nodded. “Oh, all right. I do suppose it was less than sporting of me to try and injure a child. He can stay, Xander. I give my official sanction to the council tonight.” Lissette stood. “Well, there you all go. I have a bar to run, and I need to get to it. Is this shindig over?” Xander bit back a smile and nodded regally instead. “Dominic will escort you. I have some things to finish up, and I’ll see you back home.” He dropped a kiss on her lips, and she winked at him on her way out.

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Chapter Six

The next evening Alex had moved in, and all of Lissette’s stuff had been delivered to the house as well. When she awoke, she had the horrible cramping and knew it was hunger. “The older you get, the easier it will be to wake up. You’ll be able to go for a few hours without feeding. For the first months though, it’s hard,” he said, seeing her grab her stomach. "Let me get one of my donors in here.” She stood up and then was amazed at how fast she could move. She let herself enjoy that for a few moments and then scowled at him again. “No way. I mean it, Stryker, they all go. You can pay for apartments or whatever for them like other vamps do. It’s a simple thing—they live here or I live here, take your pick.” “You won’t make me get rid of them?” “You’re negotiating with me to keep those skanks?” He grew hard as he took her in. All of the fury that turned him on when she was human was amplified now. As an angry vampire, her eyes glowed, and her lips were ruby red. Just watching her made him want to bury 95

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himself inside of her and show her the glories of feeding from him during sex as he’d done with her the night before. He bit back a groan, knowing they’d have to wait until they dealt with this very tedious issue of donors. “We need to feed. Darling, you have to have humans to feed from, too. We can both feed from them. I’ll have them all move out. This is your home, and I respect that.” “I wouldn’t touch your slutty donors with a ten foot stake, thank you very much. I’ll get my own donors. I want Dominic and Eric. I know a few others who will do nicely as well. Let’s get dressed so that you can tell the bimbos they’re moving out, and I’ll just go and grab Dom and Eric. I’m sure they’ll agree to be my donors.” “If you think I’m going to agree to you having ten attractive male donors, you’re out of your mind,” he sputtered. “But I won’t be fucking them.” She tossed his words back at him. “And we need to eat, right?” He bit back a grin. Damn his woman was good. Almost better than he was. He tossed his hands up, signaling defeat. “All right, I surrender. Tell me what you propose.” “How many donors would the two of us need to sustain our bodies and to keep the donors healthy?” He thought about it for a bit. “I’d say fifteen. That would give everyone several days between feedings.”

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“You get rid of every single one of your harem. We choose a group of fifteen together from people we trust, half male, half female.” “But there will be one extra, seven male, seven female. What about the fifteenth?” “We’ll flip for it.” He nodded, holding back a grin. He went into the bedroom to pull out the double sided quarter. The same one he used to get her into his bed the first time. And more recently to get her back into his life. Fate was that he’d found her, but he’d be a fool to trust the coin when he could manage just fine with sleight of hand.

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About Lauren Dane Lauren Dane is a suburban mom with a lurid imagination that she's put to good use with her writing. Her favorite thing is when people tell her that she doesn't look like "someone who'd write those books." She lives in the Northwest with her husband and three very rambunctious kids. She writes everything from paranormals to contemporary BDSM books and develops terrible crushes on all of her heroes. Even though she lives in her head a lot, she does venture outside from time to time to collaborate with other authors - two great examples are Erotic Romance Authors and Maverick Authors. Readers may visit her on the web at www.laurendane.com.

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Spicy, sensual love stories which leave a reader breathless, intense plots, alpha males, strong heroines and sizzling dialogue—find it all at Whispers! www.whispershome.com

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