Banshee Cry (A Steamy Paranormal Fantasy Romance), page 6
A vampire ruined my life. Her mention of that fact last night caused an uneasy sensation to settle in my gut. My kind can be vicious. We are, at our core, essentially cruel and predatory, and the thought of Aleah being on the receiving end of a vampire’s cruelty fills me with disquiet.
There is a reason I am so fierce in my hunting. There is a reason I have taken it personally to track the perpetrators to this farmland, trying to save these innocent humans. I know what my kind can do. I want to prevent rogues from assaulting the innocent. I do not want all supernaturals blamed for the actions of rogues—in this case, one rogue who seems to be slaughtering purely for sport.
Since the supernatural creatures came out of hiding thirty or so years ago, the world as everyone knew it turned on its axis and eventually resettled into a new normal. It took time, though. Time for those who clung to the old ways to adjust, and realize that the Accord was created for the betterment of all of us, no matter which species or realm we belong to.
Even now, tension still remains in some pockets across the country on both sides. There are some supes who did not wish to announce their existence while there are humans who still do not trust those of us with superhuman abilities to keep our powers controlled. Attacks like those recent ones here only make it more difficult for trust, on either side.
Today, supes mingle alongside humans; fae pass freely between realms as more safe passages open up, and even the existence of angels and demons has been acknowledged as inroads continue to be made into negotiating a peaceful existence for all. Overall, there’ve been some positive developments to help reduce the fear and anxiety experienced by all sides in relation to living with those different from their own kind.
She’s half-fae herself, so Aleah must have always been well aware that there are many things other than human out there, even if her human relatives were the ones to raise her. And there are many things other than vampire that cause death and destruction in their wake. It’s important that she knows this. I may be a monster, but I am also a lesser evil compared to many others.
Why is she so afraid of my kind? What, specifically, happened to make her so close-minded?
What did a vampire do to ruin her life?
She arches her neck, angling her chin away from me. The movement is clearly unconscious as she sleeps. I catch a glimpse of the regular thump of her carotid, steady and sure. The solid beat fascinates me. I cannot look away.
Without volition, my fangs release from their sheath once again and I bend toward that heady pulse with a low purr emanating from my throat. All questions of her past vanish from my mind. I am solely focused on her throat and how soft the skin will be once I slide my fangs into her.
No. I can’t. Not without her permission. Definitely not while she sleeps. Then I will be nothing more than the monster she already assumes I am.
And yet, I can’t stop staring at her throat.
I watch as the pulse consistently jumps against the flesh, hypnotizing me with its vitality.
I’m more than old enough to feed without draining her, if I wish. She would not feel a thing other than the briefest of pricks and then a slow, sensual whoosh as her blood released into my system. The heady desire that naturally accompanies a feed would ignite her sex and, should I choose, I could lead her to orgasm with a single touch of my incisors. She would see that vampires can deliver pleasure, that we might be monsters but the sensations we provide are not to be found anywhere else.
The lure is almost too much. My fang tips graze her skin and I inhale. Divine. What an aphrodisiac she would be.
Her mere scent causes a stirring in my loins. I feel like a young man once again, when sex was new and everywhere and even the caress of silk on my skin was enough to imagine the touch of a lover. I have not felt this way in so long.
I could drink my fill and lick her clean afterward, closing the wound and at the same time sending her into raptures of delight when the orgasm rips through her body. She may feel light-headed from the effects of my bite, though that would be the only downside, unless I chose to drain her fully.
You promised. The whisper through my mind sounds like Aleah’s own voice. Low and husky, hardly there at all, and yet all-encompassing in my head as if she has actually invaded my soul.
I hear you, Aleah. I hear you. My growl erupts from the deepest reaches of my chest. Fuck. I did promise to behave. I don’t know why this promise suddenly means everything to me, why it’s so important I follow through.
I clench my teeth together, careful to ensure my fangs don’t nick my own skin. It’s unbearably difficult to turn away from that slow, steady beat, but finally I manage it, only to encounter two sets of accusatory eyes as a pair of Siamese cats watch warily from their perch on the dresser across the room.
“I won’t,” I insist. “I promised her.”
One of the cats continues to stare unblinkingly, but the other narrows it’s eyes as if judging me and finding my response wanting.
I don’t hate cats, nor do vampires feed on any blood other than human, but right now, with the strength it has taken to turn away from the enticing delight in front of me, I might just transfer my anger elsewhere if they don’t hurry from my reach.
Why am I even talking to them in the first place? It’s not as though they’ll respond, even if they seem to watch me acutely, accounting for every breath I take. I wouldn’t be surprised if they leapt from where they sat and started to claw at me if I did something they didn’t approve of.
“Go. Get.” I release a long low hiss and both arch their backs and race each other to the exit. At the door they turn as if one and hiss right back at me before disappearing down the hallway. I have to admit, their combined hiss is slightly more impressive than my own.
Another whimper comes from Aleah’s pouted lips, and my attention returns to my bed partner.
The soft curve of her hip is the perfect resting place for my heat-filled cock. At least, it would be if I knew we were soon to sate its hunger. My God, I want this woman badly, and in so many different ways. And yet it seems as if we’re fated to remain unconnected in every respect, unless I break my word and seduce her with a vampire blood call. A call we would both be physically unable to resist.
Could I? The urge grows, becoming almost unbearable.
If I act on this physical need, will she ever forgive me?
Chapter Four
Aleah
I release a moan as I stretch my arms and legs, arching my back and enjoying the gentle popping sound of stubborn joints loosening up. The stiffness is an unfortunate downside of my human half and the inevitable physicality of working a country property alone. I open my eyes and encounter a pair of icy blues staring down at me.
“What the—”
Luc. I try to roll sideways but his arms are wrapped around me and our limbs are somehow all tangled up together. In my bed? Yep. This is definitely my bed. Skin against naked skin.
Naked? What the actual fuck?
I don’t remember how this happened. I would never choose to be almost naked in my bed with an equally almost-naked vampire. I search my memory for answers. Did he break his promise and use his manipulation skills to play tricks on my mind? Did I consent to something I didn’t want to do? Then the memories begin to return and I stifle an involuntary sob. Darrie. Gwen. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t reach you in time.
His arms tighten as if sensing my rush of anguish, and then he releases me and sits up. His skin is pale and smooth, the muscles of his torso and shoulders clearly defined and far sexier than I expect. His chest is hairless and I’m not sure why that surprises me. Perhaps the thickness of the tousled mess atop his head caused me to make assumptions about the rest of his body. The faintest line of dark decorates his abdomen, spearing downward to point south somewhere beneath the coverlet. Point south. My cheeks heat and I briefly look away to try and regain equilibrium.
He shifts the pillow to a more comfortable position and leans back with his arms folded behind his head, looking all the world as if he truly belongs in that spot.
I shuffle sideways to put some distance between us. “What time is it?”
“It’s late. You slept through the night and most of the day. I watched over you while you were out cold. Most of the time, anyway.”
Well, that’s not creepy at all. “Um, thanks?”
“Except when I slept, too, of course.”
“So, you slept here, with me? In my bed?”
“Comfortable mattress.” His grin is smug, and for an instant he looks young and carefree, like a man without a worry in the world. I almost forget he’s not human. The urge to lean over and mess up his tousled hair even more almost overtakes me, until all the memories from the previous night suddenly come rushing back in to overwhelm me. Rogues. Loups. Death.
I wrap my arms around my middle. “Do you know what happened to my friends?” I decide to sidestep the fact that he’s in my bed sans most of his clothing—at least from what I can see. “I need you to explain it to me. Exactly.”
His face changes from carefree to somber. “Yes, of course,” he says with a nod. I’m relieved that he seems to take the attack seriously. “I slipped back out near dawn to check on the situation. I had just called in the attack to the local authorities when you stumbled into their yard, so I had to choose between sticking around to secure the scene, following the scent of the loup, or ensuring your safety.”
He should have followed the loup. He knows it, too. His smug grin has disappeared and the scowl that replaces it transforms him straight back into predatory hunter. It’s clear he’s upset with himself and his decision. Still, there’s a little part of me that enjoys the fact he chose me ahead of duty.
I tamp down that feeling. I don’t care one way or the other. Let him choose whatever he wants; it doesn’t affect me either way.
At least, it shouldn’t.
“The emergency services are likely still on scene. It...will be a lengthy clean-up, I’m afraid.”
I try to hide my shudder but I can’t. Luc reaches out to touch me and for some reason I don’t shift away.
“It was definitely the same vamp I’ve been tracking. I recognized the scent.” He traces a finger around my jawline. His touch is light and strangely welcome. “I’m sorry, Aleah. He got the human female—”
“Gwen. Her name was Gwen.” I shouldn’t be offended by how he referred to her. He doesn’t even know her. But I can’t help the bitterness that taints my tone. “And her husband was Darrie. They were real people, with names...lives...”
“Yes.” Luc’s voice softens. “I know.”
He pauses, waiting for me to say something, maybe even to keep talking. I appreciate it, but I’m not sure I even know what to say at this point.
Eventually, he starts speaking again. “He got Gwen first, I think. She was farthest away from the house. Looks like she ventured outside, perhaps to check on a noise? The male—Darrie—was found nearer the back door. There was a loaded shotgun beside his body. Silver bullets, too. Unfortunately, he must have been felled pretty quickly as the shotgun hadn’t been fired.”
“He may have been felled quickly, but his death wasn’t fast, though, was it?” I clench my teeth, my fingers balling into tight fists.
“I think...” He hesitates, and then adds, “No. I don’t believe it was a quick or easy death for him. Unlike Gwen’s, which I think may have been close to instantaneous. Darrie may have been disabled relatively quickly, but the rest of what happened wasn’t either of those things.”
“No.” I felt death coming, and I felt it take them and eventually leave. It took a while, particularly for one of them—Darrie as I know now—and it was agonizing. My only small comfort is that the couple are now together in death as they once were in life. “So, you went back there while I was asleep, and then returned here instead of continuing your... tracking? Hunting? Whatever you call it.”
“Hunting. And yes, it’s part of my job, to liaise with the local cops. Your town policeman—Bernie—seems to be pretty clued up about the situation already. Apparently, there have been a few cases of livestock being taken in the past weeks, and he’d already been liaising with my unit about the vicious nature of those attacks. Add to that the young boy who was taken a couple of nights ago...”
A young boy? I blink, and pull back to look at him carefully. That must have been the death I experienced the other night. A remembered pang sets my heart thumping painfully as Luc continues talking.
“It’s the reason the department sent me here in the first place.”
“And returning here...to my bed?” Now that I understand what happened to my friends, I need to understand what is happening with me...and him.
“Well, you know. I just wanted to...check on you again.”
If I didn’t know for sure that vamps can’t blush, I’d think he had a touch of pink in those angular cheeks. It’s actually endearing, a word I never thought I could associate with a vamp.
“And then it was morning,” he continues. “I couldn’t venture out in the daylight, of course.”
“Of course.” I don’t hide the dryness that taints my tone. “And how did undressing me—and yourself—right down to our underwear factor in to that?” My cheeks start to heat up even though I’m the one asking the questions. At least he left my knickers on. I don’t wear a bra so I can’t exactly blame him for that one.
“You were covered in dirt and mud, and you were freezing to the touch.” Though he speaks faster than usual, everything about him is casual, as though this is nothing to be upset about. “I wanted to put you beneath the comforter, and it seemed like the right thing to do, to get your clothing off first.”
I raise a brow. “Mm hmm.”
“And of course, I couldn’t leave you without helping you warm up, and the best way to do that was... with this.” His tone is conceited as he waves a hand, indicating himself, before swinging his legs to the side to perch on the edge of the bed. I almost snort, but manage to hold myself back.
“There’s no way a snuggle under the covers with a vamp would make any difference to my core body temp—yikes!”
He didn’t bother to leave his own knickers on. He conveniently ignores my comment—and my no doubt goggle-eyed stare—as he calmly moves around the room collecting his clothing. I try to look anywhere but at his manly package, though I can’t help but sneak a glance or two his way. He seems to display no hint of embarrassment whatsoever and honestly, if I had a body as perfectly proportioned as his, I might not be embarrassed to show it off, either.
Surreptitiously, I slide the comforter right up to just beneath my chin.
I’m not quite sure how to react. Part of me wishes I had access to my stake so I could pierce his heart for entering my bed without any clothes on. The other part of me, the part that should be way more ashamed of herself, allows me to stare a little too long.
Who knew a naked vampire body could be quite so alluring? Who knew a vampire’s rear end would be shapelier than any I’ve ever seen in my life? Who knew I would be tempted to touch him, to see if it is as firm as it looks? Not that I’ve seen many naked rear ends. Not that I’ve felt any. His arse is tight and firm and my mind fills with images of that tight ass squeezing and pumping hard as he thrusts into someone in a frenzied and sensual coupling.
He turns at that moment and my breath hitches in my throat. Holy moly! Who knew Luc was hiding that much tackle in his trousers?
Let’s not mention how enticing his rippling muscles and smooth skin looks as he reaches for his discarded shirt and pulls it back on over his head. Let’s definitely not mention the warmth that rushes through me, pooling between my legs and making a mockery of my previous comment. Clearly there’s more than one way for a vampire to impart warmth to another being.
I swallow, sitting up and adjusting the bed cover to ensure I continue to retain at least a small degree of modesty.
Luc’s grin widens. It’s like he can read my mind. The bastard does enjoy stirring the pot, that’s for sure.
“I like your choice of underwear, Aleah. Pink was not what I expected. You seem more like the black and brooding sort.”
“God damn it!” This whole situation is beyond uncomfortable. At least—as far as I can tell—he didn’t sneak any of my blood. I decide the best path is to pretend to ignore the no-clothes issue for the moment. I tighten my grip on my sheets, forcing myself to continue. “Tell me more about these rogues. Have you been tracking them for a while? Are you an official hunter? You’ve mentioned your department a few times. I assume...an investigative one?”
He nods. “I have been tracking both the vamp, and his rogue partner, for several months. They were in Melbourne, causing havoc out in some of the more affluent suburbs. We lost track several weeks ago until we got the call about unusual livestock butchery near Hatton Grove. I suppose I am an official hunter, though we call ourselves vampire police these days.” While he talks, he pulls on a pair of jeans and bends to lace his boots. When he straightens, he raises a hand and runs long fingers through already messy hair. It gives him a rakish look that adds to the sexiness. I decide to ignore that too, though the squiggle of desire that feels a little bit like butterflies in the belly once again makes a liar of my intentions.
“Vampire police.” I arch a brow. “That’s a real thing?”
“Oh, yes, we’re real. I work for SUDAP—otherwise known as the Supernatural Division of the Australian Federal Police.”
I try to stay away from the mainstream, out here on the farm, and don’t really keep up with the news or general politics. But even I’ve heard of SUDAP. It stands to reason they would be just as likely to employ supernaturals as humans—probably more so, I guess—but I hadn’t really thought about that before now. And if he’s employed by SUDAP, Luc really must be one of the good ones. Their vetting process is supposedly more rigorous than that required for the standard police. Which means it’s a good idea that I trusted him.
