Текст книги "Take Me"

Автор книги: T. A. Grey

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Текущая страница: 19 (всего у книги 23 страниц)

Chapter 22

Today was the biggest day of Felicity Shaw’s life, the day in which she’d become bonded to another vampire. A vampire even her mother could be proud of. Felicity frowned at that train of thought and quickly corrected herself because of course her mother would be proud that her only daughter was mating with one of the wealthiest vampires in the world. Her mother loved money. So much so that she had taken all of the money left after Felicity’s father’s unfortunate death after a gambling match turned bad and currently spent the large sum with her younger lover.

This morning, the morning of all mornings, Felicity had actually debated calling her mother. When her mother moved to some small island in the Caribbean with her lover, her mother had called once to leave her number. Felicity had let the answering machine take the call. She might not want to talk to her mother but she’d written down the number and had it tucked away in her phone book at home. If she really wanted to she could have someone fetch it for her and she could call her. But to tell her what? That today she was mating with Dominic Blackmoore and that she’d no longer be Ms. Shaw but Lady Blackmoore? Her face would be one photographed for magazines all over the globe. Her life would never be the same and all of it would be done with a powerful man who made her heart flutter right at her side.

A part of her really wanted to. A part of her wanted to see her mother sitting in a chair to represent her side of the family at the ceremony. It might only be one chair amongst the more than hundred that came with the Blackmoore family and friends, not to mention the seats open to the public. But one was more than none.

Felicity finished brushing her hair from her morning shower and stared back at her reflection. She looked tired and rundown, not like a woman on the happiest day of her life. Tonight she’d become Mrs. Lady Blackmoore with her love, Dominic Blackmoore, and then tomorrow was election day. She, vampires, and weres from across the country would head to their local governing office to cast their vote for the next president of the council. Those who wanted radical changes were leaning towards the wild alpha Zeke and those wanting to stick to tradition were staying with Dominic. She may be biased, but she knew who she was voting for.

For the first time that morning she smiled, the muscles of her face tugging. It was a small one, bordering on sad, but it was there nevertheless.

He never came to bed last night.

He did say he had work to do. Probably more than she could even imagine. After all, what did she know about running for president? Not a thing. Attending one campaign ball did not a political savant make.

She didn’t sleep well without him. In fact, she’d barely slept at all. Call it nerves or anxiety but she’d been bursting with it all night long. Tossing, turning, she’d flitted about the bed until her feet hung off, her arms slung around at awkward angles, the comforter stuck between her thighs and still sleep never came. Finally, she’d given up on sleep and turned on the TV.

She’d found a late night/early morning B-movie in black and white about a teenaged boy who was learning Ninjutsu in order to get vengeance on a man who killed his family. It was a bad movie in that purposeful way, but that isn’t why she watched it. She watched it because, no matter how crazy it might make her look, she was studying Ninjutsu. She punched the air and, in her mind, performed wild kicks in mid-air with both of her legs while picturing Helena’s face taking the hit. Did she actually believe that any of this would help her come late tonight during the bonding ceremony–no. Not at all. But a girl had to hope.

Now she had to brave the day. She’d showered and dressed and still he hadn’t come back. A glance at the clock told her it was close to seven. According to the invitations originally made for Dominic and Julianna, the ceremony would start at ten tonight. And still he hadn’t showed.

The bonding between two vampires was a ritualistic affair. They shared oaths, claimed vows, exchanged blood, and then at the end came the part that made Felicity pace a trench across Dom’s bedroom. The vampire giving the ceremony, one specially trained in bonding ceremonies to recite the ancient bonding passages verbatim by memory, would then ask the audience if any man or woman would dare to challenge for the rights to the male or bruid. This part had Felicity a wee bit unsettled. While a bonding ceremony fight between two women—one who used to be Dominic’s bruid and one who wanted to be his bruid—might make a great video to watch online, it was not something Felicity wanted to participate in.

Was Helena’s threat simply that or did she mean to go through with it? Felicity supposed there was nothing left to do but wait out the next few hours and find out for herself. That is if she they were still to be bonded. Perhaps he’d ignore her up here and the night would pass with a quiet silence.

Felicity’s legs dug into the pacing until her muscles started to burn. Yes, that’s what she wanted. She needed something to release the frustration building inside her. Maybe if it was frustration she could handle it, but that wasn’t the only tumultuous emotion building inside her like a crescendo. No, frustration mixed with anger and nervousness made her stomach roll and her brow furrow. Fear and pain mixed together to create a nasty hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. All of those conflicting emotions made her one wild woman. She felt on edge as if at any moment she might blow.

A part of her wanted to stomp down those stairs, find Dominic, and demand an apology for how he treated her last night. That part wanted to give him a piece of her mind about how badly his words had hurt her. It wasn’t my fault. Right?

The other emotion, the one that kept her rooted to his blasted room held her in its clutches—fear. Fear of tonight, fear of the possibility of Helena’s challenge, fear that if she left this room to find him right now he wouldn’t see her. Fear that held her by the throat and would not let her go. She was not a victim of it, but a willing participant.

She froze. Some faraway sound hit her ears. Was that...footsteps? The sound became louder, grew clearer as whoever made those hard steps came closer to the bedroom door. A flicker of fear kept her frozen in place like a statue. Whoever came for her knew she could hear, made their steps loud enough to hear from a great distance. Felicity straightened her spine and prepared herself for whatever was coming for her.

The booming steps stopped right outside her door. Not even a moment later her door shoved open so hard it whacked against the door stopper behind it making the little metal spring boing. Startled, Felicity jumped, her hand flying to her throat.

A shadow filled the doorway. She inhaled an unsteady breath and at once warmth filled her blood like syrup.

“Dom,” she whispered.

As if answering her call, he strode into the bedroom, all tall man. He wore the same clothes from last night but he’d lost the suit jacket, he’d rolled up his shirtsleeves to reveal dark crisp hairs along his forearms, and his pants were rumpled. He looked fierce with his legs spread slightly apart, his hands held in loose fists at his sides, and those eyes...

Eyes that could make her melt, freeze, and aroused with only a look, stared at her with a vibrant, hungry need. A need so powerful her stomach trembled at the sight of it. He looked like a cage man who’d just been set free.

“Come here.”

Two words but they seemed to grab her by the throat and make her breath catch with how he said them. She didn’t nod, didn’t agree that she’d obey him, she just did because how could she not? When all she wanted was to be held in his arms again, to have his gentle kisses and possessive touch drive away her sleepless, worrisome night.

She went to him, and he stepped into her as if he couldn’t wait any longer. Their bodies met: chest to chest, thigh to thigh, or as close as they could meet with their height difference.

He cupped her jaw. That simple touch eased the knot of fear in her belly, sent her eyes fluttering shut.

“I need to tell you something.”

Simple words, straightforward words. She stiffened at them. Blood turned to ice. The hands on her face lost their comforting touch. She wished it’d come back because all she could feel was cold.

“Yes?” Maybe if she didn’t open her eyes she could pretend this wasn’t happening, that whatever terrible news he’d come to deliver would not hurt as much as she knew it would.

“Look at me.”

Her head shook before she could even say the words. “No.”

“Felicity.” His voice held a warning.

Don’t make me look you in the eyes when you crush me beneath your beautiful boot. She opened her eyes. She met his stare. Hers miserable with sadness, his determined and unreadable. Those dark brown eyes searched over hers, reading her. Maybe because of the lack of sleep but Felicity found she didn’t have the energy to pretend happiness, so she didn’t.

His thumbs stroked along her jaw. He cursed low and dark, his grip tightening at whatever he found there. “Fel, I’m sorry. What I said last night—” he trailed off as he closed his eyes and rolled his neck. “I didn’t mean it. I was pissed but not at you and I took it out on you.” Those powerful eyes came back to her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Forgive me?”

She read his eyes, studied them to judge his sincerity. Finding them true, she shrugged. He’d apologized but the hurt didn’t go away. “You were a dick.”

The thumbs stroking her stilled. “Yes, I was. I don’t know if it means anything but I’m under a lot of stress and I felt overwhelmed. I made a mistake and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. Is that better? Am I forgiven?” His lips twitched as he stifled a laugh.

Her eyes narrowed in faux anger. “Maybe.”

That twitch turned into a full-blown laugh and the sound was too contagious not to echo. And like that, the jittery nerves that had been dancing inside her simply melted away. She didn’t know who moved first but she did know that she reached up to run her fingers in his hair. Their lips met.

Warm lips, soft as silk, and a lick of wetness as he pressed his tongue against her and then he slid inside and the kiss grew. Their breaths mingled, hands found each other and pulled their straining bodies closer. Warmth turned to drugging heat that filled her bones, her blood like need. It grew, sparked threads of pleasure that had been left unseen to the night before.

He kissed along her jaw, hot breaths beating against her before he kissed the sensitive skin at her neck, biting until the skin pulled tight. A soft moan escaped her as little erotic shards raced inside her. Two hard points pressed against her neck, a warning or maybe a signal of what he wanted to do. She craned her neck revealing the expanse of her neck to him needing him to bite her, wanting him to take from her and bring back that connection between them that seemed to make the world stop turning.

His tongue wetted her. He pressed his fangs back against her wet neck. She shivered like a naked woman standing outside on a cold night.

“Felicity,” he said, his voice no more than a growl.

The pressure began in her neck as he sunk those fangs in ever so slowly, so carefully. Centimeter by centimeter he bit down until his lips met her warm skin and his fangs fit into her throat.

It was at that moment his pocket rang, or, rather the phone in it. Just as slowly he pulled away as if hesitant to ruin the moment, but he did and it was shattered.

He answered the phone with a snarl. “What?”

She couldn’t hear the voice on the other line but she watched his eyes narrow and knew they’d not be going back to their special moment together. Nope. She would not be disappointed. Then why did she feel like stomping her foot and pouting? Felicity scolded herself. Stop being so ridiculous.

He closed the phone with a snap, pocketed it. “Come on. It’s time to get ready.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her out the door. “Ah, and one more thing.” In a flash of movement she barely saw, he had her back against the wall and his lips devastating hers.

If she was forced to describe the kiss she say it was hungry and hard, but even that did not begin to describe the kiss. He devoured her with his tongue and lips. He wrapped her in his arms and gave her no room for escape and as his teeth bit down on her bottom lip, he drank in all her little gasps and moans like an incubus demon feeding off her arousal.

Then it was over. She braced herself against the wall, blinking while trying to get bring her body back down to some semblance of calm.

His eyes searched her face. He nodded once then leaned down close, his eyes bright as he pressed a soft kiss to the tip of her nose and said, “You’re beautiful, sweets.”

Chapter 23

Time flew by so fast that Felicity resisted the urge to look behind her to find where it went. It seemed like only minutes ago she climbed out of Dom’s bed alone to pace his bedroom floor. Some god must be toying with her because now she stood inside a quiet room adjacent the large hall where more than one hundred people waited to see her mate with Dominic Blackmoore.

Where had the time gone? Where had she been for it all? She couldn’t have been present even though she knew she was. She went through the motions, played the part, but all day long it felt as though a piece of herself had left her.

The whole evening passed in a whirl. She hardly had time to sit down before Diane, Eduardo, or even Beth pushed her from one task to another. They chose last minute decorations details, which Felicity appreciated as it let her contribute her own taste into the ceremony.

Something did not sit right inside her, but she didn’t have time to sit and consider it because there was so much to do. Did she want this color or that color? Did she prefer the flute glasses smooth or engraved? This color or that. These flowers or those.

Such little details that if she had had the proper time to prepare her own ceremony as most women do she would already have picked out. Instead, she was going to a ceremony that originally was not for her. The thought shouldn’t matter, yet some strange, agitated feeling curled inside her and proceeded to grow as the day went on. This wasn’t her ceremony.

She’d been cleaned, styled, waxed, shaved, misted, and all around beautified. That still hadn’t been the end of it. Next came the process of picking out a dress. Things had been happening so fast lately that she hadn’t even thought about the one aspect of mating that most bruids took seriously—the dress.

The bruid would keep the dress forever. It was never worn again but the symbol, what it represented, was considered sacred. Bruids were supposed to wrap the dress up neatly, bind it, box it, and stuff it away in a place where it could never become damaged or tainted.

Felicity knew all this but she never once thought to pick out a dress. Fortunately for her, Diane and Beth had been conspiring behind her back. With Beth’s wisdom at the style of clothes Felicity liked, she and Diane had ordered a plethora of gowns. And really there were a plethora of gowns.

They pushed Felicity into a chair as Beth and Diane held up dress after dress for her perusal. She undertook the rather fun task of saying yes, no, or maybe to each dress. Before she knew it, they were down to twenty dresses. That was where everything got tricky, but she’d finally settled on the perfect dress. She hadn’t known it by looking at it. No, she had to feel the material draped against her bare skin before a special ping in her chest started to ache. Then she knew; it was the one.

Then why, she had asked herself as she stared at her reflection, did something feel wrong? Is this how all bruids felt? How could anything feel out of place when something incredible was about to happen? She loved Dominic. In such a short span of time she had met someone who made her heart flutter, who was strong and stalwart, and he cared for her. It was as if all the little pieces of some invisible puzzle had been put together.

Then why do I feel this doubt? Felicity stopped herself short at the thought, reeling.

The dress was a brilliant deep red—Dom’s favorite color according to his mother. Tulle material draped over her shoulders leaving her neck and arms bare. The bodice clung to her form like a glove but not too tight. The inside was silk or satin she couldn’t tell which. All she knew was that it was soft and luxurious feeling and if she could sleep in sheets made of the material she would. Shiny diamonds covered the bodice that twinkled in the light. They speckled the bodice making her feel like a queen wearing real diamonds on her dress. That was only one small part in comparison to the rest of the gown. The part that sold her on it. The part that made her breath catch and her eyes widen as her heart thudded with rightness, with a feeling that this was the dress. This was the dress she’d become someone’s mate in.

The bottom reminded her of something old-fashioned an aristocrat might wear attending a real ball where couples danced strict dances and women always carried fans. The bottom billowed out around her like the top of a goblet and a length of material stayed behind her leaving a train as she walked. All of that, she loved, but it wasn’t her favorite part. Her favorite, the part that made her know that Dominic was meant to see her in it, was the downward arches that pulled the material into waves and were held up at the ends by a large, diamond-shaped gem. It was the most beautiful dress she’d ever seen, and she would mate with Dominic Blackmoore in it.

She refused to even think the word lest it curse her, but like a magnet, the more she tried to push the thought away the closer it came until its nasty face reared.

Doubt.

“How do you feel?”

Felicity jerked around at Beth’s question. A quiver trembled in her belly. Even wrapping her arms around her belly procured no added warmth or relief from her troubling thoughts.

The time was now.

She stood in a small clutter-free room adjacent the mighty hall. She could hear voices colliding together into one as people chatted excitedly. This was the occasion to behold, made even more scandalous by the fact that their invitations originally had a different woman’s name on it. Scandalous indeed. This was the mating ceremony of the century. The press was camped out at every door. The windows had to be blocked off because the flashes from their cameras were distracting.

“Good,” she answered, forcing strength into her voice.

Beth looked ravishing in a bright yellow dress that made her dark coloring look even more beautiful. Beth frowned. “Come on, spill it. I know you and I know when you’re scared. You’re scared right now.”

Too many high emotions had been colliding through Felicity these past few days and seeing her friend again, hearing the caring, thoughtful words brought tears to her eyes.

“Hey now! I’ll have none of that. It’s your wed—I mean mating day or whatever you call it.” Mumbling, Beth snatched a box of tissues off the table and thrust them out to her. Felicity took one, her smile wobbling.

“God, I missed you,” Felicity said.

“I missed you too.”

Felicity eyed her friend, welcoming the distraction from her thoughts. “You look good.” She looked better, much better than the last time she saw her. The pain of having her fantasy shattered was finally beginning to fade.

“I feel good. I’m done with all...that. I’m done, moving on. I’ve actually gone on a few dates with someone.”

Felicity glanced at the clock on the wall, noted the time—ten ‘til. Ten minutes until Diane came back for her and walked her into that room where the rest was up to her. Felicity’s eye twitched. Breathing in quick breaths, she buried her face in a tissue as she got control of herself. “With who?”

“A man I met leaving the bookstore. We actually bumped into each other. My books went flying. We ran into each other so hard, I fell back and landed on my ass.”

Felicity ran her nails up and down her arm. “Really?” Damn. The itch only seemed to spread the more she tried to make it go away. In no time she was scratching the other arm where invisible little bugs seemed to be marching up and down her skin.

“Really. Of course, that may also be because the man’s built like...I don’t even know how to describe it. Like a bull?” She looked at Felicity encouragingly.

“Don’t look to me for help. I don’t know what he looks like.” She chuckled but with her dry throat, it turned into a hard, wracking cough.

“Well he’s tall, like really tall and built like an ox. Just all that packed muscle in his shoulders and arms and chest. The kind I could climb and hold on to for dear life.”

Felicity shook her head, an erratic motion. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Whatever,” Beth said. “He asked me for my number right there and after I picked my jaw off the floor I gave him my email instead. He did email me and we hooked up, had a great first date, and then another one, and we’re set to go out again this weekend.”

Felicity smiled for her friend but it was a little too bright, a little too forced. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve to meet a nice guy and go out and have a good time, and who knows, maybe find some love along the way.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

A brisk knock sounded at the door. Felicity jumped about a foot in the air at the sound. She came down hard, her high heel nearly slipping on her train. Beth raised a brow at her little antics and went to answer the door. Diane Blackmoore waited outside. “It is time.”

Felicity followed Diane down the hall and tried to keep her breathing steady lest someone hear it. She could not have anyone questioning her, doubting her decision, even if she felt as twitchy as if she’d been shot with electricity.

The voices had gone silent in preparation for the arrival of the male and his bruid. Felicity wrung her hands wishing she had something to hold in them. Maybe that was why humans carried flowers down the aisle, so the women would have something to wring.

“So, what’s his name?” she asked Beth.

Diane flashed her a curious look and Felicity nodded at Beth who walked on her other side. Beth smiled a warm and happy look. “Jay.”

Felicity cocked a brow. “Jay and Beth. I like it.” Get control of yourself, Fel.

The rolling, twisting bundle of snakes squirming in her belly writhed faster. She could see the doorway now, the two doors which Dom’s bodyguard held open. She smiled tentatively at Griffin. The big man winked at her and with that some of the nerves dissolved, the snakes slowing their twining movements.

“What’s wrong?”

Felicity blinked then looked to her right. Diane was watching her with a knowing look.

Felicity cleared her throat. “Sorry?”

“You stopped walking, dear. Is everything well? I know how nervous I was when I was mated.”

“Yes, nervous. Yes.” That’s all she could say so she didn’t bother trying to make the words pretty.

Diane nodded then told Beth to go find her seat. Turning back to Felicity, Diane smiled. It was the first real, sincere smile Felicity had ever seen on the woman. It had a kind, motherly quality to it. “I’ve been in your shoes and I know how you feel. All I can say is that when I crossed that threshold many, many years ago and saw my mate waiting for me standing tall amongst our peers, proud to claim me, every bit of nervousness I felt withered away.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.”

“Is Helena in there?”

Diane stiffened but shook her head. “I was told to keep posted on her arrival but as of yet she isn’t here. I suspect she wouldn’t actually try to enrage Dominic’s temper. She probably said what she did to get a rise out of you, to make you look a fool or worry or some such thing. Don’t let her get to you. This night is about you and my son.”

“Right, of course, I’ll do that.” She was excited about mating with Dominic. However, the slithering bundle of nerves continued to torment her stomach, and she still had to control her breathing.

Diane gave her hand a squeeze then walked into the hall with her head held high leaving Felicity alone.

Deep breaths, in and out.

Felicity turned her back on Griffin and the other guard, one whose name she could not recall. Rick?

She turned away from them, away from the hall. Why was she so nervous? She had jitters in her stomach, her arms itched like something had bit her, and her eye ticked again. It felt so much like that time after she’d been in a car accident, when she’d gathered her bearings and could feel the wind blowing through the hair on her arms, hear the rubber of tires rolling against the concrete as cars drove by—everything had become sharper, more clear in a way she’d never experienced before. Now she felt that same sensation.

The pulse at her neck thudded hard. She could feel it moving, pulsing against her thin skin like it wanted to beat its way out.

Why wasn’t she marching in there right now and claiming her mate? Why did she feel...doubt?

She swallowed over the dry, cottony lump in her throat.

Then she started walking. One strong voice called out after her. Heart hammering in her chest like an incessant knock, she did not slow her stops, did not look over her shoulder.

Steps turned into a long stride which turned into running. Not towards the hall and down the long pathway that led to where the man she loved stood, but away from him. Away from it all.

Fear and panic clogged her throat, urged her and she listened, flying out a side door and into a crowd of surprised reporters. There was a heavy pause where everyone stopped with mouths agape before cameras lifted to their faces and started clicking away. Bright white flashes pulsed in her face making her eyes water. The questions came next, thrown at her like hard rocks, digging the self-inflicted wound deeper.

“Are you running away?”

“Can you tell us if you’re fleeing from Dominic Blackmoore because of his ex-bruid Helena?”

“Does this mean you don’t love him?”

“Were you really only after Blackmoore for his money?”

They piled closer and closer until everywhere she turned she saw more and more faces. The faces started to spin and swim together in a cloudy mix of colors. Breathing in quick pants, Felicity narrowed her gaze on one face and pushed at him with all her might. It worked. One reporter was caught by her attack and went flying back, camera soaring through the air.

She made a gap in the circle around her and dove through it, sprinting towards freedom. Where that freedom was she did not know but she knew it wasn’t here, not in this place where the air suffocated her.

She sprinted across a brief expanse of lawn that stopped along the black asphalt’s circular drive and led to the front of the building. A single car was pulling up. It slowed and she raced for it, kicking off her heels in the process and letting them fly. The voices of the reporters faded but she swore she could feel theirs breaths beating down her neck.

The car stopped, and then the passenger door swung open. Felicity jammed her feet into the ground to stop.

Oh, no. It couldn’t be.

Helena came out wearing the most astonished expression Felicity had ever seen on someone. It was the sort of expression she would expect to see on one’s face if they saw a UFO land in front of them. Instead, it was only Helena watching Felicity in the midst of her escape.

“You’re running away.” Helena couldn’t have sounded more surprised.

Felicity could hardly believe the words herself and she was the one trying to do it.

“Move!” Felicity barked. She shoved Helena away from the car and glanced inside. The alpha Zeke looked her once over and his lips curled up into a predatory grin.

“Need a lift?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Then get in.”

She shoved herself in, slammed the car door shut on her dress but he didn’t peel away from the curb.

Hands shaking, she wiped hair out of her face and stared at the growing crowd from the door she’d exited. He was coming for her. She could feel it as surely as if their bodies moved as one. His steps were thundering, barreling, and storming through the hall for her, filled with anger and shock.

She’d still maintained that she was the most surprised. Yet, doing this felt more right than standing in that hall with all those people waiting. When someone else’s name had been on those invitations first, and a mad woman wanted to challenge her. It all felt so wrong. It shouldn’t be like that.

“What are you waiting for?” she all but screamed the words. Couldn’t he see this was the very definition of an emergency?

She fiercely started biting her fingernails, tearing skin and nail in her wake. The reporters came snapping pictures of the car and she ducked her face away.

“For the perfect moment, darlin’.”

“Please, just go,” she begged, her words a hoarse whisper. Her eyes started watering. The faster she blinked to try to cast them away, the faster they fell down her face. “Please.” She didn’t want to see him. She couldn’t. What if she couldn’t go through with it?

All of a sudden, a clatter of excitement went up in the crowd. Camera flashes whipped at the night casting away the shadows and revealing one dark and fearsome face that came from a man standing above the rest.

And he came straight for her.

“Go! Now!”

“Just a little longer, chère.”

Dominic started running with all his vampire speed. She panted as the tightness in her chest squeezed to an impossible point, until her breaths wheezed out from her in a thin stream of air.

Oh god, oh god, oh god.

He came within feet of them. She could almost feel his heat, smell his unique scent, but then the car pitched forward.

Zeke slammed the accelerator down and the car lurched fast. Her mouth dropped as she stared into Dom’s stunned, angry face in the side mirror. He came to an abrupt standstill, staring. So much emotion clouded his eyes she couldn’t begin to decipher all of it, but she’d seen one thing. She’d seen something which could not be unseen—his pain. She’d hurt him.