Blood Bound Read online

  “Come.”

  My voice had her glare cutting over from the bodies. Her seething didn’t ease as she came to me. It was apparent she didn’t want to obey, but I was leaving her little choice. I grasped our connection, holding it tight until she followed me into the restroom.

  “You will take a shower and clean yourself. I will be back with new clothes. You are not to leave our room.”

  Our. The realization had my lips separating as something tugged at my brain. Tingling rushed through my stomach and I placed my palm against it, willing it to stop.

  It didn’t work.

  “Marko?”

  “Shower.”

  A small cry left her lips and she clutched her stomach, doubling over. Her large inhale had me gritting my teeth against the twinges that also began to surface within me.

  “What’s…happening?” Tessa’s knees gave out and she fell to them, curling into herself and resting her forehead on the cement. Her yells were followed by her throwing herself to the side as her legs kicked out through the electrical currents within. I felt them zapping me, stabbing throughout as they branched out toward my fingertips and toes. The strength behind the flow was enough to have me baring down on the countertop.

  “The bond,” I breathed out. “Fuck.” I paused as I let the time we’d been together sink in. I hadn’t drank when I forced my blood on her. I’d only just done that. So…the completion of the bond would only just now come to pass. No wonder she wasn’t in love with me like she should have been. She was somewhat of her true self for now. But not for long.

  “I thought we were already—” Her stare shot up to mine. “You just finalized it? Jesus, we weren’t bonded before then? You…” Anger and devastation drew in her features as she managed to get to her feet. The swing of her fist was automatic and it caught my bicep as she drew back to swing again. “Why? I don’t want this. I hate you! I want to go home!”

  My hand easily deflected the next blow, but it was for nothing. Weakness and spasms already had her sinking back down to the ground.

  “Just face it, you’re mine. What you want is no longer of concern. Your life is to please me now. That’s it. You are no one. A slave. My slave.”

  “I could have been a wife. A mother. You stole that from me.” She wiped the tears away shakily, coming to her feet. “I will never forget this. Ever.”

  “Yes, you will,” I said, stepping around her and pulling the shower door open as I turned on the water. “A few hours from now, you will know nothing but me and your duty. Besides, from what I can remember, at the rate you were going, you would have been a spinster, if anything. You’ve never even loved before me.”

  Tessa shook her head, glaring in my direction. “You are so wrong. Why do you think you want me and Hunter so far apart? He loves me and I’ve always loved him. As a friend, yes, but I think if we both want to be honest, I loved him quite a bit more. After all, I did invite him to live with me. Do you think that was for nothing? I’ve often flirted with the idea of trying to have a future with him, but I never got the chance to test out how we were together. You ruined that before it could ever begin.”

  The revulsion and truth she cast in my direction had me lunging forward and taking ahold of her roughly. “Mention him one more time and see what I do.” Tessa nearly fell as I pushed her in the shower. Immediately, guilt swarmed me. I blinked past feeling confused. She was a slave. It shouldn’t matter how I treated her, but for the life of me, I couldn’t look at her face. I knew she felt what I did. Whatever the sensation had been was already fading as I slammed the bathroom door closed behind me. Two of the bodies were already gone and the collectors were out of sight. I walked to the closet, grabbed a T-shirt, and pulled it on, trying my best not to let her words affect me.

  Fucking Hunter. I was going to kill him. The need to see his blood on my hands almost had me racing for my door to take care of it now. If it weren’t for the fact that I’d have to leave Tessa alone, I would. Besides, I had other stuff to take care of. She needed clothes and it would take time to make what I imagined her wearing. The apparel would have to suit my status and that meant it would have to be specially made.

  Darkness encompassed me as I broke into the hall and kept my focus ahead, dismissing the stares cast in my direction the moment I entered the heart of the city. My eyes scanned the glass windows and I walked past a boutique and salon before I barged through the door of George’s. The dress shop and tailor was one I’d been to for more years than I could remember and I knew if anyone could help, it was George.

  “Master Delacroix.” Joanie hung up the blouse she held and rushed toward the counter. The smell of fear overwhelmed me and I pushed it aside. Although I knew her, I couldn’t really remember who she was. It was the same for the vampire I was searching out.

  “I need George.”

  I blinked past the deepness in my voice and rotated my shoulders as my mind became fuzzy. The new powers were obvious and although I could barely recall how I’d gotten to this point, something within told me everything would come back. I was on auto-pilot in a way, still here, still…new.

  “Master Delacroix.” George’s voice had me turning around, watching as he entered the store. I took in his short height and dark skin. He was stylishly dressed in a suit that melded to his lean frame. I dressed similar. It represented status. Elegance.

  “George, I need you to put something together for me. An outfit for my slave. She’ll require it by the next meal time. I’m also going to need a complete wardrobe for her. Fitting of my standing, of course.”

  The vampire nodded as he came to kneel before me, bringing his hand to hover over his head. “If you’ll just show me what you’d like, I’ll start on it right away.”

  The jolt that went through his body as his fingers settled over my palm brought on a smile. I let the images pour through into his mind’s eye hard and clear. My powers were so much more than I could have dreamed and this was only the beginning. I knew that. And soon, everyone would see just how much when we all met up again. I’d no longer be number ten. Where exactly I would advance to was just too exciting for me to think about. This was what I longed for the most. What I had focused on my whole vampire life.

  “She’s to wear something like this for meals. I want the hooded tops only in silk. One of every color you can produce. Black undergarments. All of them. More like shorts. These are only for meal time. As for the others…” I let my voice trail off, unsure of what I wanted Tessa to wear as every day intimates. Lingerie? Fuck, it did appeal. I let them pour in his mind, just in case. “The wardrobe, I’ll leave up to you. Make it the best.”

  My hand slid free and George groaned as he pushed to his feet. Sweat rested above his brow and I took pride in what I’d caused.

  “I’ll have Joanie deliver them to you the moment I finish.”

  “Thank you.” I stepped back, spinning around to survey the area. Marie’s head was lowered to rest on the table where she resided alone. I refused to dwell on Tessa’s words as I headed back to the room. Insufferable, disgusting…

  Had she felt my internal reaction to her aversion? I didn’t think so. If she had, she showed no surprise over the weakness I’d harbored. The pain in my chest had been the main reason I’d snapped and taken her the way I had. I’d wanted to teach her a lesson. Make her hurt the way she’d hurt me. I didn’t really know her other than a feeling she gave me, yet it was unfair and irritated me that she had that sort of control. And still, I was weak. Still…she was alive.

  My hand slammed into my door and the collectors moved out of my way as they carried the other two bodies over their shoulders. For smaller men, they struggled with Marie’s giants. It should have made me think or feel something, but it didn’t. I headed back to the restroom. There was only one person on my mind and even being gone the small amount of time I had, she left me racing back to her.

  “What are you doing?” The voice was sharp as I entered. Steam rolled along the ceiling and I shu
t the door, meeting a pair of wide, green eyes as she peeked out of the glass door. Her hand came up to cover her generous breasts and I couldn’t stop my body from reacting. Even enraged at her talk of Hunter, I didn’t want to push away the lust taking me over. I could feel myself softening the smallest amount and there was nothing I could do about it.

  “Ma minette.”

  Tessa’s head reared back, only to start shaking. “You have the wrong person. I’m mon chaton. You know, kitten without the endearment attached to it? Bond or no bond, I’m nothing dear to you so there’s no use even pretending.”

  Anger had my upper lip twitching and I jerked at my belt, freeing the clasp on my pants and letting them slide to the floor. In one hard pull, I freed the leather and took off my shirt. She stiffened as I began stalking in her direction. Her anxiety perfumed around me and my vampire thrived from the mix of her different scents.

  “You asked what I was doing. I think it’s about time I collect what else you own me for bonding you. I do recall a few kinky memories locked away somewhere in my mind. I believe they came from you. Let’s see just how much you truly get off on the darkness you hold within.”

  The slam of the shower door had me surging forward and pulling it open. Water immediately shot in my face as Tessa held and aimed the shower head right in my direction. A scream left her while she tried to escape my advance.

  “You think water is going to stop me? Give me that.” I grabbed the handle and pulled it free of her grasp. Water dripped from my hair and face and I fought the urge to throttle her. I very well couldn’t take a beaten slave before the members — especially with what she’d be wearing.

  Tessa edged to the door, staying close to the wall as she did so. My eyes narrowed and her feet came to a stop. The sway of her breasts left me so hard, I had to force myself to meet her eyes.

  “We both know very well that I don’t want this.”

  “You lie. You want me. Come, let me feel. I bet you’re getting wet just from the thought.”

  “From the shower,” she rushed out. “Which I’m finished with, by the way. I think I’ll just go to bed now.”

  I stepped closer, inhaling deeply. Immediately, I frowned. She didn’t smell right. At least, not what I expected. Something pulled at my memory while I searched for what was missing.

  “Lavender with a hint of jasmine…and strawberries,” she said, lowly. “That is what you’re missing. That’s what called you to me.” Tears welled in her eyes and I felt her pain. Felt my own. My hand clutched the belt tighter while I waded through what felt like quicksand in my brain. Her words left me soft—again. Left me aching for something I didn’t understand.

  “Do you not remember anything?”

  There was her love for me. It was buried deep down and was so small, I couldn’t fathom how we’d even gotten to this stage. Why would I bond a woman who didn’t love me? Who loved another man? Surely, I was smarter than that.

  “Show me.” My arm went out and I pulled her nude body into mine. My hand slowly lifted and I weaved my fingers into her wet hair. So gentle. So…loving. What the fuck was wrong with me? Although I questioned it and knew I should right my wrong, I couldn’t as I stared into her depths. Seconds went by and…nothing. My fingers tightened and I squinted as I tried to push into her mind.

  “Impossible.”

  “You can’t see?” There was desperation there and already, she was shifting in my embrace.

  “You can read my thoughts. Does it look like I can see anything?”

  “I’m thinking it. I’m showing you,” she said, pleadingly. “You have to see.” The last broke off as her thoughts engulfed me. But not the right ones.

  He has to see. I don’t want this Marko! I could handle the other, but not this one. I don’t want him!

  I had the belt around her throat before she could continue. Immediately, her hands flew to the leather and she tried pushing her fingers past the hold I continued to tighten.

  “You don’t want me. I get it. But what you neglect to see is the moment I don’t want you, you’re dead to me. In every sense of the word, mon chaton.”

  Although fear tinted her gaze, there was so much strength aimed toward me. It was enough to cause my hold to loosen.

  “I already asked for death over this. You gave me hell instead. Now, I will be an angel amongst the demons and I will rule. Good always prevails. You watch and see.”

  I couldn’t stop the laugh that bellowed out. “To rule, you’d have to be a vampire.” I leaned in closer, until our faces were but inches apart. “And I won’t release you to Julius. Ever. Besides, you will not be who you are right now if you were turned. You’d be one with evil. You’d change completely.” I loosened the belt even more and pulled it free. “You’ll never win, Tessa. Not over this world and not over yourself. Your life is what I make of it from here on out and if you want to continue breathing, you’ll keep in my good graces. Which better start soon. I already tire of you.”

  She went to open the door when my arm wrapped around her waist and I yanked her back to me. The feel of her hot skin against mine sent my blood racing. She may not have smelled the same, but I still responded to her more than I could comprehend. It didn’t make sense. None of it. Yet…I couldn’t deny how deeply I was drawn to her.

  “You forget what I’m here for. You’re not going anywhere yet.” I took in the way her hard nipples rose with each deep breath. It left me licking my lips. Fuck, to taste her skin. I wanted to. Every single inch.

  “And I said you weren’t getting that from me.”

  My hand slammed over her mouth while I turned her around and pulled her back into me. I couldn’t stop my other hand from gripping her stomach, squeezing through my need. Throbbing pulsed through my hard cock and I couldn’t stop from grinding it into her lower back. I was dying to fuck her. The desperation hooked into my insides, warping my mind until all I knew was the rebellious slave in front of me.

  “If I want you, I take you. That’s just how it works. And I do want you, ma minette.”

  I let my hand drift down to fit over her swollen folds. A small lunge had my arms moving with her failed escape and it only had my hold tightening.

  “You like this,” I said, lowering next to her ear and removing my hand from her mouth. “You dream of being taken this way. I’ve seen it.”

  “You’ve seen nothing,” she said, panicked. “Marko did, not you. If I have to be here, I want him with me instead. Him, not you!”

  The thrashing increased and I felt her tinge of arousal fade. Along with it…mine. Her reaction left me pissed. He was I and I was he, yet I didn’t know him, aside from the few memories I could barely decipher through the fog. The fact that I was even giving any of this thought was just baffling. I wanted her. Therefore, I should just take her. She was a slave. A human. She was nothing important, regardless of what I felt.

  “You have until the count of three to become still and accept what I want to have. If you fight me and deny what your body craves, I will discipline you the only way I know how. Take it from me, you don’t want that. Or…maybe you do.”

  “No. I don’t want you,” she sobbed. “This can’t be how my life was supposed to turn out. I want to go home. I want…” I knew who she wanted and just the reminder—again—left me seeing red. But it didn’t last.

  Her words became unrecognizable as weight settled into my hold and her head dropped into the spray of the shower. Dark hair was pulled down by the flow of water and I blinked, even more confused on what to do as she became limp and cried. Were humans always this emotional? It left my skin crawling. Repulsion soared at her weakness. Yet…it hurt to see her fall so far from the woman who fought me on the way in here not an hour ago.

  Hour.

  “Shit,” I breathed out, releasing my grip and watching her fall to the shower floor. Julius. How could I have forgotten about our meeting? How? I knew how. I’d thought of nothing more than fucking this human since she had taken me over. She was a
ll I knew. All I’d wanted to know. To kill. But I hadn’t killed her. I’d bonded to her and I couldn’t remember exactly how or why I’d given her my blood. We were just there, and then she was mine. The pain had been a good distraction to the questions and now they were beginning to eat away at me.

  My eyes narrowed as she edged to the back wall. Tears still poured down her face and I took in how swollen and red her eyes were. I tuned in and explored our connection, feeling her emotions, her exhaustion. I had done well blocking her out. So well, I almost forgot I could read her if I wanted.

  “You haven’t slept in a long time.”

  There was hesitation as her eyebrows drew in. “No,” she said, sniffling. “Have you changed your mind? “

  My lip pulled back at the relief in her tone. “Only because I have to go to this meeting. But I’ll be back and I will finish what I started. I’m far from done with you for the night.”

  “So, I can go?”

  The internal pull I held onto dropped, allowing her the right to leave, and she instinctively felt it. The shower door flew open and she grabbed the robe hanging on the outside of the glass. She was out of the restroom before I could tell her that was my damn robe. A snarl left me and I lathered on the soap, cursing myself for the millionth time on how I let this happen. Nothing made sense and I was at the point where I didn’t want it to. I wanted this bonding over with. More, I unexplainably yearned for her to accept it. For her to love me.