Captiva Master - Vampire Warewolf Menage Six Feet Under Series Book 4) (8 page)

“Is this lair so bad?” Adam asked.

“I have my own home,” she answered, walking close to him as if she were still afraid the hunter would return for her.

“What better home than here, where Maestru and I can protect you?” Maestru had led the hunter away, taking him to Fort Myers Beach in order to collect Amy. Adam had driven Dakota here in awkward silence after their kissing and fondling. He wanted nothing more than to pull Dakota in his arms again, take her the way a male claims a female. In the past, a few of the Donors had begged him to take them during his feeding, their tender bodies reflecting arousal from his bites, while guards and other imprisoned males watched on in detached amusement. Instead of taking what he needed, what was freely offered repeatedly, Adam could never withstand his captors’ eyes upon him. He may have been caged but he wasn’t an animal. The only time he’d finally given into a female’s demands while imprisoned, when he could stand the aching no longer, he’d killed her.

Or so he was told.

Adam had his own theories, that his captors had uncaringly drained her blood to near depletion before handing her over to him for feeding. And when he, unpracticed in toying with females first, made way to enter her, he pressed a mere inch of his cock inside before her vein stopped pulsing beneath his fangs. Oh, Rave hadn’t let that slide, had tortured him mercilessly for days and days…until Adam lost count of the time, wishing he could just die. Wishing accomplished nothing. No matter how many times Adam tried to kill himself, Rave wouldn’t allow him the ultimate relief, would heal his wounds in order to torture Adam some more.

Rave had wanted him as the ultimate killing machine.

Adam had wanted his freedom.

When he truly discovered a way out, paying his way to freedom by committing crime after crime, he found a way to become a better male. He vowed to watch over Amy and her young, silently claiming them. To no avail, Amy wanted nothing from him, wanted nothing reminding her of the Habalines who stole time from her life and peace from her mind. Adam hated that many had used the females so disgustedly for one-sided pleasure. He knew that sickening feeling personally. Fortunately, Amy was imprisoned far less time than Adam was.

After all, he had been
born
a captive.

He sensed Dakota shiver before she hugged herself. Her blonde head whipping left and then right, she wrinkled her nose and followed the scent of burning logs. “Why would you want to protect me?” she asked as they entered a heavily paneled room filled with thick wood, leather, and ancient tomes. A fireplace filled with immortal fire burned low, painting the spacious room with a bluish glow.

Because my shifter has claimed, his female and you are mine
. “Maestru asked me.” He hadn’t seen a mark on her throat or scented any other signs of male marking on her body; however, it was evident Maestru was interested in this female. He had to wonder how long his shifter would stay satisfied in waiting for her.

“Does everyone do what he says?” She found a heavy decanter filled with amber liquid and shakily lifted it.

“He asked me, not forced me. I’m sorry for your rattled nerves.” He stepped near her, easing the decanter from her hand and pouring it into a crystal glass. “We don’t need you hurting yourself again.” When she touched the glass to her lips, he heard her teeth hit the rim, so he steadied her hand with his. “And yes, most everyone does what Maestru says. The exceptions would be other faction leaders, such as the werewolves.” Adam watched her swallow, the muscles of her delicate throat moving erotically under such an unassuming act. He’d never been moved by such simple grace as this, and he longed to trace her throat once more with his tongue. When Maestru stepped from the truck to chastise the hunter, Adam had continued moving his mouth and his hands on her, stroking her neck and her thighs, and she’d arched into him, her body crying out for more.

There was nothing he’d rather do than give her more.

She coughed when she took her last swallow of drink, wheezing as she came up for air. He had no idea what to do for her and made a mental note to read more tomes, perhaps medical installments written for the care of humans. Yes, educating himself in human medicine would assist him in keeping her alive longer. “Is the drink a strong one?”

“Whiskey,” she whispered, her voice grating, “very old and very smooth, though it still went down the wrong way.”

Taking the glass from her loose grip, he lowered it onto the accompanying tray. “Maybe you would like some water?” He knew humans and mixed bloods consumed water and that it was good for them. He found a small bottle located on the same tray and uncapped it, lifting it to her lips.

She took it from him. “Thanks.”

“Luisa will have your dinner ready in fifteen minutes,” Maestru walked through the threshold, his face instantly softened when he spotted Dakota, his passion for her unmistakably evident. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” His eyes smoldered, the obsidian bleeding into the whites, causing her to back against a chaise. Holding his hand out for her, he curled his fingertips in welcoming. “Shall we?”

Pushing the golden hair from her face with a trembling hand, she gave Maestru a hard look. “So you say I was hunted, park the truck and nearly tag team me with a Navy seal slash Olympian god, then jump ship and disappear with the thing hunting me, only to order me here – a place at which I never wanted to return, and now you walk in all honey I’m home.” Her knees buckled as she unceremoniously dropped on the chaise. “Pardon me if I pass on dinner.”

“Humans have a tendency to get hysterical,” Maestru informed Adam, throwing his coat onto his desk, the weight of the Master’s weapons hitting the wood. To Dakota, he said softly, “I will help you sleep.”

“There’s no need.” Unthinking of Maestru’s reaction, Adam kneeled before Dakota, opening his arms to envelope her soft body. Compassion and love were what she needed right now and pretending her life was running smoothly would never settle her. Wiping her mind until she fell into a coma-like sleep could never change what waited for her in the morning. One thing Adam was sure of: he’d stay by her side until her soul left this earth. She gripped his neck, sinking her fingertips in his back, and cried. The relief that Dakota, a female he’d known barely an hour, would take comfort in him when Amy wouldn’t was incredible.

His shifter reared its head, wanting to pin her in mating, thrust inside her delicate flesh until it marked her internally, and then lock onto her womb with its barbs. In its defense, it was the only way that part of Adam knew how to soothe its female – by giving her pleasure. Adam gritted his teeth, using his Species Vampire side to corral it. For whatever reasons, possibly his mixture of bloodlines, Adam had an easier time reigning in his shifter than most Habaline mixed bloods did. Even Sixten Kovac had admitted his Blythe chained him sweetly, clearing his mind of the twirling cobwebs of madness. Dakota’s presence soothed him in a similar fashion, and he wanted to do the same thing for her.

“I feel so weak,” Dakota said irritably, swiping a hand over her eyes.

“Cry all you want.” His lips touched her temple, his shifter pulling the scent of her deep inside him.

“No, weak
physically
,” she clarified. “By the hour, I’m getting tired. Inside my body, I’m trembling.” Dakota held out her hand. “But my hands are steady. It’s weird.”

Maestru scolded her, “This is one of the many reasons I wanted you back here. Really, after a near month long coma, how did you expect to run around all day? The stress of your father’s condition couple with you -”

“You.” Dakota’s eyes narrowed on Maestru, bright with tears. “You are stressful.”

Maestru’s lip curled. “Me? Okay, I’ll give you that. It’s easy to blame me and ignore the fact that you were hunted, right.”

“What did you do with that hunter?” she asked.

“I convinced the Lovec that he interrupted a tryst between the three of us. You,” he stopped, his jaw clenching, “relaxed enough to smell…acceptable enough for the situation.”

She growled, “That’s common in your world, huh?”

Adam scented her ire growing and he wondered why the thought of multiple mating would make her angry. “From what I’ve noticed of the human world,” he said, still holding her, “it’s common in yours. Though humans don’t seem to take this mating seriously, just work it for only pleasure. In the immortal world, we mate for life. Werewolves especially have multiple mate relationships. They haven’t enough fated mates to go around, since their female to male ratio is askew.”

“Do all werewolves have those eyes, the blue ones?”

Maestru’s hands fisted at his sides. “Like Rock’s?” 


She shrugged, her eyes dropping to the ebony wings tattooed across Maestru’s chest. On closer inspection, Adam noticed the Coven Master had actually been branded instead of inked.

Maestru explained. “Werewolves have similar eye color, however, the Alpha of Scotland has silvery eyes. Most members of his clan carry that distinct marking.” He hovered over her then, his mouth an angry line. “I find discussing werewolves with you makes me a touch uncomfortable.” His head tilted to the side and Adam picked up a power fissure; however, it didn’t belong to a hunter. To Adam, Maestru said, “I have to speak with Oycher.”

A vampire servant came to the threshold, inhaling before throwing a sharp look Adam’s way. “My Master, I have the meal ready for your mistress.”

Maestru nodded. “Take it upstairs to my room. Dakota has exhausted herself today.”

“As you wish,” she said, inhaling again and backing away.

In nearly inaudible tones, Maestru directed Adam. “Weeks ago, when Dakota first arrived here, her injuries were completely sealed.” He tilted his head toward the doorway, where his housekeeper had just stood. “Get Dakota upstairs. Make sure all traces of her blood are washed from her hands. I needn’t word of her being a Donor spread about the Coven, and I think Luisa is now suspicious. I’m going to dismiss her for a the night.”

Adam picked up the barest fragrance from Dakota, possibly this Luisa had, as well. The thought of anyone tasting his female’s blood make his own boil in his veins. “I’ll take care of her as I promised you.” Now, things had changed. He wasn’t caring for Dakota because Maestru had asked it of him. He was caring for her because it was the honorable thing for a male to do, for his very own female.

“I’ll be up after I speak with my commanding Vojak.”

Dakota argued “Your room? I’m not -”

Maestru cut her off, “Due to your weakness, Adam will see to it that you get upstairs without
incident
.” He gestured towards her completely healed hand, reminding her of her blood’s calling, before he misted outside the manse.

“Okay,” Adam said, gently scooping her in his arms. “This will be the easiest part of the day, right? Bathing and eating are simple enough.” He felt her muscles tighten beneath her skin. “You don’t want me carrying you?”

“I’m not accustomed to men offering to carry me, much less have the strength to carry me,” she admitted with a tinge of embarrassment.

He knew human males were weak, but that was ridiculous. “I want to carry you in my arms, Dakota, so very much.” He flexed an arm, making her giggle. “I’m sure you can see that I’m more than up for the task.”

“Okay, my head’s spinning and I can’t afford to fall and bleed again.”

He lifted her slight weight and followed the strongest trail of Maestru’s scent, leading to the second floor. “No, we don’t want you bleeding for many reasons.”

She curled her fingertips at his shoulders, glancing around the sides of his darkened glasses. “My blood didn’t affect you the way it would others.”

He angled his head so she couldn’t see his eyes. Maestru had explained to Adam that the Habalines attacked her. She needn’t yet learn of his genetic makeup. They reached the second story landing when he said, “I’m afraid I’m used to your
type
of blood. I was raised on it. I think I have built up some sort of immunity against addiction that others don’t have. But don’t trust anyone in regards to your blood, Dakota.” He opened the door to an opulent bedchamber fitting for a Master vampire. “Even the strong have weak moments.”

Maestru cast a globe of miasma for privacy. “They didn’t allow you inside Prince Volos’ palace.”

“Oh, they allowed me on property, but not Amy.” Oycher pulled a blade out, twirling it in agitation. “Only because the Lovec
refused
Amy entrance, though he did bring her to the Dynasty’s Donor housing. Honestly, she’s better off there with her own kind, for socialization. The motel had to be depressing, no matter what luxury we afforded her.”

“Ah, so the Lovec disobeyed me anyway. He’s playing dangerous games for someone. If it weren’t for the other Lovci circling, I would have killed the bastard and burned his body to ashes for coming near Dakota.” 


“Under your leadership, I know you’ve harbored away many a Donor from the Dynasty. Still, you must be into her to risk dropping a Lovec like that. Those babies are pampered pets, considered as royal as their Masters are.”

“Not to me,” Maestru gritted, pressing a rock into the ground with his booted toe. He’d never felt such a rush of anger as he had when that Lovec arrived for Dakota. Not since… “And I’ve only harbored other Donors in certain situations. Frankly, I’m disturbed to know a selection of our monarchy has fallen into corruption. Blythe’s situation with her Dynasty Vampyr should have sent a message to Volos, but I’m afraid it hasn’t.”

“They say he’s lost it.” Oycher put his blade away. “He never mated, is as old as time, and he’s despairing in a lonely abyss.”

Maestru laughed. “Reading romance novels again, Vojak?”

“No, I picked it out of a certain female’s brain,” Oycher said, narrowing those orange eyes shrewdly. He was adept in reading human minds and random immortals. “I was horny and needed to feed, so I hooked up with a hot little vampiress on Volos’ property.”

“Find out anything else?”

“Two things,” he said in irritation. “That hunt on Dakota didn’t just happen.”