Tainted, p.5
Tainted, page 5
part #1 of Light in the Dark Series
No, he wouldn't accept that. Luna would never have blessed them with a mate they could never bond to. Maybe there was a spell or potion that could complete the bond? I will have to talk to uncle Mark or Giles about this.
They were going to make it work. They would eventually have their mate fully. Nikki was going to tell them everything once she was ready. His mate wasn't keeping secrets because she intended to hurt them. She was scared and was not purposely being deceptive. Someone or something frightened her enough to run away from it and we would protect her from anything.
Chapter Twelve
Vivka
I've been laying in this bed for hours. The bed is comfortable not because it's soft and warm, because it is that too, but because it smells like Nick, caramel and vanilla musk. It makes me feel safe, which is odd because I'm in a house full of wolves and in the alpha's bed. It could be the hit to the head I suppose. Making me feel all these different emotions since waking up here.
I wasn't really tired, just couldn't answer any of the questions Maddox was asking. I'm not sure what I should and shouldn't say just yet. If I pretend like I don't remember then maybe I could fake amnesia to get out of the wedding. Hey don't judge me! I know it's not an answer to my problem but it does help postpone it a little.
If these guys knew who I really was they would send me home. Or even worse, use me as some kind of sick leverage over my father. I would make a great bargaining chip for blackmailing or perhaps ransoming.
They seem like really nice people. Nick did say he was happy that I was here. It genuinely felt like he meant it. I sensed overall feelings of delight and satisfaction at breakfast. It's likely that it's all in my head. Maybe I'm trying to convince myself that I am safe that I'm actually tricking my brain into believing I can have these odd feelings? Feelings that are not normal for a vampire to have.
A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts. "Hey are you hungry?" Saleen asks. "Maddox made sandwiches if you want to come down and eat. Nick called and will have some blood and clothing delivered for you soon too."
These people are being so nice to me and I don't deserve it. They wouldn't if they knew the truth. An overwhelming swell of emotions floods into my chest. The pressure was constricting my throat and a tightening in my chest was making it harder for me to breathe.
"Hey it's okay Nikki. You're safe here. Please don't cry." I heard Saleen say in a low caring voice.
I lift my hand to clear my eyes. My hand is moist, wait are those tears? I have never cried before. What is happening to me? I am a vampire. A princess of House Dark and I'm reacting like a weak girl.
I feel the bed sink in as Saleen crawls to my side. "I'm sorry Saleen. I don't know what's wrong with me. You guys are being so nice to me and I don't deserve it."
Saleen hands met a tissue. "Why wouldn't we be nice? You're welcome here and we are going to take care of you while you're here."
I close my eyes and do my best to take a deep breath before looking back at her. I can tell she is telling me the truth. "Why?" I question. "I am a vampire. Why would a pack of wolves ever welcome a vampire into their home?"
She giggles and the laughter is beautiful. She is beautiful and I want to hear her laugh again. I like her and I want to know more about her and it feels right being around her. She reminds my of Sadah who is also caring. I think of how I left Sadah and how she must be devastated that she can't find me. I wasn't outside that dress shop where she would have expected me to be. I have to find a way to let her know I'm alright without anyone knowing. Thinking about how Sadah must be worried sick about me makes me cry harder.
"I can tell you're a good person Nikki. I may only be human but I am still a member of this pack which means I do carry some of the pack magic in me. I can sense you are special and I know we are going to be great friends." She reaches to me and grabs my hand. Her small fingers intertwined with mine. She is so warm and somehow I can feel what she is feeling and I know that she is being truthful. I want to lay here and hold her hand and never leave this room.
I have never been more comfortable in my life. My mansion, ladies, money or even my own flesh and blood have never made me feel this way. The only thing that has ever come close is my friendship with Sadah.
This feeling of belonging worries me though. I can't get too comfortable. It will crush me when they do find out who I am and turn on me. My family has many enemies and every pack on this continent would be at the top of the list. What will these guys do to me when they find out who I am? I would like to think that they would still like me and keep me as a friend. I have heard of some vampires having more of a personal alliance with individual wolves or even entire packs. My bodyguard Mikka told me once that a couple years ago a wolf saved his life and now he is indebted to him. He would protect the wolf with his life. He doesn't hang around him a lot and pretty much keeps their relationship a secret so my father doesn't find out. My father doesn't believe in mixed relations, friendships or alliances. I'm lucky to have Sadah but he knows he should at least act grateful that Sadah saved his daughter’s life so he allows it.
My father does not have a good history with the wolves. He was also king during the war so he had to make a lot of tough decisions to protect his people. I have heard stories of him destroying entire packs but part of him was destroyed during the war too. He lost his mate, although my mom was not his true mate he had to have heartbroken when she died. Right? He spent almost an entire century with her and she gave him five children.
My father has many years left. Vampires can live a few hundred years so he may still find his true mate one day. Well maybe not. As much as my father's happiness would make me happy, It would not be good for anyone for him to react like my brother Vince did when he found his true mate.
Chapter Thirteen
Salvatore
The house is quiet. No one called today so Nikki must still be settling in okay. I walk through the empty living room towards the gym. I can smell Maddox's sweat and hear him working out in the gym. He must be using the punching bag. I open the door and there he is in nothing but basketball shorts and sneakers. He is not even wearing gloves and yet punches the bag rapidly and with purpose. I notice sweat beads rolling down his tan back as I admire his effortless dance while watching his back muscles flex with every thrust. Maddox spends a lot of time in this gym. He is the kind of person that has to look good no matter what he is doing. He has to fix his hair even to go pick up groceries. Maddox does it more for himself rather than anyone else.
Jace is a big flirt with intent to impress any female he may run into but not Maddox. He truly takes care of his appearance because it makes him feel good. It's probably why he has the nicest body in the house, with Jace a close second. Nick and I are similar but Nick's face is a hell of a lot prettier than mine. It's probably the prettiest face I have ever seen, including any female.
I takes me a while to notice that Maddox stopped hitting the bag and is now watching me as I look at him. He is crossing his arms with a smirk on his face. He knows exactly what I was doing. It is no secret that I'm attracted to Maddox. We have fooled around in the past. Nothing ever serious but we are attracted to each other and because of that we have a different type of relationship than with others in the pack. Everyone in the pack knows we share a more intimate history but no one is bothered by it.
"Hey man." I say. "Nick sent me to pick these things up for Nikki." I hold up the bags and show Maddox. "I have a couple more in the car. Could you grab them so I can take these to Nikki?"
Maddox drops his arms, "Nikki is upstairs with Saleen." He nods before he walks out of the room. I turn my head and watch him leave, getting another look at his ass before he is out of my view.
I turn around and start toward the stairs. I'm skipping every other step just so I can get upstairs faster, my wolf needs to see Nikki. The six hours I have been away from her have seemed more like an eternity. The closer I get to Nick's door the stronger her scent is. I place my ear on the door to listen. I do not hear the girls inside so I tap my knuckles lightly before cracking the door open a little.
“Ladies" l whisper. I find them both asleep on the bed. Saleen has her arm around Nikki and is spooning her a little. Saleen actually looks calm and happy for once. It's hard to get that girl to calm down. She has too much energy but I guess she needs it being the only human living with a pack of shifter males. Nick and I have loved and taken care of her since she was a practically a baby. We never found her family. Nick and I have always assumed that her parents were killed during the war with the vampires. Vampires probably sucked her parents dry and she got away somehow. Nick and I were barely old enough to take care of ourselves when Nick found her. She made us grow up real fast. She is the reason Nick formed his own pack. He felt a connection to her and wanted her to be a part of our family and he needed a pack to help keep her safe. I am not sure where we would be if Nick had never found her. It's hard to think of a life without Saleen. One day she will meet someone and leave the pack to have a family of her own. She deserves a normal human life. It will be hard for me or any of the other guys to let her go, no one could possibly be good enough for Saleen.
Nikki moans and sinks further into Saleen's arms. She looks like a peaceful angel. I still can't believe our mate is a vampire. I take a few steps into the room and drop the bags. I need to touch her before I leave her. I need to know she is real. I inch closer to the bed and reach out and palm her exposed arm. A jolt of static instantly warms up my hand, shooting straight to my heart and my cock. I remove my hand and instantly feel the void. I want to reach out and touch her again but instead control myself and take a step back from her. I realize then that she is the one for me and will only ever be what I need, and I'm perfectly okay with that. My heart flutters, I only want her. Forever. Vampire or not. It doesn't matter. She is mine!
I look at her soft plump lips one last time before turning away from her and leaving the room. I have to get out of here before I crawl to the other side of her and hold her too.
I only have a few more hours left to work and I can come home and spend the rest of the night with her.
"It's amazing isn't it?" I here Maddox say on my way out the front door.
"It is." I groan. I need to get outside. I need oxygen that is not swallowed up in Nikki's scent.
"I'm worried Salvatore. Do you think she feels us?" He questions."Do you think we will ever be able to complete the bond? I have never wanted a vampire to sink their teeth into me. I am possessed with the thought. I don't care about her venom. I haven't even known her for twenty four hours and already I can't think rationally. Never mind what my wolf wants to do. What if she kills us?"
I have never heard Maddox so worried. He is usually a confident man and wolf. He is desperate right now. He is a man on the edge. He has been thinking about this a lot harder than I have. My thoughts were only focused around Nikki being an emotionless vampire. The thought of her not feeling our bond makes my heart constrict. I never considered that our bond could kill us if we tried completing it.
Chapter Fourteen
Nick
"Hey Mark I need to ask you a favor but I also need your discretion." I have known Mark my entire life. He has helped me more times than I can count. I grew up looking at him as an uncle. He was my father's best friend and also was mated to a wolf in our pack. His mate passed away in the same war as my father. Thousands died on both sides in my father's territory alone.
I was apart of my father's pack at the time. After losing my parents, two brothers, and many friends that year, I decided to leave Crescent Bay. My uncle stayed and ran the territory as the new alpha. I wasn't able to stick around and handle the responsibility of alpha then. I was a punk pup at the time and my only concern was chasing tail. I never took the alpha job serious enough to train and learn from my father what being an alpha really meant. I knew enough to understand I wasn't the alpha my father's pack needed. I wasn't interested in being an alpha of a pack until I found Saleen.
"Well it is nice to hear from you Nick. How have you been son?" Mark asks. "So nice of you to call after all this time to check on me." Okay I deserve that. Mark is the only family outside of my pack that I care about and who cares about me and I can't even call and check in on the guy.
"Sorry man I didn't mean to be rude." I reply. "I just have a lot going on right now." All of it surrounds one hot raven haired female that slept in my bed last night. I didn't sleep a wink. I watched her all night. Pleading for her to wake up. My wolf and I were obsessed with the girl in our bed.
"Yes sorry I heard Versalis got off. You will get him son. You are good at your job and if anyone can get that slime ball you can."
My neck and shoulders tense instantly at hearing that name. I haven't thought about Versalis since I met Nikki. "Yes I am already working on a new case and I will get him." I assure him. My wolf wants to take over and end him and the man in me wants to let him. "Actually I called to ask you to dig up information on someone for me. Her name is Nikki Fabar. She's around eighteen, maybe very early twenties. She's also a natural born vampire, engaged or maybe recently married." My wolf growls at that last statement. Mine. We will end anyone who touches her.
"Okay, her name should give me a good place to start. Can I ask why you're interested in a vampire?" I understand it is odd for an alpha wolf looking into a young vampire girl. Wolves tend to keep out of vampire business of at all possible.
"I promise I am not starting trouble with any vamps." I ensure him. "I would appreciate you keeping this request between us." Mark takes a minute before he answers. I know he is worried about me but he knows I wouldn't lie to him. He is good at his job. He is the best private investigator around. He also has many connections with different supernaturals. Faes have strong relationships with every clan, coven and pack. They are probably the only supernatural group that is not at war with another.
"Is there anything in particular that you are looking for?" He asks.
"Everything."
"Of course son, I will let you know what I find out. Stop by tomorrow after work and bring your brother and Saleen with you. It's been awhile since I have seen you guys."
"Sure thing, I will stop by around six." I tell him. "Thank you for your help." I hang up the phone and feel a small weight lift from my shoulders. I know Mark will find whatever secrets Nikki is keeping.
I've already finished up what I could do for the day. I can't wait to get home to my mate. My mate. My wolf likes the way that sounds. I grab my keys off my desk and head out the door. I can't wait to get home and see her.
Chapter Fifteen
Vivka
I can't believe how much stuff Nick picked out for me. Is he planning on me moving in? I have an entire wardrobe in all these bags. Where am I going to put all this stuff?
"Hey look Nick got a swimming suit for you." Saleen says. "Let's go swimming before the guys get home."
I grab the black bikini out of her hand and take a closer look at it. How did Nick know my size? "Sure, sounds fun." I answer. "I will meet you down by the pool." I grab my suit and Saleen leaves to change into hers.
I undress and put on my bathing suit. It is a plain black suit. The kind of bikini with strings that pull up and tie around your neck and back. I stretch my arms awkwardly to try and pull them tight enough so I can tie it.
A quiet knock on the door causes me to jump a little bit. I guess I am not that comfortable being alone in a house full of wolves yet.
"Nikki can I come in?"
"Yes Maddox" I yell. He pushes the door open and stands there in his swimming trunks. He has the body of a god. I start at his legs and slowly work my eyes up the length of his body. How is it possible someone can be that good looking? All of the guys are gorgeous in this house but Maddox makes me want to lick his entire body from head to toe. I reach his eyes and he is staring at me. He definitely noticed I was checking him out again. At this point I don't even care. I'm sure he is fully aware at how good looking he is and I bet girls check him out all the time. That thought instantly makes me jealous. I don't like to think about all of the girls Maddox must have.
"I'm sorry what did you say?" I ask. He flashes his dimples and smiles big showing off his perfect white teeth.
"Saleen said you guys were swimming and I wanted to see if it was okay if I joined the two of you?" My eyes focus on the curve of his pelvis that is disappearing under his shorts. Huh? I close my eyes and inhale deeply. Why can't I focus on something other that his smooth pecs?
"Maddox you don't have to ask me to swim in your own pool." I say. "But it's okay with me. I would love more company." He takes a step closer to me. Did someone just turn up the heat?
