Silhouette
Nocturne Online Read
Seducing the Vampire
by Bonnie
Vanak
Banished by his
mother’s vampire clan a century ago after a liaison with the clan leader’s
pureblood daughter, half-wolf, half-vampire Indigo
Mercier has made a new life for himself as part of the Draicon wolf pack. Now,
Avril Antoine haunts only his most forbidden dreams—until one night she
appears, seeking his protection!
Avril has endured
her own punishment for her affair with the Changling. But with the Anastasia
charm—a crystal with the power to grant wishes—about to fall into the wrong
hands, she can trust only one to guard it with his life: Indigo Mercier!
Chapter One
Crimson droplets
welled up from the needle pricking sun-darkened skin. Puzzled by his bloodlust,
Indigo Mercier focused on creating the tattoo. An odd tingling warned him
something powerful had stirred his sleeping vampire half.
I am Draicon
wolf, he silently chanted as he wiped Gabriel’s arm with a clean white
cloth.
Sweat dripped down
his temples as the tattoo gun whirred. He adjusted the gooseneck lamp and
ignored his rising hunger. Indigo hadn’t taken blood in a full century. Dining
on his adopted brother was not a good way to start.
“Ow, that hurts,”
Gabriel Robichaux pretended to whine.
“Shut up and take it
like a man,” asserted Raphael Robichaux.
“I’m a wolf, not a
man,” Gabriel shot back.
“Move any more, and
you’ll be a wolf with a crooked heart,” Indigo warned. “I told you to ease off
the beer. Now you’re bleeding on me.”
Indigo’s
Art came alive
beneath his skilled fingers as he inked Gabe’s strong right bicep. He thought
about his own tattoo, a symbol of his shattered past, and Avril Antoine.
Daughter of his
former clan’s leader, Avril was a pureblood vampire. Indigo had taken her blood
and virginity a full century ago. Xavier, Avril’s father, had banished him
afterward because Indigo was a Changling, a half-vampire, half-Draicon
werewolf. Lower class in the vampire hierarchy.
He’d fled to
“Finished.”
Indigo stripped off his gloves and tossed them. He disassembled the tattoo gun,
cleaned the needle bar and tube and then placed them in the autoclave to
sterilize them.
As Gabe and Raphael
admired the art, Indigo’s thoughts drifted. Wishes were stupid, and he was a
fool. Still…
I wish Avril
were back in my arms for just one night.
As the thought
faded, a faint sound sent both his werewolf and vampire senses on full alert.
“Intruder.
Back room,” murmured Rafe, his nostrils flaring.
Gabriel’s dark eyes
flashed amber, signaling his wolf’s emergence. “Not Morph, not human.”
Morphs, former
Draicon who turned evil by murdering a relative, could shape-shift into any
animal. They killed ruthlessly and absorbed the terrified victim’s dying
energy.
Indigo motioned for
them to remain. Silent as his wolf, swift as his vampire, he crept to the
shop’s back. He picked out a shadow rippling across the floor. His
six-foot-seven-inch body moved in a silent tsunami of stealth.
As the shadow moved,
Indigo pounced.
Air whooshed from
his prey as he straddled the trespasser. Indigo felt luscious curves and his
body stirred in instant response. Every sense flared as he inhaled female musk
and gardenias. His vampire half responded as fangs erupted in his mouth and his
phallus hardened.
It can’t be her,
he thought in startled realization. My wishes never come true.
“What the hell do
you want?” he rumbled.
A heartbeat of
silence passed. Then a soft, melodic voice said, “You, Indigo Mercier. I need
you.”
Indigo loosened his
grip on the slim wrists he’d pinned down. He levered himself off as if the
woman beneath him blazed with fire.
“Avril?”
With a shaking hand,
he fumbled for the light switch. Overhead halogen bulbs showed the figure of
his sweetest, most forbidden dreams. Avril Antoine stood,
her waist-length blond hair spilling down a backside he’d once caressed. All
dewy-eyed and still as fresh-looking as if a full century was only yesterday.
“Indigo,” she said
softly. “I’ve missed you so much. We have to talk.”
A knot wound tight
in his stomach. He paced over to the wall. Not far enough to escape her lovely scent, forget the taste of her full, wet, red mouth. Tight
designer jeans and a lacy white shirt accentuated her lush figure. At six feet
tall, she resembled a supermodel—with fangs.
She wore a wide
velvet choker around her neck. The sight of it enraged Indigo.
His,
no, her clan’s symbol of a blood-bonded vampire. Avril fed from
only one male.
Possessive instinct
roared to claim her. She had been his in the fullest sense of blood and the
flesh. No longer.
“This isn’t 1909
anymore. Haven’t you heard of e-mail?” he demanded.
“It’s important.”
He led the way to
the tattoo room. As soon as she spotted Raphael and Gabriel, she bared her
fangs. Indigo recoiled, remembering how she’d been conditioned to distrust
werewolves.
“Draicon.
Four-legged fur balls.” She hissed at them.
“Nice batgirl.”
Gabriel turned to him. “Old friend of yours?”
“Or
enemy?” Raphael studied Avril with a level look.
Indigo’s gaze never
left Avril. Beneath her intoxicating scent, he smelled fear.
“Leave,” he told his
brothers. “Now.”
The minute Raphael
and Gabriel left, Avril ran pale hands across her
blanched face. “I forgot how many Draicon live in
“I’m one. Forget
that? How about another little reminder? I’m shunned and if you’re seen with
me, you risk banishment yourself.”
As she neared, his
body went ridged and tensed for sex. Indigo put space between them.
“I had to come here.
You’re the only one I could come to for protection. The only one I trust,” she
pleaded.
Confusion and
concern collided like his two warring halves. “The only one?
What kind of B.S. is this? Since when does Xavier’s cherished daughter need me?
You have a legion of vampires who readily kicked me out on my ass to ‘protect’
you.”
“I’m sorry for what
happened.” She paused. “Please. I’m not asking for me.”
If he thawed, he was
toast, with those sweet violet eyes looking at him that way. Never could resist
anything she wanted. Just one bite, Indigo, she’d begged him long ago.
I want you to be my first.
“What the hell for,
then?”
Avril reached inside
her shirt and pulled free a gold chain. Dangling from it was a
triangular-shaped crystal pulsing with an eerie blue light.
“This.”
He nearly swallowed
his tongue. “The Anastasia charm? It’s bunk.”
“It’s real and so
are its powers to make wishes come true. That’s why I need you, Indigo. I need
you to protect the crystal before it falls into dangerous hands. Because if it does, your world will cease to exist. And
there’s nothing we can do to stop it.”
Chapter Two
“That’s a little
over the top, Avril,” Indigo told her. “The end of my world?”
Folding his powerful
arms across his chest, her former lover leaned against the wall. Beneath his
black T-shirt, Indigo had the muscled bulk of a lion. Faded jeans hugged a taut
ass and hard thighs. Silky black curls halfway down his back and deeply tanned
skin hinted of his Polynesian, Native American and French heritage. A closely
trimmed goatee and mustache framed a full mouth she’d once begged to kiss.
Her
first lover, once her dearest friend.
“My world was once
yours until your father found out we were lovers. Nice guy, your dad,” he went
on. “He told me I’d tainted you. Threw me out.”
She squeezed the
Anastasia charm, which held the power to grant one wish to the bearer. Avril
remembered the mark on her neck. “I paid a price as well, Indigo.”
“No watching Buffy
reruns or late-night raids to the blood bank?”
“Look, I know it’s a
shock, seeing me again, and I didn’t mean to rock your world, but I need your
help.”
“Last time you asked
for my help, I had to change my address.”
Avril turned away.
“I’m sorry, Indigo. I thought you were the same so I
tracked you here, to find the one person I trusted to keep the charm safe.
Guess I was wrong.”
Desperation filled
her. She could return to the clan, but what then? Females disdained her. Males
left when she entered a room. They refused to feed her or take her blood until
the shunning ended next week, so how could she ask them to guard the precious
amulet?
Gentle pressure
covered her palm. Indigo unfurled her fingers and took the necklace. Oh, his
touch felt so good, she wanted to grasp his hand and never let go.
“Chill, Avril. I’m
just teasing, chère.” He studied her with a hooded, predatory gaze.
“How did you get this?”
The Anastasia charm
swung from his fingers like the pendulum of a grandfather clock.
“I took it for
safekeeping.”
“You stole it.”
“To
keep it safe from Victor.”
A deep growl rumbled
from him. She’d made the right choice. Unlike the rest of her clan, Indigo
considered his younger half brother, Victor, nothing but dangerous.
Just as the clan
reviled Indigo, they revered Victor, the result of a torrid affair between
Indigo’s purebred mother and a vampire of distinguished lineage. Indigo had
been left in the care of his maternal grandparents for a time while his
restless mother lived in
In contrast, while
Indigo’s father had been a powerful Draicon werewolf with magick powers, he was
still just a werewolf in the eyes of his mother’s vampire clan. Despite being
scorned, Indigo had remained with the clan after his mother’s death rather than
seeking out his father’s pack, making it clear he did so only because of Avril.
He never hid his Changling nature.
When Indigo handed
her back the necklace, Avril fastened the chain around her neck. Hunger flared
in his gaze as he studied the charm delving between her breasts.
“How did you find
me?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Your
blood is in my veins. I can find you anywhere.”
The door banged
open. The Draicon who had left stormed inside.
“Indigo. Forget to
reinforce the shield against Morphs?” asked the Draicon named Gabriel.
“What’s up?”
“A little something
something headed this way,” Raphael shot back.
Just then, something
dark and foul-smelling barreled forward. Gabriel slammed the door shut and he
and Raphael pressed against it.
“Morph. Go out the
front,” Raphael ordered.
Indigo thrust Avril
behind him. The move startled her. She’d forgotten his fierce protectiveness.
Hinges groaned as
the thing on the other side tried to claw its way in. “Leave, Avril. Morphs are
afraid of vampires, but I’m not taking any chances with you,” Indigo snapped.
The rattling
stopped. Raphael and Gabriel glanced downward.
Shock made her go still.
Beneath the door seeped a brown, oozing mass. It flowed like sludge. Avril
clapped a hand to her mouth as the smell of decay hit her.
“They shifted into
sewer worms. Get back,” Raphael ordered.
He and his brother
moved away as the slimy mass wriggled and elongated into a pack of snarling
wolves. Saliva dripped from their yellowed fangs. They blinked. Their eyes were
black, soulless pits.
“They’re cloning
themselves. Avril, run out the front!” Indigo yelled.
Instinctively,
talons elongated as fangs exploded in her mouth.
“Dammit, watch
it—their blood is acid,” he shot back.
She’d already
pounced, slashing at them and vanishing before their blood spurted. Gabriel and
Raphael shifted. She drew their clean, fresh scent into her lungs, marking it
to differentiate between the invader wolves.
“The only way to
kill them is to stab them in the heart.” Indigo waved his arms, and a pair of
steel daggers appeared in his palms. He tossed her one.
Aiming for the
heart, Avril lunged at one Morph. The burn was agonizing as blood splashed over
her fist, but she ignored the pain. The dead wolf collapsed into gray ash.
She, Indigo, Raphael
and Gabriel fought with smooth power and hard determination. Soon the invader
wolves were dead. Avril set down the dagger, drew in a trembling breath. Never
in her clan had she faced such outright enemies. Her family of vampires lived
sophisticated, elegant lives and seldom had to fight. Other beings feared
vampires.
This fight had been
a peek into a different kind of lifestyle—dangerous, and yet exhilarating.
Sweat dappled
Indigo’s forehead. The dagger clattered on the floor as he released it. Fury
lit his dark gaze as he glanced at her burned hands, already beginning to heal.
“Dammit, I told you
to stay back!” he snarled.
“You should know I
never listen.”
Indigo was sweating
from fear, not for himself, but for her. He was still the same powerful,
protective male. No one had cared for her in so long. She’d forgotten what it
felt like.
“Indigo, it’s all
right. I can take care of myself.”
He shivered as she
gently squeezed his arm. “You shouldn’t have to.”
Raphael and Gabriel
shifted back, clothed themselves with a hand wave. Raphael studied the Morph
ash.
“The host is still
out there.” Gabriel frowned. “His scent is different. Not like any Morph I’ve
ever encountered. Something else is in there.”
Indigo inhaled the
air, seemed to be trying to place the scent, without success.
Raphael tilted his
head. “The scent is fading. He’s moving off. Now will you let me reinforce the
shield?”
Raphael waved his
hands, murmuring a beautiful chant in his low, deep voice. Iridescent sparks
floated in the air. It was lovely, and a tingle shot down her spine. Very powerful as well.
“Rafe, Gabe, favor.
Beat it,” Indigo told them.
The two Draicon
glanced at her and left.
His dark gaze
piercing, Indigo turned to her. “Odd coincidence how those Morphs happened to
come along just after you did. I want the truth. Who’s chasing you, Avril?”
Chapter Three
Indigo’s
coffee-colored gaze pierced hers, waiting. “Why does that bastard Victor want
the Anastasia charm? Is he the one chasing you?”
Avril nodded.
“I need answers.”
Avril explained how
her father had removed the pendant from its hiding place. Every 50 years the
amulet had to be used or its powers waned. Xavier used the Anastasia charm to
help an ailing member of their vampire clan and afterward, Victor “borrowed”
the charm.
Tension knotted her
stomach. “Victor said he wanted to wish me into mating him. But that’s not why
I stole it.”
“Not reason enough?”
“The charm only
grants each person one wish. He wanted to destroy all Draicon because he hates
werewolves. I think he wanted that more than he wanted to mate me.”
“Killing off an
entire race? He bluffed,” Indigo asserted.
“I caught him saying
the words and stopped him.”
He cursed softly.
Avril pushed at her hair.
“You know how
dangerous, and determined, he is. You must find a way to keep the charm safe.”
He flashed her a mocking smile. “I’m no superman, or superwolf, chère.
Why me?”
“Because you’re the
only one I can trust,” she burst out. “Everyone else I know is always out for
themselves. You were the only one there for me when I really needed you. I need
you now, Indigo.”
He approached until
he stood barely a foot away. She inhaled his delicious scent of pine and
leather. Indigo trailed a finger over her cheek.
“You asked me once
for a favor, and look what happened,” he murmured. “Are you so certain I’m the
right choice again?”
Avril closed her
eyes. One hundred years ago, and yet the moment was still vivid. She was 18,
sitting on the ceremonial bed prior to the Blood Rite. Victor had been chosen
to be the first to take her blood. The thought terrified Avril. Alone with Indigo,
who’d stopped by to wish her well, she’d begged him to be her first.
Indigo had been
gentle, his tongue lapping over her skin in soothing caresses. His bite was
piercing and erotic. Pleasure escalated until they tore at each other’s
clothing. Avril had taken his blood and surrendered her virginity. When the
clan arrived for the ceremony, Victor had nearly torn Indigo’s head off. He had
convinced her father that Avril was ruined by his half brother’s mixed blood.
Avril’s eyes opened.
She studied her ex-lover. “Those things, Morphs, your
enemies. They kept dividing. What are they?”
“Draicon
gone bad by killing a close relative. They do it to gain greater power.
They have the ability to clone themselves.”
She shivered. “Only Draicon? What about Changlings? Could you turn Morph?”
No emotion showed in
those dark eyes. “I suspect it’d cause trouble for my vampire side. Now it’s my
turn to ask questions. How did you stop Victor from making a wish?”
“I kissed him.”
A low growl rumbled
from his deep chest. “You couldn’t have knocked him over the head?”
“It wasn’t the kiss
that stopped him. I ate garlic. I think he nearly choked.”
He burst out into
rich, deep laughter. Her shoulders relaxed. Maybe this could work, after all.
“Garlic for
vampires,” he sputtered. “You always were the jokester.”
She offered a small
smile. “I don’t taste like garlic now.”
“Is that an
invitation?”
Avril’s heart
thudded violently. “Could be.”
“Let’s see.” He
pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
She tasted of hot
honey and tangy spice, just like all his dreams. He nearly moaned, feeling her
mouth go pliant beneath the subtle pressure of his. Avril trembled as Indigo
stroked his tongue inside her mouth. She sighed as she joined in the enticing
dance. She brought every dormant sense back to full, raging life.
Avril nipped his lip
with a fang. He tasted his blood on her tongue, the rush descending to his
loins.
Kissing
her felt like being pumped with gallons of adrenalin. Panting, he pulled
away, staring at her with wild frustration.
Avril had kicked
into life his sleeping vampire. Nothing would satisfy him until he had her
naked beneath him, his body buried into hers. His fangs
sinking into her neck, drawing her delicious, hot blood.
He reached for his
wolf, but now his Draicon half was dormant.
“Indigo?” Her eyes
were huge, filled with her own hunger.
Fisting his hands,
he struggled for control. They needed to get down to business. Not the business
his enthusiastic body wanted.
“What do you want to
do with the charm? Hide it?”
Avril recoiled. Then
she smiled. “You always were very direct, Indigo. I’ve
forgotten how focused you are.”
Not as focused
as I want to be, he said silently, devouring her with his eyes. Indigo had
to fight from pulling her once more into his trembling arms.
“Hiding it won’t
work. It’s safer with you, Indigo.”
She unfastened the
necklace and handed it to him.
The temptation of
the charm’s power pulled at him like a rope wrapped around his waist. How many
nights had he wished Avril was in his bed, his forever? It was a stupid
fantasy. Yet the charm made such fantasies come true. If he
dared to chant the words.
The legendary
Anastasia charm granted one wish to each person. Indigo knew his wish—to have
Avril in his arms for the rest of their lives.
Damnit, this was all
wrong. He was no better than Victor, desiring to use the charm for personal
gain.
He held the charm as
if it were a black mamba snake. “I can’t keep this. It’s not intended for
me—hell, I’m more Draicon than vampire.”
Her chin lifted in
the stubborn tilt he remembered. “You can guard it better than anyone else.
You’re the one person who never let me down and you always had more
self-control than anyone I know.”
That
self-control feels as substantial as paper around you. To placate her,
Indigo put on the necklace. She seemed to relax a little.
Alarm filled him as
he realized how pale she appeared. He caught her slim wrist in his fingers.
“When did you last feed?”
He didn’t mean to
make his voice so rough, but habit, and old protective feelings, died hard.
Avril glanced away.
“I was in a hurry.”
He swore under his
breath. “You’ll stay with me until we figure out a plan. On
the condition that you feed.”
Something flickered
in her eyes. She put a hand to her throat.
Indigo put on a
black leather jacket, shut off the lights and secured the shop. Avril followed
him into the cool night, glancing expectantly at him.
“We walk,” he
muttered.
How could he explain
he didn’t remember how to dematerialize? He’d made the choice to live as
Draicon and forget his vampire half. The truth hurt—if he were a full-blooded
vampire, Xavier wouldn’t object his mating Avril.
“How far is your
home?”
“We’re heading out
to find you a decent meal.”
She ground to a
halt. “I can’t, Indigo.”
“Bourbon has lots of
tourists. Most of them tanked up, so if your preference is nonalcoholic, we can
head over to the hotels…”
“I can’t do this,”
she said in a low voice. “Besides, don’t you feel it?”
Every cell screamed
a warning as he scented the air. It felt tainted and thick with foreboding.
Avril looked over her shoulder. “I keep feeling him. I’m sorry, Indigo, for endangering you.”
He grabbed her arm.
“I have your back. You need to feed. Not even Victor can stop you and if he
tries…”
I’ll demonstrate
exactly what kind of wolf I am.
Avril stared at the
street. Indigo’s guts tightened.
“Chère,
what do you want me to do?” His heart lurched at the stark hunger in her
expression.
“I can’t feed from
strangers, Indigo. It’s been that way since you left. Can I…will you let
me…feed from you?”
Chapter Four
Avril had never
forgotten the half vampire, half werewolf who had been her first lover and the
first to take her blood. When Indigo left, her father punished her. Only Victor
had been allowed to feed her, and the vampire now wanted to mate her.
Indigo’s half brother
had become her only source of sustenance, when all she’d ever wanted was Indigo
himself.
Hunger pulled at
her, as if someone were wringing her stomach like wet laundry. Fangs elongated
in her mouth, ready to pierce and take.
Silence dripped
between them, broken by the garbled chatter of tourists, and the clacking of
stilettos as two women brushed past on the sidewalk.
Indigo’s dark eyes
regarded her in the waxing moonlight. “You always followed the rules, Avril.
Why risk breaking a big one to take the blood of a half-breed outcast again?”
Needing the contact,
Avril brushed her fingers against his. “I used to follow the rules. Until the day of my Blood Rite when you came into the room.
And then I realized some rules are worth breaking.”
Hunger grew as she
sensed the hot blood pulsing through his strong veins, the life essence she
craved.
“You made me want to
break the rules,” she whispered. “All of them.”
He gently laced his
fingers through hers. The contact felt electrifying.
Fifteen minutes later,
they arrived at a set of green barnlike doors.
Indigo unlocked the
gates, hustled her inside, bolted the gates. In the
narrow corridor was a shiny chrome-and-navy Harley Davidson motorcycle. Avril
touched a handlebar.
Indigo had never
conformed to driving the elite, expensive sedans preferred by the clan
vampires.
They crossed a brick
courtyard lined by trees and plants. Silver moonlight dappled a wrought iron
table and chairs.
“Your house?” she
asked.
“My
friend Jamie’s. The house is divided into several apartments, but she
leaves them empty so she and her pack have a place to stay when they visit. She
asked me to be caretaker. In return, she gave me an apartment to live in.”
“Jamie?”
“Now lives in
He unlocked another
door and they stepped into a small entry hall. The hall opened to a spacious
living room with a butter-soft leather sofa, wide-screen television and
overstuffed chairs. Bookcases held a whimsical collection of glass elephants
with raised trunks.
His broad shoulders
shrugged as she gestured to the collection. “Supposed to be
good luck.”
He settled back on
the sofa, thighs and arms spread wide in a confident pose. Tilting his head to
one side, he drew back his long curls. “Come here, chère.”
Hunger now screamed
as her fangs elongated. When she approached, Indigo gave a soft smile. “Take
your fill of me. All of me.”
Need and
anticipation raced through her. He was so sexy, with his big body ready to give
nourishment. The vein on the side of his neck throbbed with life.
Avril sat beside
him. He pulled her into his broad lap. Startled, she drew back.
“Relax,
I just want to give you what you need.” His voice was a velvet brush of sensual
anticipation.
On his muscled right
bicep was a red tattoo of a broken heart pierced by two vampire fangs. She
traced the edges. “Did I do this?”
Indigo quivered
beneath her gentle touch. “Leaving you did it.”
She breathed in his
masculine scent. The 100 years of her confinement would end in a week. She
would be acceptable to the clan again. But if the clan discovered she’d taken
Indigo’s blood a second time, Father would banish her.
How could she live
apart from her clan? After sleeping with Indigo, she’d always obeyed the rules.
Because to do anything else risked losing everything, and she’d already lost so
much.
Yet she craved
Indigo like an addict needing a fix. Needed his hot blood
pouring into her.
As if sensing her
hesitation, he tilted his head. “Avril? It’s just you
and me. Come here, chère, you’re so hungry, I can feel you trembling.”
Instinct took over.
Avril bent her head to the strong muscles in his neck. Her mouth nuzzled his
skin. She ran her tongue over the throbbing vein, felt him inhale on a breathy
gasp.
Her fangs sank deep.
Indigo trembled as she swallowed nourishment in great, dragging pulls. Avril
tasted his strength, his power and intellect, the delicious mixture of vampire
and werewolf like a high-octane cocktail.
His arms wrapped
around her, anchoring her to him. Finally, Avril forced herself to withdraw,
then licked and sealed the puncture marks. She blinked at him in drowsy
satisfaction.
“Thank you.”
He brushed back a
strand of hair from her face. “My Avril.”
The possessive tone
sent alarm bells clanging in her head. Once she had been his. No longer.
Shifting her weight,
she became aware of his chiseled body, the big thigh muscles clenching beneath
her. He was tensed, coiled power.
Her eyes flew open
as the space between her legs met his erection. Indigo was a hot-blooded,
muscled male, his blood surging thickly with the need for sex.
He ran a finger over
her cheek. Passion smoldered in his dark gaze.
“I want you, Avril.
In my bed, naked beneath me, and I won’t stop until I have you.”
Chapter Five
Sexual intent blazed
through him. Indigo, the half vampire, half werewolf.
His blood was now rushing through her body.
He wanted to sink
his fangs and his cock deep inside her. Feed from her while possessing every
luscious inch of Avril’s lovely body. Watch as her long, silky hair feathered
over his pillow, her eyes closed with sheer pleasure as he brought her from one
exhausting peak to another.
The dominant male
roared to take her.
Avril licked her
lips. Arousal flared in her eyes.
Damn, she was ready,
too. But how could she return to her clan, the scent of him stamped on her like
an ink pad, his bite mark an announcement of their intimate bond?
She traced his lower
lip with a finger, dipped it inside. He nearly moaned as she touched one fang.
Avril raised her
brows. “You’re hungry, too.”
Stunned, he prodded
his teeth. Instead of the wolf canines that emerged when his Draicon self was
aroused, these teeth were sharper.
“You brought back
the vampire in me.” His passion rose at the feel of the warm female curled
against him. Her tight, rounded bottom ground against him,
making him rock-hard. Her long blond hair was a mass of tousled curls, her cheeks glowed with a rosy flush, her mouth…
Indigo drew her
gently to him, and nuzzled her neck above the wide velvet band. He breathed
softly into her ear. Satisfaction filled him as she writhed against him.
Kissing her, Indigo
cupped her breasts. He kneaded and caressed, his tongue thrusting deep into her
mouth.
He unbuttoned her
shirt, smiling a little as he saw the bra’s front clasp. With swift ease, he
unhooked it. Passion rose as he watched her pale breasts spill free. A rosy
flush of arousal tinted her delicate skin. He took one raspberry peak into his
mouth and suckled her, loving her excited whimpers. Avril slid back and forth
against his throbbing erection. His tongue flicked circles around the cresting
peak, lust spiking into a fevered hunger.
Hunger
to sink his fangs deep into her.
Startled, he
recoiled violently, staring at the reddened mark he’d left. The vampire inside
was dangerously aroused.
Wrestling for
control, he gently pushed her off his lap. Indigo moved away from the
temptation, trying to erase the fantasy of sliding between her open legs.
“Indigo. I want
you.” Longing filled her voice, but he heard fear and hesitation, too.
“More
than the risk of never going back, Avril?”
When she made no
reply, a heavy weight settled on his chest. He was Changling, shunned by his
vampire clan who had always looked down their noses at him. I have a home
here. I can’t go back.
He pulled free the
Anastasia charm, stared at the lovely blue glow emanating from it. This was the
only reason Avril had come to him. Even though every cell in his body cried out
for her, he had to remember.
As Avril dressed,
Indigo went to the kitchen. He opened the stainless steel fridge, withdrew a
packet of raw meat. Sitting at the glassed table, he ate the beef off a china
plate.
Her scent hit him
like a freight train as she glided into the kitchen a few minutes later. Like
all her kind, Avril moved in silence.
Curiosity flared on
her face as she glanced at the bones he dumped into the trash. “Don’t you have
to feed?”
Indigo shrugged.
“I’m Draicon, sustained by meat. Feeding for me was more pleasure than
nourishment.”
Appreciation
flickered in her eyes as she ran a slender hand over the polished granite
countertop. “Your home is stylish. That antique iron headboard is lovely.”
“You sound
surprised. Why? Because Draicon wolves have no taste?”
He dropped the plate
into the spotless sink. The clatter echoed his own
shattered emotions.
Eyes the color of
spring blooms narrowed. “Back off, Indigo Mercier. You know I’m not like my
clan, my nose up in the air. You always had sophisticated style.”
Abashed, he offered
a halfhearted shrug. “Except when it comes to clothing.
More functional, less fuss.”
Avril’s smile
punched him in the gut. It radiated warmth and home. Damn, he craved her, and
the closeness of having sex with her.
It clicked. “The
headboard… You checked out my bedroom?”
Pink flushed her
cheeks. “It’s a nice bed, very comfortable-looking.”
She hugged herself,
her body seeming to fold into itself. “I suppose
you’ve had many women in it.”
Indigo crossed the
distance between them, lifted her chin with one palm. He forced her gaze to
meet his.
“Never,” he said
softly. “I’ve never taken another woman here.”
Surprise flared in
her eyes. “But you’ve had other women?”
“Their
places. I’m no celibate, but I wanted only one woman in my bed. And if I
could never have you again, then I vowed to sleep in it alone.”
Stark longing filled
her expression. “Then maybe I should do something about that. No regrets.”
The delicate aroma
of her arousal sailed straight to his groin. Oh man, she was breathing heavily,
her pupils dilated until nearly all the violet vanished. Avril moistened her
mouth.
No regrets.
Indigo took her by
the hand and led her into his bedroom. He closed the door, leaned against it.
Intent blazed in his eyes.
He would claim her
and nothing could stop him. It was like halting a locomotive.
She wanted him
equally.
His boots thudded
across the wood floor as he neared. Avril raised her chin and looked at him.
Indigo’s fingers
splayed her head. His kiss was brutal, passionate and claiming, the kiss of a
warrior claiming his true mate.
She surrendered,
sliding her arms around his neck. When his mouth moved away from hers, a
vulnerable look entered his eyes.
“I’ve felt so alone
since I left you,” he quietly confessed, tracing her lower lip. “No matter how
many women I’ve had, I could never forget you.”
They tore off each
other’s clothing. The space between her legs felt wet and open as she stared at
his magnificent male body. His cock was long and thick as it jutted out from a
nest of dark curls.
She fell backward as
he pinned her to the bed. He kissed her, stroking the inside of her mouth with
his tongue. Her fingers traced his collarbone. His rich musky scent filled her
senses.
Big hands capable of
destruction were gentle as he caressed her. A half sob choked from her as he
raised himself up and gazed down at her tenderly. “You’re so beautiful, my
Avril. I’ve wished for this moment.”
Indigo’s fingers
tunneled into the thick, dark curls covering her groin. When he slid a finger
across her slick, wet cleft, she twisted and pumped her hips up in nameless
need.
Each stroke brought
her higher and higher, aching as the fires built to an incredible tension. She
couldn’t stand it.
Avril dug her nails
into his shoulders and wriggled her hips, trying to push herself beneath him.
Indigo slid between
her opened legs. She felt the knob of his cock nudge her wet entrance, then he thrust deep inside. He felt impossibly big, the
pressure making her flinch at first.
Silky hair on his
chest rubbed against her sensitive breasts as he moved. Sweat beaded on his
temples as he drove his hips harder and faster, her legs anchored around his
waist. The pretty iron headboard banged against the wall with the force of his
thrusts.
“Give it to me, chère,
c’mon, let go, let go,” he told her.
Sensations pummeled
her. The pressure escalated until she felt it overcome her. Avril arched
beneath him and sobbed as she came.
He growled with
satisfaction and pushed into her again, then threw back his head. A loud roar
tore from him as his big body shuddered, and the wet warmth of his seed flooded
her. He shuddered again, then lay atop her.
Indigo rolled off,
nuzzled her neck as he drew her to him. Drunk with sensual lassitude, she
curled against him, feeling the heat of their bodies.
His ragged breath
echoed in her ear.
“Take it off, chère.
I need to see your neck.”
Lassitude fled.
Avril clapped a hand over the choker. “No.”
Indigo’s dark gaze
burned into hers. “No secrets between us. If you’re blood bonded, I have to
know who it is.”
Mouth
dry as sawdust, she watched as he removed the velvet band. Indigo’s eyes
widened as he gazed at the ugly crimson X on her neck.
“That son of a… Your father red-marked you?”
Avril looked away,
humiliation crawling over her. “After you left, Father prohibited males from
taking my blood for one hundred years. The mark is more than a warning to
vampires, Indigo. I can’t enthrall humans, either, so I can’t even feed from
them. My only choice is to feed from Victor, who volunteered.”
Her voice dropped.
“You’re the only one who’s ever taken my blood.”
“Come here,” he said
gently.
He rocked her in his
arms, resting his chin atop her head. “I’m sorry, chère. I didn’t know
they’d condemn you as well.”
“The ban lifts next
week. After one hundred years of taking only Victor’s pure vampire blood, I’m
considered clean again.” Her expression fell. “Father said taking your blood
tainted me.”
“Why didn’t you
leave?”
“And go where? You
saw the mark. I’d starve. It gets removed next week. Until it does, I’m a
pariah.”
Indigo drew her
close. “I never dreamed I’d cause you so much trouble.”
She ran a hand over
his naked chest. “I’d do it again, for you. I want you to take my blood again,
Indigo. I want our bond strengthened.”
Instinct flared as
she scented his bloodlust.
“Take me, Indigo.
Put your mark on me,” she whispered.
He laid her back
against the pillows, the bed soft and warm beneath her. Indigo straddled her
body. Cupping the back of her head with one hand, he nuzzled the vulnerable curve
of her throat. His tongue swept over her skin, then
with a cry that seemed to come from deep inside him, he sank his fangs into her
neck.
Pain flared,
replaced by intense pleasure. Avril slid her arms around him, holding him
close. He slid between her legs and inside her once more.
He took her blood as
his hips drove into her. Trembling with passion, she arched and flexed with
each move. She wanted only his muscled body in hers, his fangs sinking into her
trembling flesh. Avril tensed and screamed as a climax slammed into her.
Indigo withdrew his
fangs. He flung his head back and cried out her name, as his powerful body
convulsed. When it was over, he rolled off and cradled her to him.
She’d never felt
more content in her whole life.
Or
more scared. What would happen when she left him?
How could she bear
to have her heart broken once more?
Chapter Six
His lids lowered,
Indigo gently stroked her head. Masculine satisfaction filled him. Avril looked
like a well-loved woman.
She snuggled against
him, resting in the crook of his arm. Silky blond hair cascaded over his bare
chest, just as it had in forbidden dreams.
“I wish I could stay
here.”
“Your wish is my
command.” He nodded at the Anastasia charm lying on the nightstand. “Go on, use
it.”
“I can’t. It’s for
the clan’s use to fulfill important dreams. The clan needs it more than I do.”
“And
what about your dreams, Avril?”
Indigo rolled over
and captured the amulet in his hands. “You can make one wish come true. One dream. Wish something for yourself. Your whole life,
you’ve always done everything expected of you.”
“Not true. I break
the rules as I wish, as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else,” she said thickly.
“You didn’t deserve what happened when we were found together. I can’t hurt you
like that again.”
He set down the
charm and cupped her heart-shaped face, hating the shadows of worry beneath her
eyes.
“Chère, I
can take care of myself. You have to do what’s right for you. Go after your
dreams, and stop worrying about everyone else’s needs.”
Moonlight streaming
through the window silvered her worried expression. She wrapped her fingers
around his wrists, as if anchoring herself to him. He nearly groaned as those
slender digits began stroking his skin. “I can’t stop thinking about your
needs, and how I let you go.”
“Not your fault.
Daddy dearest banished me.”
“My father did it
because he worried I might mate you. If I had been more discreet, you would
still be with us.”
“Secret was never
good enough for me,” he muttered, running his thumbs in circles over her
hollowed cheeks. “I wanted you at my side, proud to be with me.”
Avril’s long dark
lashes lowered. “Return with me, Indigo. Please, we can be together if you live
close to me.”
“In the open, or hiding what we feel?”
The answer came in
her deep, anguished sigh.
Indigo withdrew his
hands. “If you would have me, it’d have to be honest, for all to see. I
wouldn’t want you hiding my bite from the world, as if my marking you was a
cause of shame.”
“I could never be
ashamed of you.”
“But if you had to
choose between the clan and me? I live as Draicon now, Avril. Werewolf. The vampire world and its rules are far behind
me.”
She sat up, the
sheet spilling to her waist, exposing her full, pale breasts. “I can’t give up
my clan, Indigo, my way of life.”
“If Xavier sees my
mark, you may not have a choice.”
“Oh.” Avril put a
hand to her neck and then put on the velvet band to hide it.
Torment swirled in
her lovely eyes. Indigo’s guts twisted. He hated to see her upset. Even though
that look signaled a crashing end to all they’d shared.
She would not risk
giving up her clan for him.
“I’ll never be
enough for you, will I, chère? Never enough to fill your life,” he
asked in a low voice. His chest felt like someone dumped wet sandbags on it.
“It’s not that,
it’s… They’re my family.” Her head dropped. “I need to get some air.”
She swung her legs
over the side of the bed, reached for her clothing and dressed.
Indigo wanted to
charge after her as she left. Then he heard it. Muffled sobs.
His heart lurched.
He didn’t know what to do. Maybe she needed space. Indigo stared at the
Anastasia charm.
He leaped out of
bed, shrugged into his clothes. The hell with space.
His female was hurting, bad, so how could he let her walk out?
A low scream sent
his blood racing. Indigo raced downstairs, wishing his vampire abilities would
return.
As he headed for the
front gates, he hoped he wasn’t too late to help Avril.
Chapter Seven
Cool air brushed
over her wet cheeks as she crossed the brick courtyard. Avril didn’t bother
wiping away the tears. They were a reminder of how she and Indigo could never
be together—she the vampire and he the Changling, the half vampire, half
werewolf.
She had to leave
him, before either of them caved in to the impulse of trying to mesh their
lives. Their worlds were simply too separate.
Or are you
simply too afraid to stand up to your father and risk taking a chance?
The thought tormented
her. The clan was all she’d known.
A short walk would
clear her head. Then she’d return to Indigo. Maybe they could reach a
compromise.
Even as she left the
house, Avril knew there would be no compromise.
On the sidewalk, she
gazed at the nearly full moon.
The streets were
deserted. But an odd chill raced down her spine, the same kind she’d felt back
at Indigo’s shop. A foul smell laced with a familiar scent filled her senses.
Out of the shadows,
a figure stepped onto the sidewalk. She caught a glimpse of wispy hair, sallow
skin, and smelled horrible decay.
“Where is the
Changling?” it lisped.
Avril’s pulse raced.
The Morph that attacked back at the shop. She turned
to run inside and warn Indigo.
Something tickled
her bare toes. Her heart plummeted to her stomach as she glanced downward.
Spiders marched up
her foot. Avril brushed them off, but they multiplied.
She ran back through
the gates, slammed them shut as she beat off the spiders, but they delicately
scampered up to her neck.
A steady stream
poured beneath the door in a snakelike shape, joining those on her leg. Then
the shape elongated and thickened around her calf.
It shifted into a
python, wrapped around her neck, and its powerful muscles squeezed.
Air choked out of
her. Avril screamed, struggling to free herself. Her vision went gray. She
dematerialized, only to find the snake vanishing and reappearing as she did.
An outraged snarl
sounded as Indigo burst onto the courtyard. In each hand was a steel dagger.
Immediately the
python let go and dropped to the ground. It shifted into a snarling wolf.
Avril gulped down
air, rubbed her bruised neck.
“You want me,
bastard? Come get me,” Indigo taunted.
But the wolf
multiplied. Now Indigo faced ten wolves circling him and snarling.
He couldn’t fight
them all. But she could.
“Indigo, toss me the
dagger and distract them,” she croaked out.
As the wolves closed
in, he did so. Avril dematerialized and appeared in front of Indigo. The dagger
in her palm sank home, straight into the wolf’s heart. Instantly, Indigo
whirled and stabbed at the others. But each time they killed one, another took
its place, until they were backed against the wall, facing six snarling wolves.
Her lover’s nostrils
flared. He put her behind him, then shifted into a wolf and charged forward.
It was a suicide
rush. Avril blinked in astonished shock.
Indigo the wolf had
turned into a tornado with vampire speed. He took on all six, biting their
flanks, dodging their teeth and then as each wolf weakened, going for the kill.
When he finished,
the dead wolves lay on the brick, then turned into ash.
Adoration filled her
as he shifted back and clothed himself. “I couldn’t have done that. No one in
my clan could have, either. You’re Changling, Indigo, special. Better than Draicon or vampire.”
Doubt etched his
expression as he stared at his hands.
Suddenly a
leather-clad man strode into the courtyard, lifting his hands and chanting in a
low voice. Raphael.
Pure white light
bathed her in warmth. A tingle raced down her spine at the presence of enormous
power. Good power.
Raphael gave them a
brief smile. “You forgot to shield your place here, so I thought I’d do a
little drive-by.”
“Thanks, man.”
Indigo clapped a palm on the Draicon’s shoulder.
Avril breathed in
the scent of enormous power. “Your magick is stronger than others, Raphael,”
she mused. “How?”
“Rafe is the Draicon
Kallan, an immortal who can… Well, you don’t mess with him.” Indigo turned to
the werewolf. “Why are you here, mon
frère? And don’t tell me it’s ’cause you had a hankering for crayfish and
beer, ’cause I don’t have any.”
The Draicon fingered
the gold sword earring in his left ear. “I was out patrolling, scented Morph
and followed the trail here. You have a nasty case of someone wants your ass.
There’s an odd vibe I haven’t felt since the day you came to us.”
“But the Morph
attacked me first. Why would it? Indigo said they fear vampires,” she burst out.
“Don’t know. And
there’s something very odd about this particular Morph.” Her lover scrubbed a
hand over his taut jaw.
“You don’t exactly
roll out the welcome mat, Indigo.” Raphael’s eyes narrowed. “This is more than
the usual suspects. Morphs are always after us, but this one is hell-bent on
targeting you.”
“These Morphs,
they’re always trying to kill Draicon?” When Indigo nodded, she shook her head.
“How can you live like that, knowing your enemies are always lurking in the
shadows?”
Indigo jerked a
thumb at Raphael. “I have new family now. They’re loyal and they respect me.
It’s much better than living among a group of archaic, snobby vampires who
cling to outdated rules.”
Emotions swept
through her. “It’s my life, Indigo, please don’t mock it. It’s the only life I
have.”
“Then maybe it’s
time you left it.” His dark gaze glittered. Indigo held out a palm. “Come with
me, chère. The outside world isn’t as terrible as your father said.”
“I don’t know if I
can,” she whispered.
He tensed. “Because I’m Draicon? All you’ve been taught about us isn’t
true. Haven’t you realized that by now?”
Avril slowly nodded.
She studied Raphael the Draicon and Indigo the Changling. Marking the proud
strength of her lover, his bulky muscles and strong hands that had caressed her
with such care and could rip off a man’s head.
Something nagged at
her. Pureblood vampires had a grace, stealth, and their blood tasted like…
“I need to find
another vampire, right now. There’s something I have to check out,” she said
urgently.
Raphael
quirked an elegant eyebrow. “They’re not in the Yellow Pages.”
But Indigo, bless
him, understood her urgency. “Aaron. He’s a friend.”
Avril went upstairs
and fastened the Anastasia charm around her neck.
Minutes later, they
arrived at a crowded bar where an enthusiastic band thumped out hard rock.
Aaron, the owner, led them to a back room where Avril explained her need.
Last year, Indigo
had saved the vampire during a vicious fight with demons. Aaron nodded. “For
you, Indigo, I’ll do it.”
When Aaron extended
his wrist to Avril, she bit him. Powerful, sweet blood flooded her mouth. Avril
ceased feeding and licked the wound. Rage filled her.
“That bastard,” she
breathed. “I know what’s going on now. I know where he is. His blood is inside
me. This has to stop.”
“Avril, stay here,”
Indigo ordered.
“I’m sorry, Indigo, for everything that happened to you,” she whispered.
Then she
dematerialized.
Chapter Eight
He could not
dematerialize to find her. For the first time, Indigo cursed living as a
Draicon.
Raphael regarded him
with his knowing gaze. “What are you waiting for?”
“I can’t
dematerialize.”
“You’re part
vampire. Close your eyes and remember.”
As he did, he
reached inside to the vampire he’d long denied. He remembered his fangs
piercing Avril’s tender skin, his mouth tenderly nuzzling her as he took her
blood into himself. The life he’d denied himself kicked in like an engine
roaring to life. Indigo filled his mind and heart with Avril, allowing his
vampire to surface.
His molecules began
to scramble, his body spun through the air.
On his next breath,
he was somewhere else, senses screeching on overload. He detected the scent of
fresh water, the breeze caressing his cheeks.
Indigo got his
bearings.
No time to analyze
DNA. Breath puffing out in the cool air, Indigo ran toward the river.
He ground to a halt
as he reached the Moon Walk. Two figures stood silhouetted by moonlight.
Victor
and Avril. The vampire held Avril by her wrist as he tried to grab the
Anastasia charm.
All Indigo’s
protective instincts surfaced in a roar. As he charged forward, Avril vanished.
Victor looked startled, then she appeared behind him
and kicked the back of his knees.
Indigo sped to
Avril’s side as his half brother fell. Victor struggled to his feet. Hatred
etched his features as he saw Indigo. “Get away from her, half-breed. You’re
not good enough for her. I’d have thought the Morph would have killed you.”
Shocked, Indigo
stepped in front of Avril to shield her. “You sent that thing?”
“It sent itself. The
Morph was part of me.” Victor laughed.
It made sense now.
“He’s Changling, Indigo. I wondered why that Morph had a familiar scent,
Victor’s scent. But I couldn’t tell for sure until I fed from a full-blooded
vampire,” Avril told him.
Victor laughed. “I
found and killed my father, that bastard who dared to defile my mother. Just
the thing I needed for my Draicon half to turn Morph.
I literally divided myself, and now I’m fully vampire. I sent my Morph self
after you, Indigo, for a nice little meal.”
“You fool,” Indigo
said softly. “You thought you did. You only cloned yourself, Victor. The
Draicon inside you, the evil now, is still inside you. It’s still there. You
can never get rid of it. I should know…I tried for years to abandon my vampire
half.”
“You sent that thing
after Indigo. It nearly choked me,” Avril cried out.
“No, I’d never hurt
you, Avril. Morphs never attack vampires. They have a natural fear of us,”
Victor protested.
Rage burned through
Indigo. “The Morph attacked Avril. Did you ever consider that that Morph would
hurt her to get me riled? If you’re so damn intent on wiping me off the planet,
then let’s have it, but leave her out of it.”
Indigo waved his
hands, shedding his clothing and then shifting. Wolf senses took in the dank
river water, the scent of Avril’s fury like hot plastic, and felt the cool
breeze ruffle his fur.
With a snarl, he
charged Victor. As he did, he saw the short spike the vampire whipped out from
his pocket.
He was barreling
straight toward it.
Pure instinct took
over. Indigo summoned all his Changling powers. As his wolf
leaped, he shape-shifted into vampire. He dematerialized and appeared
behind Victor.
It took a few
seconds for his brain cells to stop spinning from the double-shifting. He waved
a hand to clothe himself. After all these years wanting only to be Draicon, he
finally accepted facts.
He was
Changling—vampire and Draicon. It was about time he embraced his full
powers. No more living on the fence.
Victor whirled.
Indigo lunged forward and twisted Victor’s wrist, forcing him to drop the
stake.
“It works on
vampires, you ass, but not on a Changling,” Indigo taunted. “Only one thing can
kill us. A silver dagger.”
“I know,” Avril said
softly. “That’s why I brought one.”
Indigo stared at the
dagger in his lover’s hands, then glanced at her
hardened expression.
She dematerialized
and appeared before Victor. The dagger sank partly into his chest, the silver
immobilizing him.
His half brother
cried out in pain and fell backward. Avril straddled him and sank the dagger in
a little deeper.
“Avril, don’t do
this,” Victor pleaded.
“You should die for
how you ruined Indigo’s life.”
“Our mother always
admired him because he was honest about his origins. When she returned to the
clan with me, I was just a child. She was going to tell everyone who my real
father was. I begged her to lie. I couldn’t face life as a half-breed among
vampires. She agreed, because she’d seen how the others had treated you,
Indigo. So we said my father was a vampire. A close friend of hers from
The male sucked in a
breath. “Please, Avril. I only wanted to use the Anastasia charm to wish you
into loving me. I never truly wanted all Draicon to die.”
“Because you’d wish
yourself into oblivion,” Indigo pointed out. “You’re a Changling. That’s why
you wanted me gone. You knew I sensed it, because we are the same.”
“No, Indigo. He can
never be like you,” Avril protested. “You’re honest and caring and unselfish.
You never hid what you were. He doesn’t deserve to live.”
Fear etched Victor’s
expression as the knife point sank a little deeper.
“Avril!”
Indigo stared at the half brother whom had caused him
so much misery. “Let me do it. I won’t have his blood on your hands.”
Avril’s gaze never
left Victor, her breath easing out in a choking sob. “He’ll always be after
you. It will never end.”
The knife point sank
deeper. Edges of the wound wept crimson in the splash of moonlight. Her face
twisted with anguish. He knew the kind of gut-wrenching confusion she felt.
The urge to destroy
evaporated like mist beneath the
Only one wish. “Get off him and let me have the charm, Avril,” he
told her.
Avril complied and
tossed aside the dagger. As Victor struggled to his feet, she handed Indigo the
amulet. “What are you doing?”
“Making
a wish.” He clasped the charm. “I wish the Morph evil gone from my
brother, Victor Devereux, so he will feel at peace and become what is closest
to his heart and to end his torment of being a half-breed.”
Suddenly an ugly,
foul cloud arose from the center of his brother’s chest. Avril gasped as the
cloud rose into the air, and then evaporated.
A scream tore from
Victor’s throat. It turned into a howl. In place of Victor was a large gray
wolf.
“Go, my brother.
Find your peace,” Indigo murmured.
The wolf regarded
Avril with sad, yellow eyes, then loped toward the railroad tracks. They
watched as he followed the tracks and disappeared from sight.
In his hands, the
Anastasia charm glowed blue. Indigo glanced at his lover. “If I had one more
wish, it would be for you, chère. I’d wish for you, with all my heart,
nothing but happiness, love and peace, wherever you will find it, with whomever could provide it.”
Tears shimmered in
Avril’s large violet eyes. “You’d do that for me?”
He unfurled her
fingers and gently placed the charm into her hand. “I love you, Avril. I want
you to be happy. I’m not Victor, wishing to force you into a life you never
wanted.”
“I can be happy if
you return with me,” she cried out.
“Can you? I once
tried to straddle both worlds, vampire and Draicon. I
can’t anymore, chère. I’m Changling, not vampire.” Gently he brushed a
tear sliding down her cheek. “You said you could only live in your world.”
She squeezed the
amulet. “I have to go. Father needs this. Thank you for setting Victor free. I
think he’s at peace, finally.”
Avril kissed him,
the taste of her like salted honey. “I’ll love you forever.”
A faint shimmering
filled the air as she dematerialized. For a long while he sat on the Moon Walk,
the ache in his chest like a steel stake buried there.
Avril would be
happy.
He wrapped his arms
around himself, rocking back and forth to ease the haunting grief swelling his
chest.
***
In the week since
she’d left Indigo, Avril felt like her soul had faded to nothingness.
No longer shunned,
she was now the clan’s heroine. Those who once refused to look at her thanked
her for protecting their precious charm.
Avril had told them
that Victor had been Changling, and Indigo used the charm to set free his
brother. The clan shrugged it off. They refused to give Indigo credit, while at
the same time they excused the fact that her blood had been ritually “cleansed”
for 100 years by Victor, member of the very same race.
It made no sense.
Now sitting on her
bed, she palmed the Anastasia charm. Xavier had given it to her to make one
wish. The charm’s blue glow spilled over the champagne-colored gown hanging on
the door. Tonight her family held a ball in her honor.
No beer and crayfish
for these vampires. Strictly black tie all the way.
Avril glanced at her ordinary jeans and plain T-shirt. No, she didn’t fit in
anymore, it seemed.
She couldn’t imagine
leaving her life. But was this a life when every waking moment was empty?
If she chose to be
with Indigo, the clan would banish her. Unlike Indigo, she was vampire and
could live as nothing else. Yet without him, this life felt stale.
She stared at the
stone. Indigo’s words came back to her. You always follow the rules,
chère. For once, follow your heart.
It was about time to
make a wish. She went to find her parents.
Her father
protested, but understanding flickered in her mother’s eyes. “Do what you must,
honey,” she said. “Follow your heart.”
Afterward, she
returned to her room. She made a wish. The stone fell from her outstretched
fingers as a tingling shot through her.
Seconds later, she
stood inside a dimly lit bar.
A woman screamed.
Avril ignored her. Her gaze centered on the tall, muscled male in the tight
black T-shirt sitting alone at the counter. A beer sat before him. The taut
edges of his profile were exposed to her. Lines of strains clearly showed.
Never had she seen
Indigo more distressed.
A Draicon standing
behind the counter glanced up. Gabriel’s handsome face creased into a broad
smile. “Hey, it’s the pretty batgirl,” he called out.
She smiled back.
“I swear she wasn’t
standing there a minute ago! I’m not drunk,” the woman shrieked.
“Yes, you are,”
Gabriel asserted. He stroked his temple. The woman’s gaze went blank, then she resumed talking as if nothing happened.
As Avril approached,
Gabriel gave Indigo a nudge. Shock dawned in her lover’s beautiful brown eyes.
“You can’t be real,”
he murmured. “I wished you were here. But some wishes don’t come true.”
She took his
troubled face into her hands. “Mine did.”
Indigo pulled her in
between his opened thighs, cradling her tight against his body. His possessive
kiss inflamed her with passion. He kept kissing her mouth, her cheeks, kissing
away her tears. Indigo leaned his forehead against hers.
“You sure this is
for you, Avril? A life with me and not your family?”
Never had she been
more certain. “The Anastasia charm is never wrong. All I wished for was to be
with my heart’s desire. It led me straight to you.”
The joy on his face,
and the secure feeling of being in his arms, filled her completely. “I’m truly
home now, and here I’ll stay.”
THE END