Vampire Mine

Chapter Three

Sadie fought the welcoming arms of sleep and struggled through the heavy fog keeping her from complete awareness. Her head slowly cleared, thoughts no longer splintered. Opening her heavy lids, she blinked rapidly and willed her eyes to focus. Shapes and colors bled together, making her head spin. She ignored the dry tickle at the back of her throat, drawing a steadying breath as she fixed her gaze on tiny crack in the ceiling.

How long had she been under?

Days? Weeks?

Months?

She resented the fear that slammed into her. After all, she was responsible for her current predicament. She hadn’t been captured. No sir. She’d walked willingly into the devil’s arms, moronically believing she’d finally meet her end and find some semblance of peace in the afterlife.

Stop. Pull yourself together, damn it.

Despite her weakened state, she managed to shift her arms and legs. A white-hot stab shot up her back. Her cold and tired muscles protested the movement, stinging as they stretched and flexed. She relied on years of training to push through, willing her body to ignore the pain. She didn’t know what Aldon wanted with her but it couldn’t be good. If she’d learned anything over the last few months it was that the man had a plan—even if she didn’t know what that plan might be—for everything. Her captivity wasn’t random. She served some sort of purpose.

And you handed yourself over to the bastard like a dessert on a dainty platter.

Moron.

Aldon was far more powerful than she’d thought, staving her hunger and using her weakened state to keep her incapacitated by sleep. Each time she’d woken he’d appeared and handed her back to the Sandman. There hadn’t been time to question his motives. One minute she’d been aware of her surroundings—groggy but aware—the next her eyes had slammed closed and she’d gone nighty-night.

Which is why you should stop wasting time. Get your shit in check.

Pay attention. Right now.

She held her breath and gritted her teeth, trying to block out the fire that slithered up her torso as she rolled onto her belly. Decimated muscles groaned in protest, burning with the effort. Each panted breath tore through her chest, her lungs feeling as though they might burst as she attempted to remain quiet. At first she thought the pounding in her ears was due to adrenaline and the slow thudding of her heart. Then she realized it was actual sound resonating from beneath her. She closed her eyes, relying on her astute sense of hearing to listen.

A lock unlatched—the snick loud and crisp in her ears—and a door protested as it creaked open. Judging by the distinct sound and the clarity of her hearing, she realized she was only a floor or so away from the entrance to Aldon’s lair.

Good news if she could get to her feet and find an alternative exit.

“Isn’t this a pleasant surprise?” Aldon’s deep voice drifted to her ears as he welcomed his visitor.

“Pleasant surprise, my ass.”

Her heart skipped a beat and then lodged in her throat when she heard the corresponding acknowledgement. She screwed her eyes shut, fighting back tears. She knew that voice, had thought about it so often she wondered if perhaps she hadn’t woken at all but remained snared in the land of dreams.

It couldn’t be. How could it?

Trey.

A stupid, inflated belief in romance tried to influence her thoughts, tempting her to believe he’d come to rescue her. He’d barge in, order Aldon to hand her over and she’d find safety in his arms. He’d lift her to his chest, kiss her, promise to protect her, take her to his family and home and never let her go.

As-fucking-if.

Painful memories from the past suffocated hope.

Trey wasn’t her lover. Hell, he wasn’t even her friend. He might be willing to fuck her silly but that was it. No strings attached. No permanency. Her body attracted him but her nature disgusted him. At best he might text her for booty calls on the down-low. If she played her cards right he might even be willing to offer her the one thing she desperately needed to survive—his blood—in exchange for a bit of pussy.

Her self-loathing didn’t last long, not when she heard Trey snarl, “You just fucked with the wrong bull.” She jerked as the sound of a fist connecting with bone resonated from below, followed by an enormous thump as someone landed on the floor.

A cold chill shot down her spine when Aldon laughed. “Is that the best you’ve got?”

“Not even close,” Trey growled, his voice shaky, indicating he was already in motion and prepared to dish out some serious damage. “That’s my version of a bitch-slap.”

What the hell was going on? Why was Trey here? And why was he fighting Aldon?

Last time she checked the two were on speaking terms.

They shared common interests…or so she thought.

She knew the moment they engaged in combat. Even though she couldn’t see what was taking place, she knew how the fight would go. Vampires were fast but werewolves were strong. Aldon would try to wear Trey down while Trey tried to rip out his opponent’s throat as quickly as possible. Assuming Trey wanted to kill Aldon. If not he’d be lucky if he could put a dent in the vampire. Aldon was too powerful. She’d only glimpsed a portion of his strength but she knew he wasn’t a normal black mage vamp.

He had a secret, one that made him lethal.

A sharp creak ripped her attention from the ruckus downstairs. She turned her head, ashamed that something so simple took effort. She watched, shocked, as Leigh opened the door to the room. The poor girl looked like death warmed over. Her skin, while always pale, was now ghastly white. Dark shadows decorated the area beneath her eyes. She’d pulled her hair from her face, securing it at her nape with an elastic band. Sadie opened her mouth to speak but remained silent when Leigh’s eyes bulged and she shook her head.

“Quiet,” Leigh instructed telepathically. “You can ask questions later.” Advancing forward, she questioned, “What did he do to you? How bad are you hurt?”

“He didn’t do anything.” Sadie’s pride rankled at the confession. “He knew I had been tracking him. When he confronted me I lost consciousness from hunger. He brought me here.” Speaking of which. “Where is here, by the way? How did you find me?”

Why is Trey with you?

The last thought wasn’t meant for Leigh but the young vampire heard it anyway. Sympathy smoothed her tired features as she reached Sadie’s side and placed a comforting hand on her arm. Leigh felt so cold, her body in desperate need of blood. Sadie cringed. Leigh shouldn’t have come here. The girl was newly changed and unable to defend herself. She needed to learn to harness her magic in order to face the world.

“Don’t worry about that right now. We’re going to get you out,” Leigh thought. Lifting her head she whispered, “I’m going to need some help. She can’t move.”

A large form stepped through the door. Even though Leigh blocked most of him from view Sadie recognized his voice when he murmured, “I’m here.”

Nathan. Trey’s Beta.

Sadie didn’t know much about the male, although their paths had crossed in the not-so-distant past—after she’d killed off a few Shepherds and saved Diskant’s mate, Ava Brisbane. Nathan had been there too, injured himself but trying to defend the mortal woman. They’d formed an unlikely truce, agreeing to work together to save Ava’s life.

The prism of confusion shined brighter, becoming dizzying.

First Trey appeared. Now Nathan was with him.

What were they doing? Didn’t they know better?

Nathan slid his arms beneath Sadie’s stomach and rolled her over as he lifted her to his chest. Her head fell back, one arm tucked against the man holding her, the other hanging like a broken branch at her side. She must have looked like a tattered china doll, hanging together by fraying pieces of thread. The last time she’d seen Nathan he’d been bleeding at her feet.

Humiliation tore through her, the most unwanted and damning of sentiments.

Somehow things always came full circle. It was almost poetic in a sickening and perverse kind of way. She was supposed to be the strong one, defending the weak. Never had she imagined herself like this. Cradled in a werewolf’s arms, unable to stand or walk. The roles had been reversed. Now Nathan was the one watching over her, keeping her from harm.

Leigh led the way to the door. Once she’d peeked outside, she exited the room.

Nathan followed, staying close, allowing Sadie to get a glimpse of her surroundings.

She was definitely in a home, not a condemned building or bunker as vampires were known to use when they wanted to capture and cage prey. Framed pictures adorned neatly painted and papered walls with expensive crown-molded ceilings. They were on the top floor of the residence, a place that was old but well restored. Pristine wooden slats sped by as Nathan quickened his pace.

The delicious aroma of blood assailed her nose, thick and hot, coming fresh from the source. She knew that smell, could identify it anywhere. She should have been worried about Trey’s wounds—he was quick to heal but had been injured severely enough to bleed freely—but she felt her fangs drop. The need to feed became her sudden and primary focus. Even in her current state she felt her muscles tense in preparation for attack. Her nature was ready to give it all one last hurrah in order to survive.

“Fuck!” Trey bellowed, so close she could not only smell his blood but also hear the steady beating of his heart. “Nathan, heads-up! He’s on the move!”

“Leigh,” Nathan snarled. “Behind me. Now.”

Leigh did as she was told, darting past Nathan and vanishing from Sadie’s line of sight. Aldon appeared, standing only a few feet away from them with an arrogant smirk on his blood-splattered face. His nose had been busted but he’d already started healing. The world spun and Sadie’s stomach plummeted when Nathan dropped her and charged the vampire. She hit the ground, her head cracking against the hard floor. Through pained eyes, she watched Nathan sprint toward his enemy.

Aldon disappeared and Nathan rushed through empty air. The male staggered, trying to stop. Trey appeared at the top of the stairs and Nathan barreled directly into him. Watching the enormous men crash to the ground would have been comical if the situation wasn’t so dire. She felt nauseous, wanting to vomit.

The men couldn’t see what was right in front of them.

Aldon wasn’t trying to kill Trey or Nathan.

He’d been luring them.

Clarity didn’t always come easy. Sometimes a person discovered things they should have seen long before—things that could change or alter someone’s life—often when it was too late. She didn’t like having her moment then and there, lying on the floor, useless and forgotten.

“Stubborn creature.” Aldon’s observant words were no longer cynical but disturbing as they echoed through her head. “So certain of yourself. So arrogant. So predictable. You wear your pride like a shield. I suppose I should thank you for simplifying things.”

Damn her to hell. She deserved to burn.

She hadn’t been smart when she’d tracked Aldon. She’d been stupid.

If the coven had been spying on him, likely he’d been spying on them as well. It wouldn’t have taken much. Their defenses were solid but he wasn’t like any vampire she’d ever seen. He could have spied on the house from a safe distance, collecting all the information he needed. He’d known she’d been following him. That much was clear. The conceited prick had probably encouraged it. She’d walked right into his trap, caught in his web, giving him an advantage.

She remembered the way he’d bitten her—the way he’d sighed in contentment—drinking what little blood she had to offer. Yet he hadn’t taken more. It hadn’t been enough to sustain or nourish him because he hadn’t meant it to be. He’d taken her blood to access her memories, confirming whatever suspicions he must have had.

He wanted something…or someone.

But who? There wasn’t anyone of notice in the coven. Not really. The strongest of them was a newborn who didn’t know how to cast a spell. And Leigh hated using magic…

A veil lifted, giving her free sight.

Leigh.

It all made sense.

One mouthful of Sadie’s blood and Aldon had seen what Leigh could do. With the fledgling’s help he’d be able to locate people with simple objects and influence the minds of others. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. Leigh detested blood but once she accepted what she was and embraced her full potential she’d be as formidable as a demigod.

Goddess, save us.

With Leigh’s powers, Aldon would be unstoppable.

Terrified and unable to do anything more than witness what was to come, she shouted out to Leigh with her mind, putting as much warning into the thought as possible.

“Run.”

Trey didn’t stop to see if Nathan had been harmed during their collision. As soon as his feet were steady he rushed for Sadie. Fuck, she was pale. So damn lifeless it terrified him. Right then he didn’t care about anything but getting to her. Something warned him if he didn’t he might not get a second chance.

The yards that separated them felt like miles.

Leigh plunged to her knees, sinking to Sadie’s side. She gripped Sadie’s torso, babbling words that made no sense. The moment she had a decent grip on his mate she fell on her ass and tugged Sadie closer. Aldon appeared behind them and snagged Leigh by the back of her neck. The frail female struggled, screaming in fear, holding on to Sadie for dear life. Nathan’s outraged bray carried through the hallway, informing Trey his Beta was right on his ass.

Sadie’s voice seemed to roar through his head, pounding in his ears, her desperation palpable. “Don’t let him take her.”

For the first time Aldon’s self-assured smirk vanished. He bent at the waist and pulled on Leigh’s neck, ripping one of her arms free from Sadie’s limp form. Leigh thrust her legs out, wrapping them around Sadie’s waist and locking her ankles together. Each yank from Aldon lifted Leigh and Sadie from the ground. Leigh’s dark hair cascaded around her face and shoulders, the knot she’d placed it in falling apart. It was the craziest fucking thing Trey had ever seen, a tangle of arms, legs and hair.

For a moment Aldon, Leigh and Sadie seemed to flicker as though their bodies were dissipating before his eyes. Panic and terror sent Trey’s senses into hyper-alert. He moved faster than he ever had in his life, building speed. Aldon was trying to phase them out. If he succeeded Trey might not ever find his mate again. He’d rip the entire goddamn building apart before that happened.

“Do it and I’ll fucking kill you!” he thundered.

Aldon lifted his head, staring Trey in the eye. The vampire’s irises changed color, going from dark to icy blue. His white-blond hair lifted into the air as he called on the magic inside him. Although being a natural born Alpha protected Trey from the compulsion to shift forms or fall prey to Aldon’s dark magic, he couldn’t stem the way the energy felt and the way it seemed to charge his skin.

Motherfucker.

He snarled when the tingle of magic flittered over his flesh, infuriated and petrified for his mate when his feet left the ground. An invisible force thrust him aside, knocking the wind from his lungs. He threw up his arms, trying to shield himself as his body flew toward the upstairs railing. There was no way he could prevent the collision so he braced for impact.

Wood splintered and parted as he broke through the beams, several spindles snapping and hurtling to the lower floor. He almost went over the edge with them but managed to extend his nails, slamming down his hands, burying his sharp claws into the wooden floor. His lower body hung over the lip of the walkway, legs kicking into empty space.

Don’t let go. Get back up.

Nathan’s livid growl had him flexing his fingers, digging his claws into the floor. He held on tight, commanding his muscles to bear his weight. The wolf inside him backed the order, rising to the surface, giving him strength. He lifted his head and watched Nathan slam into Aldon. The vampire released Leigh but the impact broke her away from Sadie. His mate came at him, sliding across the floor, stopping just shy of the jagged railing. She was so close if his hands were free he could reach out and snatch her.

I’ll fucking kill him. Nice and slow.

Glancing at Aldon and Nathan, he collected his energy to make it to the upper level.

Then he felt the soft brush of Sadie’s lips over the back of his wrist.

In his dreams her bite was the most erotic thing he’d ever experienced.

This time, however, it wasn’t quite the same.

Her fangs scored the delicate bones in his wrist, her aim not true or clean. He hissed when her lips surrounded the torn tissue and she sucked. She drew so fucking hard on his skin he wondered if she’d rip the shit away from his bones. Although he wanted to provide for her, he tried to force her away. He’d feed her as soon as this was over. He had to hurry.

Aldon and Nathan had taken their fight to the floor.

Nathan wasn’t strong enough to take down the vampire. Fuck, Trey wasn’t sure who or what would be capable of such a thing. In the past Aldon had been one hell of an ally. Now? He was a bitch of an opponent. Trey knew the man was resilient. But this? He’d never imagined such a thing.

“Sadie, baby,” he murmured, trying to get her attention. “Let go.”

Her hands lashed out, wrapping around his forearm. The suction around his wrist increased, blood seeping past her lips. He watched, amazed, as color returned to her cheeks. Her fingers changed, filling out. To his amazement the rest of her did as well. Her face plumped, softness padding her bones. Each swallow resurrected her from death, bringing her back to life.

Lightheadedness assailed him and white speckles danced over his eyes.

Fucking shit.

He was going to pass out. If that happened, he couldn’t protect her.

No way in hell. I’ll die first.

“Enough!” Aldon yelled, breaking Trey’s attention from his mate.

Nathan flew from one side of the hallway to the other, collapsing in a heap on the ground. The Beta didn’t try to rise, still and unmoving on the floor, meaning he was out for the count. Trey hoped like hell the damage wasn’t permanent. He didn’t think it was. He felt each and every death in his pack. Nathan wasn’t done, not yet. He must’ve lost consciousness. It was the only thing that would prevent him from getting up and charging at Aldon.

There was no way Nathan would leave Leigh unprotected.

Leigh tripped over her feet when Aldon turned toward her. She backed away, kicking out with her legs, shuffling along with her hands. Her huge blue eyes were full of panic, her pale pink lips parted in horror.

Son of a bitch.

Aldon was going to take her and there was nothing Trey could do about it. Sadie had taken so much blood he wasn’t sure he could maintain a grip on the floor much less take on a vampire with immeasurable strength. Aldon advanced—one more step and he’d have Leigh in his grasp—and lifted his right arm.

Sadie disappeared—there one moment and gone the next.

The miserable burning at his wrist vanished.

Before he could react to her loss, Sadie reappeared in front of Leigh.

Her artic-blue eyes blazed in warning, her hands splayed open at her sides. She hadn’t bothered removing his blood from the corners of her mouth, the liquid making her lips appear cherry-red. In the blink of an eye she formed a fist and planted it directly in the middle of Aldon’s face. The blow carried more power than Trey would have thought Sadie capable of.

Aldon staggered back several feet, lifting a hand to his bloodied lip, narrowing his eyes.

Sadie stretched her arm behind her, reaching toward her fallen comrade. A silent communication took place between the women, a mental message from one vampire to the other. One moment Leigh was terrified and on her ass and the next she was on her knees, reaching for Sadie’s wrist. Leigh bared her fangs and lowered her mouth toward Sadie’s pale skin.

“Not so fast,” Aldon barked, moving so quickly Trey didn’t have a chance to let go of the railing or get out of the asshole’s range. The vampire’s hand wound around Trey’s throat, Aldon’s grip so tight it felt as though it crushed his windpipe.

Fuck me.

“Don’t.” Sadie didn’t sound as confident, her voice cracking. “Leave him out of this.”

“All it’ll take is a flex of my fingers.” Aldon’s hold on Trey’s neck intensified, depriving him of oxygen. “I’ll snap his neck like a twig.”

He totally could too. His fingers were locked tight.

Trey gagged, needing to draw a breath.

“His pack will avenge him.” Sadie’s words were laced with venom. “I’ll make sure Diskant Black knows what went down here. They’ll come for you. They’ll hunt you down.”

“Consider it a risk I’m willing to take.”

Trey choked, cursing his failure as an Alpha and male. He’d never felt so weak or useless in his life. Here was, just shy of losing consciousness, when his mate needed him most. Sheer willpower had him directing his gaze toward Sadie, needing to convey his failure, sorrow and shame to her.

Leave it him to fuck things up in the most monumental way possible.

It wasn’t bad enough he’d made her suffer for months. Oh no.

Now, when there was nothing left and he was going to die, he was leading her into her grave as well. He’d seen how bad she was—realized that Leigh had told him the truth about Sadie’s condition the moment he laid eyes on his female’s thin and fragile form—and knowing he was about to force her to endure the same torment…

Fuck, it tore him up inside.

Never.

His wolf rose, taking over, and he let it. His body started shifting. He didn’t fight it, deciding it was all he had left. The beast readily answered his call, eager for blood, hungry for the kill. This is what he should have done from the start.

Enter. Destroy.

Claim.

Fur sprouted from his skin as his bones contorted. The animal wanted to tear out Aldon’s throat and howl in victory as the life faded from the vampire’s eyes. It would destroy the male who dared threaten its mate, sending a warning far and wide of what would happen if anyone fucked with what belonged to the wolf and the wolf alone.

“Make your choice,” Aldon warned, maintaining his grip despite Trey’s shift from man to beast. “Three…two…”

A hand snaked around the back of Aldon’s neck, Nathan’s fingers taut as he snarled, “Remember me, motherfucker?”

Trey dropped when Aldon released him, falling rapidly toward the ground. He finished his shift midair, trying to land on his feet. Power coursed through him, brought on by the change. The effects of his recent blood loss evaporated. He hit cushiony carpet with a dull thud, covered in shredded pieces of clothing. Shaking the garments from his body, he stood on shaky legs. His sides heaved as he fought to breathe, rotating toward the stairs as he gained his balance.

He heard the fighting upstairs.

His Beta would give it all he had but Nathan could only hold Aldon off for so long.

While his second-in-command was strong, the vampire was built like a fucking Viking, not to mention Aldon had some serious mystical juju at his disposal. Trey rushed up each wooden slat, racing against the clock, determined not to fail his female this time. His wolf snarled, its jaws clenching in anticipation. Arriving at his destination, he discovered Leigh was gone and Nathan was on the ground beneath Aldon. Sadie was bent over the two, her arm wrapped snugly around the vampire’s waist.

“Let him go,” she ordered and fisted her fingers in Aldon’s hair, snapping his head back.

Aldon jerked away from Nathan and reached behind him as he rose. “You stupid little bitch.”

His nails lengthened, becoming sharp as he raked them along Sadie’s back, tearing through her shirt and skin from mid-back to shoulder. She didn’t scream but Trey heard her whimper. Fury consumed him, coating the world in a haze of red. He’d kill the stupid piece of shit. Break every bone in his goddamned body.

“Fine, we’ll do it your way,” Aldon whispered. “For now.”

A solid burst of magic sent Sadie away from Aldon and Nathan, her slim form rushing across the distance toward him. He felt hopeless in that moment, knowing he couldn’t shift fast enough to catch her, wishing that somehow he could.

For once—thank God—he wasn’t left with an enormous amount of shame as a mate.

Sadie righted herself like a cat, using momentum and speed to rotate her torso around. He moved aside, watching in awe as she landed on her feet. She rose with her fists balled, ready to face Aldon. She radiated beauty and strength, a true sight to behold.

Magic blasted from her.

It felt different. Not as dark. Almost pleasant in a way. The sensation bristled over his fur and settled comfortably against his skin. It calmed him, soothing the wolf, giving him a sense of strength he’d lost when she’d drank from him.

Before she could use her power or wield her magic Aldon raised his hand, saluted her and said, “This isn’t over.”

Then he disappeared, leaving Nathan on the ground, Trey growling at empty air and Sadie standing over the two of them—braced for war with no adversary in sight.