“How about once we find my brother and kick his ass for bringing us here, we watch every cheesy Vampyre movie ever made,” she suggested with wide and excited eyes.
She looked like a child on Christmas morning. I wanted to laugh and kiss her senseless. “What do I get if I take part in this mind numbing activity with you?”
“Ummm… what do you want?” she asked with a lopsided grin.
“Actually, I have everything I’ve ever wanted, but… ”
“But what?”
She stood up on her toes and tried to go nose to nose with me. This of course was impossible due to our height difference so I lifted her up to aid her in her quest. With her breasts mashed against my chest and my erection making me slightly dizzy, I forgot what we were talking about. The only thought in my brain was to get her naked.
“But what?” she repeated, enjoying my lust addled confusion.
“What was the question again?”
“You are such a guy.” She groaned and nipped at my lips.
“And that’s a problem?” I asked as I ground the evidence of my guy-ness into her girl-ness.
“Not a problem at all. When the blood returns to your brain you can set your terms. But right now we need to find Gareth,” she said as she pressed her lips to mine and slid back to the ground.
She was correct and for the life of me I still couldn’t figure out what the question had been. Honestly, I didn’t give a fuck. Holding her and knowing she was mine trumped pretty much anything at the moment.
“I’ll get back to you on terms and you will get behind me,” I told her as I adjusted my pants and started moving toward where I sensed Gareth.
“Yes, sir… master,” she quipped with another snort and a quick grab of my ass.
“Hands to yourself, Red… or we’re going to have hot monkey sex in a tomb,” I warned.
“Promises, promises,” she muttered as she pushed me along.
I silently willed my dick to behave. It wouldn’t endear me to her brother if I was jack-knifed over because of a raging erection for his sister.
No. Wouldn’t do at all.
Chapter 14
I was correct. I’d sensed Gareth.
But he wasn’t the same man I remembered—not by a long shot.
“Well, well, well, it’s about time, sister o’mine. It was getting quite boring down here with only the rats to converse with,” Gareth quipped weakly with a confidence that belied his haggard appearance. His accent was unique—British tinged with a bit of Russian.
He was heavily chained with silver and trapped in a filthy cage warded by very dark magic. The enchantment held Raquel and me about a foot back from the bars and sizzled with menace.
I hadn’t seen Gareth in approximately a decade—mere minutes in Vampyre time, but I didn’t remember him looking anything like he did now. He’d been a striking man and stood at least six foot four. However, he appeared to have shrunk… and aged.
How was that possible? We were immortal for God’s sake. We stopped aging around thirty.
He looked at least forty-five. His jet black hair was laced with grey. His blue eyes were dull with a world weariness and his face was gaunt. This was not the vibrant, arrogant asshole I’d spent many violently pleasurable hours with, but at least his personality still seemed intact.
I stared at Gareth in shock. His pained laugh knocked me back into stark reality.
“Raquel dear, I haven’t been laid in a month. I think my balls may have shrunk back up into my stomach which is not helpful to my reputation. Heathcliff my man, good to see you. As you can see, I’m in a bit of a bind here and was hoping you could help me out. All bad puns intended.”
Raquel paled as she took in the horrific sight of her brother. Her slim hand covered her mouth and tears ran down her cheeks. “What happened to you?” she whispered in a strangled voice.
“Good question. I may have fucked the wrong gal,” he mused with a smile on his lips that didn’t come close to reaching his eyes.
“Stop it,” she hissed and tried to approach the bars of the cage.
Her attempt to get closer was in vain. The magic hissed and turned a vicious and sparkling blood red. It curled into the shape of large hands and threw her back. I caught her in my arms and held her firmly. There was no way in Hell she was doing that again. Whoever had warded the cell was determined to keep Gareth inside and all others away. The magic was powerful and as black as they came.
“Who put you here?” I asked as I kept a solid hold on Raquel in case she tried again.
Gareth observed my grip on his sister with great interest. With a raised eyebrow and a smirk, he chuckled. “As to your question—I have no fucking idea who put me here. But I have a question for you… Is there something the two of you would like to share?”
“Heathcliff and I are mated,” Raquel said as she stared at her brother.
He was silent and watched her strangely. “You’re serious?” he asked as he attempted to stand.
His chains weighed him down and he fell to the floor with a sickening thud. I felt Raquel’s gasp in the pit of my stomach. My instinct was to lash out at him. Did he too think I wasn’t good enough for his sister? The simple fact that his pride was suffering blows more painful than any words I could throw at him was the only thing that held me back.
He crawled to the edge of the cage and tried to reach for his sister. The spell zapped him and his weak form was blasted back to the corner of his prison.