Dark Dream

DARK DREAM

DARK DREAM The Immortals: Book 2

By Zanne Farrell

2

Zanne Farrell

The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DARK DREAM Copyright (c) 2006 by Zanne Farrell ISBN: 1-59836-243-7 Cover art and design (c) 2006 by Dan Skinner All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form without permission, except as provided by the U.S. Copyright Law. Printed and bound in the United States of America. For information, you can find us on the web at www.VenusPress.com

3

DARK DREAM

Dedication:

To Jon

4

Zanne Farrell

Chapter One

“You have got to be freakin’ kidding me!” Ainsley Thomas stomped her foot and screamed into the chilly January night. This was a nightmare. Pressing her hands against her temples, she took a deep, cleansing breath. The cold air stung as it rushed into her lungs. It didn’t help. Snow piled knee-high on either side of the narrow sidewalk. Pacing, she ran her hands through her hair and cursed her bad luck. The sound of the snow crunching beneath her loafers echoed around the quiet street. Why tonight? Why now? With a throbbing headache and aching feet, she wanted to go home. Where is my car? It was late, she was in a very undesirable section of town, and she had to teach in the morning. Oh yeah, and she was pissed. God, she needed to get out of this damn town. Nothing good ever happened to her here. Why did she stay? Had she left home for college? No. She stayed all four years at the local University. Had she left to find a job after graduation? No. She taught in the same school she attended as a kid. But soon… Soon she’d have enough money saved to collect experiences she’d only read about in books, wine tasting in France, skiing in Switzerland, running with the bulls in Spain. Soon, she could say she’d done all those things. Assuming she wouldn’t have to buy a new car! She paced the sidewalk, chewing on her thumbnail. Yeah, this was a nightmare all right, a living, breathing freakin’ nightmare. 5

DARK DREAM

Or maybe it was a sign. She’d been asking for a sign, anything to tell her she needed to move on. Get the hell out of Dodge. This town’s no good. For twenty-seven years she’d lived in Denver. Her parents were in Denver. Her grandparents. Every guy she’d ever dated and/or had sex with. Every guy she’d ever wanted to date and/or have sex with. Well, except Brad Pitt. Brad wasn’t in Denver. Maybe she should go to California. Shrugging, she sighed. Yep, this was a sign, all right. But did it have to be her car? “Is there a problem?” Ainsley jumped and turned toward the sexiest voice she’d ever heard. Obscenely low, she could feel it in her chest, her bones and her core. The deep timbre seeped through her pores like warm honey. It filled every inch of her with heat. A man leaned against the base of a shot-out street lamp several feet away from her. With his ankles crossed, his arms were folded over his chest. Without the aid of the streetlight, only the pale thin fabric of his shirt was visible. It moved easily in the frigid evening breeze. The rest of him was nothing more than a shadow, an outline. But it didn’t matter. She could feel his presence. He exuded sex. Her pulse quickened and the air around her warmed by several degrees. “Yes, there’s a problem. See this spot?” She motioned with her hand to the empty asphalt in front of her. “This is where I parked my car.” “There’s nothing there.” Ainsley paused to let his voice ricochet through her body. It did things to parts of her that had to be illegal. “That would be the problem,” she finally said. Closing her eyes, she slowly counted to ten. If the man hadn’t been standing there all hot and sexy, she might have worked herself into a frenzy. Instead, he did it for her. With the grace of a trained dancer, he pushed himself from the light-post and walked towards her. His swagger, the way his body moved so fluidly, so erotically, reminded her of a tiger on the prowl. There was a raw possession in his eyes, a glowing hunger that stole her breath. 6

Zanne Farrell

His long, lean body seemed to call to her. The energy flowing from him pulled at her and a shiver of apprehension spread through her. As he reached her, he lowered his head. “I think your car's been stolen,” he whispered. The warmth of his breath fanned her cheek. It trickled down her skin, before dissipating into the night. She sucked in a breath. An ache moved through her that started in her face and ended, most decidedly, between her thighs. The scent of musk and spice, his scent, filled her lungs. Intoxicated her. Body heat rolled from him like water off a windowpane and swirled around her before pooling at her feet. “Ya think?” Her voice sounded breathy as she struggled to regain control. How could she have such an intense reaction to a perfect stranger? He chuckled. The sound skipped along her skin. Her wet pussy clenched. “I’m Noble Rothwell,” he said, extending his hand. Ainsley hesitated only for an instant. The second they touched, electricity arched between then and she jumped. “Ainsley Thomas,” she said, more than a little startled by the jolt. Noble’s eyes locked with hers and she felt herself falling. The depth of his eyes, the pull of his body sent her spinning wildly. Her mind became a whirl of sensation. She didn’t even try to grab for an anchor. To her disappointment, a siren a few blocks away forced her back to reality, the sidewalk and her stolen car. Damn, he had great eyes. “It’s very nice to meet you, Ainsley Thomas.” Noble cradled her hand in his before raising it to his lips. Like the softest of whispers, he kissed her knuckles. His hair brushed her skin and his eyes never left her face. The hunger in his gaze, the primal need that brewed in the fathomless blue of his eyes, singed her very soul. He was beautiful. There was no other way to describe him. His features were angular and strong; hair the color of gold brushed the tops of his shoulders. He looked like he’d stepped off the cover of a romance novel. His shirt fit loosely about his broad shoulders and hung open at the neck revealing the beginning of what promised to be an amazing chest. His dark pants formed to him like a glove, as if they were sewn onto his body, and were tucked into leather boots that reached his knees. 7

DARK DREAM

Ainsley licked her lips as her mouth turned dry. Pulling her hand from his, she shoved it in the pocket of her skirt. What else could she do? Her knuckles tingled. The sensation teetered just enough on the edge of pain that she ached for more. God, if she had that kind of reaction to his touch. What would it be like if he…she didn’t dare finish her thought and stifled a moan. Stop! You’re acting like a sex-crazed schoolgirl. The corners of Noble’s mouth twitched. Heat spread on Ainsley’s face. He couldn’t know her thoughts, could he? “Do you live around here?” he asked, breaking their silence. “Uh.” He brushed a wayward strand of hair from her face. A trail of fire followed his hand across her cheek. It was all she could do not to turn into his touch. “No,” she finally blurted, proud that she’d come up with the answer, “I don’t live around here. I only work here. Part time. In that bookstore, there.” She pointed to the store she’d left moments before. Had it only been moments? “I’m a teacher really. Middle school. I only work here. Oh, I said that already.” Twisting her hands, she looked toward the sky. Why was she rambling? Above her the stars twinkled brightly. The air was cool, almost cold. No surprise. It was midwinter in the Rockies. Yet she felt incredibly warm. Like she burned with fever. She had a fever all right, the I-need-to-see-this-guy-naked fever. Obviously it’d been a long time, too long, since she’d been with a man. When she looked back at him, a smile spread on Noble’s face. And there were dimples. Big ones. Her pussy clenched tighter. There was nothing better than dimples, especially on a sexy man. And Noble Rothwell definitely fit into that category. She smiled. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m usually not this, uh…” Horny? Excited? Slutty? “…flighty. It must be my car.” They both glanced again at the empty spot by the curb. “Must be,” Noble said and his smile deepened. God, those dimples. 8

Zanne Farrell

“Can I take you home?” Yes! Yes! Yes! “I, um, need to call the police. And that might take awhile, so no.” Her heart crashed to her knees. “I’ll have the police officer take me home.” “How about if I wait with you while you talk to the police and then I take you?” He moved a little closer to her and ran a hand down the sleeve of her wool sweater. Her breasts swelled and her nipples peaked. Her heart lifted back to her chest and thumped wildly. Was this really happening? Only briefly did the thought “deranged psychopath” enter her mind before she forced it out with a vengeance. He isn’t deranged. Look at him. He’s smokin’ hot. Psychos have wild, crazy eyes, not the kind that you want to get lost in forever. On hindsight, not the best logic in the world but he was gorgeous and had her body quivering from his touch. That kind of thing didn’t happen to hometown schoolteachers named Ainsley Thomas. “That would be nice,” she said, outwardly smiling and inwardly punching her fist in the air. What could it hurt to have him wait? The cops would arrive…eventually. Kindling sparked in her gut and spread like wildfire. Safety was suddenly the last thing on her mind. Noble chuckled. The low, sexy sound had Ainsley’s heart beating double time. “Then it’s settled. I’ll wait with you and then I’ll take you…home.” Ainsley gasped and then dismissed her thought. Wishful thinking, Ainse. Reaching in her purse, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed 9-1-1. “Shall we go back into the store and wait?” He reached behind her and placed his hand on the small of her back. She jumped as a surge of energy raced up her spine and spilled into her like an erupting Roman candle on the Fourth of July. Inhaling, she nodded and let him lead her toward the darkened store. “Oh, and Ainsley,” he said, leaning into her as she waited for the emergency dispatch to answer, “I intend to help you with your fever.” “911. Please state your emergency.” Ainsley sucked in a quick breath and her mind went instantly blank. What was her emergency again? 9

DARK DREAM

Chapter Two

“We’ll be in touch when we find your car.” The officer shook Ainsley’s hand and turned and nodded to Noble before he walked out the front door of the bookstore and disappeared into his squad car. “Well, that was fun,” Ainsley said as she dropped into one of the ratty chairs that sat to one side of the entrance. Noble smiled and watched her rub her temples and yawn. Fun wasn’t the word he’d use to describe the hour and a half inquiry about her car, her anti-theft practices and her insurance information. No, fun was not the term he’d use at all, bloody boring as hell was more his thought. “Are you hungry?” Her eyes were closed and her head flopped to one side. “Starving.” She answered without looking at him. “Why don’t we stop and get you something to eat before I take you home?” She smiled, her eyes still closed, and Noble’s heart skipped a beat. Did she realize how breathtakingly beautiful she was? How just looking at her sent his heartbeat and libido into overdrive? Her hair was dark as the richest of coffee and cut straight just above her shoulders. It was simple and elegant. Just like her. Her incredible eyes were a deep chocolate brown and her skin the color of cream. “Thanks for staying with me tonight,” she said, opening her eyes and smiling at him. “For a stranger, you have gone well above the call of a good Samaritan.” When she smiled her entire face lit up. She radiated youth and beauty and seemed so unaffected by it. It warmed him in a way nothing else ever had. “You’re welcome.” He tilted his head to her and reached for her hand. Lifting her from the chair, he pulled her close to him and inhaled. Lilacs and citrus, his new favorite scents. “Hmmm, you smell good,” he said, before leading her out of the bookstore. 10

Zanne Farrell

Turning the corner, they walked passed the spot Ainsley’s car once sat and she tensed next to him. “They’ll find it,” he said, returning his hand to the base of her spine. He liked touching her. No, that wasn’t strong enough. He needed to touch her. The way her skin quivered beneath his fingers made him hard with desire. He had eased her reservations of him back at the bookstore. A slight mental push freed her from her city-smart fear. Guilt nibbled in his gut and he dismissed it. He had no choice. He would never hurt her, but how could she know that? Necessary. Yes, his help was necessary. He shook his head, a four hundred year old teenager. How pathetic. But no woman had every made his body react as powerfully as Ainsley did. He was a vampire, the servant of the most powerful vampire in the world. Bound for all eternity to serve his master. Love and happiness weren’t in the cards for Noble. His life belonged to Ian LeMaster, the master vampire. He never regretted it, never longed for more until she came into the world twenty-seven years ago. He’d known her all her life, watched over her through her school years, college. He’d always stood in the shadows, away from her. His heart ached to talk to her, touch her. But something always kept him away. Maybe it was fear, maybe insecurities. Or maybe, it was the knowledge that until Ian was safe, he could never have her. And why tempt himself with something he could never really have. For five years, he’d followed Ian around the world chasing Ian’s enemy, Victor Petrikov, only to end up back in Denver. They’d come full circle. Now, with the showdown between the two vampires over and Ian victorious, Denver was where they’d stay. Here with Ainsley. Ian was now the ruler of all the vampires. The night he defeated Victor, Ian inherited the wolf as his animal to call. Kathryn, his partner, had gained Ian's animal, the leopards, as well as Ian's powers, a confusing and disturbing acquisition of her. As Ian and Kathryn struggled to discover and realize their newly found powers, and how to deal with them and each other, Noble was freer to take time for his own life. For him that meant finding and seducing Ainsley. To find her still in Denver, more beautiful than ever, gave him hope. Hope that maybe he had a chance for happiness. 11

DARK DREAM

“Wow, is this your car?” Ainsley’s voice broke into his thoughts. They stood beside a black convertible Porsche Boxter. Reaching in his pants pocket, he pulled out his key and unlocked the doors. Opening the passenger side, he smiled at her. “Yes, do you like it?” Her eyes widened and her excitement consumed him. Holy Hannah. This guy must be loaded! He stifled a laugh and fought the urge to comment on her thoughts. He could read her mind as easily as his own. She was his missing half, his soul. They’d been connected since the day she’d been born. He knew her thoughts, her wishes and her desires. His body pulsed with need, knowing that at that very moment, every thought she had was torrid, sexy and focused on him. Ainsley slid into the black leather seat and let out a long breath. “Wow. This is nice.” He chuckled as he closed her door. He liked that his car pleased her. Sitting in the driver’s seat, he put the key in the ignition. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her run her fingers along the dash and down the inside of the door, lightly caressing his car. Noble closed his eyes and held in a moan. God, if she would only touch him like that. His cock stiffened. God, he’s hot! Noble tried not to laugh but couldn’t help but smile. Maybe by the end of this night, he’d know what her touch on his skin felt like. What her body pressed into his, as she cried out his name, would be like. There was nothing he wanted more. Putting the car in drive, he sped away from the curb, his mind focused on getting Ainsley home and in bed. She’d long been embedded in his heart.

**** Noble stood on the steps of her apartment building, his mind warring with his groin. He wanted in her apartment, her bed and her body. The drive here had been sheer torture. They’d stopped at a drive-thru and grabbed some food. He watched her slowly eat the burger, each and every fry. The way her tongue licked the excess sauce from her lips, the way her lips parted and closed with each bite, drove him crazy. 12

Zanne Farrell

He had to touch her, feel her beneath him, around him. He needed to know if she tasted sweet or savory, hot as jalapeños or cool as mint. It was a need more primal than blood or oxygen. But should he plant the suggestion in her mind? Would it be satisfying knowing she wasn’t inviting him by her own choosing? He continued to keep her apprehensions of him at bay. Was that enough? “You want to come in for a minute?” she hesitated as she spoke and didn’t look him directly in the eye. Perspiration beaded on her upper lip and she fidgeted nervously with her keys. Her body screamed, take me now, to his. Oh, he would definitely oblige. He smiled at her. “Yes, I’d like that.” When she smiled back, his mind melted around the edges. She had a beautiful smile. Opening the glass door, she led him into the building and through a well-lit hallway. He knew that her apartment was number twelve, at the top of the stairs. He’d known it since the day she’d moved in, seven years ago. When they entered her apartment, he slowly closed the door, grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to him. There would be no more waiting. His body demanded he kiss her. The ache to feel her body pressed into his nearly brought him to his knees. No, the wait was over. Every instinct he had demanded he slam his mouth into hers. Taste her. Devour her. But he fought. Fought with every ounce of strength he had. The need rolling through him was enough to make a mere mortal man combust. But he was no mere mortal. He was a vampire, a very old vampire with a voracious appetite for Ainsley. Time stood still as he moved his mouth to hers. When their lips touched an explosion of hunger erupted in him that caused him to stagger. Focus was no longer his. His eyes remained open but he could no longer see. Sparks burst deep within him. Crackling and snapping, pinpricks of electricity zapped every cell they touched as they raced through him. His body trembled and his cock grew as hard as granite. First, he nibbled her bottom lip, willing himself control. Unwilling to risk frightening her with his desire, he vowed to take this slow. It was necessary for them both. She was the one. His mate. For that he would move heaven and earth to make their first 13

DARK DREAM

time together, this time, perfect. They deserved nothing less. He pressed his lips into hers. Soft and inviting, they were like sweet chocolate melting against his. She responded by placing her hands on his shoulders and pressing herself into him. His skin burned from her touch. It was as he’d imagined all those lonely nights away from her. Those long miserable nights when he yearned for her, cried out for her. When he believed finding his love was no more than a fantasy never to be realized. But now, with her body molded to his, he knew without a doubt, that the fantasy had become reality. The perfect yin to his yang, she was his. Passion surged in his gut. It stole his breath. Wrapping his arms around her, he deepened their kiss and inhaled. The scent, her scent, filled him and his head spun. As if made of porcelain, he gently brushed his fingers along her body. The lines and curves of her shoulders, waist and hips, deepened his need. The perfect blend of female, she was hard and soft in all the right places. A moan, deep and guttural, threatened to escape. He slid his hands to the swell of her ass and gently caressed her, lightly squeezed and moved to her back. He outlined her lips with his tongue, tracing their plump edges, teasing them apart. When they opened, inviting him in, he flicked in and out in rapid succession. She tasted like the sweetest of wines, the richest of desserts and the rarest of fillets. The flavor was intoxicating. He needed more. Always more. Unwilling to miss a single inch of her, he stroked her teeth, her tongue and the insides of her lips. The flavors changed with each taste, inviting more exploration, more discoveries. She tasted like heaven, sweet and savory all at once. A moan reverberated from her that sent a bolt of need slicing through him. An urgent demand erupted deep within him, one as elemental as air and water. His fangs elongated and a building scream threatened to shatter his control. With all his will, he pulled away and looked at her. Brushing her hair from her face and behind her ear, he smiled. “I’ve been wanting to do that all night.” He ran the back of his hand down her cheek. Images of velvet and satin formed in his mind. Ainsley’s eyes darkened and her lids grew heavy. “So have I,” she answered. Her words were airy. The rise and fall of her breasts as she tried to catch her breath begged his attention. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, Ainsley.” 14

Zanne Farrell

Her cheeks flushed and she glanced away. Reaching for her chin, he lifted her mouth to his. Oh God, yes! Yes indeed, he thought as he devoured her mouth like a starved man and she a blood rare steak. Ainsley struggled to catch her breath. The things Noble did to her mouth were pure sin. Every nerve ending in her sprang to life. The heat ignited in her gut only a few hours before, suddenly blazed wildly and threatened to consume her. “Let’s move to the living room,” she said. Her lips, hell her entire body, cried out when she parted from him. Pressed against her, his body was rock hard; his skin smooth as satin. With her hands still resting on his broad shoulders, she kneaded his muscles. They leapt and twitched beneath her touch. The thin fabric of his shirt did little to block the heat of his flesh. It radiated from his skin like steam. She let her hands fall down his arms. The way his biceps and forearms jumped at her touch caused her fingers to tingle. He nodded, not saying a word and slowly walked her backwards, out of her foyer into her living room. With their bodies still pressed together, the bulge of his pants rubbed against her pelvis seductively. Her pussy clenched tighter and molten liquid drenched her folds. She closed her eyes and let the rhythm of their walk stoke her need. His body seduced her. He lowered her to the couch and stood before her, his eyes locked on hers. In their blue depths she saw his hunger, his unrelenting passion and it stole her breath. “I have waited for you for a thousand lifetimes.” He sat next to her and lifted her sweater over her head. Her nipples hardened to bulbous nubs as he slid her bra from her shoulders. Take me now! She wanted to scream. Hot and wet with need, her body ached to feel him. “You are so beautiful,” Noble mumbled as he leaned her back and kissed the tops of her breasts. Her body rippled with pleasure. Tiny flames lapped at her flesh. She was falling, her body lost in sensation. 15

DARK DREAM

Closing her eyes, she let her head fall back and ran her hands through her hair. His tongue licked and teased her breasts. Scalding heat spread through her. She shuddered as he sucked in one nipple, while he twisted and tugged on the other. Her pussy clenched tighter. She was losing herself in the barrage of sensations. Her body was no longer her own. He possessed her, controlled her. His touch was her ruler, his mouth her master. A low moan bounced along her skin and suddenly his hands were everywhere, her hair, her back and her breasts. They were naked. How that happened she didn’t know, didn’t care. Her body was one exposed nerve. Every touch, every sound sent a tidal wave of pleasure crashing through her. The heat in her was building, sweeping her in a whirlwind of pleasure. He found her moist folds and instantly all thought was gone. Rubbing her tender flesh, he spread her legs wider. “Please,” she whispered. She wanted him with every fiber of her being. Wanted his hard body pressed into hers, his strong mouth devouring her. The need overwhelmed and surprised her. He stood and extended his hand. “Come.” She stared at his cock as he stood in front of her. Hard. Ready. Huge. Leaning, she rested her hands on his narrow hips. She kneaded her fingers into his taught flesh and gazed up into his eyes. They glowed a deep sapphire blue. He took her hand and lifted her from the couch. “Come,” he said again and she followed. As they entered the bedroom he turned and looked right through her. His gaze swept across her body. Energy seemed to race around the room, sweeping her up in its wake. And she shuddered. His mouth crashed into hers, his tongue searched, probed and she eagerly allowed him access. Grabbing her ass, he lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his waist. All the while his tongue explored her mouth deeper. Her mind spun wildly and she fought to stay focused. The head of his shaft pressed against her nub and she cried out. Electricity pulsed through her. With feverish need, she rocked her hips, moving her clit over him, forcing him to stroke her. A firestorm moved through her, incinerating everything in its path and still she needed more.

16

Zanne Farrell

Heat overtook her. Mindlessly, she bucked and writhed with pleasure. Her channel ached and was slick with liquid fire. If only he would take her. Never had she had such a need. Her mind clouded and all reason left her. The energy in the room circled and wrapped around them. Like a shawl of the finest of fabrics, it held her to him and him to her, neither able to break free and neither wanted to. A moan started somewhere near his feet and built until it echoed through the room. He craved her taste, her flavor and her sweetness. The need to consume her, swallow her whole, was overwhelming. She was his life, his mate. His body recognized her explicitly, ached for her relentlessly. As if she weighed nothing, he lowered her onto his cock, impaling her to him. Spikes of pleasure shot through him as she cried out in pleasure. Her head thrown back, her eyes were wild. Slowly, carefully, as if he held the most delicate of dolls, he moved her up and down on his shaft. Her hot wet sheath pulled at him, milked him. He felt every slick, wet inch of her as she tightened around him. “Oh God!” she cried. His fangs lengthened and he fought to keep from biting her. Walking toward the bed, he lowered her to the pale comforter and carefully pulled out of her. His heart ached from her absence. With lidded eyes, she smiled at him and his heart shattered into a million pieces. His mate. His Ainsley. Lifting her legs over his shoulders, he cupped her ass in his hands and bent to her. Taking her wet, slick folds in his mouth she arched into him and moaned. So sweet, so wet. She smelled earthy, womanly. The taste was like the sweetest confection, something he would crave forever. Never would he have enough. He plunged his tongue deep into her and she cried his name. Lapping at her, he could feel her climax build. Her excitement was palpable. Like a starving man, he devoured her pussy, pulling and sucking her juices. He savored them like fine champagne, relished every drop. He rubbed her nub and continued to suck. With his tongue plunged deep inside her, she flailed and cried out. All around him, her cries echoed. His body ached but he needed her release. To know that he could pleasure her was his only focus. 17

DARK DREAM

“Please, take me,” she cried. Her body was hot to the touch. She was a smoldering fire and he her kerosene. “Anything for you,” he said, and lowered her back to the bed. When he slammed his cock in her they came together, his body fragmenting into a thousand bursts of energy. Her pussy stroked him, her muscles contracted and quivered around him. As he spilled his seed deep inside her, tears stung the backs of his eyes. In all his centuries he barely dared dream of this moment. Could only wish that he would find his mate. Lowering himself to her, he gently kissed her swollen, ripe lips. Before the dawn he would take her again. She was his life, his soul and his love. His Ainsley. "Vous êtes la mienne a jamais.” Ainsley smiled and nipped at his neck. “You speak French.” “Yes, I do.” “I love the language. What does it mean?” “Ah,” he kissed along her jaw and blew lightly in her ear. “I will share that with you another day.” She smiled and ran her finger over his lips. “Okay, well, I have ten bucks that says you can’t do that again.” Noble laughed and wrapped Ainsley in his arms. “My darling, you have no idea the things I can do.”

**** The sun streamed into her room and gently woke Ainsley from a deep sleep. Rolling, she stretched. Battered and sore, her body hurt in places she’d have never thought possible. How many times had they made love? Fucked? And made love again, too many to count. Contracting and releasing each of her muscles, she tried to work out the kinks from only a couple of hours before. Amazing. No other word described it. She smiled and turned to face Noble. Her heart had never felt so light, her body so spent. Yet, just the thought of him lying next to her, his hard perfectly sculpted body beside her, sent heat through her. God, it rocked waking up next to a… Her heart stopped. Noble was gone. Left on the pillow was a single, blood red rose. 18

Zanne Farrell

Lifting it, her pulse raced wildly and pain stabbed at her heart. Wham, bam, thank you ma’am and he’s gone. Swallowing passed the lump in throat; she berated herself for the tears that stung her eyes. Sniffing the rose, she saw a note and her chest tightened. Thank you for giving me a dream. Throwing the note on the floor, she lay back and buried herself in the covers. A vice tightened around her chest and it hurt to breathe. “Yeah, that’s me. Ainsley Thomas: Dream Giver.” You’re so stupid! She plopped her pillow over her head and willed herself to sleep. With twenty minutes before her alarm went off, just a couple more minutes might help her mood. The last thing she needed was to sit and stew about last night, and Noble. Mostly Noble. Her nipples hardened and her stomach tilted. He’s gone, Ainse. Get over it. He was probably engaged and this was his last hurrah. God, she didn’t even know what he did for a living. What kind of desperate whore had she turned into that she slept with--no there was no sleeping done last night. She’d fucked a total stranger, plain and simple. Her heart ached and her stomach hurt. It had felt like so much more only a couple of hours ago. Thank God she was on the pill. That would just be icing on the cake, now wouldn’t it? Rolling her head around on the bed, she let out a long, slow breath. Yeah, that would be the icing. Damn, I need to get out of this town. A tear slid down her cheek.

19

DARK DREAM

Chapter Three

Noble awoke the second the sun slid passed the horizon. He needed to feed and attend to Ian. Something wormed through his body, something heavy and angry. Frustration. Sitting up from his bed, an ache balled in his gut. He wanted Ainsley next to him, wanted to feel the heat of her body pressed into his. He rubbed his thighs. His body was heavy, lethargic from his sleep and lack of food. Soon, very soon. Stepping from the bed, with a wave of his hand he was dressed. His mind focused on feeding, tending Ian and returning to the bookstore to see Ainsley. A rumble started deep within him, like plates shifting beneath the earth. He needed her. He connected with her mind. It was easier now than it had ever been. Now, he had an emotional bond with her. She knew, at least her body knew, he was her mate. And soon her heart and mind would know as well. The flood of possibilities filled his heart like a song. She stood behind the counter of the bookstore, mindlessly flipping through the pages of a magazine. Her thoughts were full of him, her pain and her anger. Pain and anger? He shook his head and broke the connection. He didn’t want to risk her discovering his invasion. There was a very real chance she could see into his mind as well. It was far too soon for that. What he had to do, as a vampire and a servant, he had to keep from her. When would he share the secrets of his life? He ran his hands through his hair and rubbed his scalp. When indeed, being fully human, with no psychic talents or hidden gifts, would she be able to understand? Walking out of his bedroom and down the long hall to the stairs that lead to the first floor, he chuckled more out of annoyance than humor. How would he deal with Ainsley 20

Zanne Farrell

and her not having psychic ability? And how would she deal with the truth of his existence? His aching body rebelled with every step. Oh, she had ability. Serious ability. The ache in his body reminded him of her incredible abilities. With every step he was painfully reminded of just what that woman, his woman, could do, and God how he wanted more. Always more. Would he ever be satisfied? He doubted it. How could he be, hundreds of years alone and now, now he had a partner, a mate? No, he would never have enough of his beauty. But could she accept him? The undead? A servant? Reaching the top of the stairs, he stopped and grabbed the keys to his Porsche and his long brown leather jacket. He would need his car to go see her. Desire curled in the pit of his stomach. Soon, he reminded himself. Shoving the keys in his pocket, he walked out the door. The night was cool, the breeze light. His hair blew lightly around his face and he absently took a leather thong from his pocket and fastened it loosely at the nape of his neck. Turning from locking the door, he effortlessly leapt into the air. As he sailed to a park in the heart of the city, the air moved around him in caressing currents. With his energy low, he needed to feed. Oh, my darling. You must understand, he thought as the landscape changed beneath him. There she was. Flying lower he readied himself. She sat waiting for him. Always in the same place in the park, the woman he knew well sat as she was instructed. As she had been so many nights before. Landing behind a tree, he walked toward the bench where she sat, his heart heavy in his chest. Feeding would never be the same again. He wanted Ainsley flowing through his veins, Ainsley filling his depleted heart, swelling his starved cells. Would that ever happen? “Noble, love, I’ve been waiting.” The woman turned to him and smiled. Walking around the bench, he sat next to her. Without his asking, she exposed her neck. It was always the same. The same women, the same unsatisfying process. He hated drinking from those he didn’t care about. Dammit to hell! It wasn’t fair. Frustration and anger uncurled and stretched in his abdomen like a beast waking from slumber. He stroked the woman’s cheek and willed his emotions to calm. 21

DARK DREAM

Emotions were futile, pointless luxuries for a man like Noble. He was a servant. His needs and desires were so low on the chain of importance; he doubted they counted for anything. This was his fate. Dwelling on it changed nothing. He needed to accept it and move on. When his fangs elongated, he sighed and pierced the woman’s flesh. Her blood no longer tasted sweet. Bitter and sour it swirled in his mouth and ran down his throat. Or were those his emotions clouding his taste buds? The woman shook and convulsed next to him, her breath raspy and her heartbeat wild and thunderous. She orgasmed, making her blood flow stronger, its taste more pungent. He usually enjoyed making his meals come, feeling them writhe and gyrate next to him, smelling the damp heat of their excitement. Tonight he felt nothing. Tonight he could only think of Ainsley. Discontent left a foul taste in his mouth. Finished, he licked the puncture marks closed. His saliva stopped the blood flow and erasing the marks. When he stood he smiled down at the woman. “What is your name?” he asked, realizing he didn’t even know that much about her. “Mary,” she answered, her eyes swimming in her head, her breath short and shallow. “Thank you, Mary.” Mary nodded and smiled at him with clouded eyes.

**** As Noble entered Ian’s chambers, the soft glow of light emitted from the rock walls brightened. “Master,” he said, and lowered his eyes. Ian sat dressed on the edge of the bed while his partner still slept beneath the covers. Envy boiled through Noble like molten lava. Oh, to awaken with Ainsley asleep next to him. With her dark hair fanned across his pillow and her breath quietly whistling. Now that he’d felt her, tasted her, released in her, he couldn’t get enough. She was a drug; a sweet thick elixir and his body craved her like an addict. 22

Zanne Farrell

His position as servant was something he’d never questioned until he got his first taste of true happiness. Now everything had changed and he didn’t know how to fix it. And he didn’t want to. Ian stood and moved to Noble. Silently, Noble removed his shirt, one of his only remaining human habits. It was ridiculous really. He could change clothes with a thought. But after all these centuries he could still hear his mother reminding him to not stain his shirt. So he removed it. Leaning his neck to the side, the familiar sting of Ian’s fangs piercing his neck made him gasp. Instantly the pain was gone and the feel, the erotic pull of his blood being sucked from his veins made his cock hard and his body tremble. It had taken him many years to get used to the idea of coming at the hands--or mouth as the case may be--of a man. He liked women, all women. And the thought that a man sucking on his neck caused him to orgasm had made him completely and totally ill for decades. But he’d eventually learned it wasn’t about gender or preference. It was about the giving of blood, the fluid of life. And when blood is sucked from the body, as it’s forced to leave the safety of its veins, the sensations it causes to one’s very core are mind blowing. He’d learned to simply go with the pleasure. It only took seconds for Noble’s body to shudder. His muscles contracted and released in time with his throbbing cock. It was only a few minutes more and Ian was satiated. Finished, Ian licked the marks on Noble’s neck and walked away. In the bed behind them, Kathryn, Ian’s partner, stirred. “Am I needed this night?” Noble asked. With a wave of his hand, he was completely dressed again. “We are meeting with the Were council tonight. There is increased violence in the south end of town and the Were-leopard leader has asked for our help.” Noble’s heart sank into his gut. He’d hoped to spend the evening with Ainsley. Ian studied Noble. Silence stretched before them like a country road. Noble’s heart beat heavy in his chest. How could he tell Ian, his master, he wanted, no needed, time away? 23

DARK DREAM

One night. Was that too much to ask? Noble sucked in air between his teeth and willed himself to speak. But his vocal chords froze. What was the matter with him? He was a ruthless killer and the right hand man to the most feared vampire in the world. And he couldn’t speak? Couldn’t make a simple request? He’d known Ian for all his existence and had never asked for anything. Wasn’t he due? “You have plans?” Noble exhaled loudly as relief flooded his body. “Yes, I have plans.” “Fine. Go.” Ian waved him out of the room, his face neutral. “I will eventually need you in on this, but tonight you are free.” Noble bowed his head and turned to leave. “I hope she’s worth it.” “Master?” Noble stopped. “The woman who has your emotions on edge. I hope she’s worth it.” Ian winked and turned to Kathryn who stirred in the bed. “She is definitely worth it,” Noble muttered before leaving the room.

**** Ainsley hung up the phone with the cab company a little harder than she’d intended. She wasn’t her usual cheerful self this evening. It had been a hell of a long day. The students at school had been particularly nasty. It was the last day before winter break and their behavior was expected, she knew that. Even the customers had annoyed her to no end. It wasn’t like her to be so pissy. She’d just had her car stolen the night before. Why wouldn’t she be in a foul mood? But a voice in her head kept reminding her of the real reason she was upset. Him. Noble. It was entirely fault. Well, mostly his fault. If he hadn’t had such a talented mouth, and his hands had been a little amateurish and his body not fit so perfectly next to hers. Yes, it was totally his fault. Mindlessly, she closed out the days register and readied the night deposit. Her body still crackled from the night—and morning—with Noble. Dammit! Shoving the money into the bag, she cursed. Of course he was too perfect. And being too perfect, meant that he wasn’t perfect at all. He had fatal flaws, the largest of 24

Zanne Farrell

which was being a deceitful, slimy son of a bitch! Being angry with him felt much better than being angry with herself. She tucked the bag under her arm and huffed to the back of the store to turn off the lights and lock the storage room. Behind her the bell from the door jingled. “Sorry, we’re closed,” she called over her shoulder not stopping to see who’d entered. Locking the storage room, she continued on her mental tirade listing all of Noble’s shortcomings, when a sound caught her attention. Turning, a person stood directly behind her, a ski mask pulled over his face. Both hands were stuffed into his coat pockets. Ainsley couldn’t make out the person's features. But because of his size, she guessed him to be male. “Can I help you?” she asked. Her heart beat erratically in her chest and her throat constricted. A thick wet film covered her body. Stay calm. This is no time to panic. “I’d like to have that.” He pulled one hand from his jacket and pointed to the moneybag tucked under Ainsley’s arm. His voice was low and gravely. Fear wrapped its fingers around her lungs and squeezed. A bead of sweat ran down her forehead, stinging her eye. Not daring to move, she simply blinked rapidly. Removing his other hand, he held a gun and pointed it directly at Ainsley’s face. “Here,” she said, and handed over the bag. The man’s hand trembled. He unzipped the bag, alternating pointing the gun at her and maneuvering the canvas pouch. “I want into the safe.” His voice cracked and was an octave higher than the first time he spoke. “There’s nothing in the safe but a couple of rare books.” The man dropped the bag and backhanded her. The side of the gun hit her cheek. White-hot pain erupted in her face and she fell backwards. Her head cracked against the wall and another pain exploded in her head. “Look, bitch. Don’t screw with me. Give me the money!” His voice quivered. Ainsley tried to focus but the man had grown a second head and white spots flashed around him. Searing pain rampaged through her cranium, slamming into every cell and 25

DARK DREAM

tissue in her head and neck. A high-pitched tone rang in her ears and she whimpered. A thick fog encroached on her brain. Do not pass out! Do not pass out! The man lunged toward her and grabbed her by her hair. With a powerful tug, he pulled her to her feet and she screamed. “Walk to the fucking safe and give me the money!” The back door slammed open. A gust of frigid air swept through the storeroom and the temperature dropped considerably. “What the…?” the man dropped Ainsley. The wall supported her upper body as she slumped to the floor. “Noble,” she whispered then gasped. Panic and fear like she’d never known burst in her chest. Noble had changed. His face had shifted, his chin elongated and his nose flattened to his face. What the hell is he? She struggled to breathe, while her knight in shining armor destroyed her attacker right before her very eyes.

26

Zanne Farrell

Chapter Four

“Just stay away from me!” Ainsley pressed herself against the wall as hard as she could, willing the wooden fibers to absorb her. Of course they didn’t. Hollering did nothing for the raging headache that seemed to have taken permanent residence in her head but she didn’t care. Noble had turned into a freakin’ monster. And had nearly killed a man. “It’s okay.” Noble walked slowly toward her. His palms were prone and he crouched low. It reminded her of how someone would approach a frightened animal. And that’s exactly how she felt, like a frightened animal. What had happened, what she’d just witnessed was like nothing she’d ever seen before. “No, it’s not okay. Stay away from me!” She wanted to scream at the pain that skewered her right temple but fought the urge. It seemed to be pulsing in beat with her racing heartbeat. She needed to calm down. But how, with that monster crouched in front of her. “Ainsley, it’s me, Noble.” He was almost to her. If she had even half an ounce of strength, she’d kick him in the groin and run. About all she could manage were a low groan and a twitch—not nearly as effective. “I don’t know who or what you are but please…” Her voice was barely above a whisper. Tears welled in her eyes. “…please just stay away.” Her voice broke. Taking her hand slowly in his, warmth worked up her arm. It moved into her shoulder and finally spread through her head. Like magic fingers, it calmed the bass drum that beat violently behind her eyes and cooled the heat building in the lump on her skull. “Ainsley, you don’t have to be afraid.” His voice swam through her like a swan on a calm lake. Majestically, it worked its way to the core of her fear and began calming her. “What are you?” The lump in her throat made swallowing difficult. Her mouth was suddenly dry. What she’d witnessed, what he’d done, was too horrific for words. 27

DARK DREAM

Noble swirled his fingers against the back of her hand in a rhythmic pattern. The heat that moved through her seemed to swirl in time with the rhythm of his fingers. It soothed her aches and eased her pain. She felt almost as good as new. Behind Noble, Ainsley’s attacker groaned. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him. “You know what I am,” Noble said simply, and helped her stand. Her terror melted away, replaced by an eerie calm. At first her legs wobbled and she feared she’d fall. But immediately she steadied. With her free hand on Noble’s arm, she felt his power, felt it bubble and roll beneath her fingers. The heat that swirled through her became charged. Why wasn’t she afraid? “Because you know me,” he said. “Can you read my mind?” she asked as calmly as if she’d asked him to pass the newspaper or take out the trash. Her lack of emotion puzzled her but she was no longer afraid. Yes, he answered. The word was a mere whisper in her conscience. The electricity continued to swirl through her. It left her mind and billowed into the rest of her body. It seemed to be what kept her calm, what kept her mind from going into meltdown. That had to be the explanation. “What are you?” she asked again. “I am a vampire.” She sucked in her breath and waited for her reaction. All she felt was his energy flowing through her, caressing her tissues and fibers, filling her with contentment. “A vampire,” she repeated. She looked at him closely. He didn’t look like a vampire. He looked young, sexy. Her fingers tingled at the memory of touching his skin, feeling his body pressed into hers. He hadn’t felt dead. “That’s because I’m not. I’m the undead.” “But you die every morning at sunrise.” He moved her out of the storage room and into the main room of the bookstore. Without glancing back, he waved his hand and her attacker muttered something. There was a shuffling sound and the opening and closing of the back door. “Will he be okay?” Did she really care? 28

Zanne Farrell

“He’ll be fine, a little sore and confused. But fine.” Ainsley nodded. Noble helped her to sit in one of the warn leather chairs. “Tea?” he asked. “The water is probably cold by now.” Wouldn’t it be? She’d lost all sense of time. How long had she been in the back? “It’s ten thirty,” he said without looking back at her. She heard him prepare her tea. Vampire. Undead. Bloodsucker. None of those words came to mind as he moved easily around the counter toward her. Hot. Sexy. Delicious. Those were the words she thought of. “Thank you,” he said, handing her the piping hot tea. “Okay, we need some rules about this mind reading.” She raised the teacup to her lips and tested the temperature. Perfect. “Understood. What are the rules?” He sat in the chair next to her and rested his forearms on his thighs. She licked her lips. His hair hung loosely around his face. His shirt opened just enough at the neck to give her a nice view of his smooth tanned flesh. Tanned flesh? “Why aren’t you pasty looking?” He chuckled. The sound sent spikes of need jumping through her gut. “That’s a myth. My skin is the same as it was the day I turned.” “And that day was…?” She took a sip of the tea and watched him carefully. He clasped his long elegant fingers together and tented his index fingers. “April twenty first, sixteen hundred and five.” His eyes narrowed and he tapped his pointed fingers. Ainsley did some quick math in her head. “That would make you…” “Four hundred years old,” he finished. She ran her tongue over her front teeth and looked around the floor. Four hundred years old. Holy crap. “Well, I have to say you don’t look a day over one hundred.” 29

DARK DREAM

He chuckled again and slowly blinked. “I’m thirty.” She nodded. Forever thirty. That didn’t seem all that bad. “How did it happen?” He intrigued her and that came as a surprise. Why wasn’t she frightened? Why didn’t she question his sanity? Or hers? “My becoming a vampire?” She looked over the rim of her teacup and nodded. Try as she might, she couldn’t get a visual of him in the seventeenth century. He was so elegant, handsome. “My family was killed and I was turned.” “Family?” “My parents and wife.” A pain that resembled a knife slicing through her heart seized her. “Your wife,” she repeated and coached herself to stay calm. Noble hadn’t thought of Meghan or his parents for so long. After seeing the pain and shock etched on Ainsley’s face, he wished he didn’t have to think of them now. It had been so long ago, such a different time and place. Four hundred years. The advances in civilization, too numerous to fathom, boggled his brain. He’d been young and foolish. The son of an Earl, he’d been married to the daughter of a wealthy landowner. A marriage of convenience, that’s how it was done in his day. It was all for the betterment of the family name and fortune. Love rarely entered into it. He sighed. They’d lived with his parents in London. Had grown into a comfortable life, but it wasn’t one full of happiness. They were so incompatible. They tolerated each other. Doing everything apart, they’d even slept in separate rooms. He’d had mistresses to serve his needs. His wife was his familial duty. But now here he stood, in the twenty first century, face to face with his soul mate, confronted with questions of his wife. “Yes, Meghan, that was her name, was my wife.” Ainsley held up her hand to stop him. Her crinkled chin and set jaw were the only clues she might be upset. “You don’t owe me any explanations. That was four hundred years ago.” She let out a long breath and rubbed her temples.

30

Zanne Farrell

It sounded strange even to him. Her confusion was justified. Gently, he pushed at her mind to help her understand. He needed her to understand. Nothing in his long life had ever been so important. “Yes it was.” He watched her carefully, looking for a hint to her thoughts. “Who turned you?” She sipped her tea, as if talking about vampires were as natural as talking about the Nuggets’ game schedule. He knew better and stayed connected with her mind. “Ian LeMaster.” “I’ve heard that name. Who is he?” She set the cup down and folded her hands in her lap. “He is the oldest and most powerful vampire in the world.” “No.” Noble raised his left eyebrow. “No?” “I mean that isn’t how I would know him. What does he do for a living? Or unliving.” Her eyes narrowed and she shook her head, as if the movement would help get her thoughts straight. “Wait, do vampire’s work?” The look of confusion on her face was priceless and Noble chuckled. “Yes, most vampires work. Ian owns a club in town, Club Crazed.” He waited a minute to give her time to process his words. “Have you heard of it?” he asked after she slowly raised her head and met his gaze. “Yes, and I think that’s how I know him. I have a friend who works there. He’s tall, dark curly hair?” “Yes, that’s Ian.” She nodded her head. “And he is the vampire that turned you.” It was a statement. “How can you stand to be in the same town as him?” Now it was Noble’s turn to be confused. He didn’t understand the question. Leaning into him, she rested her hand on his knee. Every cell leapt at her touch and he filled with desire. “He killed you.” He had to focus on something other than Ainsley to keep from taking her then and there. Her question. Forcing his senses to numb, he focused solely on her question. Relaxing, he smiled and leaned back in the chair. How to make her understand? Ian didn’t murder him. Ian saved him. 31

DARK DREAM

“The vampires that killed my family are the ones I hate. Ian gave me a choice—die like my family or help him hunt down the monsters that took my family from me.” At the time, it seemed like an easy decision. Centuries later, while he never aged and the world passed him by, he wasn’t so sure. “You had a choice?” Her question dripped disgust. “Yes. And to me it was a…” he tried to remember the catchy modern phrase he’d heard used so many times. “No brainer?” Ainsley asked. “Yes, a no brainer.” He looked into her eyes and his control instantly vanished. Oh, how he wanted to touch her, to entwine his fingers in her dark, silken hair. The heat of her body called to him. The copper scent of her blood rushing just beneath her skin floated in the air around him. Ainsley. His soul. For four hundred lonely years he’d walked the earth alone. His soul was nothing more than a black hole that only his partner, his mate, could fill. Ainsley. He would love her, cherish her and hope she’d understand and wait for him. He sighed deeply. The walls of the bookstore seemed to move in on him and the air grew thick. He needed to get out of there, needed to breathe the night air. Standing, he stretched his hand and she took it. Sparks lit up the room from their touch. “What is that?” Ainsley asked. Noble’s heart sang when she didn’t pull away. “It is our energies recognizing each other. Our bodies connecting with one another.” He pulled her to him, her body pressed against his. The way her curves, her lush body formed to his made him ache. His mate. He looked deep into her eyes. What he saw took his breath. Trust, pure and simple. He refused to think his mental push was what put her at ease. “Take me to your home,” she said, and nibbled on his neck. “Ainsley Thomas, I will take you anywhere you want to go.” Lowering his face to hers, he devoured her with a kiss. No, he would never be able to completely regain his soul, the human part of his existence, but God help him he was never giving Ainsley up. Ever. 32

Zanne Farrell

Chapter Five

Noble awoke the second the sun broke the plane of the horizon. His cock still rested deep within Ainsley, depleted and likely to stay that way until he fed. And just how was he to do that? He’d have to leave her. He hated the thought. But Ian had only given him the past night off. He had responsibilities. If he didn’t feed, he’d be no good to anyone. Sighing, he carefully removed himself from between her legs. Her ass scraped along the tender flesh of his shaft. If he were fed, the sensation would be more than he could stand and he would undoubtedly come. As it was, he could only imagine how it would feel. His body was too weak; the only response was a simple recognition of her touch. This was a time when he really hated being a vampire. As he rolled away from her, his skin cried out. He so desperately wanted to feel her again. Swinging his legs over the edge of his bed, he rubbed his face and cursed. “Come back,” Ainsley whispered and ran her nails lightly across the small of his back. He shuddered. God, what he wouldn’t give. Standing, he waved his hand and was dressed and ready. “Can you teach me that trick? It would really save me time in the morning.” Her voice was low. “Love, I can teach you anything you want.” “That sounds a little like a ‘said the spider to the fly’ kind of statement.” She sat up on the bed. Her hair hung loosely around her face, and her dark eyes drooped heavy with sleep. He needed to leave immediately or there’d be no telling what he’d do. Funny, until he fed, there was nothing he could do. Blood couldn’t really rush to his cock when there’s no blood to rush. “I will be back,” he said and turned to leave. 33

DARK DREAM

“Where are you going?” “I must feed and then I have to work. Stay here and rest, I’ll be back as soon as I can.” The pause hung in the air like a thick heavy fog. The tension was suffocating. “Oh,” she finally said and lay back down on the bed. Don’t hurry back then. Her thought stung more than if she’d slapped him across the face. Sometimes reading minds was the biggest curse of his entire existence.

**** Ian licked the bite marks closed on Noble’s neck and stepped back. Noble waved his hand and was fully clothed once again. “We must go to the club tonight. There are still problems with the leopards.” Ian moved to the bed and shook Kathryn. “My love, it is time to wake.” Jealousy needled at Noble’s gut. What he wouldn’t give to have Ainsley the way Ian had Kathryn, together for all eternity. “What is the problem?” Noble stood with his feet apart and his hands clasped behind his back. He longed to be with Ainsley. The pull to leave, to join her in his room was overwhelming. Listening to Ian took every ounce of his will power. “Dean Michaels, the leopard leader, is worried about some of his members. They seem to be engaging in some very, um, shall we say risky behavior.” Noble covered his mouth and coughed, trying to hide his smile. Risky behavior. That’s saying a lot for a group that believes orgies and bondage are safe activities. “Just what are they doing?” “To be honest, I’m not exactly sure but I think it has something to do with Werewolves.” Noble nodded in understanding. It wasn’t the first time the two Were groups tried to mix. Attraction amongst different races of humans was normal. Attraction between a cat and a dog always ended with someone dying. Ten times out of ten, the victim was a leopard. Would those damned creatures ever learn? “Kat, are you coming with us?” Ian asked his partner. 34

Zanne Farrell

“Do you need me?” Kathryn stood from the bed and walked past the men. A robe rested on a chair next to Noble. Reaching for it, she wrapped herself in the thick looking pile and turned back to the men. “They are your responsibility now,” Ian said. His eyes drank in the length of her causing Noble to turn away. “I didn’t ask for them. And I need to work.” Kathryn was a vampire slayer, a very interesting occupation for the mate of a master vampire. And now that she had his powers, she’d been thrust into the world of the vampires. From the look on her face, Noble could tell she still wasn’t all that accepting of her fate. “You go work. I’ll call you if we need you.” Ian smiled and her. When she turned to leave, Ian stopped her and kissed her throat. Noble’s gut clenched and once again averted his eyes. It was so fucking unfair. “Is there a problem?” Ian asked, once Kathryn left the room. “No.” Noble remained ramrod straight in the middle of the room. “She can meet us there.” “What did you say?” “You’re mate. Ainsley Thomas. I can smell her on you. She can meet us at the club.” Noble nodded his head and closed his eyes. Of course he’d know. “I can’t let you go,” Ian said, turning toward the bathroom. “Not until Kathryn is ready and I no longer need you.” “I understand.” But he didn’t. Anger roiled through him like a fireball, singeing his organs and tissue. Kathryn was Ian's other half. She should feed him, not Noble. With Kathryn in Ian’s life, Noble should be free to pursue his own life. But Kathryn refused to accept her transformation, her new powers. In his mind he understood. Hadn’t it taken him decades, a century even, to come to grips with whom and what he was? Expecting Kathryn, a vampire slayer, to do the same in a few weeks was being very unreasonable. “Yes. But Ainsley is your mate. You must keep her near. Now that you have made love with her, she has your scent. She is a target for our enemies.” Noble nodded curtly before following Ian out of his chambers and into the long dark hallway. He hadn’t thought of that. How could he have been so foolish? Of course 35

DARK DREAM

she was a marked woman now. The master vamp, and those around him were in constant danger of attacks. It was all part of the job. Mindlessly he moved through the pitch-black corridor. He intended to keep her near. Nothing could stop that. Not even the most revered vampire in the world.

**** Ainsley lay in bed and let the knowledge she’d gained over the past twenty-four hours sink in. She was sleeping with a vampire, a four hundred year old vampire. And was totally fine with it. Noble’s scent still lingered around her. It reminded her of the earth and sea, and it made her body tighten. It was as if she needed him. As if without him, her body was somehow incomplete. How had it happened? Standing, she walked around the large room and collected her clothes. The floor beneath her feet was warm and hard. The glow of soft lights imbedded in the rock walls illuminated the room. She had no memory of where this place was located or how she’d gotten there. Noble had her body coiled so tightly she couldn’t think straight. Bending to retrieve her panties, she saw a stack of clothes neatly folded in a large overstuffed chair. A note with her name written in perfect penmanship rested on the stack. He’d left clean clothes for her. The clothes she’d collected dropped to the floor and she reached for the note. For you. N. Picking up the pile, she started to dress. Jeans and a sweater, her favorites, and he’d gotten her favorite loafers. The guy was good, but good enough to forget he was the undead? Maybe her knock on the head last night was worse than she thought. It had to be. How could she be on board with this? Vampire. Yes. I am a vampire. Zipping the jeans, she let the feel of his voice flow through her head. Like a summer breeze it caressed her mind. We really need to discuss those rules about mind reading. “I suppose we do,” Noble said, walking into his bedroom. “And the rules about entering unannounced.” 36

Zanne Farrell

He smiled at her and her knees almost gave out. Vampire or not, he was hot. “Get dressed, we’re going to Club Crazed.” Pulling the sweater over her head, Ainsley narrowed her eyes and glared at him. “I am dressed. Thank you, by the way.” He bowed his head. “You are welcome.” He reached for her and ran a finger down her check. Goosebumps covered her skin. “Yes, you are dressed, but not for the club.” With a wave of his hand, her casual clothes vanished. In their place a flaming red, skintight dress appeared. It had more straps than she’d ever be able to figure out. Thank God for vampire magic. She’d never get in or out of it on her own. Her loafers were gone and red, paten leather stiletto heels graced her feet. She tugged on the hem of her skirt. Without a bra or underwear, she felt exposed. Finding her purse, she retrieved her compact and examined herself. Her breath caught in her throat. She looked like a--a--hooker. Noble’s eyes widened and he licked his lips. She could see by the strain on the front of his brown, leather pants that he liked the “working girl” look--a lot. “Let me go fix my hair and face.” Uncomfortable in the mid thigh dress, she needed a moment to calm her nerves and catch her breath. “You look beautiful,” he whispered, suddenly right next to her. His hands were everywhere at once. A myriad of sensations cascaded through her. Desire. Need. Lust. Passion. Heat moved through her as he kissed her neck. When his teeth grazed her skin, she jumped and pulled away. “Don’t. Please.” She fidgeted with her hemline and looked at everything but Noble’s eyes. She knew all too well what looking into those blue liquid pools did to her. If she wanted to hold on to her convictions, she had to look away. “Hey,” he said, lifting her chin. “I would never bite you.” He smiled and added, “Unless you wanted me to.” She swallowed hard and gave him a weak, half smile. Falling for a vampire was a little more complicated than she’d first thought. She would never want him to take blood from her, would she? A man can dream, can’t he? Ainsley snorted and walked toward the door. About those mind reading rules… 37

DARK DREAM

Chapter Six

The beat of the techno music pounded through Ainsley. She’d never seen so many people crammed into one place. Ever. But this was Club Crazed, strange things happened here. The overhead lights flashed a rainbow of color. The smell of sweat and sex filled her senses. The energy of the dancers sizzled around the room. It called to her, tried to pull her in. “Come,” Noble yelled and motioned toward the back of the club. Holding her hand, he wove them through the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. Bodies moved and bobbed all around them. Someone from behind grabbed Ainsley’s free hand and spun her around. Suddenly she was dancing between two women, her pelvis pressed into one woman’s ass while another’s was pressed into hers. Without much luck, Ainsley tried to squeeze herself out of the dancing sandwich. The two women’s pelvises swayed in unison and prevented her from doing anything but move with them. “You’re ve-ery beautiful. Come home with me,” the woman behind her purred in her ear. She nuzzled Ainsley’s neck and her breath spread across her skin. Licking a line to Ainsley’s earlobe, the woman gently suckled. Ainsley’s body tightened. With their bodies pressed so tightly together, grinding to the driving bass of the music, Ainsley wasn’t quite sure where one woman ended and she began. All six legs seemed to be tangled together. Heat from the women swarmed through her, her body ultra aware of their movement. Hands that couldn’t possibly belong to any of them slid up her thigh and brushed against her thatch of hair. Liquid desire drenched her folds. 38

Zanne Farrell

Ainsley rested her hands on the hips in front of her, just as the woman bent her body low and lifted her ass into Ainsley. Ainsley’s body ground in sync to the rhythm of the woman’s butt as it teased her. She should stop. It was wrong. But it felt so good. The woman behind Ainsley reached around and stroked her breasts. In one long swipe, her hand skimmed the tight red fabric and her already sensitive nipples hardened. Her pussy pulsed in wet heat. “So beautiful,” the woman purred again in Ainsley’s ear. The one in front ground her ass harder. Ainsley’s body was on fire, her blood burned hot in her veins. The driving rhythm of the music, the flashing lights and the energy of the dancers had sucked her in. Her body was alert and ready, her core smoldered. To her right, a man grabbed her hand and pulled her from the group, easily freeing her from the cluster. The women hissed and the man laughed. He was taller than Ainsley and considering she had on five-inch stilettos that said something. A seductive smile played at the corners of his mouth. His fingers wrapped around her hand as heat spread up her arm. He made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Gone were the desire, the fire and the need. This man scared her. Leaning into her, he sniffed her hair and the air around her. His hands rested at her waist, his fingers gently kneaded her flesh. Beneath his fingers, pinpricks of pain swirled through her muscles. “Ah, the smell of sex.” His eyes widened, turned eerie amber and shimmered. He sniffed the nape of her neck and nuzzled her. A growl low and deep escaped his mouth. Ainsley held her breath. The dancers in the club cleared a wide path for them. Moving his hands to the small of her back, he pressed her body into his. His hard-on pushed into her abdomen. Bile rose to the back of her throat and she swallowed hard. She gathered her wits and tried to push away from the man. Someone grabbed the back of her dress and lifted. She jumped, as a palm pressed into her right butt cheek. Noble! She didn’t have a scream loud enough to carry over the noise of the club. God, she hoped he hadn’t taken the mind reading rules to heart. 39

DARK DREAM

She sensed him before she actually saw him. Her body, already hyper aware from titillation, went into overdrive. The air around her cracked and popped. She could feel his anger whipping around her, picking up speed as he moved closer. “Stop!” Noble yelled and the man pulled away. With his hands in the air, palms out, he chuckled. The music faded along with the crowd. Only the three of them remained. Ainsley looked around in awe. A haze floated around them blocking out all other sound, sights and smells. It pulsed with color. Red. Blue. Green. “I knew she was yours, servant boy. I could smell you on her.” The man licked his lips and made a sound something like a snarl. Ainsley’s stomach turned and a damp film covered her. The quiet that surrounded them pressed down on her like a leaden weight. Her mouth went dry. “Don’t ever look at her again.” Noble’s eyes glowed red and the bones in his face shifted back and forth under his skin. Ainsley’s skin turned cold. “You wouldn’t want her to be with a real man, now would you, servant boy? That wouldn’t bode well for you, would it?” He spat the words at Noble. Servant boy? Noble grabbed the man by the lapels of his denim jacket and hissed. His face had changed completely. His jaw was longer, pointed and his nose was nearly flat to his face. His lips pulled back in a snarl and exposed long white fangs. “Noble, no!” Ainsley’s knees threatened to buckle and she teetered on her heels. Noble turned to her and she screamed. His appearance instantly returned to normal. Pain swam in the depths of his gaze. “Listen to the girl, servant. You’ll be taking orders from her, too.” The man chuckled. Around them the lights began flashing and the music pulsed. The haze slowly dissolved and the crowd returned. People moved around them in dancing swarms. The man backed into the crowd and vanished. “Come,” Noble hollered once again, this time pushing Ainsley ahead of him. With both hands on her waist, he steered her through the throng of people. His touch was hot through the fabric of her dress. Reaching a door at the back of the club, it opened on its own. After walking through, Ainsley stopped and turned to Noble. 40

Zanne Farrell

“What just happened?” The door closed and they were in a long hall. The music from the club was silenced and acoustic guitar music floated around them. “He was attacking you.” Noble’s hands still rested on her waist as they faced each other. He wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Who?” Ainsley rested her hands on his chest. His heart slammed into his ribs. Lightly, she rubbed her fingertips over the cotton shirt that covered his pecs. His heart calmed and the muscles in his chest relaxed. She tried to get him to look at her. In stilettos they were practically eye-to-eye. “Jared Williams.” “And who is that?” She rested her forehead against his and waited. His anger rolled off him in waves. She was quite sure that if she took her hands from his chest, she’d be able to run her fingers through it like flowing water. “He is the leader of the Werewolves.” “Werewolves,” she repeated. Oddly, she wasn’t shocked. If there were vampires why wouldn’t there be werewolves too? It seemed logical in the most illogical of ways. She ran her hand through his hair and back down to his chest. His muscles twitched. “Why did he call you ‘servant boy’?” Noble flinched as if he’d been backhanded. Taking a deep breath he slowly exhaled. “Noble, come in here. We’ve got trouble.” A man that looked an awful lot like Michael Hutchence from INXS entered the hallway. His dark brown curls hung loose around his face and his dark eyes were hard and merciless. Ian LeMaster. The man sweated power. The energy around them shifted and Noble straightened. “Ainsley, you may join us if you wish,” Ian said. His voice bellowed around them like thunder in a summer storm. The hairs on Ainsley’s arm stood on end. How did he know her name? Ainsley looked from Noble to Ian and back again. Noble stood at attention, like a soldier. His body straight, his eyes stared forward. “Yes, Master.” Noble said and turned to Ainsley. “Ainsley Thomas, Ian LeMaster.” He gestured toward Ian. “I am Ian’s servant.” 41

DARK DREAM

Ainsley’s gasped and her heart missed several beats. Servant? Noble? She didn’t know much about the hierarchy of vampire-dom but a servant in any culture wasn’t a good thing. And she couldn’t help but think that this was even less good for her and Noble. Noble brushed past her and moved down the hall not stopping to see if she followed. But then why would he? He could read her mind. We’ll talk later, please follow me. Even in her mind she could hear his desperation and sadness. And it nearly broke her heart.

**** Ainsley sat in a corner chair. With her long legs crossed, one of her stiletto heels dangled from her foot. He had to admit, he might have gone a little overboard with the stilettos. But he couldn’t help it. She looked as incredible as he knew she would. The lush curves of her body, her long toned legs. She was perfect, sexy. Desire rumbled deep within him. And she was his. Only his. Seeing her dressed so scantily, knowing that everyone near her wanted her, gave a little boost to his ego. It was petty and a little pathetic but he was in love with a woman he might never fully have. He had to take his pleasures where he could. “The leopards are threatening to wage a war against the wolves if Jared doesn’t find and stop whoever is killing leopard women.” In the room stood two of Ian’s most trusted men, David Manning and Nathaniel Wilson. Both vampires and both very old, they had been with Ian longer than Noble. He was the baby of the group. Noble rubbed his chin and tried to concentrate. His body was too aware of Ainsley’s proximity. He felt her sexual pull from across the room. It had his cock hard and his balls aching. He had to focus. This was important. The wolves were a new concern for them. Until Ian had defeated Victor Petrikov, his enemy, vampires and leopards were his only responsibility. With Victor out of the picture, Ian had gained the wolves as his new animal to call and his partner Kathryn inherited the leopards. A war between the two Weres would pit Kathryn against Ian. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the problems with that. 42

Zanne Farrell

Noble looked back at Ainsley and smiled. No, he could understand Ian’s desire to stop anything from coming between him and the woman he loved. Ainsley looked at Noble and winked. His stomach tilted and his heart skipped a beat. The things she did to him! What she must be thinking right now. He tried to respect her rules and not listen in on her thoughts. He would give her that. But bloody hell, it took more will power than he possessed. “Noble, would you agree?” Noble turned back to Ian, obviously caught not paying attention. Ian nodded his head as a signal. “Yes, I agree,” Noble answered and Ian smiled. “Then it’s settled. Noble will stay here with the Leopards and Nathaniel, David and I will go find Jared Williams.” Noble gave a quick nod and glanced at Ainsley. Her foot had stopped shaking and her shoe lay on the floor beneath her. A quick check of her mind found her asleep. Deep asleep. He sighed. It was better that way. If anything did happen between the two groups this night, better Ainsley not be a witness. There was only so much he could expect her to take without running in fear. Honestly, it was unclear to him why she hadn’t already. But he thanked God that she hadn’t. He would fulfill his duty to Ian this night, but when it was over, he would talk to Ainsley. And he would do it after taking away his assistance in her mind. He stood and clenched his jaw. God help him, if ever there was a time he needed divine intervention. Explaining his life to Ainsley, her mind free of his mental suggestions, was such a time.

43

DARK DREAM

Chapter Seven

Noble carried Ainsley to the back office and to Ian’s sleeping quarters. Ian rarely stayed there. He kept it just in case he worked too late at the club and couldn’t make it to his lair before dawn. As he entered the darkened room, lights automatically turned on. In its center stood a giant bed. Noble moved toward the bed, all the while his lips pressed against Ainsley’s temple. When he set her down, she sighed and rolled on her side. Noble sat next to her and ran his fingers through her hair. She was so beautiful. Her hair fell through his fingers. Like melted chocolate, smooth and warm, it pooled against the silk covered pillow. His heart cried out for her, his body ached to feel her. And yet he had to leave. He was a servant, owned by another. There was nothing he could do. Leaning into her, he kissed her one last time. He couldn’t swear by it but he thought she jumped from his touch. His imagination played with him. She slept soundly. He didn’t need to read her thoughts to know that. The low whistle of her breath was proof enough. “Sleep tight, my love,” he said, and reluctantly left the room.

**** Okay, things had gone from weird to fucking off the charts in a matter of hours. Werewolves and Were-leopards, in Denver? Maybe she didn’t have to leave after all. Maybe her hometown had more to offer her than she’d thought. Hell, it was a freakin’ horror movie in her own back yard. Cool! Thoughts skidded along the edges of her mind. Concentrating, she tried to grasp one, examine it, but they kept slipping away, just out of reach. So she ignored them. How she could accept everything thrown at her over the last few days startled her. But she tried 44

Zanne Farrell

not to question. She felt more alive, happier than she had all her life. Why question a good thing? Sitting, she ran her hands over the tight, red dress and smiled. She was having an affair with the single, hottest guy she’d ever seen in her life. His hands, his mouth, he did things to her body that she didn’t believe possible. When he was away from her, she ached for him. When he was near, she couldn’t keep her hands off him. He talked about being made for each other, belonging together and she understood what he meant. There was no one else for her but Noble Rothwell. When he looked at her with such passion and fire in his eyes, she wanted nothing more than to crawl inside of him. To melt into him so she had no idea where he stopped and she began. And he was a vampire. He slept all day and lived by night. She sighed; so many things had changed in her life over the past forty-eight hours. Dating a vampire, in a club full of people who turned into animals. She tried to concentrate on just what it all meant. Vampires, shape shifters, her mind wouldn’t or couldn’t grasp it. And she didn’t want to question. Excitement like this didn’t happen to her. Yeah, it was a little freaky, but Noble made it all okay. Something that felt an awful lot like fear poked at her temple and then vanished. The pads of her fingers tingled. She wanted to feel his skin, his hair, him. She smiled wider as heat boiled in her core. She was falling for a vampire. He was gorgeous, a great lover. What else could a girl want? And he was a gentleman. Hadn’t he helped her when her car was stolen? Shit, her car. She’d forgotten about that. She needed to call her house and check messages. She needed her car back. Monday she had to be back at school, winter break would be over and a teacher’s salary didn’t allow for daily taxi fare. She dug around in the little red purse that perfectly matched the color of her dress and shoes--Noble thought of everything. Retrieving her phone, she turned it on, only to find she had no signal. Figures. Swinging her legs off the bed she stood, her balance still not quite adjusted to the skyscraper height of the shoes. Steady enough to walk, she left the room and re-entered the hall she’d entered from the club with Noble. Having been carried to the room, she wasn’t sure which direction to 45

DARK DREAM

go so she closed her eyes, and spun around. The direction she faced when she stopped was the direction she headed. As she walked, she kept checking her phone for reception. It was her sole focus, which is why she nearly slammed into the door at the end of the hall. Damn! Opening it, she jumped and immediately turned. Two men. Naked. Fucking. Morbid curiosity made her turn back. One guy stood bent over a chair. His long, dark hair covered most of his face and his hands rested on the seat. He moaned low and deep and through his head back. The smell of something thick and sweet filled her lungs. The other man stood behind him, pounding into his ass. Grabbing his partner’s hair, he tugged. The man being fucked whimpered. His body trembled with each thrust he took. The man behind turned and winked to Ainsley. “Oh, shit. Sorry,” she said and quickly closed the door. Embarrassed, she covered her face. She’d stared at them. God, what was wrong with her? No, there was nothing boring about Denver. Oh, how wrong she’d been. She felt a lot like Alice in Wonderland, only instead of mad hatters and white rabbits, she was faced with the undead and Were-people. She snorted, really, there wasn’t much of a comparison, was there? “Wait a minute,” a voice behind her said. Turning, she found one of the men she’d just walked in on, the man being fucked. He stood naked in the hallway. His chiseled body glistened with perspiration and his cock was large and hard. “Where you going so quickly?” the guy asked. His partner walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. Ainsley averted her eyes and tried not to look. But they were good looking and naked. How could she not? “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to walk in like that. I was uh, looking for the club.” She looked back at the men and reminded herself she needed to look away. But it was like a car wreck. She knew she shouldn’t look. It was wrong. But dammit! She couldn’t peel her eyes from them. The second man had reached around the front of the first and slowly stroked his cock. The first had his eyes closed and his head back, resting on his lover's shoulder. 46

Zanne Farrell

“Oh, yeah. That’s right,” the man getting the hand job purred. “Tight. So very tight.” “Why don’t you join us, kitten?” the stroker asked. He winked at her again. His eyes were an incredible green. “I, uh, sorry.” Spinning away from the men, she ran into the solid body of a third. This man, however, made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. There was nothing even remotely appealing about this guy. A dark hat and glasses covered the entire top of his face. Hatred and anger billowed from him like smoke from an explosion. Fear spread through her. “And where do you think you’re going?” His voice was laced with venom. “Such a pretty thing to be left all alone for any Tom, Dick or Harry to come and take.” Grabbing her by the nape of the neck, he covered her mouth with a white cloth. Her mind told her to hold her breath, but panic made her gasp for air. The hallway spun out of control and filled with laughter. Her head was thick and foggy and her knees buckled. Noble! The servant can’t help you now. This is going to hurt him far more than it will you. Ainsley wanted to scream but everything went black.

47

DARK DREAM

Chapter Eight

Noble walked through the club. Gently, he scanned the minds of the dancers around him. He needed to find Dean Michaels. There was going to be trouble, he could feel it. And he needed to keep the leopard leader out of it. “Noble.” He turned and a woman grabbed his crotch and wrapped a long leg around his waist. “I haven’t seen you around in a while,” she whispered into his ear before nuzzling his neck. He pushed the woman off him. Damn felines. They were always so horny. “Where’s Michaels?” he hollered into the pouting woman’s face. She shrugged and sucked on her index finger. “You go in the back with me and I’ll tell you anything you want to know.” Her eyes glowed deep amber. Noble hissed at her and bared his fangs. The woman jumped. “He left about a half hour ago,” she said, obviously not wanting to be on the receiving end of his fangs. “Something about needing to find one of our litter mates.” Noble smiled and turned to leave. “I was just playing with you,” the woman said. “I wouldn’t fuck you if you paid me, servant.” Her words stung, more than just a little. But he didn’t have time for that now. He needed to find Michaels. Where the hell could he be? He did a quick mental scan of the room. Maybe somebody knew something. Besides the usual sex crazed garbage he always heard, he picked up a conversation over in the far corner. “Joseph is going to get himself killed if he’s not careful.” 48

Zanne Farrell

The other voice laughed. “What a way to go, huh?” Both voices laughed. Noble moved toward the sound. Mostly having a heightened sense of hearing was nothing more than a liability. Hearing people’s thoughts about you or people you care about is never fun. Tonight, however, it was an asset. Noble reached the two men he’d heard talking and with a hand on each of their chests, pressed them into the walls. Werewolves. He should’ve known. “What’s going on, boys?” His tone was even and calm. “Get your fucking hands off us, corpse!” The man talked tough but Noble could almost taste his fear. It was thick and rancid and polluted the air. “Where’s your leader?” he asked, pushing them harder into the wall. “How the hell would we know? What do we look like, his servants?” The two men laughed and Noble hissed. His face had changed and he bared his fangs. Their laughter stopped instantly. “I uh, think he and Douglas are at the old car dealership on Millstone.” “Yeah, Millstone,” the other guy added. Noble let go of the two men and they fell to the floor in a heap. “Fucking corpse,” one of the men mumbled. Noble sent a mental image of him ripping out their throats and they whimpered. As he walked out of the club, he paused for a moment. Should he do a check on Ainsley? No. He’d promised her space. Besides, she was safe in Ian’s sleeping quarters. There were more guards and protections on the entrance to that room than on any other place in the city. It didn’t get any safer than that.

**** Ainsley woke to a pounding in her head that made her eyes water. So many emotions washed over her. Fear. Panic. Horror. Confusion. Pain. A dam broke, sending all her emotions slamming into her at once. She struggled to breath. Where was she? How had she gotten here? The memory of the man in the hall, his hand over her face, and his laughter in her head materialized. It was so familiar. He’d been familiar. She’d seen, or heard him, 49

DARK DREAM

somewhere before. Who was he? How would she know the voice? Her mind was too foggy, she couldn’t think straight. She stopped. Had Noble been clouding her thoughts? Had her emotions been blocked? Had she thought straight once since he’d come into her life? Did vampires have the ability to do that? Vampires. Her stomach rolled and she swallowed back what little she’d eaten that day. Please don’t get sick! The darkness around her seemed to devour her. There was no sound, no light. She was in a vacuum, a black hole. What had she done? Sex with a vampire, she shuttered at the thought. And, to make matters worse, she’d believed she had feelings for him. Tears spilled onto her cheeks as her stomach rolled again. No. She didn’t think she had feelings for him. She genuinely had them. Or was that another trick? No. If it were a trick, her feelings would have vanished the second she’d been taken from the club and got out from under Noble’s influence. If being away from him released feelings he’d blocked, then feelings he’d planted would be gone too. She had left the club, hadn’t she? No the feelings were real. Dammit! And he was a vampire. A blood sucking, dead at dawn, up in flames in sunlight vampire. She rubbed her temples as more tears slid down her cheeks. God, now what did she do? She could leave; she’d saved enough money. She could quite her job and leave for Europe. He wouldn’t be able to find her in Europe, would he? She couldn’t leave in the middle of the school year. Not for another five months. She shook her head and her heartbeat slowed in her chest. How long had she wished for some excitement in her life? Be careful what you wish for Ainsley Thomas. She let her head rest against the wall and closed her eyes. How had it come to this? Why her? Enough of this, she pressed the heel of her hand into her eyes. Sitting and crying got her nowhere, she needed out. She stood slowly, using the wall to her back as balance. There had to be a door out of there. She took a step and wobbled. 50

Zanne Farrell

“Freakin’ shoes.” She undid the straps and slipped them off. The floor beneath her felt like ground. Like she stood on hard, packed earth. Why had she been taken? What was the point? The voice had sounded vaguely familiar, but why her? Why here? With her chest against the wall, she carefully moved around the perimeter of the room. Her hands scanned the cool smooth surface for any opening, window, anything. Brushing against the metal of a door handle, she took it in both hands and slowly turned. Her heart raced when it turned easily. She inched it open, and walked into the hallway that she’d been in minutes, hours, days—who knew how long—before. The club. Closing the door, she looked both ways and chose to go left. At some point one of the doors had to open into Club Crazed. Her movements were jerky, her body not functioning properly. Reaching the end of the hallway, she held her breath before slowly opening the door. The blast of the music hit her first. It slammed into her like a freight train and nearly knocked her over. The club wasn’t nearly as packed as she’d remembered. But then she doubted every memory she’d had for the past three days. Maybe there never were any people in the club. Maybe there never were shape shifters or vampires. Maybe she dreamt this whole entire mess. As appealing as that sounded, a small part of her heart, the part that had feelings for Noble, hoped it hadn’t been a dream. Walking onto the dance floor, she became well aware that she didn’t have her shoes or her purse, and had no way of getting home. Not caring in the least, Ainsley walked across the sticky floor toward the bar. Someone had to be able to help her. She wanted to go home. Whoever had put her in that room could still be in the club. And for whatever reason, he’d deemed it necessary to knock her out and put her in the room. It was all so confusing and scary. She just wanted to go home. At home she’d be safe, wouldn’t she?

**** “What are you doing here?” Noble asked, as Ian, David and Nathaniel approached the warehouse. “We were told a few wolves are here. You?” “I was told leopards are here.” Noble clasped his hands behind his back. 51

DARK DREAM

“Well, I guess this is it, then.” They all turned to the vacant showroom of an old car dealership. Hatred, anger and fear spilled from the building and swirled around them like a rolling fog. Shivers raced up Noble’s spine. This was definitely the place. Ian reached for the lock and broke the old metal mechanism as if it was made of plastic. The dirt and grime covered glass door opened easily. The stench of decay and filth raced out of the building, surprising them. With only a thought, the smell vanished. “Spread out,” David commanded, and the four men moved through the door. Gliding more than walking, the men searched in utter silence. They all blocked their minds and clouded their scent so the Weres wouldn’t detect them. The room was large and dark. Only the light from the streetlights outside cast an eerie gray around the tattered room. Why did everything have to happen in abandoned buildings? The silence surrounding them shattered when the painful cry of a leopard sliced through the air. Needing no direction, all four vampires moved toward the sound. In the back of the room was another door. It stood slightly ajar. Noble reached the door first and glanced into the room. Shit! A giant wolf had his jaws wrapped around a woman's throat. A leopard, the woman had started to change form and hadn’t quite finished. She was half human and half cat. The wolf shook his head and the woman dangled from his jaw. Blood spilled from his lips and pooled on the ground beneath him. He was a huge creature. The color of steel, he stood over six feet tall. He turned his head when the vampires entered and snarled. The woman twitched and cried out again. “Stop!” Ian screamed, and a bolt of light illuminated the room. It focused to a point on the wolf’s chest and sent him crashing to the ground. His body twitched and jerked. The woman rolled into a heap away from him. Blood seemed to ooze from her every orifice. “Noble, take the girl! David, help him.” The two vampires moved at the speed of light, grabbed the woman and ran from the room. They needed to get her back to Ian’s lair 52

Zanne Farrell

on the other side of town. Time was of the essence. Noble and David couldn’t do much for her, her wounds were too great. But Ian could. He was the master vampire. He could heal anyone.

53

DARK DREAM

Chapter Nine

“He was your second in command,” Ian said. “His activities were most certainly your business.” Noble sat to Ian’s right. David and Nathaniel were at his left. Jared Williams sat across the desk from them. The way Jared glared at the four vampires left Noble with a bad taste in his mouth. Yes, his highest-ranking official had been killed. And yes, that did leave Jared in a tough spot. But, Joseph Douglas had lured female Were-leopards into having sex with him. He changed form in the middle of the act, and ripped their throats out. There had been five deaths. It might have been six if Ian hadn’t healed the woman they found in the showroom. Thankfully, she lay comfortably in a room deep underground in Ian’s lair. In a day, she’d be as good as new. Not only had Joseph Douglas been a sick son of a bitch, he’d almost caused a war between the wolves and the leopards. Neither the wolf pack nor the leopard pack would have made it through a war unscathed. No, something wasn’t right. Jared’s jaw tightened and released, his hands gripped the leather chair he sat in like he clung for dear life. Jared was too pissed. Logic told Noble that Jared should be apologetic. Ian was the most powerful vampire in the world. He could disintegrate Jared with a snap of his fingers. What the bloody hell was the matter with this guy? “What my pack mates do in private is their own business.” Jared spoke through clenched teeth. Noble cleared his throat and looked down at the desk. None of his business, just what was his business, if not keeping a reign on his pack? 54

Zanne Farrell

“He killed leopards. Not only is it your business, but I hold you personally responsible.” The room vibrated from Ian’s voice. Electricity snapped and popped in the air. “What Joseph did was wrong. But now I am left vulnerable without a second.” Jared stood and placed both hands on the top of the desk. He glared directly into Ian’s eyes. Noble had never seen anyone do that before. He held his breath. “That’s not my problem.” Ian stayed seated. Only Nathaniel twitched as if he was about to stand. Noble let some of the air he held out. “It most certainly is. The pack is just as much yours at it is mine. You have left us open for attack.” Jared’s voice was deep and his eyes glowed an eerie gray. His beast, the being inside that caused him to shift into a wolf, paced ominously behind his gaze. His skin bubbled and rolled as if at any moment he would change form. “You have several worthy candidates for a second. You’ll. Be. Fine.” Ian’s voice had dropped frighteningly low. Jared’s threat to shift in front of him obviously pissed him off. Something in Jared’s eyes changed and his expression lightened. The heavy anger that had filled the room evaporated. “You’re right,” Jared said. Exhaling, he sat back in his chair. “We’ll be fine.” He folded his hands in his lap and looked at each of the vampires, one at a time. “I’m sorry. Joseph was my friend as well as my second. I’m going to miss him. You understand.” He stood and extended his hand to Ian. There was no hesitation as Ian took his hand and nodded. “I understand,” Ian said. “I need to speak with the pack. If you all will excuse me.” Ian dropped his hand and stood. Noble and the other two vamps followed his lead and did the same. “I need you to keep better control of your pack. If this happens again, you will be considered just as guilty as the perpetrator.” Jared nodded, his jaw still clenched and turned from the desk. “And you might want to pay a little more attention to your, uh, group as well. Now that you have mates, 55

DARK DREAM

they are quite vulnerable. You never who or when someone will attack.” Winking at Noble, he turned. They all watched as Jared left the room. “I don’t trust him,” Noble stated as soon as the door closed. Had he just been threatened? Had they all? “He’s up to something,” Nathaniel added. David nodded his head. “Yes. Yes, he is. I just don’t know yet what it is.” That was the nastiness of dealing with shifters. They had most of the same powers as vampires, so they could block mind reading and were immune to powers of suggestion. “I’m quite sure we’ll find out soon enough, though." “I need to check on Ainsley. I need to get her home safely,” Noble said, his heart exponentially lighter at the thought of seeing her again. Ian chuckled. “Man, you have it bad. Can’t you feel it?” Noble looked at him, his brows furrowed. “The sun’s about to rise. You aren’t going anywhere.” Noble felt like he’d deflated, ten long hours without her. He mentally connected with her and found her asleep at home. Good. He wouldn’t have to worry. Following the rest of the vampires out of the room and down the long corridor that lead underground, Noble couldn’t help but feel a sense of doom. Something wasn’t right; he could feel it in his marrow. Yet, there was nothing he could do about it until the sun set that evening.

**** Ainsley felt him the second he connected with her mind. Warmth spread through her slowly at first, like liquid fire. Increasing in speed, it seeped into her body and filled her before assimilating with her tissue. God, how she wanted to hate that feeling, resent him for checking on her. Damn her for wanting more of it. The bartender at the club had called her a cab. The driver waited while she got money from her room and paid him. She’d borrowed slippers from one of the cocktail waitresses. 56

Zanne Farrell

Getting home alone had been easy and painless. So why did she feel so sad? Why did her heart beat somewhere near her ankles and her eyes and throat burn? She pulled the covers up over her head and willed herself to sleep. It didn’t work. Her mind filled with his image, the sound of his voice, the feel of his flesh pressed against her. Goose bumps covered her skin. Sleep tight, my love. “Damn you to hell, Noble Rothwell,” she screamed and threw her pillow across the room.

**** Ainsley spent most of the day pacing. Functioning on little sleep, her emotions were a boiling cauldron of mess spewing into her guts. She had so many questions to ask him, so many accusations to make. The one thing she knew for certain was she had feelings for him. Despite it all, the freaky creepy shit of his life, she loved him. And it scared the hell out of her. As the sun slowly set, she grabbed her purse and walked out of the room. Her stomach filled with butterflies the second she left her apartment. Inside a swarm of them consumed her body. She’d never been so nervous in her life. What would she say to him? What would he say to her? Leaving her building, she sucked in a quick breath when the cold evening air encased her. Whatever happened, she knew that it would change her life forever.

57

DARK DREAM

Chapter Ten

Noble rose slowly as the last of the suns rays dipped below the horizon. He leapt from the bed and was instantly dressed. Ainsley waited. Where are you, my love, he called to her. His depleted heart slowly beat in his chest. He needed to feed, tend to Ian and then he would go to her. Every cell in his body was alive and ready. He wanted nothing more than to see her beautiful smile, smell her luxurious scent. Feel her naked flesh pressed against his. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. His Ainsley. The bookstore. Sadness filled her voice and tore at Noble’s heart. The dread he had felt that morning returned. There was something wrong. Come to me. Her voice whispered softly in his mind. Smooth as velvet it slid through him. I will be with you soon. He answered, stifling a moan. As he walked out of his room, his mind filled with images of her. His body ached to hold her, caress her and take her. Soon, he repeated, very soon. It had become his mantra. Running through the tunnel of Ian’s lair, he burst into the abandoned store that served as cover and leapt into the night. The night air washed over him, skimmed his body as he lifted higher in the sky. He headed for the city park. The sky above was clear. The first of the night’s stars twinkled in greeting. Instantly he found the woman, Mary, alone by a fountain. Approaching, he looked deep in to her eyes. Without saying a word, she tilted her head and exposed her neck. His fangs elongated and he pieced her tender flesh. So unsatisfying. So unfulfilling. He would never be content until Ainsley was his nourishment, his lifeline and his soul. 58

Zanne Farrell

As his body filled with Mary’s blood, his heart grew heavy. How long would he have to wait? He cursed and withdrew from the woman. Licking the tiny bite marks on her neck, he again gazed into her eyes and removed all memory of this event, and willed her to walk away. Again, he leapt into the air. Soaring higher, the wind caressed his body like a lover, sending waves of pleasure racing through him. But to Noble, it wasn’t the wind that stroked his cock with a gentle touch, lightly traced the muscles of his chest and arms. It was Ainsley, and the sensation had his body rock hard. Noble? He closed his eyes and savored her voice. His love. His Ainsley. He smiled and dropped to the sidewalk in front of the storefront of Ian’s lair and walked into the building. Soon, my love, very soon.

**** Noble’s body shook and shuddered, each muscle spasmed in a thunderous rhythm. As the blood moved through his neck and into Ian’s mouth, fire filled his gut. Molten pleasure stroked his veins. Ian lifted his head from Noble’s neck and gently licked the bite mark closed. Noble waved his hand mindlessly in the air and his shirt returned. Exasperated, he ran his hands through his hair. “I know you have questions,” Ian started walking towards the desk in his office. Sitting behind the large antique structure, he clasped his hands in a slow, deliberate movement. Around them the harp music floated gently on the air. The smell of vanilla wafted around the room. Noble leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. Yes, he had many questions. Where to begin? “But you must understand. Until Kathryn is willing to complete a full cycle of our exchange, turning her into one of us, I cannot let you go.” How many times had he heard those words? Noble clenched his jaw. The fangs in his mouth elongated and he held back a hiss. Anger boiled in his gut. Anger so all consuming it blinded him to the danger of attacking his master. “When,” he spit out. He couldn’t trust himself to say any more. 59

DARK DREAM

Ian sighed and leaned back in his leather chair. “I don’t know. Kathryn is trying to understand her new gifts. This is a big change for her and as much as I try, I can’t rush her. She will join me completely soon.” “When,” Noble repeated. He balled his fists and pressed them hard into his thighs. His rage drove him, every cell in his body wanted to lash out, attack. He had found her, his mate. Men of his kind often went lifetimes without ever finding their perfect ones. All alone they walked the earth until the loneliness consumed them and they either chose the darkness or faced the dawn. Both decisions were ones Noble had considered. And now he had found his light, the goodness to his dark. Yet, still it was not to be. Still he must wait, day after agonizing day. She knew him, wanted him. She was his and yet he still faced the darkness, the unyielding, unending abyss that so many of his kind gave into, the evil that turned vampires into killers. Never was a vampire to take the life of a human. Taking a life, completing a kill, made one wholly dead and for that, they must pay with their lives. He narrowed his eyes and glared at the wall. “I don’t know,” Ian finally said. “I won’t give her up!” The ground trembled with the force of Noble’s words. Ian turned and stared. He appeared almost as startled as Noble felt. Four hundred years and he’d never raised his voice to his master, never questioned his decisions. But now everything had changed. The anger he felt was matched only by sheer and utter frustration. It clouded his reason. Noble took a slow breath and concentrated on a memory of Ainsley. She would keep him calm. Her smiled warmed him even in thought. “Servant,” It had been a long time since Ian had addressed him as servant, “I will not ask you to give her up. But you are bound to me first. You will not question me again.” The force of Ian’s words made Noble’s flesh grow cold. Trapped, like a captured creature, there was nothing he could do. The two vampires stared at each other from across the room. Time seemed to suspend as they locked eyes. Noble fought for control. He needed to calm himself. He would never win in a fight. “I must go to her,” Noble finally said, pushing from the wall. His frustration billowed around him like a thick white cloud. The anger he felt clawed at his lungs. 60

Zanne Farrell

Ian didn’t answer as Noble walked out of the room but in his mind, somewhere dancing just along the fringes, he thought he heard Ian’s voice. I’m sorry, Noble. I would change it if I could.

**** Ainsley paced the bookstore. In her mind swirled a multitude of emotions. Her stomach rolled and swayed and her skin was damp. The familiarity of the store, the heavy smell of the shelved texts, did nothing to calm her. What took him so long? Folding her arms in front of her, she walked the room’s perimeter. So many things had changed over the course of only a few days. Denver, her home, had somehow morphed into a den of iniquity. Vampires and shape-shifters roamed her streets. Her sense of safety had vanished almost as quickly as her sense of sanity. Had she gone insane? Was this all one giant hallucination? She rubbed her upper arms; a chill had worked its way into her bones. Behind her, the bell on the door tinkled and she stopped. There was no need to look. Noble. Her vampire. She felt him before she actually heard him. His presence, his very being pulled at her soul. It summoned her like a beacon in a storm. “Ainsley?” The deep timbre of his voice wrapped around her. It pounded at her skin like a tribal drum, warmed her like nothing else could. She turned. His gaze was full of dark need, a shadowed promise. Her body tightened and her core clenched. A hunger gripped her, clawed at her. Damn him. She tried to avert her eyes but couldn’t. He held her gaze with ferocity. A whisper of breath in her mind let her know he connected with her and her body went up in flames. Molten lava pumped through her veins and drenched her channel. “Stop, please.” It was a plea, pathetic and weak. Around him she lost herself, her senses filled with him. His thoughts, his desires and his needs became hers. They were one mind in two bodies. How had it happened? How had she lost herself to this man, this creature of the night? Putting her hand to her throat, she slowly backed away. “What is wrong? Why do you move away from me?” 61

DARK DREAM

“Please,” she whispered. Her eyes stung from the tears that welled behind them. Her heart ached. This was wrong. He was wrong. “No. Don’t say that. There is nothing wrong with us. You are my mate, my life.” Noble reached for her and she shuttered. If he touched her, if his hand grazed her skin, she would be lost forever. Her mind would spin wildly out of control and her conviction, her reason, would vanish. She couldn’t let that happen. “Stop!” Noble stopped in his tracks and looked at her with such pain and sorrow, she had to tear her gaze from his. “You clouded my mind.” She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “You took away my thoughts, my feelings. I was nothing more than a puppet to you.” She choked on a sob and slid down the bookshelf to the floor. “Yes. I clouded your mind.” He walked to her and sat next to her on the floor. With his back against the bookshelf, he looked out into the room. “Why?” She searched his face. He was so beautiful and so tormented. “I was afraid.” He turned to her. In his eyes she saw all his years of loneliness and pain and it tore her heart into tiny little pieces. “I have spent all my life waiting for you. Without you I am empty, my soul lost forever. With you I am whole again. I loved you before I ever met you and I couldn’t risk you running from me.” He took her hand in his and gently raised it to his mouth. “Why would a beautiful being like you accept my world, my life?” He kissed her hand. Complete desperation encased his words. What was it like to be alone, lonely, for centuries? Ainsley raised her hand and lightly brushed his cheek. “You should have trusted me.” He was right. She never would have accepted this. But could she now? Could she accept that he was a creature of the night hunting humans for their blood? Did she have a choice? “Do you sleep in a coffin?” The words came out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop them. Noble chuckled and put his arm around her. “No. You know I have a very nice, very comfortable bed.” “What about garlic, are you repelled by garlic?” 62

Zanne Farrell

He kissed the top of her head and sighed. “No, garlic is fine, although I don’t have need for food now so I can’t say I still like its taste.” She nodded. His warmth beckoned to her and his touch, the way he slung his arm so casually around her shoulder, made her quake. “Ainsley. You are my love, my life. I will travel to the ends of the earth to make you happy…” “But?” He sighed and let his head fall back against the bookshelf. She could feel his torment as if it were her own. “What is it?” She sat up, suddenly frightened by the emotions swirling in her mind. “We cannot be.” “What?” She turned her body completely toward his and leaned her side into the bookshelf. She needed space; distance would allow her to hear without distraction. “I am a servant. I must serve my master. Until his mate allows a complete exchange of blood, allows him to take blood from her, I am bound to him.” Ainsley sat up straight. Her stomach cramped as she tried to understand his words. “Wait. Ian’s mate has to exchange blood with him in order for you to be free to date me?” He moved through her mind like a silken wave. “I don’t want to date you Ainsley. I thought you understood. Mates don’t date. They…” “Mate?” Noble smiled at her and her heart skipped a beat. “Are bound together for all eternity.” She gasped, fear clutched at her chest. “You mean you expect me to become a vampire?” The implications of what he said wrapped tightly around her chest. The simple exchange of air eluded her. Noble still rested against the bookshelf, his gaze fixed out into the room. He sat perfectly still. There was a pause that hung in the air, a delay in time that seemed to drag on forever.

63

DARK DREAM

How was he going to make her understand? Did it even matter? Until Kathryn exchanged with Ian, Noble could not share his blood with anyone. He was the servant of the master vampire. He could not feed him tainted blood. He lifted his head and looked at her. Fear drew lines on her face. “Yes.” Emotions swirled wildly in her mind. Her heart raced and blood raged through her veins. Not the response he’d hoped. But what had he expected? As a beautiful, sexy, vibrant woman, what he asked of her was unthinkable. And there was something else, something that rocked him to his marrow. Ainsley had been attacked at the club. Anger boiled in him but he kept it at bay. For some reason she didn’t want him to know. She believed she’d frightened her attacker off. Noble would allow her to continue with that thought. But he would find the truth. The image of the attacker eluded him. She was a marked woman now, the mate of the master’s servant. It was up to him to keep her protected. Back at the club, he’d been foolish, it would never happen again. The anger that had threatened to overtake him bubbled beneath his skin. He would save it and use it for motivation at a later time. Damn him for exposing her to his life, leaving her alone. Nothing would harm his mate. Her attacker was a dead man. “I, uh, I…” she stood and ran her hands along her jeans. Without touching her, he knew her skin was slick with cool dampness. He stood with the speed and grace of those of his kind, moving faster than she could see. “Listen to my heart, look into my mind. You will see what a life with me can be. Will be.” He grabbed her hand and put it over his heart. The electricity that snapped beneath her touch made him jump. Now more than ever he needed her to believe in him. He showed her his emotions, made her feel them with him. Love. Desire. Admiration. Joy. He held them in his mind, her mind, and made her experience them, one by one. “Trust me Ainsley, trust my love for you.” She pulled her hand from his and walked to the door. Before she pushed it open and disappeared into the night she hesitated. The war raging in her mind, in her heart, attacked him. “If Kathryn never makes the second exchange, we can never share blood?” Her hand rested on the doorknob. She stared out into the darkened street. 64

Zanne Farrell

“No, we cannot.” He fought to keep calm. All he wanted, all he ever wanted was the happiness his mate could bring him. And now, with her so close, with her energy strumming him like an acoustic guitar, she was about to walk away. Searing pain skewered his heart. “Then we can date.” She turned to him and smiled. Noble exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and moved to her. “Yes, my love, we can date.” He wrapped her in his arms and inhaled her scent, lilacs and citrus. It went straight to his head and made him dizzy with desire. Running her hands down his back, she pressed her body into his. His cock ached and swelled with every second that passed. “You know I’m leaving this summer?” “No I did not. Where are you going?” He held back a smile. He knew her every wish, her every desire. “Europe.” She ran a finger along the line of his jaw. “Aw, very nice. Would you care for a tour guide?” Ainsley smiled and kissed the tip of his nose. His heart melted. “What did you say to me in French? After the first time we made love.” He smiled at her and nuzzled her neck. "Vous êtes la mienne a jamais" he whispered, “You are mine forever.” She looked at him through heavy lashes. There was no denying the hunger in her eyes. Noble's control shattered and his mind filled with luscious thoughts of her beautiful body wrapped around him. With a wave of his hand they were naked. Without hesitation he sucked a taught nipple into his mouth. The hard nub rolled between his teeth. She tasted like the most decedent of sweets, the finest of champagnes. Ainsley gasped as he slid his hand into her folds finding her slick sheath. Liquid heat soaked his skin. He pressed his fingers deep inside her. With a thought, twinkling lights danced above them and the slow seductive wail of a saxophone filled the room. Dating wasn’t a promise of forever but it was a start. And for a servant of the master vampire, it was proof that dreams, even the darkest of them, can come true.

65

DARK DREAM

About the Author

When she's not hanging out at the beach or lost in a novel by one of her favorite romance author's, Zanne Farrell is busy creating stories that are as smart as they are sexy. A fun loving resident of Florida, Zanne is always busy on her latest work in progress and hopes that her readers enjoy her stories as much as she enjoys writing them.

See other works by this author at www.venuspress.com

66