White Lightning

White Lightning Cyan Bell All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2008 Cyan Bell

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ISBN: 978-1-59596-986-6

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Publisher:

Changeling Press LLC

PO Box 1046

Martinsburg, WV 25402-1046

www.ChangelingPress.com

Editor: Chrissie Henderson

Cover Artist: Reneé George

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

White Lightning Cyan Bell For three thousand years a war has raged between two vampire houses. The origins of the two fighting parties started out with a bond of blood and will end with a human becoming the leader of a vampire nation. Ryan Matthews and Taylor Daniels shared every summer together and a single kiss before they were pulled apart. This summer they’ll meet again, but they’ve both changed. Now, Ryan and Taylor each have their own explosive secrets. The kind that could change their lives and the way they feel for each other dramatically. With the humid heat of Queensland’s brutal summer pressing down on them, Taylor and Ryan indulge in the irresistible attraction between the two of them while the threat of a rival vampire’s uncompromising rage looms.

Chapter One Sweat beaded on Taylor’s skin. The oppressive humidity in the air made her hot and sticky. A watery trickle inched down in between her breasts and was caught in the already soaked fabric of her singlet. In the distance lightning cracked and caused the night to flare brightly. The distinctive scent of rain hung in the dark stillness. Though a storm raged further down the mountain range, nothing but thick unrelenting heat pulsed around her. Rainforest trees crowded the edge of the water; lush ferns intermingled with the ancient giants and competed for room. The haunting call of a bush stone curlew cut through the night while cicadas hummed out their furious beat. Throwing caution to the wind, she peeled the wet singlet off and dropped it on the ground beside her, followed by her bra, shorts and panties. Looking back and up at her wood cabin, she was comforted by the soft light falling out of open double doors beyond the deck. She walked forward into the cool waters of Lake Baroon; the liquid enveloped her like a lover welcoming her into his embrace. It slipped around her sweat-slicked body, quickly drenching the fire in her skin and caressing every inch of her. Taylor sighed with bliss. Her nipples hardened and goose bumps pebbled her skin. The constant Australian summer heat was taking its toll. All the windows in her cabin were fully open to try to catch an elusive breeze and there was always the sensation of a storm on the precipice to breaking, but it never seemed to fulfill its promise. Throwing off her clothes and going skinny dipping was the only way she would get some relief.

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She sucked in a deep breath and ducked her head under the water. Kicking lazily, she began to swim as far into the center of the lake as she could, breaking to the surface with an explosive inhalation. “The one downfall of going swimming at night completely naked is someone catching you. Worse if that someone decides to run off with your clothes.” She let out a startled yelp, forgetting to tread water and disappearing under the water again. Spinning around, she stroked to the surface and tried to see the owner of the rich, teasing voice. She let out a cough and swiped water out of her eyes, but was only able to make out a dark shape at the edge of the water where she’d entered. Her heart sped up and panic flared in her chest. She looked over her shoulder to see how far away the other shore was. Too far. “Gee, Taylor, don’t go drowning on me or I might have to come out there and save you, give you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.” The deep male voice kept its jovial quality but at the edges an element of concern lingered. Recognition sparked in her memory. At the exact same moment, her fear fled and was replaced by a fluttering in her stomach. Now her breathlessness wasn’t caused by her urge to swim away but rather the knowledge of who stood at the water’s edge and the fact she was naked. She tried to still her racing pulse and counted to ten while breathing normally. “Ryan Matthews?” She swam closer to the sound of his voice and stood, feeling rough stones under her feet. She stayed crouched so the water covered her up to her throat. Unconsciously, she passed her hand over her face, feeling for bruises or telltale signs. I have to stop doing that! She dropped her hand back down into the water. “What are you doing here?” “I told you, I came to steal your clothes.” She didn’t need to see him to know he’d have that slight tilt to one side of his mouth, a cheeky little smile that caused her knees to tremble and her toes to tingle. But that was before, and I’m not that girl anymore. “Broken,” she whispered in the dark. “Pardon?” Ryan called out.

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“Nothing.” How the hell did he hear that? An idea sparked in her head. This was why she was here, to get away from herself, from the scared, broken person she’d become. She was going to go back, reclaim the person she was five years ago. Only, she was going to do it with the kind of confidence she’d only dreamed of having the last time Ryan and she had spent time together. “Are you going to spend all night in there, Taylor? I’m not going to bite.” He muttered something incomprehensible afterward. She stood up, the water reaching just above her breasts. The gentle motion around her nipples and between her thighs made her brash. She felt… sexy, damn it; the cold water surrounding her body, the sticky heat of the night and the proximity of the man she’d had a crush on for years playing havoc with her. “Got something else to say, Matthews?” There was a heartbeat of hesitation and she heard an intake of breath. Taylor smiled, knowing for the first time in many years she’d thrown out a verbal challenge and he didn’t quite know what to do about it. The clouds above them parted and the full moon bathed the side of the lake in a surreal soft light. She seized her opportunity, knowing full well there were no welts to hide, and that the diffused light wouldn’t show up any of her scars. Taylor walked out of the water as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Arching a brow, she concentrated on his face, barely able to make out the deep blue of his irises. She shivered, the chill of the water still numbing her nerves but rapidly being brought to life by the stifling heat in the air. She watched the rapid play of emotions across his face; surprise first, followed by the startled realization she really was completely naked. His jaw dropped as she came out of the water until only her ankles were covered. She hid her smile by swinging her hair over her shoulder and gathering it into her hand so she could wring the moisture out. Water cascaded down her body, passing in between her breasts and then she tossed it back over so the strands landed in the middle of her back.

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Ryan held her clothes in one hand, not moving, but she could see the muscles in his arms flexing and his throat working as he gulped. She noticed the hard bulge straining the zipper of his jeans; his bare feet tickled by the very edge of the water. A casual cotton shirt clung to a well-developed chest and arms. “I’ve known you since I was five years old, Ryan. I used to splash around here naked when you were ten. If you’d stolen my clothes I would have just walked up to my uncle’s cabin without them. It’s not like you haven’t seen it all before.” She grabbed the clothes from his hand and slung them over her arm, barely suppressing a laugh. “The one thing I haven’t seen is you speechless.” With that, she skirted the water until she came to the path up to her cabin. She couldn’t help but look back and noticed him looking at her with a slight smile on his face. Yes! With a giddiness she hadn’t experienced in a long time, she took the first step up the side of the hill. Cut into the sloping earth, each stair was a length of tree branch dug in to the ground, creating curved platforms all the way to the deck of her cabin. Binding the soil together, a mixture of trailing vines and ferns lined the side of the path and caressed her toes and legs with their leafy touch. Her feet curled around the wood, the bark soft under the arches. Pain lanced through her right hip, but she gritted her teeth and ignored it until it stopped. “There’s just one major difference, Taylor.” His voice sounded hoarse and slightly strained. She smothered a grin before turning to look at him. “What’s that, Ryan?” “You sure as hell didn’t look like that when you were five.” She couldn’t help herself. She let out a laugh and enjoyed the simple freedom of being able to laugh for a change. She shook her head and walked up the rest of the steps until she reached the wooden planks of her deck and slipped through the gauzy curtains into her lounge.

Ryan closed his eyes and tried to take even, calm breaths. The vision of Taylor rising out of the water caressed by the pale moonlight flittered through his mind. Her

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silky skin, the dusky hue of her nipples and the way she brazenly strode up to him had his cock hard and aching long before she’d grabbed her clothes out of his hand. The sting of his eyeteeth pricking his bottom lip brought him out of his thoughts. The coppery taste of blood reminded him of who he was, of how he’d changed since he’d last seen her. Suppressing his reaction to her had been difficult. The attraction he’d felt for Taylor had only increased with time. If she knew what he was she would be repulsed, and he cared for her too much to bring her into the mess of his life. “Besides, she’d think I was certifiable if I told her the truth. I’m just going to have to avoid her for the next two days.” He squared his shoulders, willed his canines to retract and groaned when he realized controlling the hard-on in his jeans would require more effort. Raking his fingers through his short hair, he walked the same track she had, but passed by the path up to her cabin until he stopped at the start of the trail leading up to where he stayed. He looked up the hill to the dwelling set higher up the slope than Taylor’s. Once upon a time the cabin held happy memories of Christmases spent playing with his family, kayaking on the lake, or fishing. Taylor and he had played together, swimming and hiking during the summer. They came back every year to see how they’d both grown, and shared the year apart. He remembered their first hesitant kiss. Her uncle had caught them and had pulled Ryan aside to tell him it wasn’t the right thing to do. Jack was adamant Ryan needed to be with girls his own age and that he would only break Taylor’s heart. The next year he hadn’t come with his family back to the lake or any other Christmas since, until this one. By the time he’d turned thirty he was firmly in the possession of that vampire bitch Raya. And now I’m going to taint the innocence of this place. What a difference it might have made if I’d gone with my heart and fought for Taylor. Instead I followed Raya around and thought with my dick. He shook his head and walked along the concealed pathway up to his family’s cabin.

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Coming to the deck built to overlook the lake, he paused, closed his eyes and rolled his shoulders. By the time he opened the door, he’d immersed himself in his persona as a leader; unfaltering and powerful. Heat from the dwelling being kept closed up hit him like a wall. The smell of dust and staleness filled the air. His increased night vision was enough for him to see everything clearly as though it were day. His enhanced sight was the reason why he’d recognized Taylor the moment he’d seen her in the water. He lingered on a memory from years ago, the feel of her hesitant lips softly touching his, before mentally slapping himself and concentrating on the task at hand. At the other end of the cabin, three doorways led to large bedrooms. The bathroom was through a doorway to the left and the kitchen on the right was separated from the lounge by a bench that served as a dining table as well as a food preparation area. Ryan walked through the gap in the bench and pulled a bottle of wine out of the top cupboard. “Did you sort it out?” A deep voice floated over from the other side of the lounge. Long, tapered fingers rolled the stem of a crystal glass in between them. In the gloom of the barely lit room, Ryan watched Callan stop spinning the glassware and take a sip of the crimson liquid. Barely concealed disdain flittered through his dark eyes as he swiped his bottom lip with his tongue. He placed the crystal on the table next to the couch, but never took his eyes off Ryan. The pallor of his skin was only exaggerated by his greasy black hair pulled back into a precise and tight plait. Oh, I fucked up. I was supposed to get rid of her, not ogle her! Ryan berated himself for being distracted; if he didn’t act quickly Taylor might come over and find out his secret. Worse, Callan would most probably kill her. “The presence of someone in the next cabin will not be a problem. I’ll go over there tonight and make sure we’re not interrupted.” “Perhaps you should invite her over. Some fresh blood would make a fitting banquet for our negotiations.”

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Anger erupted through Ryan; he fisted his hand around the neck of the bottle of red wine on the bench. He used the simple exercise of opening a drawer and pulling out a corkscrew to give himself time to calm down. There was no way he was letting Callan get his filthy hands on Taylor. “I’d highly recommend against it,” Ryan said haughtily. “The disappearance of the Daniels girl will not go unnoticed and will draw attention. Someone will have noticed we were here and that would lead to… uncomfortable questions.” He sank the sharp end of the corkscrew into the stopper and twisted before he pulled the cork free. The rich smell of cabernet filled his nostrils. He looked up at Callan and met his stare, the other man taking on a stillness indicative of a challenge to Ryan’s instruction. The thick heat of the summer air was added to by the otherworldly energy exuded by the two men. The pressure in Ryan’s head built, but in direct contrast he gave the other man a bland expression. After a minute, Callan nodded and the unseen force dropped in ferocity. He picked up his glass of wine and emptied it. “As you wish. I trust you have the matter in hand. I would prefer there be no witnesses to our meeting. However, you could be correct in assuming there may be unwanted notice taken if the girl were to go missing. Just be sure she stays away. The Regency is very clear what will happen if a human finds out about the existence of vampires. If I thought you weren’t… committed to our negotiations, I would have to take care of her myself.” He smiled slightly, and ice seared through Ryan’s gut. “Remember, Callan, the reason we’re here. The Regency ordered we come to some agreement or else they would step in.” He didn’t even try to hide his anger toward the other man in the room. “Two nights to decide a way for our two houses to exist together, or else they will step in. I think we can agree that’s not something we want.” He poured some of the fragrant wine into his glass, put the bottle down and then took a sip. The taste of the tannin flowed over his tongue like liquid smoke. The inside of the barrel the wine had been matured in had been burned, and the heated wood permeated the accents of the grape.

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The other man stood and strode over to grab the bottle off the bench, pouring more wine into his glass with a snarl. “And don’t you forget the reason why we were brought to the Regency in the first place. You killed one of my men, Ryan. You cut off his head without my permission.” “I cut through the middleman, Callan. Unless you’ve changed the rules, Roman broke the essential law of our kind, of his kind.” Ryan slammed his fist down on the bench, causing his glass to tip over and shatter. “No one should turn a human unless they’re given permission by the head of their house.” “It was not your house! You had no right to impose any kind of sentence on someone in my employ. Therefore you must supply some sort of restitution.” Ryan splayed his hands over the top of the shards of crystal, pushing down hard and using the sharp pain to stop himself from doing something worse. “You should thank me,” he said quietly, though barely controlled menace was evident in his voice. “You still owe me.” Callan stepped backward and walked to the lounge, flopping down onto the cushions as though Ryan was nothing more than an inconvenience. The air swelled with energy once more. Ryan turned his hands over and looked at his bleeding palms. He moved to the sink and twisted the cold tap on, splashing water on his hands in between picking out small pieces of glass with his teeth and then spitting them into the sink. By the time he was finished, his hands were clean of blood, healed completely, and Ryan was tired of the games Callan played. This was getting them nowhere and he knew if he stayed for a moment longer one of them would not last out the weekend. He looked pointedly at the brooding man languishing in the dark. “The Regency will not be forgiving if we go back into the city without a viable solution, Callan.” He walked from the kitchen and back out the door he’d come in through. As he walked farther up the pathway to the road and the other entranceway to Taylor’s cabin, Ryan heard Callan’s parting words. “You executed my vampire, Ryan. You need to

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supply me with a new one. And I don’t care if you have to bite that bitch next door to do it!”

Chapter Two Showered and dressed in a cotton shirt and linen shorts, Taylor paced on the hardwood flooring between the lounge and dining room. The noises of nocturnal animals came through the open windows, and the filmy curtains only swayed slightly in response to the ceiling fan above her, slowly moving the thick air around. Her uncle’s cabin was fairly large for one set in the forest. The kitchen was on the right as you walked in; you could look over the valley through large windows facing the deck while making breakfast. One large room was broken into a lounge and dining room. On the other side of the dining room were three doors, two bedrooms and the bathroom. The vast amount of windows gave completely unobstructed views of the lush greenery of the Montville rainforest. She stopped in the dining area and looked at the cardboard folder on the glass table. She’d waited six months for the papers inside that folder. She’d pushed herself hard to get where she was, and when she’d received them in the mail she’d made the decision to come back to Jack’s cabin for three weeks over Christmas so she could just be. If I’d just taken the chance and told Jack to mind his own damn business when he dragged Ryan aside after we kissed twelve years ago, maybe this folder wouldn’t be sitting on my table. She shook her head. “I’m not living in fear anymore.” She turned on her heel and walked through the lounge. She pushed through the soft fabric of the curtains and her hands met… a shirt-clad firm body. She took a step back from the doorway but her hands didn’t leave the blue fabric-covered muscles of a well-formed chest. She looked from her hands up into Ryan’s familiar blue eyes and forgot the years that had passed between them. She was eighteen again and he was twenty-three and

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they were about to share their first kiss. Butterflies beat startled wings in her stomach, and she welcomed the sensation. Sadness showed in his eyes. There was an air of melancholy about him that hadn’t been there so many years ago. She had no doubt he would see the same in her. He put his hands on her shoulders and gently ran his pointer fingers along her bare skin. The caress stirred memories of his touch, his lips. Her skin tingled in delight and her nipples tightened in expectation. “Taylor, there’s something I have to say.” His voice rumbled around in his chest, and traveled up her arm. He talked softly, like a lover sharing intimate secrets. “No.” He wrinkled his face with confusion and went to take a step back. She fisted her hand in the fabric of his shirt and stopped him. She stood on tiptoes to meet his lips, brushing them lightly with hers before pulling back. “Just give me, us, a moment, Ryan. Right now there’s no pain, no baggage, no Uncle Jack. There’s just you and me and the way we feel. All I want for Christmas is a moment, the perfect moment, with you,” she whispered. He hesitated, searching her face. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, while she waited to see what his answer would be. Ryan closed his eyes, let out a growl and met her lips. Softly at first, he pressed his warm mouth against hers and then opened, taking tentative laps at her bottom lip. She let go of his shirt and slid her hands up his chest, until she caressed the back of his neck. She wrapped her fingers in his hair, pressing him closer. She deepened the kiss, opening up for him and meeting his searching tongue with her own. He ran his hands up her back and down her arms. The feather-light touch sent waves of delight all the way through to her fingertips; she moaned with pleasure. Her whole body was already so hot from the humidity; she felt decadent, luxuriating in his gentle caresses and welcoming the heat building in her pussy. She stepped back and brought him with her, never breaking contact. She breathed in deeply and was pleasantly surprised she remembered him. He still smelled

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like hiking in the forest with the summer heat on his skin and the scent of ferns. She unbuttoned his shirt and pulled the garment over his shoulders. He let go of her long enough for her to slide the material down his arms and drop it onto the floor. His body was perfection, tanned slightly with toned muscles, a bare chest with hair around his belly button that disappeared tantalizingly below the waistband of his jeans. He ran his hand under her shirt and splayed his fingers over her skin, sliding them to the sides and holding onto her waist. Using the pads of his fingertips to stroke up her sides, he caressed a feather-light touch along her ribs to rest under her breasts. His gentle ministrations and proximity to her hardened nipples had her breathless, the anticipation of him taking her eliciting a whimper against his lips. She ran her fingers along the tight muscles bordering his spine and then gently retraced the path with her nails. He let out a guttural groan, and pulled away with his hands on her hips. His breathing was heavy as he searched her eyes. She stood looking back at him, her bold fearlessness balancing on the edge of shattering. Have I done the wrong thing? Have I just given myself the opportunity to get hurt again? “Are you sure, Taylor? I don’t want to hurt you and there are things that have happened since we saw each other…” She grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled it over her head, revealing her bare torso and the scars on the right side of her body. “We all have our secrets, Ryan.” She looked down, unable to meet his surprised stare. “Some more obvious than others.” He tilted her chin and lifted her gaze to his intense blue eyes. “Please. Don’t you ever think you’re not the most stunning person in the world to me. You have the most beautiful soul I’ve ever encountered and you’re so frickin’ sexy I can barely keep my hands off you.” “Then don’t,” she breathed. Ryan slid his hands down to pull her legs up around his waist. She curled her arms around his neck and leaned in to meet his lips. He claimed her mouth hungrily,

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nipping and twisting his tongue against hers. He pulled an arm out from under her hips, holding her with one hand while he captured her breast in the palm of his hand and then rubbed her nipple in between his thumb and finger. She moaned against his lips, the ecstasy of his ministrations of her aching breast shooting through her belly straight to her cunt. He laid her gently on the couch, keeping his hand on her nipple and his mouth on hers. She let go of his neck and unbuttoned the clasp of his jeans, before undoing the zipper. “Off,” she growled against his mouth. She couldn’t help but giggle. The way she was acting, what they were doing, was just the way she’d imagined it might have been when she was still a teenager. Only the real thing is so much better, she thought, just before he pulled his mouth away and bent down to take the other aching nipple in his mouth. Pleasure tore through her and she forgot about his jeans for a moment as she arched her back. He let go of her breast and undid the tie on her shorts. He grabbed her panties and bottoms and pulled away to slide them over her hips and legs. He let the discarded lingerie fall onto the floor. Taylor reached over to the table next to the couch and grabbed her bottle of cold pressed almond oil. She usually used it to massage her hip and moisturize the scars along her right side, but tonight she’d use it for something entirely different and infinitely more pleasurable. She unscrewed the lid, poured a large amount on her palm, put the bottle back and looked at Ryan with a smile. “I said, off, now!” He gave her an answering grin and bowed. “As you wish.” He grasped the waistband of his pants and peeled them off, kicking the jeans to the side and standing naked before her. She soaked in the sight of him, of his sweat-slicked body. She drank in every inch of his tight abdominal muscles, the strong cords of his thighs and calves and his hard cock. “Oh, Merry Christmas, Taylor,” she muttered. “I’m so glad you approve.” “Get over here and I’ll put my stamp on it.” Did I say that?

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Ryan walked over to the edge of the couch, kneeled in front of her and captured her mouth with his, drawing the kiss out with leisurely licks before tracing a line down the side of her throat. He nipped then soothed with a lick, getting closer and closer to her breast. The delight he awakened in her skin was almost unbearable. As he inched his way closer to a nipple, his hand caressed a path up the inside of her leg, until he traced the sensitive flesh in between her thighs and flicked a nail across the skin of her labia. Heat and wetness rushed to her pussy and a thrill shot through her stomach. At the same time he assaulted her breast with a languorous tongue, he opened her sopping cunt with his fingers and thrust inside her. She let out a scream, her head filled with rapture and pleasure so sweet she couldn’t think for a moment. When she’d managed to pull herself out of her haze, she reached out, slid the oil all over his cock and covered his erection. He felt so good in her hand and she indulged in the great delight of sliding her fingers around his width before drawing her hand up and down in deliberate strokes.

Ryan almost lost complete control, his teeth sliding out and grazing her rosecolored nipple. She shuddered underneath him, the muscles in her pussy drawing against his finger even harder. He could hear her heart pumping wildly; feel the rush under her skin. He widened her cunt with a second finger, taking total pleasure in the way she bucked and pumped her hips against him. She slid her hand up and down his shaft, swirling her thumb against the head of his cock. Blood surged to the base of his shaft and his balls tightened. He growled against her soft flesh before he began rubbing her clit with his thumb. She pulled in a quick gasp before her pussy spasmed around his fingers and she let out a scream. He continued to thrust his fingers inside of her as he relished her wet heat. She kept on sliding her hand up and down his length. He pulled back, using what little control he had to retract his teeth. She moved off the couch when he slipped his fingers out, and knelt on the floor next to him, facing his side. He shifted to look at her and then she bent over to take the

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head of his cock in her mouth. She caressed one hand down his length to wrap around his shaft and the other massaged his balls. A tingle raced up his spine and exploded in his head. He tangled his hands in the strands of her rich brown hair and closed his eyes. She sucked him further in, bringing him more fully into her mouth before swallowing and slipping him down her throat, while humming. The thrill and feel of her taking all of him in was too much. He came, screaming hoarsely while pumping his hips. After she pulled back a little and sucked the last bit of his cum off his cock, she gave him one last lap before she flopped down on the floor. Her hands casually rested on the creamy skin of her belly and her body shone with a thin film of sweat. She looked… so peaceful, and for a moment the sadness he’d seen earlier was gone. He lay down next to her, dazed and still reeling from his release. She rolled over to rest her arm on his chest. Right there, next to her, he felt whole -- and then he remembered why he’d come over in the first place. You’re going to break her heart, you complete and total asshole. He flinched. “It’s not as bad as it looks.”

“What?”

“The scars,” she said tiredly.

He ran his hand along the puckered lines on the underside of her arm and

continued down her side. Without looking he could tell they were present there as well. “What happened?” “Strange kind of afterglow talk we got going on here.” She laughed. “You used to be able to tell me about everything in your life.” There was a pause and he listened to her panting breaths as they calmed. She broke the silence hesitantly, as though piercing the quiet would shatter the moment they shared. “I missed you, Ryan.” “I missed you too.” She hesitated again. “I’m married.”

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“What!” He bolted upright but she put out her hand in a steadying motion. “Sorry. I mean I was married.” She stood and found her shirt on the floor, then pulled the garment over her head before picking up her panties and shorts, putting them on and tying them up. Feeling uncomfortable because now she was dressed and he wasn’t, Ryan picked up his jeans, dragged them up his legs before doing the button and zipper up. She walked over to him, a folder in hand. “My divorce papers,” she said with a pained expression on her face. He took them from her and sat on the couch. Opening the front cover, he scanned the page. “This says your husband petitioned for the marriage to be dissolved.” He looked up at her with confusion. “You’re the one wearing the scars. What happened?” Anger sparked inside him. This bastard had left her with scars all down the right-hand side of her body and he had the balls to ask for a divorce. She paced in front of him, stopped, opened her mouth, closed it and paced again. Finally she walked over to the couch and sat. “After Jack caught us kissing and you didn’t come back, I was lost. You were my best friend. With Dad being in the army and my family moving around, this cabin was the one solid thing for me to hold onto and you were part of that.” She stopped and grabbed the folder out of his hands, slapping it down on the cushion behind her. “I made decisions… bad decisions when it came to relationships. I thought I’d stopped that when I met Peter. We got married just after I turned twentyfive and at first things were great. He decided it would be best for him to do a business degree, but my job as a veterinary nurse didn’t pay enough. So I quit and started doing house cleaning instead. I wasn’t qualified to do anything else.” She nibbled at her bottom lip, wringing her hands together. He grasped her hands in his, threading his fingers through hers and giving a light squeeze. She looked at him, and gave him a weak smile. “When he finished his degree he had me leave my job to stay at home and look after the house, so I could be there when he got home.” She closed her eyes and set her

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shoulders. After opening them again her voice became stronger. “The short story is this. By the end of our marriage I had no friends; he’d managed to estrange me from my family. I had no money and no job.” Ryan stood and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. Her ex-husband was a monster and he knew the worst part was yet to come. She stayed seated but looked down at her hands again. “Just over six months ago Peter came home and told me he wanted a divorce. He’d been sleeping with someone else and didn’t want to stay with someone as broken as I was. I was desperate, I was alone, so I begged him not to leave.” Ryan’s chest tightened and he fisted his hands, and then let them go. He walked over to Taylor and sat down again. He held her chin and captured her hazel eyes with his stare. “I told you, don’t ever be afraid to look at me. More importantly, don’t be afraid of him.” He put his hands on top of hers. She shook her head and swiped at her eyes. “I grabbed onto him to stop him from walking out the door and he threw me into the glass coffee table. It broke.” She shrugged. “I have scars all over the right-hand side of my body and I limp when my hip gets cold. So he was right when he said I was broken. The only saving grace is the fact that the bruises healed, because they looked nasty.” She smiled weakly. “The divorce went through just before the courts closed for Christmas and Jack was nice enough to offer the cabin. I’ve been to counseling and I’ve worked my ass off to get myself together. But I needed the time here to remember who I am without Peter.” Ryan dry-washed his face with his hands and then encircled her in his arms. Her ex-husband was an asshole, a monster, a control freak and a liar. Ryan dropped his head back and closed his eyes. God help me, I’m a monster and I’m keeping secrets from the most beautiful person I’ve ever met. Yep, that qualifies me as an asshole. He was going to have to keep her away from him or she was going to get even more hurt, and if Callan got wind of what Taylor meant to him, things could get a hell of a lot worse.

Chapter Three It should be me, it could’ve been me. Taylor floated to the surface of her sleep. Simply Red’s “Sunrise” blared out of the speakers of her polyphonic cell next to her bed. She reached out blindly for the phone, pushed a button, and hoped she didn’t disconnect the call. “Mmm, yup,” she answered groggily. “Taylor?” When she heard the voice on the other end of the line, she wished she had sent it to voice mail. “Peter?” Her eyes flew open and she sat up higher in the bed, pulling the sheets up to her neck. “Taylor, are you still in bed? It’s two o’clock in the afternoon.” He laughed goodnaturedly. She wiped a hand over her face and blinked furiously, trying to clear her head. “Peter, don’t try to joke with me. Whatever time I get up is none of your business.” She looked over at the wind-up clock on the bedside table. He was right, it was five past two. “Don’t be like that, Taylor.” His voice softened. “I want to see you.” Taylor considered hanging up on him. Instead, she raked her hand through her hair with frustration. I’m not afraid. “No, Peter. How did you get my phone number anyway? It isn’t listed.” He pressed on as if he hadn’t heard what she’d said. “I’ve been thinking. I think we made a mistake and I’d like to talk about the chance of the two of us dating again.” Now she was completely awake. She grabbed the sheet and bolted upright. “You what! You have to be joking, right, Peter? You can’t honestly be serious?” she screeched.

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“Of course I am, Taylor. We were married for five years. Do you want to just throw that away? I want to see you and talk things over. Where are you?” he softly cajoled. “Do not come here, Peter. Just stay away.” She pulled the phone away from her ear and pressed the button to hang up. She sat there for a moment and tried to calm her racing pulse. Sweat beaded on her upper lip and she wiped her brow with the back of the hand holding the phone. She considered throwing the cell across the room as fingers of dread trailed up her spine, as though he would crawl through the electronic device right into her room. The counseling she’d undertaken had given her an understanding of who Peter was. He wasn’t physically abusive. The only time he’d hurt her was when he was walking out. He was mentally abusive. He needed to be in total control, and liked to cause a drama so he could be the center of attention. This phone call was just his attempt to pull her into his mind games. Just thinking about being a part of his world again, being that broken spineless creature, was enough to make her skin crawl. “No, you don’t, Taylor. There are better things to think about.” Or rather, more perplexing. She breathed deeply and calmed down, relaxing the tight muscles in her shoulders. She flopped backward, shoving the phone back onto the nightstand with a concentrated effort. She ran last night through her mind; the mind-blowing orgasm she’d shared with Ryan as well as her revelations about her marriage. He’d been so loving and caring, holding her and soothing with kind words. However, before he’d left he’d become still, then told her he thought she should stay away from him for the rest of the time he was here. He told her Jack had been right all those years ago and she should forget about him. She’d stayed up long after he’d left, mulling over the way she felt about him and if she thought he really was as terrible as he’d said.

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She knew time had passed. Since she’d last seen him a lot had happened. But she also knew she’d known him eighteen years, she could see into his heart, and she had no doubt he was a good man. “For some reason he can’t see that, but I can and I love him for it.” She sighed out loud. Throwing off the covers, she strutted around the cabin in nothing but her panties and a singlet. The full heat of the day was only just passing, but a cool breeze drifted through the kitchen windows. She wasn’t going to miss this opportunity to ease some of the summer temperature when no one could see her. After making a cup of tea, she took her time drinking the sweet brew on the deck. She enjoyed the distinct smell of the forest mulch, the sounds of bowerbirds and currawongs, and closed her eyes to enjoy the soft wind. When she was done, she reluctantly returned to the bedroom and threw on some shorts, a bra and a T-shirt. She walked into the bathroom and picked up her hairbrush, talking to her reflection in the mirror. “I’m going into town, buying a bottle of wine, some cheese from the local dairy, a watermelon, and I’m going to eat it while watching the sunset.” She brushed her long hair and gathered it into a ponytail. “And I’m turning my phone off,” she muttered as she ran back into the room, grabbed the device off the table and switched it off. After slipping her feet into a pair of leather sandals, she slung her fabric backpack over her shoulder and walked out the door, up the side of the hill, and got into her battered blue Mitsubishi Colt. The car protested at being started after so many days but eventually hummed to life. She threw the car into drive and pulled away with a smile on her face. As far as she was concerned, leaving the cell behind was leaving the issue behind. Peter was no longer a problem.

*** Ryan could hear Taylor as she entered the water down below. From his vantage point leaning against the railing on his deck, he could make out her pale body in the moonlight before she disappeared under the water.

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He turned and looked inside. The lounge was still empty; Callan hadn’t appeared from his room yet. Ryan quickly grabbed his shirt from off the outside table and slipped it on. What am I doing? Even as he asked himself the question he walked down the path to the water’s edge, striding up to the same place he’d found her the night before. He stood barely in the water; gentle ripples chilled the flesh of his toes and the bottom of his feet. Breathing in the fresh scent of the lake and the lingering smell of warm grass, he watched the surface intently for signs of her coming up for air, or even a wave to tell him where she was. He smiled just before cold, wet hands closed over his eyes. He’d heard her before she touched him. “Spying on me again while I’m swimming? For a man who wants me to stay away from him, you sure do seem to go out of your way to spend time with me,” she whispered next to his ear. She dropped her hands from his eyes and held the front of his shoulders. She pressed her cheek against the flesh in between his shoulder blades and leaned against him. His heart picked up its rhythm, blood pulsing around his body and surging to his cock. He’d watched her from the deck and he was very much aware she wasn’t wearing anything. The frigid water from her body saturated the back of his shirt and dripped from her hands down his arms. He placed his hands over the top of hers. “I don’t know what I’m doing here. I’m going to hurt you, Taylor.” She took hold of the collar of his shirt, then pulled the garment down his arms, dropping it on the ground. She leaned against him again, her breasts pushed up against his bare skin. Goose bumps pebbled his skin and a tingle rushed up his back. “I’m not going to beg you to stay, Ryan. I will ask one thing, and it’s up to you what you do,” she said quietly.

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He turned around and wrapped his arms around her, trailing his fingers up her back leisurely. The muscles next to her spine tensed, and she shivered. Her skin felt like silk, cool and slippery under his fingertips. “Would you like to take a swim with me?” Her hazel eyes glittered in the moonlight. Her hands moved to the button on his pants and she waited. He dipped his head and kissed her passionately, tasting her sweet mouth with his tongue. He cupped her face and then stroked his fingers down her jaw before caressing a feather-soft line down her throat to a tight nipple. She gasped against his mouth and smiled, undoing the fastener on his pants and pulling away to slide them down his legs. He was hard with need and mindless with wanting to be with her. She stood and grinned. He watched her beautiful body, the way her skin glowed in the diffused light. He would never get enough of looking at her breasts, the lean lines of her toned legs, or the way she smiled at him with delight. She grasped his hand gently and led him into the cold waters of the lake.

Taylor forgot to breathe for a moment when she waded into the lake. The cool temperature was such a stark contrast to the heat of the night. However, she didn’t stop until they were waist-high in the water. He came up behind her and pressed his hard cock against the line of her ass cheeks. Heat burned in her already aroused pussy as he pulled her dripping hair aside and kissed the junction between her shoulder and neck. He trailed his hands up her tight abdominal muscles and continued upward until he fondled her breasts, flicking her nipples with a fingernail. She tipped her head back and moaned, the mixture of cold, pain and delight rushing straight between her thighs. He pressed himself tighter to her, sliding his rigid shaft along her skin. Reaching behind her, she ran her hands up the tight cords of his thighs until she gripped his cock and explored his length with her fingers. He growled, biting down on her throat.

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She cried out in pleasure, but he pulled away. She looked over her shoulder and noticed his concern. Her chest tightened with happiness, she’d been right. He was a good man with a good heart. “You didn’t hurt me, Ryan.” She turned in his hold and slung her arms around his neck. Relief flooded his face and he gently stroked her cheek. “Are you sure about this?” “Why do you keep asking me that? Despite your low opinion of yourself, I know your heart, Ryan. I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life.” He hesitated once more, looking slightly sheepish. “In case you were wondering, I’m clean. But if you want to go back to the cabin for some protection I’ll understand.” She grinned widely. “It’s all right. I haven’t been with anyone but Peter and after I found out he was having an affair I was tested. You have nothing to worry about from me. I’m on the pill too, so getting pregnant is not in the cards.” She moved up tight against his body and moaned at the sensation of her hard nipples rubbing against the slick skin of his chest. “I think I just got your answer,” he said huskily. He grabbed her backside and lifted her up. She let go of his neck with one hand, wrapped her fingers around his cock and guided him into her. Shivers of rapture radiated out from her pussy as he slowly widened her. Every inch stretched her muscles and scorched a path of total pleasure until she was full with him. She didn’t move, just luxuriated in the feel of him around and inside her. She held on tightly with both arms again, breathing heavily. She bit him on the shoulder lightly and then kissed his skin. He let out a guttural groan, pushed her ass away from him and used the buoyancy of the water to pull her back onto him again. Every movement, every ripple of the water being disturbed, increased the sensations in and outside of her body. She leaned back, holding onto his forearms and enjoying the water lapping around her breasts. She watched the way his abdominal muscles contracted, the way the pale light played in the valleys. His dusky nipples were tight and goose bumps lined his pectorals.

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Her climax built, controlled by Ryan, and she surrendered herself to him with no fear of how he would use it. Faster and with more urgency, he pumped in and out of her. His intense blue eyes never left hers and she gave him a cheeky smile. She cocked an eyebrow, reached down into the water with one hand and rubbed her clitoris between two fingers. Ecstasy burst through her body and she came, screaming wildly. Her pussy gripped Ryan’s cock rhythmically and she felt heat spill within her. He yelled hoarsely, slowing his rapid thrusting. He pulled her up against him again and closed his arms around her. She locked her ankles behind his ass and tiredly reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. They stood quietly for a couple of minutes, locked together while he remained inside her. She concentrated on calming her heart and breath. Ryan’s pulse thundered in his chest against hers. When she could speak, Taylor pulled back in his arms and looked into his eyes. “I’m leaving tomorrow.” “I thought you were staying another two weeks, over Christmas.” His muscles tensed around her. “What’s going on?” She looked down to her left at the water. He felt so good inside of her, why did she have to go and ruin the moment? “I got a phone call from Peter today. He found my cell phone number and he wants to know where I am so we can talk about reconciliation.” Ryan took hold of her face and gently turned her to meet his gaze. “You’re going back to him?” “Good grief! Hell, no! I’m leaving so he won’t find me here. I will have to face him sometime in the future, but when that happens it will be on my terms; I’m not having him invading my time.” She covered his hands with hers, his short whiskers tickling her fingers. “I know you’re leaving, you said you were only here for two days. But I’ve gained more from being with you in such a short amount of time than what I would have if I’d spent the whole three weeks here alone.”

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She leaned forward and gently kissed him, licking away the water on his lips. She pulled away and gave him a grin. “Now, I would like to cordially invite you to a Christmas tradition when we were all here together. I’m having a barbeque on my deck. Would you care to join me? I have a stunning bottle of red from Granite Ridge Estates that I opened earlier.” He searched her face and stayed still. “Never underestimate how amazing you are, Taylor.” “Does that mean you’ll come?” She kissed him quickly and wiggled her eyebrows. He laughed, a throaty deep chuckle. “Yes. Just give me a couple of minutes to go up to my cabin, dry off and get a clean shirt.” “Good.” She reluctantly broke their intimate join and swam until the water was too shallow. She got out, shaking her hands and then wringing moisture out of her hair, throwing the clumped strands over her back. Cold drips trailed down her spine and tickled the top of her ass cheeks, causing her to shiver again. When she bent to pick up her clothes, he walked up behind her and gave her a swat on the backside. Still wet, she pulled on her shorts and the shirt he’d left on her floor the night before, the tails hanging down her thighs. She buttoned the front up and turned to find him smiling at her. “I don’t know what to ask about first, the fact you didn’t bother with panties, or that you’re wearing my clothes.” He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her closer with one arm. He trailed lazy patterns on a thigh with the other hand. “Couldn’t be bothered with underwear, and as for the shirt? You can come and get it back off me after dinner.” She laughed and then kissed him quickly before squirming out of his grasp. “Now scoot! The sooner you’ve been home the quicker you’ll be in mine.” He grabbed his pants and shirt off the ground and tossed them over his shoulder. Grinning widely, he shook his head and turned to walk beside the water, toward the path up the hill to his cabin.

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“Looks like there’s more than one full moon out tonight,” she called out, admiring the way his tight ass muscles clenched as he moved. He didn’t hesitate, just kept on walking. “Like I didn’t see enough of the moon when I watched you dive under the water last night, Daniels,” he yelled back. She grinned, vowing that for tonight at least she wouldn’t think about Peter, or the fact there was a good chance she and Ryan wouldn’t see each other again. Pain lanced through her chest and she faltered taking the first step up the path to her cabin. Almost on cue her hip throbbed and she stumbled. “No.” She gritted her teeth in determination. “A warm shower will put an end to you,” she said as she absently rubbed the joint. As for not seeing Ryan again, well, I’ll just deal with that later. Right now I’ve got a barbeque to get ready. The pressure in her chest eased and she grinned. She limped up the stairs, humming to herself in anticipation of the evening to come.

Chapter Four “Oh, this won’t look good,” Taylor mumbled to herself, hands on hips. She scanned the oiled wooden table pushed up against the deck railing. An opened bottle of red wine sat next to a cutting board with remnants of cheese and watermelon rind scattered across the surface. Placed in the middle was Jack’s sharp, sterling silver knife. The truth was the long, dagger-like knife hadn’t been the best choice for a cheese knife, but she’d always admired it when she was growing up and Jack wouldn’t let her touch it. “And he better not find out I did this time either.” She grinned. “At least I spat the seeds over the side. It’s the simple things in life you enjoy the most.” Moving over to the other side of the area, she grabbed hold of the weather cover for the four-burner barbeque, and pulled. She’d used the hot plate a few times during the week and had been sure to clean it thoroughly. After folding the vinyl, fleece-lined cover up, she stuffed it under the barbeque next to the gas bottle. She turned back to the table, picked up the wine bottle in one hand, and the cutting board in the other. Taking the five steps to the front door, she stopped and wrinkled her face in confusion. “Could have sworn I left that open.” She shrugged, put the bottle down, grabbed the knife and slid it up under her shirt and into the back pocket of her shorts. She threw the rind over the edge into the bush before grasping the board under her arm. She slid the glass doors open, picked the bottle up and stepped through the curtains. One look at the room was enough for her to stop in her tracks and drop the bottle and board on the floor. The bottle broke, showering the wooden flooring in a mixture of glass and wine. She stood in the doorway, stunned, as time slowed down. Rapid images flew through her mind, the chairs in the dining room turned over and the couches shoved

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out of position. A lamp lying on its side cast the room with strange shadows, the light distorted by its position. The one thing she couldn’t take in was the one obvious thing that was very wrong. “Oh crap. Peter?” She stepped hesitantly toward the body face-up in the middle of the lounge room and saw blood pooling around him on the polished wood floor. Then she rushed over, nausea building in her stomach. She crouched down next to him, looking into his open, gray eyes for a sign of recognition. Pushing the back of a fist against her lips, she suppressed a sob from escaping. Reaching down with her other hand, she pressed two fingers to his neck to feel for a pulse. She snatched her hand away when she felt the slick blood oozing out of two punctures in his flesh. With a trembling hand she reached over the other side and wasn’t surprised to find she couldn’t feel a pulse. She didn’t know what she was more panicked by, the fact Peter had found her and turned up at her uncle’s cabin or that he was lying dead in the lounge room. The sliding door slammed shut forcefully, causing her to flinch and stand, taking a step back from the violent noise. Her bare foot slid in the blood on the floor, and pain flared in her hip as she tried to right her footing. The twinge reminded her why she hadn’t wanted to see Peter in the first place, how far she’d come in the last six months and the strength she’d found over the last two days. She found the anger deep within her, the smoldering fury that had built inside her every time she looked in the mirror and saw the scars on her arm, body and legs. She pulled herself up and set her shoulders, gritting her teeth against the tears in her eyes. Behind the fabric of the curtains was the dark outline of a person, but their features were undistinguishable. She opened her fisted hand and swiped at the liquid blurring her vision. “Come out here, you fucking coward,” she growled, and swallowed past the lump in her throat.

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The filmy, sheer white curtains moved and billowed toward her. Sliding upward, they slowly uncovered a pair of boots, then black leather pants, a burgundy silk shirt, and lastly, a smiling man with hair as black as night with eyes to match. The curtain dropped back into place and the person revealed grinned at her, a malicious twist of his lips in a gruesome parody of cordiality. “Miss Daniels, it’s a pleasure to meet you at last.” He swaggered toward her and, as much as she wanted to stand her ground, Taylor stepped backward. Adrenaline surged through her blood. Her heart sped up and she had to fist her hands and press her nails into her palms to stop herself from running out of the room and jumping out of a window. “How the hell do you know who I am?” She picked her chin up and challenged him with her eyes. “How rude of me. My name is Callan. I’ve been staying with my acquaintance in the cabin next door. I think you might know him. Ryan Matthews?” He grinned again and two sharp teeth slid out to press against his bottom lip, nicking the flesh. Blood welled at the surface and he swiped at the crimson liquid with his tongue, his eyes closing halfway. “You’re with Ryan?” Taylor hated how her voice trembled, but the way this dark-eyed stranger came to attention and looked at her with blatant want threatened to tumble her off the platform of indignant fury she’d planted herself on. “He owes me something… someone.” He strutted over to a lounge chair haphazardly arranged in the middle of the room. After turning it around he flopped down in the seat, never taking his eyes off her. Worse yet, he’d positioned the furniture so she couldn’t get past him and out the door. “What has that got to do with me?” She concentrated on not looking at Peter’s lifeless body lying on the floor. “Your husband and I had a lovely chat. He told me about the summers when your family stayed here. Yours and Ryan’s.” He grinned, and once again flashed those disconcerting eyeteeth. “Ryan’s gone to some length to keep me away from here,

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pretending he doesn’t care for you and explaining the reason I should stay away from you is because someone will notice if you go missing. He even threatened me after he came back from here last night.” Taylor’s heart thundered in her chest. This man spoke about what would happen if she went missing so casually, and he’d obviously killed Peter. She wasn’t going to bother correcting him about the fact the dead man on the floor was her ex-husband. She rocked on her feet, sliding her right foot along the floor to try and wipe off the sticky blood. “What do you want with me? Why would you kill Peter?” The pale man raised an eyebrow at her and stood. “I watched your… interlude tonight, and with the information I acquired from your husband I’m certain you mean a lot more to Ryan than he’s been letting on. Childhood sweethearts sounds more like it.” Against her better judgment, she stepped forward and gave him a look of defiance. “What the hell do you want? You say you’re a friend of Ryan’s, yet you kill Peter, stalk me, and what the fuck is going on with your teeth?” “Who said I was a friend of Ryan’s? We merely have common interests. We both are the heads of our houses, we both kill, and we both are the same type of predator.” Images flashed in Taylor’s mind, the twin puncture marks, the pool of blood, and his lengthening teeth. Her throat went dry. What she was thinking was impossible. “You both kill?” His words spun around but didn’t quite find meaning in her befuddled brain. “What do you mean you and Ryan are the same type of predator?” He grinned with delight. “Oh, I thought he would have told you somewhere in the middle of fucking you. Surely sinking his teeth into your shoulder would have been a giveaway.” The blood in her ears pounded. She shook her head. “He didn’t sink his teeth into anything. It was a love bite, nothing more.” Callan wrinkled his face in mirth, but the laughter dropped away suddenly. “He’s a vampire, we both are, and very shortly your husband will be too.”

***

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“I can’t, Lucas. There’s no way Taylor would understand about me being a vampire.” Ryan carried his cell phone around with him while he pulled a towel out of the cupboard and began to dry himself off. “Look, Ryan, you have to take a join soon or the Regency will organize one for you. The leader of the house of Anore must have a join within two years. You haven’t liked any of the women that have sought your affection, vampire or otherwise.” Ryan didn’t say anything. What could he say? Everything Lucas said was true. “When was the last time you had sex?” “Lucas, a true gentleman never kisses and tells.” He grinned, remembering the feel of Taylor’s body against his, her tight pussy muscles contracting around his cock. In response his shaft became hard, his towel snagging on its length. “Tell her, Ryan. If you don’t come back with an agreement with the house of Ashrum, with Callan, the Regency will be pissed. But if you show up with a join you might get away with it.” Ryan sat down on his bed and let out a sigh. “Thanks for calling, Lucas. I’ll be home by morning, one way or the other.” He took the phone away from his ear and pushed the “end” button. With a shake of his head he stood and slipped on a fresh pair of pants and a shirt he’d thrown over a chair before he got in the shower. Confining his rigid cock into the garment, he couldn’t help but grin again. The feelings Taylor awoke in him, inside and out, were things he hadn’t experienced in years. She said she knew his heart, and, battered as it was, he knew hers. Which would make it all that much harder when he left before daylight. Fully dressed again, he looked around the cabin. Still no sign of Callan. Something was wrong. A scream from the cabin next door only served to confirm Ryan’s fears. He growled. If the other vampire had laid a single hand on Taylor, there’d be hell to pay. “I should have just left her be.”

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Adrenaline burst in his chest, accompanied by fury. He ran out the door to the road and down the path to her cabin. He strode onto the deck and stepped up to the glass sliding doors. Without thinking, he grabbed hold and pulled, snapping the lock and taking it off its track. The whole thing fell on the deck, the inset glass shattering into thousands of pieces and tumbling over the ground. Ryan’s eyeteeth slid out as he stepped into the cabin. The smell of wine and blood assailed his nostrils as glass crunched underfoot and tore at the soles of his feet. He paid no attention to the heated pain lancing up his legs, only the look of fear in Taylor’s eyes. Ryan threw the lounge chair in his way aside and took another step into the room. On the floor, a man wearing dark denim jeans, a DKNY shirt and designer stubble lay with unseeing eyes. Ryan looked up at Callan, who stood behind Taylor with a hand on her chin, her back against his front. With his vampire strength, the other man could easily twist her head and break her neck. Ryan pulled himself up, leaving his teeth showing as open aggression and challenge. “What do you think you’re doing, Callan?” “I’m doing you a favor, Ryan. You seemed too… distracted in order for us to go back to the Regency with a viable compromise, so I created one.” A lone tear coursed down Taylor’s cheek. She breathed shallowly and her hands gripped Callan’s arm, as though she was trying to stop him from moving anymore. His other hand held her shoulder tightly. “He said you were a vampire, Ryan, but that’s not possible. Vampires aren’t real. He’s lying, right?” At his silence she closed her eyes and swallowed a sob. She opened her eyes again and looked him pointedly. “You’re a vampire?” She said it so quietly but he could hear his betrayal in her voice. Ryan couldn’t bear to look her in the eyes. Callan rubbed his cheek along hers and talked quietly with his forehead pressed to her temple. “Yes, your lover is a vampire and not just any old vampire. Ryan and I head the two vampire houses in Brisbane. He is the leader of the House of Anore, and

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the only way of earning such a prestigious position is to kill the current leader.” He laughed maliciously. Taylor closed her eyes and Ryan saw her throat work as she gulped. When she opened them again the fear was gone, replaced by anger. She licked her lips and let go of Callan’s forearm. What is she doing? Ryan concentrated on the seething mass of anger boiling inside of him. He wouldn’t let on he knew Taylor was up to something. “You and I both know the reason I’m a vampire. Being the leader of the House of Anore is more complicated than that. We came here to work out a middle ground, Callan. If the Regency finds out you’ve killed one human and taken another, they’re going to be pissed.” “He said Peter was going to become a vampire,” Taylor ground out between gritted teeth. She had her right hand casually placed next to her hip, but Ryan could see the tension in her muscles. Then what she’d said finally hit him. He looked at the body surrounded by blood. “This is your…” he began. “My husband,” Taylor completed for him. What the hell? Ryan saw her close her eyes tightly before opening them again, clearly not wanting him to correct her. “How exactly is killing this woman’s husband supposed to do me a favor, Callan? Do you even remember why we’re here in the first place?” Ryan took another step forward. Callan turned to look at Ryan, his intense stare capturing the other vampire’s as he let out a “tsk, tsk” while tightening his hold on Taylor’s chin. The cords in her neck stood out as she let out a whimper. Callan continued, “This woman? I didn’t just walk in here and kill Peter, Ryan. I’m not that stupid. I know you and Taylor grew up together, I know about the last summer you were here. I know she loves you, has for years, and it really pissed him off.” He shoved his chin toward the man on the floor. Loves me? Ryan pushed down his elation. Look where it’d gotten her. She must have told her husband about us at the same time she told him about the summers her family spent at Jack’s cabin while they were still married. That must be how he found her.

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One way or the other he would get her out of this mess. He’d brought his fucked-up life to her doorstep and now she was paying for it. Ryan cocked an eyebrow at Callan and gave him a smug grin. “That might be so, but she doesn’t mean anything to me. She’s just a good fuck in between putting up with your shit, Callan. She had a crush on me years ago and I knew she was a sure thing.” He waved a dismissive hand in her direction. “I killed one of the vampires from your house because he turned someone without your permission. You turned this one’s husband, for what? What on earth made you think I would be happy about this?” Ryan watched as Taylor flinched, and he thought he would throw up. Of course he loved her back but he had to make Callan think she wasn’t important so she had a chance of getting through tonight. She might hate him -- she had a number of reasons to -- but if she walked away from this not wanting to see him for as long as she lived, he could deal with it. As long as she was alive it didn’t matter. “It’s a done deal, Ryan. She’s married and you’ve been screwing her. I killed her husband so he wouldn’t find out the two of you had been having an affair. I was owed a replacement vampire so I turned him.” He shrugged and then grinned with pure hate. “The fact I’m going to tell him you were screwing his wife when he wakes up, and he’ll most probably try to kill you the first chance he gets, is just a bonus.” Ryan went to take another step closer to Callan but he tightened his hand even further. The sound of a vertebra in Taylor’s neck cracking reverberated through the room just as she gave a startled yelp. Callan’s pupils turned darker and the whites became red. “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we set out to deceive,” he growled out. Panic flared inside Ryan. Ice speared through his gut. He had to do something, soon. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean? You’re just angry because you’ve been playing at being a leader for the last two hundred years, Callan. I was forced into this job and still in a mere two years the House of Anore has surpassed Ashrum in finances and the approval of the Regency.” He fuelled his anger with hatred, and gave in to the

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almost blind blood rage of vampirism. Ryan had to present a challenge, had to make Callan angry enough to throw Taylor aside and fight him. Take the bait, damn it! Callan remained calm but the otherworld energy in the air was so thick Ryan had to slow his breathing. The hairs on his arms stood on end and static ran up his spine. The entire room balanced on the knife-edge of combustion. “Actions speak louder than words, Ryan.” “Stop the games, Callan. Throw the woman away, and let’s get this war over with.” Ryan’s nails grew longer and sharper. One swipe and he’d draw blood with no effort whatsoever. The other vampire laughed, the harsh noise abrasive in the highly charged atmosphere. “You didn’t bite her, didn’t bleed her.” “What?” Ryan’s voice was low and deep, like a warning a dog gives just before it attacks. “This bitch here.” He moved his hand away from Taylor’s chin and spun her around to face him, holding both shoulders in a grip so tight his nails pierced her skin and twin dribbles of crimson liquid made a path down her arms. He pushed her away from him so he could look her in the face. “He didn’t drink from your luscious veins, did he, little one?” “You heard him, I’m just a fuck,” she spat out. He laughed. “So indignant. The truth is, if you were just a fuck he would have left you sore and bleeding. No, he loves you.” Taylor slid her right hand down her hip and around to the back. She slipped her fingers up under the tail of her shirt, and when Ryan saw her hand again she held a keen looking, silver knife. Ryan didn’t know how to feel. Fear coursed through his veins but at the same time he was elated she was fighting back. The only problem would be if something went wrong. There was no doubt in his mind Callan would tear her throat out.

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“I will never be ruled by any man, ever again.” There was perceptible steel and promise in every word Taylor enunciated. The other vampire looked over her shoulder, his grin widening before he casually tucked her hair behind her ear and swept the rest of the silken strands to one side. With a speed that defied the normal abilities of the human body, Callan pulled Taylor close to him and struck, his teeth sliding into the tender flesh of her neck. Ryan leapt across the room to pull her out of his grasp but even at the speed a vampire could move, he was too late. It was all over.

Chapter Five Fury raged through Taylor. She channeled the emotion, gripping the handle of the knife tightly in her right hand and then plunging the blade through a gap in Callan’s ribs as hard as she could at the exact moment he bit her. At the very least she’d wound him so he’d let go, and with any luck she’d send him to hell where he belonged. She was elated when the weapon sliced through his shirt and skin with ease, the keen edge puncturing sinew and muscle until it was buried to the hilt. Flashbulbs went off in her head. Random images flared brightly in unrecognizable order. Pain stabbed through her brain, causing her to let out a moan of agony. Callan pulled back, surprised realization on his face, her blood dripping down to his chin. Searing heat threw Taylor backward. Her head thudded on the floor a split second before her body landed, knocking the wind out of her. She felt herself being shaken and heard the muffled sound of Ryan’s voice. Ash clogged her nose and the scent of burned flesh made her gag. Beaten and exhausted, relieved to be alive and out of Callan’s grasp, Taylor decided she’d fought enough. Glaring pictures still flittered through her mind, and her neck hurt where she’d been attacked. The world went quiet, and the scenes playing in her head beckoned. Taylor sighed with resignation and embraced the darkness, succumbing to its numbing comfort.

*** Taylor sat up with a start. The windows rattled as thunder shook the cabin, the boom of lightning striking a target far away.

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She breathed heavily, her heart beating erratically in her chest. She looked around the room, disoriented. The last thing she remembered was stabbing Callan with her uncle’s knife. She tucked her feet underneath her on the bed, ready to run. Her hands shaking and her muscles coiled, she was ready to move. A dark figure moved toward her and she struck out, fisting her hand and connecting with flesh. “Damn, ouch!” The lamp clicked on, and in the soft light she realized she’d hit Ryan. He rubbed his jaw with a pained look on his face. “You’re already stronger. You’ll have to watch that.” He stepped backward twice and sat in a chair near the bed. Panic shot through her chest. “What do you mean? Did Callan turn me?” She didn’t move a muscle. Looking down at herself, she discovered she wore a different singlet and shorts. “How did I get changed?” Ryan looked sheepish. “I changed your clothes, the others were… singed. As for you being a vampire, would it be that bad?” He lowered his gaze to his hands. “I decide what happens with my life. I do. I saw things, Ryan. I know things now.” She sat down on the bed, her legs crossed in contemplation. “No, you’re not a vampire,” he answered quietly. “So what did you mean about me being stronger?” She looked at him, wishing he would look back. “You’ve inherited certain gifts… supernatural gifts. Not as powerful as they would be if you’d been turned, but still a part of the package.” “What package?” Her tone offered no negotiation. She wanted his full attention. He lifted his face and his blue gaze was uncertain, as if she’d run out the door with the next thing he had to say. “What did you see?” She thought his question over for a while, trying to get the wording right. “At first there were just random flashes of memories, someone else’s memories. Then I saw everything from the start.”

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She swung her legs over the side of the bed, needing to be closer to him, but afraid he’d reject her. “Two friends, blood brothers. Aaron cursed his blood brother Shaun for falling in love with his wife. He bound the curse with red wine so the only food Shaun could partake of was either wine or blood. Because of the evil he became, Shaun was imprisoned by the dark of night. The original union of the two boys was sealed by cutting their hands with a sterling silver knife, so it’s the one true weapon against vampires.” Like the one I stabbed Callan with. “Was there anything else you saw?” His intense eyes burned into hers. “The curse rebounded. Aaron became a vampire too. In order to turn someone into a vampire there has to be an exchange of blood. Just like when you cut your hand and become a blood brother with someone else.” “They were the first, the original vampires. The houses of Anore and Ashrum have been at war ever since, at least three thousand years…” Ryan’s voice trailed off. Taylor thought more about the knowledge passed to her when Callan bit her and she killed him. When she’d been unconscious her brain had been able to make sense of the many images and memories that were thrust into her mind in the split second he’d died. “So much pain. So many rulers who hated the House of Anore and fuelled the war by abusing their followers.” She moved off the bed and walked over to the chair. Ryan looked up at her, his face showing no emotion. “So who was telling the truth? You or Callan?” Ryan stood, his body so close to hers she felt the heat radiating off him, but he didn’t touch her. “Callan was a lying asshole,” he growled. “So you don’t love me?” Ryan looked surprised. “Love you? Of course, but you know what I had to do to become leader of the House of Anore. I’m a killer.” She reached out and grabbed his shoulders, then slid her hands down his arms to grip his hands in hers. “I also know why. Callan knew why you did the things you did, but he used what he knew would hurt you to drive the animosity. Raya held you captive, and when you tried to leave she turned you without your permission.”

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He looked at her, relief written on his face. “The Regency ordered I kill her and take her place.” “Do you think me a monster for killing Callan?” She cupped his face with her hand and tried to soothe the pain she knew was in his heart. He shook his head. “Of course not!” She gave him a smile; she understood fully now why he’d done the things he’d done. “The actions you’ve taken were to protect Anore and anybody caught in the hatred of this curse. The war has raged for too long. I am the head of the House of Ashrum now, and I say it’s time for the fighting to end.” She let go of his hands and stepped in closer, balancing on her tiptoes to run her lips over his. Then she moved back until she leaned against the bed. “It’s your choice, Ryan. I love you. I want to be with you.” Her chest was tight. She couldn’t have left herself any more open for rejection, but she was willing to take the chance. “No man will ever rule you again, Taylor. But given the chance I would rule beside you for all eternity.” He stepped forward and claimed her lips, crushing his mouth to hers and cupping the back of her head for a breath-stealing kiss. She tugged at the bottom of his shirt, pulling the garment out from his jeans. Lightning flared outside and the sound of heavy rain hit the roof. She stopped suddenly and pressed her hand to his chest. “You weren’t wearing this before. My clothes were singed but yours must have been fine. How long was I asleep?” “Two days. The burn you sustained when Callan disintegrated healed completely thanks to the powers you’ve gained. I’ve been sitting next to your bed for part of one night, all of another, and a human from the House of Ashrum has been watching you during the day.” His gaze searched her face. “It’s official then. I am the ruler of the House of Ashrum.” She smiled, not entirely sure how she was going to go through with running a vampire nation, but with

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the knowledge she’d gained and the love of the man in front of her, she was looking forward to the challenge. He smiled back at her. “Yes, you are.” She took hold of the hem of his shirt and pulled it up over his head, flinging the material onto the floor. She undid the buckle on his belt and pulled it out with force, the strap flying through the air and landing on the other side of the room. She looked appreciatively at the muscled planes of his abdomen and the corded build of his arms. “I’ve seen how pacts have been sealed over the ages. Personally I’d like to set a new precedent.” She raised her eyebrow at him and gave him a sultry smile. He grabbed hold of the bottom of her shirt and tore, the split running from the hem of the material and ending at the V of the neckline. He stepped forward, tugged the garment down her shoulders and captured her lips again, darting his tongue inside her mouth with possessive caresses. He tasted like liquid fire that spilled inside of her to travel throughout her body and pool between her thighs. She growled against his mouth, not satisfied with having him next to her. She craved him being around her, inside her. Her fingers worked at the button and the zip on his jeans, parting the fabric to take hold of his hard cock. He felt so good in her hand, long and wide and ready. He uttered a guttural groan and ran his hands up her waist until he caressed a path across her ribs. Shivers of delight sped along her nerves, her nipples tightening in response. Taylor ran her hand down to the base of his rigid length, then let go and pushed her hands around the band of his jeans until they met on the tight muscles of his ass. He pressed harder against her body and at the same time kissed a path from her mouth, down her neck. She let go as he knelt in front of her. Taylor tangled her fingers in the short silky strands of his hair as he sucked her nipple into his mouth, biting lightly then blowing on the areola. She threw her head back in ecstasy and whimpered while pleasure shot up her spine.

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Ryan chuckled against her skin. “I definitely think this has potential as far as treaties go.” She looked down at him to see his pupils dilated and eyeteeth distended. She ran a finger from his forehead over his cheek to under his chin, his stubble tickling the tip. “How could you ever think I’d be afraid of you? I love you, Ryan.” He grabbed a hold of her shorts and panties and with one pull tugged both garments down her legs. “I love you too, Taylor. Have since the moment I could even comprehend what the word meant.” She made a “come here” gesture with her finger and gave him a grin. He stood and slipped the denim pants down his legs and then kicked them away. She grabbed the hand he offered, stepped out of her clothes and then pulled him out of the bedroom. She turned left through the empty lounge and out the repaired doors into the darkness of the deck. Instantly, the wind tossed her hair around and chilled her heated skin. Cold drops of rain blowing in under the awning sprinkled her body and caused goose bumps to form. She stopped, pulled out one of the wooden chairs and guided him around to sit. Periodic bursts of lightning cut through the dark night and brought the area into view. Taylor watched Ryan’s face as she knelt on the seat of the chair on either side of his legs and positioned her creaming pussy above his cock. He reached out, stroked her from her shoulder, over a nipple, and then tickled a path over her tense stomach muscles. She gasped, the gentle touch fuelling the heat between her thighs. She needed him now. He held onto his shaft as she moved her legs so they dangled under the arms of the chair, her feet touching the damp wooden decking. At the same time she slid down his cock, her muscles stretching and accepting his width while her nerves strummed with rapture. When she rested on his pelvis, she used the leverage of her feet on the ground to set their pace. She began to slide up and down his length slowly, while he closed his

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eyes and gently caressed her nipples. Every inch of her body was alive to his touch and the way he felt deep inside her. She watched the play of emotion across his face -- peace, delight -- and finally he let out a moan. Her muscles bunched, causing her to shudder with the orgasm building inside her. Ryan opened his eyes. The blue of his irises was icy and his pupils were dark. The knowledge that such a powerful man would fall apart under her touch shot a thrill to her heart. She ran her nails over his nipples. He growled and dropped his hands to the arms of the chair, gripping so tightly his knuckles turned white. “Why are you doing that?” she whispered. “What?” His voice was strained. His whole body was tensed, every muscle tight. “Holding back.” “I don’t want to…” “What? Bite me?” He groaned, closing his eyes halfway. “Do it.” She rode him harder, bordering on orgasm and only barely holding onto coherent thought. “No.” “As long as we don’t share blood you won’t turn me. I need you, Ryan,” she whimpered. He opened his eyes, sat up, and enveloped her in his arms. She leaned her head to the right and bared her neck. As she wrapped her arms around him, he struck. Her orgasm tore through her, causing her to scream out, her body racked by spasms. His seed spurted into her as she continued to writhe against him. Wave after wave of rapture tore through her cunt and spread throughout her body. Ryan groaned against her shoulder and then gave her neck a kiss when she stopped moving and tried to get her breath.

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They stayed in each other’s arms, both breathing hard while the raindrops and wind cooled their heated skin. Taylor was taken by surprise when Ryan stood, guiding her legs through the arms of the chair with gentle hands. As soon as he had her free, she instantly locked her arms and legs around him. He grabbed a hold of her under her ass cheeks and carried her back inside the cabin, through the lounge, and turned right into her bedroom. She allowed him to lay her down on the bed, and she crawled under the covers to watch as he got in behind her and pulled her back up against his front. “Ryan, what happened to Peter?” she asked quietly, scared to hear the answer. “He woke up the same night Callan turned him. One of the vampires from the House of Ashrum came and took him. The irony is, now you’re his boss. There is no need to worry about Peter.” He propped himself up on an elbow. “Why didn’t you tell Callan that Peter was your ex-husband?” She turned to lie on her back and looked at him. “I thought if he knew I didn’t care at all about Peter he would turn me as well. I might love you but he had to think I still had some feelings for Peter because we were still married. I’m more interested in knowing why he didn’t turn me when he bit me.” “He had his replacement vampire. He wanted to hurt me but he knew if he turned you too, the Regency would probably give me the go ahead to kill him. He would have bitten the inside of his mouth and caused his blood and Peter’s blood to mingle. Callan probably didn’t even feed, just left Peter on the floor to bleed out as the vampirism took hold of his body. He just bit you to feed and make me angry.” He dropped back down with his head on the pillow and his lips near her ear while he trailed patterns on her belly. “Is my being human going to be a problem?” “The Regency will be… interested to see how you handle your position. You are the closest to being the original vampire line since the beginning. The original two brothers were still human when they were cursed, but everyone they turned lost their humanity. You have our powers, but are still human. For you to have put an end to the

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war here in Brisbane, when there is so much hate between the two houses that has raged for so many years… borders on miraculous.” He pulled her back up so he could spoon her again. “When the time comes, will you turn me?”

“Why?”

“Will you?” she asked more forcefully.

“If you ask me to. Because I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with

you… I’ll do it. But think about it first, Taylor.” She smiled and turned her head to place a quick kiss on his lips. “I can be more useful to the House of Ashrum as someone who can work during the day as well as the night until I get things sorted.” She turned back and snuggled down into the pillow and his possessive hold. “How do you feel, Taylor?” Sleep dragged his speech down.

“Like a join.”

“What?”

“You heard me. I’m your join, Ryan. I’ve just made it official so don’t even think

about looking at anyone else.” She giggled. “Promise?” He stroked her hair and ran his fingers down her back. Shivers of delight followed his touch. “Promise. Forever?” “Until times and time are done.” Ryan ran his hand down her back, over her waist to her stomach and then took her hand in his. She closed her eyes, surrounded herself in the feel and scent of him being behind her, and drifted off to sleep completely content in the knowledge she’d never have to be without him ever again.

Cyan Bell Cyan Bell lives in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband, two children and one very long dog. She wishes she were a kick-ass woman who is the only one who can save the world, but is too busy worrying about what to make for dinner that night! Instead, she writes about women who are sexy, brave and fearless, along with challenging, intelligent and sexy men. Whether they are vampire, werewolf, angel or demon, she’s willing to explore stories that exist in our cities interwoven with other realms. Contributing factors led to her pushing the start button on her PC and beginning to write, but the one thing that stuck with her was a sticker reading “Imagine what you would do if you knew you couldn’t fail.” Today she plots story lines in a “Hello Kitty” notebook with the following words written on the inside of the cover: There will be doubts, there will be rejections and mistakes, but there is always the drive and the dream. And when you get to the top and look down from the mountain you will see each step you took to get there and be grateful for the journey. You can find her at www.cyanbell.com.