Vampire Coven Book 3: A Vampire's Embrace (6 page)

They were killed.

“They didn’t call themselves masters. The men in my ice home.”

“They were the masters of your fate. Did you run or did they kick you out, little seal?”

“I ran. I had no choice. They hunted me until they thought I was dead.” Hope’s words were barely a whisper. She hated thinking of that time. Alone and heavy with child she had stumbled her way through the freezing cold wondering each day if she would die. Worse was the thought of giving birth then dying to leave her baby all alone.

“You must have run before you gave birth.”

“I did,” she whispered.

“How did you survive?”

His words caressed her cheek. His breath bathed her face and she scented his heat. Hope’s heart pounded. He was too close, men shouldn’t be so close. Hope tried to struggle from his grip. She had never had a naked man close to her in her life. Even when she and her husband, wed in secret, had sex one time only before they were discovered and he was killed, there were, for the most part, furs between them. She had only felt Ben’s furs rub across the small patch exposing her behind. Hope had never placed her bare hands onto a man’s bare chest. She never knew a man was so large under his pelt.

Rhett’s cock pressed against her ass. She continued to struggle until Rhett simply released her. Hope went under the water. Terror gripped her. She screamed but heard only a muttered sound. If she couldn’t hear her screams neither would Rhett. He wouldn’t know she was drowning. The human pot Rhett placed her in would be her death.

Her arms didn’t flail, she didn’t kick her feet. Her body gently slipped lower until her world became dark, her behind rested on the bottom of the pool. She was alone. There was no sound. A whimper tore from her throat. Her entire being screamed at her to save herself but she didn’t know how. She didn’t need to build a fire for warmth; she didn’t need to hunt to fill her belly. This much water was a danger she had never encountered.

Hands roughly gripped her under her arms and hauled her to the surface. Hope gasped in air. Her clawed hands tried to shove the water away. Her mouth opened wide to suck in air she thought she’d never breathe again. She gasped and coughed.

“I suppose teaching you to swim will be on my to-do list.”

“No, no more water, ever,” Hope gasped.

“Sorry little seal. Although the nick name is a bit redundant now. There are too many ponds and lakes where I’m taking you. Both you and little Andra-Ann will learn to love it.”

“Andra?”

“Ann, her nick name Andra means strong and courageous.”

“Is she really alright?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t like this pot of water. I’ve never been in so much; are you going to eat me? I never sat in a pot with my food.”

Rhett chuckled as he lifted them both from the water. She didn’t know what he found so amusing. Hope stood dripping wet and when Rhett turned to leave the cave, she followed him. Hope watched the vampire walk. He was the largest man she had ever seen. He had a broad back that tapered to a slimmer waist. His butt was, well, it was a butt. She had never seen a naked man. Hope had never seen her own ass except in the reflection of the ice when she went to do her business. It was too cold in her world to ponder, to look.

Hope stopped dead when they reached the mouth of the cave and gasped. Nothing was familiar. The air was warm not frigid. Her world was gone. Everywhere she looked there was color. There were the greens of sea weed, blood reds, sky blues. In the sky were fluffy white clouds. Browns, all kinds of familiar varying color she would call brown. Trees, tall standing trees reached towards the clouds. There were colors she had never seen. Amazing breathtaking colors.

Beneath her feet was a soft substance instead of ice. Hope had never gone barefoot. Only a fool walked without shoes. Rhett turned and she noted his clothing had been draped over parts of the trees. He turned to face her as he donned the black shirt he wore, leaving her to stare at his cock. Hope knew what it was, hardly had she seen Ben’s before he had bent her over. Her hand had traced it only seconds under his skins. It was so big, this vampire’s cock.

She was naked and vulnerable. Alone with this huge being. Ben had seen her naked ass, at least some of it; the ice cavern was fairly dark. Ben was the only man who had seen any of her exposed flesh—except now there stood Rhett, watching her as he slipped his pants on. Leg by leg, his grin smug as she watched him.

Hope tried to hide behind the entrance of the cave. Rhett sat down to put his foot coverings on. The things he slipped into were strange, not the fur coverings she was used to. He laced them up and stood clothed before her. Hope’s breath increased. There always seemed to be a sinister grin on his face that never reached his blue eyes. As though he were soulless. Perhaps vampires were soulless. His dark hair glistened in the sun, still damp. He was a handsome devil as well as a frightful sight.

“Come to me,” he demanded.

Hope didn’t want to. She wanted to hide. She wanted to wake from this nightmare with Ann by her side. Hope was used to ice and snow, she liked her home. Out where she looked was too busy. Things moved on the ground, in the air, in the trees. Things she had never seen before. It was so strange. Had Ann cried when he brought her here? She must have been so scared to be with such a cruel vampire.

Come to me.

Hope heard the command in her mind as Rhett gazed into her eyes. He was doing something to her, something he had done before. It was mind control, and Hope had no idea how to stop him. Her feet began to move as she stepped away from the mouth of the cave. Tiny steps brought her close to him. He waited patiently. Small stones hurt her feet as she moved forward, dry vegetation clung to her heel. The sole of her feet had never touched anything but snow, ice and the skin footwear. When she stopped in front of him he tilted her chin up so he could stare into her face.

“I can hear your heart pounding in fear, little seal. You will obey me. You have no choice.”

“I—don’t—want—to.” Her words were dragged from her mouth, as though she fought a battle for each one.

Rhett chuckled and cupped her face with his palm. “Very good. You have spirit. It will be fun to see if you can be compelled to do things you don’t want to do, and still know you are doing them against your will.”

Hope released the breath she had been holding as his intense gaze set her free. “Why are you doing this? It’s obvious you don’t like me. Why take us to your home? Why not just return us?”

“You will see.”

Rhett scooped her into his arms, grabbed Dooder the doll from the ground and took to the air. Hope struggled to be free then looked down. Never before had she clung to anyone the way she wrapped her arms around Rhett’s neck. It was a long way to the ground. Her fingers gripped his shirt, her legs wrapped around his waist. She pressed her face into his neck as she battled for air.

“Shit, commando seal. Loosen your grip.” Rhett was laughing as he said this. “I wouldn’t bring you this far to watch you fall to the ground.”

His arms tightened around her and Hope tried to remember to breathe. She knew her heart was pounding against his chest. Higher they soared as Hope battled her terror. She was in a vampire’s embrace, was it death or life? Hope’s mind was spinning, her belly churned from lack of sustenance. Was she really going to be reunited with Ann or was she just another snack? She wouldn’t cry. This wasn’t happening, it wasn’t, and yet it was. Hope fainted.

* * * *

Rhett strolled into Caine’s office holding Hope in his arms. Caine glared at him and walked over to take Hope. The doctor gently lowered Hope onto an examination table and covered her with a pure white sheet. He tenderly ran a finger over her pale face.

“Naked and unconscious. Your pattern never changes when it comes to women.”

“Why doctor, is that your scolding tone?” Rhett laughed.

“These humans are fragile enough without you terrorizing them. Their entire world changes. Be quick about who you decide to give the woman and her child to so she can settle in and feel safe.”

Rhett scowled. “I’m keeping the child.”

Caine stopped fussing over Hope and faced him. “You can’t just keep the child. Children are never separated from their mothers.”

“I know.”

It was Caine’s turn to scowl. “Tavish will not allow you to torment this female on a daily basis.”

“She belongs to me.”

“And the coven belongs to Tavish. A frightened female is a liability. She could run; she might injure herself or others.”

“She will do neither of those things. I plan to keep a close eye on her.”

Caine took a step closer to Rhett. The whites of his eyes glowed and his fangs grew. Rarely was the good doctor angered.

“I will be watching you. We have all turned our backs to the times you needlessly harass a female because it is rare any vampire will allow you near their coveted human. Know this, my friend, you will
not
be allowed to torture this female on a daily basis. I won’t allow it. The second you brought her to me made her my patient. I take care of all of my patients including their wellbeing.”

Rhett knew the threat was in earnest. Caine had begged Tavish to turn him so he might save humanity of their ills. Caine loved all humans, males and female alike. Rhett respected the doctor, most of the time.

Rhett returned the angry glare. “Know this,
my friend,
this female belongs to me. You have been granted permission to look her over for any ailments, that’s all. There are other covens who would welcome me.”

Caine looked stunned. There were other covens. None as large as the brethren of Tavish, but there were those who would turn a blind eye to what Rhett did simply because he belonged to the first coven. The coven which snuffed out the renegade vampires who would not bow down to Tavish and his wishes.

Before either vampire could say another word, Hope stirred. She fumbled to sit upright and was assisted by Caine. As her sheet slipped, Rhett caught another glimpse of her high creamy breasts. Clean and smelling fresh, he had found a prize after all. Her body was covered in the same bruising Ann’s was.

She glanced at both Caine and Rhett fearfully, gripping the sheet tightly around her. Again Caine glared at Rhett. It was now Rhett was supposed to come to Hope’s rescue and tell her not to be afraid, no one would hurt her. He was to tell her all she had to do was call his name and he would come to her. The last human he had said this to was Tanya. The betraying little whore who worked through each breeder male and any vampire she could get between her legs.

“What’s your name?” Caine asked.

“Her name is Hope,” Rhett ground out. She better
hope
he could control his temper, she better
hope
she wasn’t a lying bitch. And she better
hope
she never pissed him off.

Caine ignored him. “You will be safe here with me, Hope.”

Rhett felt his face flame red.
Damned prick.

“Where’s my Ann?” Hope asked.

“Your daughter is fine where she is. The leader of this coven, Tavish, has a wife named Mercy. Her son is five and Ann and Galf have seemed to hit it off. She is well protected. Don’t worry. Can you tell me how old Ann is?”

“About seven. I kept track as best I could.”

Caine gave her a big smile. “Well good for you, sweetheart. I’m a doctor and I’d like to examine you. Just a few tests. I will let you know what I’m doing every step of the way. If you get scared, tell me.”

Hope accepted a small glass of water from Caine. Before she sipped it, he stopped her and explained there was a small amount of a drug in the water. Nothing that would hurt her, just make her relaxed.

“You can always just make me drink it,” Hope said. Even to Rhett’s ears the accusation sounded pitiful.

Caine pressed his lips together in a fine line for a moment. He was pissed again. No doubt Rhett would hear about it.

“I don’t want to make you, Hope,” Caine said. “I need you to tell me how you really feel. What hurts and what doesn’t. I don’t want you battling me. That’s why I told you what the drink will do. Trust me. I would never hurt you.”

“If I drink this, can I see my daughter?”

“You may see your daughter whether you drink it or not,” Caine replied.

Reluctantly, Hope turned the glass in her hand. Rhett could hear her heart pounding. She was scared and skeptical, obviously thinking she better do as she was told regardless of what Caine said. When Hope downed the contents, Caine smiled at her and laid her down. He covered her modestly, only exposing the areas he needed to see.

“You can wait out there,” Caine said. He dismissed Rhett with the nod of his head towards the door.

Rhett was about to protest, but something on the doctor’s face made him change his mind. He knew Caine would forcefully remove him. Caine was strong, and patient, and sweet, until he was protecting a patient. It would be easier dealing with twenty rabid females on the rag than pissing the good doctor off.

Instead of leaving, Rhett went behind the curtain Caine pulled and waited. He waited and waited. When he peeked back in half an hour later, Caine was just sitting there with Hope’s hand in his, gazing at her face watching her sleep. Rhett grew concerned. If she was diseased she would be returned back to her iceberg. Tavish would never agree to allow Rhett to keep Ann. For the second time, Rhett damned himself for not just keeping the child and leaving the woman behind.