Page 52 of Fangs and Family
Sapieha stood there, still smiling, and I wanted to wipe the expression off his smug face, preferably with my fist. Instead, I got off the bike and turned to face him.
‘Well, thank you for your offer. I need to ask why you’re doing all this, though. I know my brother crossed you, and I can only apologise for his actions; he never was the smartest boy. However, Adam and I are your best chance of finding what my brother stole from you, and this is hardly the way to motivate your workers.’ I said, amazed at how calm my voice sounded.
I gave myself an imaginary pat on the shoulder for digging into Adam’s computer files and reading all his thoughts on this case. I even managed to keep my flinch to a single step backwards, hardly revealing the terror I felt as Sapieha approached.
‘What a brave little mouse, defending the big bad vampire. What will you give me for his freedom? Your life? Your brother’s life? Aren’t you afraid I’ll just take it all, just like I did in the clinic?’ He said, licking his lips.
‘You can keep me as your guarantee. You can… you can feed on me. Just let Adam go.’
‘Are you tempting me with your body, Nina? I have to admit your blood tasted exquisite, especially laced with your pleasure. Maybe this time, we can let Adam watch? His mind is full of pictures of you and the things he wanted to do…’ he said, practically purring.
He was the second vampire that had mentioned the taste of my blood, and Sara used it to attempt scrying. What was so special about it? Could it break Adam’s thrall? I had to think about something fast because time was ticking, and the one-god rescue team was nowhere in sight. To make matters worse, Adam’s body shook with tension as he growled wordlessly in rage.
‘Do you think I’m afraid of you? Just because you tricked me once, it doesn’t mean I won’t rip out your fangs if you attack me again. However, here I am, offering myself freely if you let Adam go. Or, if you prefer, we can make a wager. You said Adam thought his feelings for me could save him. Well, then, I bet it’s true. If I’m right, you will let us go; otherwise….’ I shrugged when I finished.
At Sapieha’s amused nod, I lifted my hand up and bit into the webbed skin between my thumb and index finger.
Motherfucker!I cursed in my head.
The pain was worse than I’d ever imagined. Of all the ways to draw blood, I had to choose the worst, but I didn’t have time to remove my leathers. Still, I achieved my goal. My teeth pierced the skin deeply, and it bled a lot. I looked at the crimson liquid streaming down my wrist and rammed my hand straight into Adam’s parted lips before Sapieha could stop me.
For a moment, nothing happened. Adam talked so much about biting me that I thought my blood, the taste of it, could make a difference, and I would be able to break his enthralment. Something like blood magic works in Coven spells. No such luck. The initial shock on Sapieha’s face turned to glee at the tears pooling in my eyes. I was a fool who’d acted rashly, placing a bet that would cost me more than I was willing to pay. I rolled the dice and lost because I had nothing else to offer.
‘I told you, Nina. He belongs to me. You will be such a sweet addition to my menagerie, but if you find your brother and bring back my locket, I will allow Adam certain freedoms. After all, I will need a capable man by my side once I take over the Tricity Seethe.’
‘And why do you think I would allow that?’ Leszek said, emerging from the forest’s edge. He was calm, but I could hear the raw menace in his voice. Sapieha’s eyes narrowed, but the imposing aura of the Forest God made him take a step back.
‘Adam is my spawn. Everything he owns is mine, you know our laws. Look at him. He will do what I say, and when I say it, even the woman he thinks he loves can’t free him. You are a reasonable man, Forest Lord, and should know better than to interfere in local politics,’ Sapieha answered smugly.
‘You want me to believe after all these years, Adam found his maker? Or that he fell for the Blood Bond so easily?’ Leszek moved to stand next to Adam and look down at us. I saw the frown on his face, and my heart skipped a beat when he turned toward the older vampire.
‘You are barely able to control his actions, let alone his thoughts. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent the distress signal, but as you said, I’m a reasonable man. What do you want for his life?’
‘He is strong, but I would expect nothing else from a vampire I created. Unfortunately, he learned to think for himself. I suppose I have you to thank for that, judging by those… things.’ Sapieha said, grimacing when he gestured toward Adam’s beautiful wings before continuing.
‘I admit he needed the blood ties reinforcing after the last incident, but he still belongs to me. Now more than ever, and even you can’t take him away from me by force. I ensured his mind would shatter, turning him into a feral beast. If you care for my spawn, Leshy, you will help me search for the thief who plundered my wife’s tomb and say nothing when I take Adam’s place in Tricity.’
Leszek muttered a curse in a language I’d never heard before and moved toward the older vampire.
‘Or maybe I should just kill you. How dare you threaten my kin? Release Adam this instant, or I will turn you into a pile of ash,’ he said, and the ground shook as the surrounding vegetation responded to the forest god’s magic, growing at such a rate that saplings exploded from the earth. The fresh growth impaled Sapieha’s sentries and tore them apart before they could take a single step. The remaining vampires died soon after. Unfortunately, Sapieha was faster than his minions and stepped aside, gesturing toward Adam with a casual wave of his hand. Adam made a strangling noise that stopped Leszek’s advance, showing how much the vampire meant to him.
‘Adam belongs to me. I won’t leave this land before I get what is rightfully mine, and if you try using your magic again, I will make Adam tear his lover’s throat out with his bare hands. I may become a pile of ash, but my laughter will echo down eternity knowing you had to kill your friend.’
It was a stalemate. Silence descended while the two men measured each other’s resolve. I bent down to Adam, placing my other hand on his cheek. I didn’t care about the politics or who ruled the Tricity vampires. I only wanted him to return to me because the thought of losing him was unbearable. The last few days had made me realise how much I cared, and despite Sapieha’s claim, I knew Adam was still there. I just had to reach him.
‘For fuck’s sake, you damn bloodsucker, shake it off. Adam, please. I need you.’ I whispered, pushing my wounded hand back into Adam’s mouth while Leszek and Sapieha decided whose dick was bigger.
Something dark shifted in Adam’s eyes as his mouth clamped onto my injury, sucking hard. The next thing I felt were fangs piercing my flesh, and I whimpered at the pain until euphoria rushed through my body, making me whimper for a different reason. Even through the mind-numbing pleasure, I felt the pain of his fangs scraping against the bone, but I would endure so much more for him, and looking into Adam’s eyes, I tried to silently convey those feelings. If Sapieha held his mind in some sort of spell, I wanted Adam to know just what he was fighting for if he resisted.
I blinked away the tears, clearing my vision. Adam’s eyes were a sea of crimson, the frightening sight strangely reassuring as we connected, an intense sense of belonging, of love, binding us together. Whatever horror Sapieha had done to control Adam’s mind, I felt it fracturing. My vampire was a ruthless killer, a domineering arsehole, but he was my killer, my asshole, and my protector. I couldn’t let him suffer under Sapieha’s power.
He was my beloved monster, and there was one last thing I could give him. Something that hurt more than the fangs in my hand and scared me more than the leech behind my back.
I pulled my hand from his mouth and placed a kiss on his bloodstained lips.
‘I love you. You are mine, only mine. Come back to me so we can be together.’
The Vampire Master howled in pain behind me. The next thing I knew, pain exploded in my head when Sapieha hit me, sending me flying. My vision blurred, but even through the haze, I saw Adam rise to his feet, launching himself toward his former Master. His lips drew back, showing sharp fangs, and his damaged wings snapped open, ready to rip his enemies to shreds, but Adam was still severely injured, and when the boulder behind Sapieha shuddered and broke free of the earth, I knew it wouldn’t be an equal fight.
