Vampire Redemption (Heart of the Huntress Book 5) Page 3

  Pasha leaned over and kissed his cheek. His cock stood at attention under the thin hospital gown and white blanket.

  “I have to ask you a question,” she whispered against his cheek.

  He wanted to catch her lips with his and kiss her like he’d kissed no other woman before. Was this the same kind of draw Adonis had with Rachael? Was it the hunter/vampire combination that made him crave her so? Or would he now feel that way about any woman?

  He shook his head.

  “All right. I’ll ask you later, Zachary. Forgive me. You’re still not completely healed and—”

  “No.” He reached for her hand, not meaning to answer her question like that. He was just thinking about kissing…what the hell.

  Placing his hands on her cheeks, and with more strength than he thought he possessed, given how rotten he was feeling, he pulled her petite face to his and kissed her parted lips. Warm, lightly moistened, willing, her mouth pressed his back, her tongue touching his with lighthearted exploration.

  She slipped her arms around his back as his fingers combed through her silky, curtain of hair. She smelled like strawberries and cream, and he wanted to devour every bit of her. Her hand slipped down his chest. What the hell was he doing? He groaned at his own folly.

  Quickly, she pulled back. “Have I injured you?”

  No, he wanted to say. He had led her to believe he wanted to see her, commit to her, when he couldn’t. Not with what he now was.

  “Pasha,” Adonis said, breaking the spell she had on Zachary as he moved a little in the hospital bed nearby.

  She stiffened her back immediately and crossed her arms. The look on her face from one of lustful desire to black-hearted hatred couldn’t have surprised Zachary any more than it did. Adonis had risked his own life to save hers.

  Adonis took a deep breath. “It’s good to see you made it out alive.”

  She lowered her dark lashes and turned her gaze to the floor. “I have you and Rachael to thank for that.”

  Yet, her words were not grateful but couched in hostility.

  “And Danai,” he corrected.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. Holding Zachary’s hand, she squeezed it. Adonis quirked a brow at the sight. Then a slow, mischievous smile crept across his face.

  Pasha tilted her chin up. “I’ll tell Rachael you’re awake again.”

  Zachary wanted to know what question Pasha wished to ask of him. Then again, he didn’t. He had declared his intent to have her when he saved her life at Piaras’s estates. Now with kissing her without her father’s permission to see her…

  Did she want him to ask for her to be his mate? There were too few huntresses for the eligible bachelor hunter population. She would be prized by many in the area. If her actions toward Adonis were any indication of how she felt about vampires, nothing could ever work out between them.

  To Zachary’s surprise, she leaned over and kissed his mouth, parting his lips with her tongue and tangled hers with his, then pulled free. “My hero,” she said, smiling, then patted his chest. “Join me at supper. I need you to show the others they cannot have me.”

  Zachary glanced at Adonis whose smile grew.

  Pasha cast her brother a dirty look, then hurried out of the room. When she shut the door, Adonis whistled and folded his arms behind his head. “She’s truly a handful. You’ve got your work cut out for you.”

  Zachary frowned at him. If Adonis thought he was going to convince Pasha she should take up with him despite how much she hated vampires, he was bound to set him straight.

  “You know what happened to me,” Zachary growled.

  Adonis’s face grew serious, and he nodded solemnly. “I do. Your father told me what happened.”

  Zachary didn’t give it another thought and said what was on his mind. “You have to kill me. I won’t live like this. Like…like…” He motioned across his body. “Like some hunter imposter.”

  Adonis raised his brows. “I was just accepted into your hunter family. Killing Tobias’s youngest son wouldn’t be tolerated well. The rest of the family would hunt me down, and Rachael would be left with a child to raise on her own.”

  “She’s—”

  Adonis nodded. “You have your job cut out for you. Taming my little sister will be both the greatest challenge you’ve ever faced and the best thing you could do for our kind.”

  Zachary’s face must have shown his incredulity.

  “She hates vampires with a passion and thinks both Danai and I should have died. We’re abominations as far as she’s concerned. Your father sees us giving our side the advantage in the war against the rogues. We can infiltrate their lairs, when the hunters can’t. We can blend in, find out which are the bad ones, and eliminate only those.”

  Zachary looked down at his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

  “I know how you feel, Zachary, but I didn’t have a choice. Both Danai and I had to free our family. Now that we’ve lived in our changed forms for over a month, we’ve grown more used to the idea. Even Danai is eating much better.”

  Zachary’s mouth dropped open. He was just now getting a grip on the fact that Adonis was a vampire. Danai was one also? “She’s one too?” He climbed out of bed, stood, and he felt no more pain from his injury and was glad. “Michael, my brother…has he been told about Danai?”

  “I thought you knew.” Adonis shook his head, his brow furrowed. “No, he hasn’t, but let them work out their own relationship. He’s been able to ease her out of the darkness she’s been living in since she was turned. You upset that, and you’ll be responsible for her death.”

  “He doesn’t know!”

  “Neither does Pasha know about you. Leave it be for the time being.” Adonis shook his head. “You never know. You might like some of the added benefits.”

  “What…” Zachary meant to ask but the door was thrown open and he turned to see who had entered the room.

  Rachael rushed inside and shut the door. When she saw Zachary standing in the hospital gown, she detoured to join him. Giving him a hug, she added a kiss to his cheek. “Don’t let Pasha see your new clothes.” Then she joined Adonis at his bed. “Are you never going to leave this bed again, old man? The doctor gave me grief when we made love and that put you back in the hospital bed.”

  Smiling wickedly, Adonis pulled her down and kissed her forcefully against the mouth. His hands pressed against her denim-clothed buttocks. “Hmm, Rachael, does it feel like I’m too old? I still need to heal, but that won’t keep me from business.”

  Zachary grabbed his change of clothes off a nearby chair and headed into an adjoining room. Just the sight of Adonis with Rachael kissing and hugging each other triggered the same kind of craving he had for Pasha. But he had seen the way Pasha hated Adonis and probably their sister for being vampires.

  Zachary wasn’t feeling his usual self. Hell, as if he would ever feel his usual self again.

  Damn. Michael. Somehow, Zachary had to warn Michael about Danai. Hell, he had to warn Pasha about himself too.

  Then he had a thought as he pulled on a pair of jeans. If Adonis couldn’t/wouldn’t kill him, surely as much as Pasha hated rogue vampires and hunters who were turned, she would do the deed if given the opportunity, wouldn’t she? He’d solicit her help as soon as he had a chance to speak with her alone.

  He yanked a navy turtleneck over his head, his mind made up and somewhat relieved he could find a solution to his horrible condition…near immortality as a cursed vampire.

  He left the room, glancing briefly at the bodies rising and falling on the single bed buried beneath a blanket. Certainly, they’d found soul mates in one another, and his heart lifted some to see his cousin so happy with her new husband, despite what he was. Maybe there was some hope for them, but Zachary didn’t think most hunter families would welcome a hunter turned vampire into their midst, and what would their offspring be?

  When Zachary exited the room, his father grabbed his arm and pulled him to the dining room
. “The meal is ready. Is Adonis awake yet?”

  “He’s busy at the moment with Rachael.”

  His father paused, then raised his brows. “Looks like something you’ll have to get used to.”

  “Father, did you know about Danai?”

  He nodded.

  “What about Michael? He needs to be told.”

  “She’ll tell him in due time. For now, she’s beginning to eat and enjoy life again. So let them be.”

  “But…”

  His father gave him a silent glare. “Let them be. Not a word. If you say anything…”

  Zachary nodded. He had his own demons to worry about.

  “Zachary?” His father’s stern word was law as head of the local hunter families in Dallas. If Zachary went against him, he’d be kicked out without the family’s backing. Ostracized, until he mended his ways. Like Michael had done earlier.

  “Yes, Father.”

  His father straightened his shoulders. “Roman, Pasha’s father, wants to announce you are committed to her.”

  “I can’t. Not without…well, I can’t.”

  “She has chosen you above all the others. You should be honored. Don’t tell me the pretty filly doesn’t interest you.”

  “Does her father know about me?”

  “Yes, and he agrees with the union.”

  “She’ll hate me.”

  “Her father begs of you that you do not tell her until she’s gotten over this hatred she has for Adonis and Danai. The family is torn apart. And you know how important family is to hunters. Without each other’s support, we’d never be able to fight the rogue vampires successfully.”

  “But—”

  “Zachary, I’ve never asked anything of you or Michael, but to show me the respect I have earned as the head of this family. I’ve always done what I feel is best for the family. Is that not right?”

  Zachary stifled a growl. “How long do I have to keep this charade up?”

  “One month.”

  “If she wants to marry before that?”

  “If she insists…we’ll decide then what to do.” He glanced over Zachary’s shoulder. “Here she comes now. Remember what I’ve said.”

  Why did Zachary have to solve everyone’s problems? He had plenty of his own.

  Pasha slipped her hand in Zachary’s and smiled. “Come, sit with me. Show the other hunters we’re courting.”

  Chapter 4

  Pasha had learned all she could about Zachary Bremerton before she had proposed to her father that she desired to pursue him solely as a mate. She’d expected her father to disagree with her and want her to see several hunters before she committed to one. He hadn’t. Instead, he’d been surprisingly pleased. She attributed his unusual behavior to the fact that Tobias was the hunter leader and marrying one of his sons was preferable to marrying someone who was not.

  Maybe too, it was the fact Zachary had so single-mindedly attempted to rescue her. If his feelings for her were so pronounced, wouldn’t they make suitable mates? Yet, there was something more about the attraction. The sight of her swashbuckling hero, sword in hand, fighting off the evil entities to protect her, triggered feelings for him that she couldn’t deny. When they touched, her blood heated way hotter than it ever had when she’d chanced to kiss a hunter before.

  Even so, she really wasn’t ready to settle down. For now, she just needed Zachary’s cooperation. Avenging her family’s deaths in Florida was her absolute priority. If she could get Zachary to help—and she thought as much as he seemed to like her, he would do anything for her—she would be his mate in a heartbeat. She knew she couldn’t do it alone.

  She’d need Adonis’s help also. She was certain she could entice him. Family meant everything. Even Danai would undoubtedly want to help.

  Maybe even Rachael. She vowed to continue hunting despite being mated. But would Adonis want her to hunt? Still, Pasha was certain they wouldn’t want to be separated. Not from the way the two acted so hot for each other.

  She smiled as Zachary squeezed her hand. And Michael. She’d intended to tell Michael what her sister was. But maybe not. If Pasha waited, played her moves right, she might be able to encourage Michael to help, too.

  Thoughts of the massacre at home made her eyes mist, and she tamped back on the tears. Zachary must have noticed her eyes grow watery as they approached the dining table. “Is something the matter?” he asked.

  His rich dark voice washed over her like warm honey. When he had fought to save her, his muscles had flexed under his shirt and his intense look was that of a determined, focused hunter. The kind she truly admired. Something else about him, a sadness tucked away deep inside—a darkness like she felt—seemed to plague him and she wanted to know what troubled him. Maybe he had lost close family during the hunt.

  She slipped her arm around his waist. “I’m angry about the rogue bloodsuckers back home killing the rest of my family.” Which she knew was all her fault. Her father had been their leader and when he and their immediate family left Florida, looking for her, they’d been leaderless.

  Zachary tensed.

  She’d said too much.

  He looked down at her, worry evident in his furrowed brow and turned down mouth. He seemed to know what she was planning to do before even springing it on him. Huntresses didn’t normally avenge family members’ deaths, but his own cousin, Rachael, had killed Piaras because he’d murdered her parents. Would Zachary then think she had the same thing in mind? Would he be agreeable?

  Carrying the burden of guilt like she did, was her undoing. If she hadn’t run off to find her best girlfriend against her father’s wishes, her father would have remained at home as head of their family. Maybe then, the rogue vampires wouldn’t have killed the rest of their family. Then too, Adonis and Danai wouldn’t have been changed.

  She swallowed hard, hating herself for taking matters into her own hands and making such a complete mess of the whole affair. She couldn’t even allow herself to think the worst of what had occurred.

  Now, even if she could do nothing about Adonis and Danai’s plight, she’d seek to avenge the rest of their family. But she had to have help.

  Crichton, the vampire in Pensacola who had started the feud, had always been a borderline vampire rogue, teetering on the edge of conducting questionably acceptable practices. He’d gone too far this time.

  “Pasha?” Zachary said to her. Concern shown in his eyes and voice.

  “Later.” She assumed he’d have to consider her question before he’d be able to act on it. Hunters never stormed into a situation without careful planning first. Except when her dad stormed Piaras’s estates to attempt to rescue her. Tears surfaced and she forced them into abeyance.

  Zachary took notice and squeezed her hand. Leaning close, he whispered against her ear, “You have to tell me what upsets you, Pasha.”

  “Later,” she whispered back. Much later, if ever. She didn’t know if she could ever unburden her guilt to anyone. Nor did she think she could ever speak of what had happened to her. Especially not to someone who seemed to care so much for her. What would he think of her and her actions?

  Hunters lived by strict rules to keep from being exterminated by rogue vampires. But she’d broken every rule in the book with the most horrendous outcome.

  As they took their seats at the table, she glanced at Danai and Michael. She shook her head.

  Danai’s eyes and lips beseeched her to keep her secret. As much as she hated to for Michael’s sake, Pasha would, if she could solicit Danai and Michael’s help to destroy Crichton and his followers.

  “Before we eat,” Zachary’s father said, “Roman wants to make an announcement.”

  Roman stood and raised a glass of wine to Zachary and Pasha. “I want to announce that Pasha has selected Zachary as the sole hunter she accepts to pursue her hand in marriage. In light of this, I wish them well.”

  “Here, here,” the others all said in unison, smiling.

  “Here, here,” Adoni
s said as he and Rachael made their belated way to the dining table that already seated fourteen hunters and huntresses. He quickly lifted a glass of wine to Zachary and winked.

  Pasha tried to curb the mixture of emotions that swirled through her, from anger for Adonis mocking her, to the deepest sorrow that she had made him the way he was. Danai sat next to him and glanced at him. He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

  Pasha frowned. She’d always been close to both her brother and sister, but now, she couldn’t stomach what they had become. They were worlds apart. Now, she was left out in the cold.

  Conversation drifted to her as everyone took their seats and forks cut into salmon steaks, asparagus, and garlic noodles.

  Zachary stared at his plate as she noticed the doctor watched him. She leaned over to Zachary. “Are you still not well? Not hungry?”

  “I…I’m still hungry.” He looked at Adonis who nodded.

  She bit her lip, not happy to see that Zachary and Adonis seemed to be friends. Again, she felt left out of the circle. Did he not know what Adonis truly was? A bloodsucker! That’s what! God, how she hated it.

  Zachary cut into his salmon, then took a bite. He seemed to be able to eat his food all right and keep it down. She carved up her fish, then noticed Danai eating heartily. Had Michael had that effect on her? Already her face seemed fuller, her eyes brighter than before. Michael placed his arm around her and squeezed, bringing a smile to her lips.

  Pasha’s stomach turned as she couldn’t stomach the sight anymore. Fighting the urge to leave the table, she stared at her food, then finally took a bite. The tasty morsel didn’t appeal though. All she could think of was getting revenge.

  When she died in the ensuing fight, she’d die honorably, as a huntress fighting against evil. First, she’d take out as many of the vampires as she could. Zachary would never have to learn anything further about her. She would have given herself to him, made him happy for the brief time they could share, and then, she’d free him to love another.

  Piaras had paid for his turning her sister and brother and…