Bonded by Blood

chapter TWENTY

“WATER BREAK. Catch you in five.” Lily left her class on the mats and walked down the hallway of the mixed martial arts studio.

She dialed the field office number. Was Dom back yet? She had assembled her team earlier and they’d be ready for orders as soon as he arrived. With nothing to do but wait, she headed to the Krav Maga center where she sometimes subbed as a martial arts instructor.

“You’re an angel, Lil,” Johnny Sinclair had said when she told him she’d be happy to take over his zero-dark-thirty class. “I’m working swing today at the precinct and have a full load of classes here this morning. Didn’t have time for coffee or breakfast. Back in thirty.”

If Dom didn’t arrive soon, it meant he probably wouldn’t be coming until this evening. She doubted his lack of UV sensitivity could last two full days in the sunlight. Was it a good sign that he didn’t come back right away? Maybe, maybe not.

As she rounded the corner, a strong pair of hands grabbed her waist, pushing her against the dark wall. Greedy lips met hers as her sports bra was shoved up over her breasts. Dipping his head, her visitor sucked roughly at her nipples.

“I love it when you surprise me like this. I only have a minute. Think you can be fast?”

The zip of his fly was his answer and she dropped her workout shorts to her ankles. Turning around, she splayed her hands on the wall and arched her back.

Without any fanfare, he entered her hard and her breath caught in her throat as he growled. His fingers moved her hair aside and she felt his mouth against her neck. She had to bite her lip to keep from making a noise with her students just around the corner. Once, twice, three times and, as his fangs pierced her skin, she climaxed along with him. A moment later he sealed the twin puncture marks and withdrew. She pulled her shorts back up and straightened her sports bra as he zipped up his jeans.

“What a nice treat.” She kissed him long and slow as she ran her tongue along the tips of his fangs. He tasted warm and spicy. “But what the hell are you doing here? You know it’s not safe.”

“I have more information for you. The operation is going online within the week. Two females are set to ovulate and the males are ready to go. Several other capture orders are being undertaken as we speak. They hope to have five or six breeding pairs over the next few weeks.”

“Any closer to finding the location?”

“Unfortunately, no. It’s cloaked and they’re keeping it top secret. Just the researchers and the Overlord—I mean Pavlos—know where it’s at. Everyone else is on a need-to-know basis. All I’ve been able to determine is that it’s located somewhere west of the Cascade Mountains within about three hours of the city.”

“Baby, you’re good like that.” She grabbed his ass and yanked him close. “Now be careful.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “Always.”

And with that, he released her and was gone.

Dom leaned against the cabin’s deck rail, the cup of tea now lukewarm in his hand, and stared into the darkness.

“My brother, Alfonso.” A bitter taste filled his mouth. He could hardly stand to form that name on his tongue, but the need to open up to Mackenzie was something he couldn’t fight any longer. “He used to date a woman with Sangre Dulce. He ended up draining her dry one night and left her for dead. I discovered the body and had to cover up the whole goddamn thing from the human authorities. It was difficult—her family was very influential. The Agency tried to locate Alfonso, but he was never caught.”

“Were they bonded like we are?”

“I don’t know anyone who is.”

“Have you talked with him since?”

“No. A long time ago, he betrayed our parents to Pavlos and joined the Alliance. Or maybe it was the other way around. In any event, all he cared about was himself and getting his hands on more Sweet.”

Mackenzie set his cup on the table behind them and took his hand. “So why do you blame yourself for your parents’ deaths?”

“I knew about the threat, but I left them unprotected anyway.” Her calm energies soothed him and the familiar angry knots that balled up in his shoulders whenever he thought about his family didn’t feel quite so solid.

“You said your father was on the Council. Did he not know about the threat?”

“He actually knew about it before I told him. All Council families were in danger and I urged him to take Mother to London, far away from Madrid, until we got a handle on things there.”

Mackenzie pursed her lips, lost in thought for a moment. “Did you have extra knowledge that you didn’t act on?”

“No.”

“Did your father not believe the threat was real?”

“He knew it was real, but I’m not sure he thought it was imminent. He planned to take my mother to Casa en las Colinas, our family’s estate overlooking the Cantabrian Sea, but Alfonso brought Pavlos the night before they were to leave.”

She gasped. “Your brother?”

“He waited out in the coach while Pavlos, the Darkblood Overlord, slaughtered our parents. The guards only let the coach through the gates because my brother was inside.”

TIRED FROM THE late night, she awoke midmorning, wrapped in the protective cocoon of his arms. During the night, she’d awakened occasionally to find him caressing or lightly kissing her hair. She had hoped to roll over just once and hear the sound of deep, sleep-induced breathing, but she never did.

“What’s bothering you?” Her hand ran absently over his chest.

“Darkblood concerns. Nothing for you to worry about, but we do need to go soon.”

She stiffened. “Didn’t you find that other guy?”

“Lily did. She took care of him.”

Thank God. Her muscles loosened again and she nestled deeper into his arms. “Then what’s wrong?”

“We’ve uncovered a new Darkblood plot.”

She propped herself up on one elbow to find him staring at the ceiling, his thoughts clearly focused elsewhere. “Do we need to get going so you can get back to work?”

“We’re waiting for other Guardian teams to arrive later this afternoon.”

That explained the faraway look, but why was she picking up his reluctance to say more? Did it somehow involve her? Was that it? She couldn’t imagine how things could get any worse than having two vampires hunt and almost kill her. But those two were gone. Dead. So why was he worried?

Like a slap, the realization hit her. The threat wasn’t gone after all.

“Tell me,” she said. “I deserve to know.”

The small muscle at the base of his jaw tensed. “I suppose it’s only fair you know, but I don’t want to frighten you further.”

“Well, if it helps, I’ve never been more unfrightened—is that a word?—than I am when I’m with you.” She felt him relax, sensed some of the tension seep from his shoulders. “Tell me,” she repeated.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “We’ve discovered the Alliance has created a genetic breeding facility and they’re searching for Sangre Dulce humans to be their test subjects.”

“A breeding facility? Why?”

“To harvest sweetblood. They want to create a group of selectively bred Sangre Dulce humans to produce unlimited supplies of the blood. More Sweet means more power.”

Humans as breeding stock? Like animals? The…the babies?

Her legs were rubber bands as she jumped from the bed and ran to the bathroom. Dom was there, his strong arms supporting her as if she were a small, sick child. He held her hair away from her face, gently stroking her back as she retched. When she was finished, he gave her a damp cloth and wrapped his arms around her.

“I’m here, love. You’re safe with me. You’re okay.”

“It’s just…so…awful.” She could barely wrap her mind around it. The cruelty was impossible to comprehend.

His shushing in her ear soothed the gnawing ache in her belly, and she melted into his embrace. She didn’t know how long it took to finally calm down, but he held her the whole time.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she pulled away. “I’m okay now. But you really must get back. Your work is out there—not here with me.”

He wanted to catch the next ferry, so she didn’t have time for a shower. After brushing her teeth and splashing her face with water, she pulled on some of the clothes Shirl had bought for her. Black leggings and a Washington State University Cougars sweatshirt. Great. It killed her to put it on, but her only other set of clothes was damp and caked with sand from clam digging.

When she exited the bathroom, she heard the washing machine running. Dom had pulled the linens off the bed and started the laundry so there’d be less cleanup for Shirl.

When they got to the main house, Shirl stood up from a flower bed where she’d been tending to the rosebushes. Taking one look at Dom, she said, “Chuck’s in the kitchen.”

“Wait here,” Dom told Mackenzie, and he disappeared inside.

“Told you he’d come back. To travel all this way in the bright sun…” Shirl shook her head and whistled. “That man is ьber-crazy about you.”

Before she could respond, she heard footsteps on the porch behind her.

“Hello, Mackenzie,” Chuck said, giving her a brief nod. Dom was right beside him. This was the closest she’d come to the older man.

“Kenz, walk to the bottom of the steps,” Dom said. “Okay, now turn around a few times.”

“What for?” She felt like a ballerina as she twirled for them.

Dom kept himself between her and Chuck. “Good. Now slowly come up to the top step and stop.” His eyes were glued to the man as she complied. “Chuck?”

“I can tell, but it’s not as distinct,” he said, sniffing the air.

“Hmm. Interesting,” Dom said.

They murmured a few words she couldn’t hear, then Chuck laughed—guffawed, actually. As Dom turned around, he held his chin a bit higher, a cocky grin plastered on his face.

“Okay, what’s going on? Is this some sort of joke?” Both men laughed this time. “Guess so,” she muttered to Shirl.

The woman responded by rolling her eyes. “Men.”

“Thanks for everything,” Dom said to Chuck. “We’ll be in touch.”

Shirl grabbed Mackenzie in a bear hug, then led her to the car. “Everything will work out, honey. Just you wait and see. It’s like you’re the spark that lit Dom’s world on fire.” The woman gave Mackenzie one last squeeze and released her. “Nice sweatshirt, by the way. It looks good on you.”

“Thanks for everything, Shirl. But did you know I’m a Husky?”

“Yes, I did. Rawr.” She clawed the air with her fingernails, and it was her turn to laugh as Mackenzie climbed into the car.