Bound by Blood (The Garner Witch Series) Read online

  Intense energy infused every cell of my body, yet at the same time, a stupendous weakness was overriding my every limb. The dichotomy of the sensations left my legs feeling wobbly and unsteady. I felt as though it was consuming me, a crushing weight pinning me down. And I understood at that moment that Nathan was right. I was struggling against the unfamiliar, and it was grueling to try to force it away. The knowledge that I couldn’t fight against the power filled me, along with the determination to embrace it.

  With my eyes closed, I focused every ounce of my residual strength to relax my body and accept my powers. I envisioned the primal force flowing through my blood, and rather than struggle against the foreign entity, I welcomed it. Gradually, I managed small measures of control, and the more I calmed, the more I could command. I was no longer tired. In fact, I was beginning to feel energized and renewed. I was stronger than before, and it was exhilarating.

  I allowed the power to imbue every part of me and I accepted every ounce of it. I let its warmth satiate me, suddenly recognizing the emptiness of its absence that I never knew existed until its return. It was like the last piece of a puzzle clicking into place.

  This was how it was supposed to be. My powers being returned left me feeling oddly fulfilled, whole for the first time in my life. My body recognized the power and welcomed it home.

  Nathan beamed with pride, and I sensed his approval of my quick acceptance and control. His proud gaze quickly changed, though; his eyes became hooded and the palpable heat in his stare felt as though it could burn me with its intensity. That familiar expression caused every one of my nerves to leap to life. With the new power pervading my flesh, I sensed everything much clearer than before. Nathan’s desire as he gazed at me, coupled with my own, was an exhilarating mixture.

  Every inch of my body wanted to reach out and stroke him, I wanted him more than ever—my need was desperate, even painful. I reached toward him and he slowly extended his hand, lacing his fingers through mine. I gasped with surprise at the spark of current passing between us.

  “What is that?” I asked, awed by the reaction.

  “Power. Can you feel my power, inside you, when we touch?” His breathing increased and his voice held that seductive tone I recognized well.

  “Yes. I feel it mingling with mine. It’s strange—I can differentiate between the two, but it’s like a part of you is within me.”

  He must have moved beyond words, because in the next moment his mouth was on mine. He slid his tongue out to trace the seam of my lips until I parted them, allowing his tongue to glide effortlessly inside. He knotted his fingers in my hair in an act of domination I was beginning to crave from him—I, tough–as-nails FBI Agent Brianna Reece loved the powerful way he kissed me, taking control, taking my mouth exactly how he wanted. The opposing sensations—his forceful kiss, the firm tug of my hair, coupled with the gentle whispering of his other hand caressingdown my side and along my back—sent my senses reeling.

  Although I would’ve thought it impossible, his touch affected me much deeper than it had before. It was as if everywhere he stroked, our powers converged and left a trail of tingling heat over my skin. The touch of his flesh against mine was addictive, intoxicating.

  A breathy moan escaped me when his tongue traced the pulse in my neck.

  His naked skin touching mine was almost more than I could bear, and I kissed him more fervently and with a desperation I couldn’t explain.

  “Nathan...” My voice broke on a strangled cry.

  “Yes,” he whispered, nuzzling my neck and sending shivers through my body.

  “Bite me.” I knew when I said it, I desperately longed for him to take me that way. He was a vampire, after all, and had been holding that essential part of himself back. Aside from the one time he bit me to prove the existence of vampires; he had never acted on his desire for more. But right then, the closeness and connection I felt made me want to tear down the last wall between us.

  He raised his head and looked at me intently. “Why?”

  “I want to be inside you...at the same time you’re inside me.” I felt the excitement and lust my words provoked from him. Yet, he was still cautious, his gaze boring into mine as he tried to ascertain if I was serious.

  He was panting. “Are you certain this is what you want?” he asked, giving me a last chance to back out. But I wanted this, and from his reaction, so did he—desperately.

  I swept my hair off my neck and tilted my head in a gesture of complete surrender. The next thing I knew, his fangs slid into my skin, and just like the last time, I felt absolutely no pain. What I did feel, was a blazing inferno of desire detonating instantly and spreading like wildfire throughout my blood, the rapturous pleasure eliciting a moan. I felt him drinking me into him, and I wanted him to have my blood inside his body.

  He gracefully lifted my body and impaled me with his thick length in one lithe movement; the maneuver smooth and effortless, his mouth never leaving my neck. The act was so perfect, so complete, as though we were one person merging into one—our power, our bodies, and now our blood.

  Neither of us had the strength to move. We remained perfectly still for a few moments, taking pleasure in him filling me so exquisitely. I let him swallow my blood as I offered him a piece of my life force, my soul, and willed it into him. The ecstasy of the moment was more intoxicating than wine, and infinitely more stimulating.

  When I couldn’t take it any longer, I began moving my hips in a steady motion, rising and falling with a sensual rhythm as wave after wave of pleasure and power crashed through my system.

  I didn’t know if it was my newfound power or the pleasure, but my senses seemed impossibly heightened—his emotions an open book and the physical stimuli he experienced much clearer than I’d felt before. I knew exactly what felt right for him because I felt it inside me, layering and amplifying my own sensations. It was weird, but in an amazingly good way—feeling both my pleasure and his simultaneously, knowing that he felt mine as well.

  Our bodies were utterly in tune and in harmony with each other. We moved in a sensual rhythm that felt like it was composed for just us. A delicious heat built between us as we raced inexorably toward our release, until finally we both shouted out in a violent, earth-shattering climax. Swell after swell of pleasure crashed through me like a tidal wave, one orgasm gave way to another and then another. Finally, when I didn’t think I could withstand another second, I felt the darkness pulling me under, and I went limp as I succumbed to unconsciousness.

  I stirred as I awakened, and reality slowly came into focus. The first thing I noticed was that it was morning and I was in ‘the manor’ (as I lovingly nicknamed my familial home), in the bedroom I had made into my own for when I stayed there. I felt a tingling static along the back of my neck and I realized it was Nathan kissing me.

  “Good morning, sleepy-head.” The gravelly texture of his morning voice made my stomach spring into cartwheels.

  I turned to look at him, worried about the fact that I couldn’t remember how I got into bed last night. “What happened?”

  He gave me wry chuckle. “You fainted after we made love last night,” he said with absolute male satisfaction and pride.

  “I’m so sorry. I’ve never fainted in my life. I don’t know what came over me.”

  He was still smiling as he leaned in to kiss me, then pulled back. “Do not be embarrassed. It was overpowering. You have your powers again, and you are sensing things much clearer than you did before. I know because when you transferred those feelings to me,they were much more potent. I almost passed out myself, and it was a good thing I did not—someone had to get us to bed.” He laughed. “Also, I drank quite a bit of your blood. I apologize for that, by the way. It was more powerful than I had expected, and I took more than I should have.”

  “Nathan, please don’t apologize. Last night was amazing, and I wouldn’t change a second of it. I don’t want you feeling guilty, because I sincerely hope I can talk you into repeati
ng every second of it again, including sharing my blood with you.”

  “You will not have to try too hard to convince me. Last night was one of the best nights of my life. How do you feel this morning?”

  “Hungry,” I admitted at the same time my stomach growled.

  He laughed a deep throaty laugh. “Then, by all means, let me make you breakfast.”

  We ate breakfast and talked about what happened the night before, while I impatiently tried to acclimate myself to the constant static charge I felt pulsating through my body. Although the sensation was provocative and indomitable, I needed to become accustomed to it before returning to work on Monday. Nathan assured me I would get a handle on it before the weekend was up. In the meantime, he explained that the house was protected by a spell that would prevent the killer from sensing me until we left.

  “We need to get dressed. We have a long and grueling couple of days ahead of us. You need to learn how to conceal your power by Monday, as well as how to harness it when you need it.”

  When Nathan told me it would be grueling, I had no idea how much of an understatement it was. He was more determined than ever. In fact, I think he possessed a sadistic streak I wasn’t aware of before. Yet, I didn’t utter a single protest about the arduous lessons. With my enhanced acumen, it was easy for me to sense the emotion fuelling his single-minded focus—he was terrified of losing me to a covetous power-hungry killer.

  “I would like to test your abilities now that they have been considerably enhanced by the unbinding. I want you to try to conjure pain and drive it into me, just like you did with the cold water in my office.” He smiled, remembering the sensation.

  “Why does it have to be pain? Can’t I try something more pleasurable?” I said with a wry smile.

  “We can try that later for fun, but for now, you need to invoke something that will actually help you if you are attacked. Although I enjoy the erotic impulses, I do not think it will help you escape a murderer.”

  I nodded in agreement and decided to give it my best shot.

  I thought back to last night, at the moment my powers were returned, and remembered the overwhelming sense of drowning in sensations. I tried to imagine the stimuli as painful instead of just overpowering, and that the prickling electricity I felt was a burning, searing heat instead. Once I thought I had it, I projected it into Nathan, not really expecting his reaction.

  His face immediately contorted in pure agony as his knees gave out and he crumpled to the ground without uttering a sound. I think that was worse than hearing him scream.

  “Oh, my God!” I ran to him, feeling so guilty for having caused his suffering. “Are you all right?”

  I helped him stand and noticed he was shaky. “I am fine, Brianna. Do not worry. That was impressive, and definitely much more potent than when your powers were bound.” His answer was breathless, and he waited a moment before continuing. “I will have to rest awhile before I get you to do that again.”

  “I will never do that to you again,” I vowed, ardently.

  “Of course, you will. Or I will never spar with you again,” he retorted with a devilish arch of his brows.

  “That’s not fair.”

  “Oh, yes it is. What is the saying? ‘Turnabout is fair play.’” He grinned with a satisfied smile.

  “You are a stubborn man.” I smiled back.

  “I guess we have that character trait in common. There will be no hope for our children,” he said, shaking his head and totally oblivious to the enormity of the comment he’d just tossed out there.

  My heart leapt into a frantic race. Did he mean he wanted to have children? With me? We hadn’t really discussed our relationship—there were too many other things to worry about. I decided we would talk about it later, but it was strange how much I liked the sound of ‘our children’.

  I know heard my heart rate spike, but he didn’t mention it. Instead, he suggested we break for lunch.

  After lunch, he took me to the attic to let me practice some witchcraft, which I absolutely loved. He taught me to call energy into my hands, which was an odd sensation. He had me visualize the power flowing through my body and pull it into one specific area. I closed my eyes, deep in concentration, and thought I could actually feel a warm current in the palm of my hands. When I opened my eyes and saw a crackling ball of electric light hovering just above my palms, it was thrilling.

  The next lesson was really cool—he taught me to create a glamour. It was basically a spell that altered one’s appearance. Well, not exactly altered it. The spell made people see what you wanted them to see.

  “The key to a glamour is to focus your magic to one specific area as you did with your hands. While you focus your power, you visualize in your mind’s eye what you want to change. Watch as I do it.”

  I watched him carefully and felt a shift in his energy. I was startled when his hair suddenly changed from dark brown to sandy blonde, and his skin became golden bronze.

  “Wow, that’s cool.”

  “Now, you try.”

  I shut my eyes, directed my energy to my head, and envisioned the blonde hair that I had always dreamed of having. When I opened my eyes, Nathan was looking at me, pride shining in his eyes.

  “That is excellent,” he said, holding up the mirror. “You are a quick study.”

  I saw the hair of my imagination. I felt the silky strands with my fingers, swaying my head back and forth to watch it gleam in the sunlight. “This is amazing I might never go back to being a brunette. Either that, or I’ve just discovered a convenient way to get my tan back.”

  He laughed. “It will be hard to maintain the level of concentration necessary to keep it permanently. Besides, I hope you will remain exactly the way you are. You do not need to change a single thing about yourself, you are absolutely perfect the way you are.” He leaned in to kiss me. As soon as his lips close over mine and I felt the intensity behind his kiss, I knew we were finished for the day.

  The next day, he wanted to practice having me mentally attack him with pain. I was reluctant and only agreed if I could try while we sparred.

  “That is actually a fantastic idea,” he said. “If you are able to incapacitate me during a fight, you should be able to do the same to the killer if he attacks.” I was surprised with his eager attitude. Although he never went easy on me anymore, he usually he dreaded our fights.

  When we were about to start our sparring match he made a request that stunned me.

  “Absolutely not!” I yelled as he held out a knife to me. “There’s no way I’m stabbing you.”

  “Brianna, this knife is not made out of silver, so even if you do get it into my heart, it will not kill me.”

  “I’m still not doing it.” My admission came out sounding a little whiney.

  “As you pointed out to me before, you need to practice for real. There is a merciless vampire out there who wants to kill you, and you need to be able to fight him.”

  “I realize that, but I don’t see how actually stabbing you in the heart is going to make any difference. What if I just pretend I have a knife and aim for your heart?”

  He gave me an acerbic look. “You know this is important. If you agree to try your best to get the knife into my heart, I will promise I will not hold anything back at all. I will attack you at full strength.”

  “You’ve still been holding back?” I asked,incredulously. I was surprised because I’d never even come close to beating him—he was so strong and fast. And I thought he was fighting full out before. He knew I’d never be able to resist the challenge. “Okay, fine. I’ll stab you in the heart.”

  The knife felt like a hot branding iron in my hand, and I was hyper-aware of the weapon. I really didn’t want to wound him, but he was right—I needed to know if I could. If I couldn’t put the knife into his heart, I wasn’t going to be able to do it to the other vampire. I needed to know.

  I gave a shaky nod of agreement.

  He slowly circled me as I closed my e
yes and opened myself completely to my other senses. The feelings were much more lucid than ever before. I knew the moment he was about to advance, and I moved stealthily to avoid the blow. However, I still wasn’t fast enough.

  His fist connected and I sailed through the air until I crashed into the wall behind me and crumpled to the ground, the wind was knocked out of me. I gasped for breath, but recovered quickly.

  The next attack, my response was marginally faster, but still nowhere near fast enough. He struck me again. The painful demonstration of Nathan’s true strength was more than a little disheartening. I’d thought I was getting better with all of the sparring we’d been doing, but I was still no match for a vampire’s speed. I was pretty sure that I’d broken a rib as I coughed up a bit of blood.

  “Brianna, do you need to stop?” he asked, concerned when he saw the blood.

  “No. Keep going.”

  He shook his head, face grim, but nodded.

  When he was ready to advance again, I waited until that exact moment and mentally shoved a jolt of pain into him. His face twisted, and I could see he was suffering, but he still pushed forward, considerably weakened and struggling. I was able to avoid his punch. I spun around as he passed me and thrust the knife into his back, right over his heart.

  His legs gave out and he crumpled to the ground. Fear overtook me and my legs gave out. I’d never imagined I’d actually get close enough to hurt him. I was so worried, I forgot to safeguard myself from channeling his pain, and when I pulled the knife out the agony hit me like a sledgehammer. A tormented scream tore from my lungs, and the blackness of unconsciousness slammed into me.

  I heard his voice calling me the same time I felt a familiar tingling throughout my body. He must have given me his blood to heal me while I was unconscious.

  “Brianna, can you hear me?”

  “I’m fine,” I said in a gruff voice as I opened my eyes and tried to sit up.