The Bite That Binds

CHAPTER FOUR

(Sam)

Coaching. I was good at coaching, and leading, and fighting. I was not good at playing the hostess. Of course Jared, with his enviable charisma, was at total ease with greeting each of the guests as they arrived at the informal gathering that preluded the week’s Binding festivities. Sod.

It was being held in one of the many grand parlours in Antonio’s mansion. Soft music was playing on the piano and waiters were strolling around with trays of either tiny appetisers or flutes of champagne-flavoured NSTs. As these Nutritive Supplemental Tonics – a mix of blood and other vitamins – were only available at The Hollow, many of the guests had eyed them suspiciously, but eventually they all tried one. Personally, I quite liked them, but although they were quick to answer thirst, they didn’t hit the spot like pure blood did.

In truth, this gathering wasn’t particularly my scene. I wasn’t comfortable with ‘posh’, because it wasn’t what I was used to. I was an active girl. I liked combat, paintballing, fairgrounds, and anything that would provide a good ole adrenaline rush. All this just wasn’t me. If all the entertainment scheduled for the upcoming week was like this, I doubted that I’d particularly enjoy any of it. I didn’t feel that I ‘fit’ in this room, didn’t feel that I was truly celebrating my own Binding. Instead, I was following the same customs as all those vampire couples who had come before me…and I was bored.

Also, it wasn’t sitting well with me that here I was, hosting an informal gathering – even if it was for my own Binding – when it was extremely important to further investigate the foetal abduction operation. I was particularly worried that Janine’s boyfriend might become concerned about her absence and decide to do a runner. But Antonio had pointed out that it was unlikely, considering that she hadn’t been dead for long and her boyfriend was out of town anyway. The members of the legion who were watching over the apartment building had confirmed that he hadn’t yet returned. Though it was difficult for Jared and me to pass on an assignment to another squad, we had both agreed that if Janine’s boyfriend returned before the end of the gathering, another squad could deal with the matter. We didn’t want to put our job before our relationship.

Pulling me from my thoughts, two familiar vampires waltzed into the room with their consorts. The two High Master vampires were the first of the five to arrive. Originally, there had been nine, but the other four High Masters had been executed for the parts they had played in the attack on The Hollow. Antonio hadn’t yet appointed vampires to replace them.

The two High Masters that had just entered couldn’t have been more different from one-another. Whereas Kaiser always wore a grim expression and had a militant way about him, Connelly had the friendliest face and a personality to match. Both of them had supported and fought alongside our legion during the attack on The Hollow.

“Jared,” Connelly practically crooned after adding his gift to the mountain of others on the table beside the doors. “I must say, it’s wonderful that you have chosen a life-partner. And such a beautiful one, too.”

“Thanks,” said Jared as he flashed me a proud smile. “I’d have to agree with you on that one.”

Connelly turned that jovial grin on me as he took my hands in his and kissed both cheeks. “Samantha, it is a pleasure to see you again.”

“You too,” I said simply. See, I was no good at the hostess thing.

Kaiser, having also added a gift to the pile, gave both Jared and I a deferent bow of the head. “Congratulations to you both.”

“Ah, I spot Antonio,” said Connelly a little excitedly before waltzing off. Yeah, he was a bit of a ‘kiss-ass’, as Jared called him. His consort gave me a genuine smile before trailing after Connelly. Kaiser’s consort was a little cool, but that was most likely just Kaiser’s personality rubbing off on her.

Next to arrive was another High Master, Ricardo Maxwell – one who I knew Jared disliked. Still, Jared courteously accepted the vampire’s gift and also his not-so-heartfelt congratulations. Ricardo’s eyes slid to me, and although he bowed his head respectfully, that respect wasn’t in his eyes. It hadn’t been in the eyes of many others tonight, actually.

Not that I was surprised. The widespread view that Sventés were the lower breed was always going to be an issue. But it wasn’t simply a prejudice thing in this case. Connelly and Kaiser had both witnessed me Merge with Jared during the attack. They both knew how powerful I was, and they would have no doubt relayed this to others. Still, as the large majority of the vampires here hadn’t seen this for themselves, a lot of them would have come here with their minds already made up − believing a Sventé could never protect them.

Well they could go jump up their own arse holes for all I cared. The only reason their behaviour bothered me was that I knew it was agitating Jared. The tension and edginess caused by last night’s events hadn’t totally left him, and the last thing I wanted, or needed, was for something to set him off again.

Unfortunately, I received a similar greeting – or lack thereof – from Rowan Murdock, another High Master, and his life-partner Marcia. Sensing that Jared had just about had enough and was tempted to comment, I placed my hand over his clenched one and gently relaxed his fist. Ordinarily, I’d give him a discrete pinch in warning, but I felt a bit shitty doing that when it wasn’t that he was being an arse; he was being more overprotective than usual because I’d been hurt by the brothers. It was pretty understandable, and I’d have behaved exactly the same way.

My mood improved somewhat when the squad, as a whole, arrived. Of course, each of them passed on genuine congratulations before heading for the champagne. I noticed that Jared had been a little stiff with Max, who found it as amusing as always. I doubted that I’d ever be able to convince him that Max no longer had any interest in me. But, then, I’d probably never be totally comfortable around someone who’d once pursued Jared, so who was I to judge?

Evan then entered with the last of the High Masters, Bran, and one of Bran’s consorts. Immediately Evan enfolded me in a hug. I saw that Bran’s consort, Alora, stiffened at that and I knew it was jealousy. Her body went even more rigid when Evan very subtly moved close to her. Although she wanted him, she had been resisting him. Maybe Evan would have let the matter go if this was just any woman. But the redhead wasn’t just any woman. She was the vampire that he’d seen in the vision he’d had through Luther; she was the one he had been waiting for – and it had been a fairly long wait – she simply had no idea of that.

Despite all of the female attention Evan received on a daily basis, he had always been indifferent to it. Well, not always. Apparently he had seriously enjoyed himself in his first years as a vampire, but it had come to an abrupt halt when he saw her in the vision.

There was utter determination in his eyes whenever he looked at her. He fully intended to have Alora and he was ensuring that she knew it. If the way she was averting her gaze was anything to go by, she did know it, and she was a little uncomfortable with his attention. Of course she was uncomfortable. Evan was pretty easy-going, centred, and even-tempered, but he had a presence about him that made people take notice. He could be very focused and persistent, and if that focus and persistence was directed at a woman, it would undoubtedly have her squirming.

Bran had obviously noticed Evan’s interest in her, but he didn’t care. From what I’d heard via another of Bran’s consorts, he actually batted for Fletcher’s team. Whereas Fletcher was open about it, Bran – a very reserved, private, quiet man – clearly had no intention of being so open. Having female consorts was merely a smoke screen. I knew that was the only thing stopping Evan from taking Alora away from the High Master.

Considering that Bran wouldn’t object to leaving her with Evan, I had to conclude that if there was some kind of resistance, it was coming from Alora. Apparently Evan was intent on crushing her defences. See, persistent.

“I haven’t put my gift on the table.” Evan’s hazel eyes – so like Jared’s, yet not – were twinkling in amusement as he spoke to me. “You’ll get it soon.”

Jared frowned. “The Binding gift is supposed to be for both of us.”

Evan waved his hand dismissively, making Jared snort. But a smile quickly appeared on Jared’s face when two more guests entered. A very tall, silver-haired Keja with a very regal air had strolled into the room with an elegant platinum-blonde on his arm. I didn’t have to ask who they were. I’d heard that Antonio’s Sire, Wes – who was also Bran’s Sire – was attending with his life-partner, and I knew that Jared cared about Wes and was looking forward to seeing him. He basically thought of him as a grandfather. As such, he was the only person who I particularly wanted to accept me.

He was also the only person who had a snake draped over his shoulders. I mean, come on, what was that about?

Wearing the hugest smile that was filled with pride and affection, he patted Jared’s upper arm. “It has been a while. Too long.”

“That’s your fault for not visiting more.” Jared regarded the snake warily, making me smile. He then went to introduce me, but Wes dived into a conversation with him about something or other. Oh, nice. I chose to believe that it hadn’t been a snub, but I still couldn’t help feeling a little awkward just standing there.

As if sensing my awkwardness, the Pagori female on his arm untangled herself from him and came to my side. “I can only apologise for Wes’ awful manners. He’s simply very excited to see Jared again. He’s just as excited to see you…although you wouldn’t think so,” she grumbled, shooting him an impatient but playful scowl that he didn’t see. “I’m Lena.”

I shook the hand she offered me, glad when she didn’t bow her head. It freaked me out whenever people did that. The way I saw it, I was just little old me − powerful vampire or not, the Heir’s chosen or not. “Sam.”

Her eyes flickered between Jared and me. “The bond between you both…it is very strong.”

“You have a gift that allows you to measure bonds?” I knew I sounded confused; I’d heard from Antonio that she was genekinetic.

Lena shook her head. “One doesn’t need such a gift to see that your bond is solid. In fact, it’s almost feral in its intensity. That is a very good thing. If you are going to spend centuries with someone, it is important that there are no doubts.”

I totally agreed with her on that one, which was why I still had my concerns about Jared; the more he persisted in freezing me out, the more I feared he would back out.

He gripped my elbow gently. “So you’ve met Lena. Good.” After exchanging smiles with the beautiful blonde, he gestured at the tall man beside him. “Sam, this is Wes. Wes—”

“I’m glad to see that this one has some cushion, as opposed to your past consorts,” laughed Wes as he assessed me in my lavender sleeveless dress.

Cushion? I wasn’t sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult wrapped in charm. I didn’t particularly like that he had spoken of me in the same context as a consort. As the female that Jared intended to Bind with, I was a hell of a lot more than that. Jared, however, didn’t look like he thought it was anything I should be offended by. On the contrary, he was laughing along with Wes. Maybe, then, I was being a little sensitive.

“Nice to meet you,” I said as we shook hands, making sure my handshake was firm.

“Likewise. Antonio has told me much about you. From the way he spoke of you and your presence, I imagined you to be much taller. Just how small – sorry, tall – are you?”

Ah, I was dealing with a master of backhanded compliments. I didn’t think I was particularly small at all, but naturally I looked that way when stood next to this lanky bugger. “I see myself as the right height for kicking overgrown plonkers in some seriously interesting places.” I said all this with the friendliest smile. Again, Jared hadn’t seemed to notice the insults beneath Wes’ words, or mine for that matter.

Wes’ smile faltered only slightly. With a slight tip of his head toward the grey snake that was staring right at me, he said, “This is Toto.”

Toto? He had to be kidding. He’d called a slithering killer Toto?

“Would you like to hold him?”

Of course I wouldn’t like to hold him. What, did he think I was stupid? Hey, I had nothing against snakes. In fact, as someone who had been brought up by their snake-obsessed father to admire and respect them, I was able to appreciate each and every species. However, appreciating them when there was a glass wall between you and the snake was one thing. Holding an eight-foot long fucker was another thing altogether.

I was ready to tell Wes no; that he had succeeded in freaking me out like he’d obviously been aiming to do. But then I saw something in his expression that made me pause. Instinct told me that he wasn’t trying to freak me out at all. This was some sort of test. Yes, yes, I knew he, like everyone else, would want to know that I was strong enough to one day rule and that I was good enough for Jared, blah, blah, blah. But how the act of holding a snake would answer either of those questions for him, I wasn’t sure.

What I was certain of was that I had no intention of failing any test.

Pasting a fake smile on my face, I nodded. “Why not.” I felt Jared stiffen slightly, and Wes clearly noticed because he gave him a reassuring smile. Remaining still, I allowed him to drape the grey snake over my shoulders. A pair of black eyes met mine, and then the snake stuck its forked tongue out at me, lightly flicking my cheek. ‘Tasting’ me, smelling me, I knew.

It was then that I noticed the inky-black colouration on the inside of his mouth. My eyes widened. “A black mamba. I’m holding a black mamba?” Oh shit.

“Did Antonio tell you about my gift?”

“No.”

Very proudly, he explained, “My gift is to make pictures that I have drawn come to life. Amazingly, this can even apply to tattoos. Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated with snakes. My four favourite breeds have always been spitting cobras, rattlesnakes, garter snakes, and black mambas. So…I decided to create a breed that blended the four together by tattooing an image of this snake on my chest.”

Interesting and impressive, but also freaky.

“Toto has the narrow, elongated head typical of a black mamba, as well as the black colouration you see inside his mouth. He also has the tail of a rattlesnake, the ability to spit venom like a spitting cobra, and he can secrete a rather foul-smelling fluid from his post anal glands much like a garter snake.”

Well that was just fantastic. He was going to fart on me, wasn’t he? That was if he didn’t spit at me…or maybe sink those lethal fangs into me. Yeah, it was probably a little hypocritical for a vampire to talk about fangs like that, but in my defence, Sventés didn’t have fangs like Kejas did.

My nervousness increased when he suddenly began slinking down my body. And then something occurred to me. “He isn’t poisonous, right?” I kind of got the feeling that Wes didn’t like me, so it wouldn’t have been surprising to find that he was hoping his pet would bite and kill me.

Wes’ devious smile didn’t put me at ease whatsoever.

“Is that thing going to hurt her?” Jared demanded.

With a ‘pfft’, Wes waved a hand. “It is merely a serpent, Jared.”

That wasn’t exactly an answer, was it? And I didn’t trust this vampire as far as I could throw him. My nervousness rocketed to extreme levels when Toto’s colour abruptly changed from grey to a brilliant blue that was typical of a blue racer snake. “What the—”

“He appears to like you.” Wes sounded surprised, but pleasantly surprised.

“I’m flattered.” If the hissing bastard went under my dress, I’d kill him.

“Something very fascinating about this breed I have created is that their colour changes with their moods – even while in tattoo form.”

“Tattoo form?”

“Oh yes, I can turn him back to a tattoo whenever I wish to, just as I can summon him to appear in this form whenever I wish to. I find that when Toto is grey or black, he is alert and wary. I also find that when he is the blue shade that you see now, he is relaxed and content. I am indeed surprised as he is generally antisocial toward anyone other than myself.”

“And yet you put him on me?” I said through my teeth. Wes merely smiled, but it was a genuine smile this time, and I realised that I had passed the test. That was great and all, but there was an antisocial, poisonous killer wrapped around my body. “Look, not to offend Toto or anything, but could you take him back? He’s getting a little too close to my crotch than I’m comfortable with.”

Wes’ mouth twitched in a way that indicated he was holding back a laugh as he returned the snake to his shoulders. “I think I shall greet Antonio and Bran. It has been some time since we were all together.” With that, he turned and walked away with Lena.

“I think that’s everyone,” I said to Jared, sighing in relief that I was alive and un-bit. “Can we go sit down now?”

“What about Fletcher and Norm?”

“Apparently they’re intent on being fashionably late, so sod them.”

Smiling, he dabbed my lips with his. “Sure, baby.” But that smile disappeared as something over my shoulder caught his attention. Of course I’d known that there was an additional guest left to arrive. Well, ‘guest’ wasn’t quite the right word. More like ‘gate-crasher’. But I’d kind of hoped she’d fallen off a cliff or something. Clearly, there was no such luck.

Bracing myself, I slowly turned. So this was quite possibly one of the reasons Jared was so guarded. The cow had to be beautiful, didn’t she? She couldn’t just be a hideous heifer with oozing zits, overgrown hairy moles, and a big fat pimply arse. Instead, with her flawless pale skin, her long tumbling red hair, and curvaceous body, she was like a real-life Jessica Rabbit.

Her gaze – a heated, inviting gaze – didn’t move from Jared even once as she approached, as if he was standing here all alone. It was a snub, and I knew it. Maybe, in addition to being a devious manipulator, she was a silly little mare who was curious to know what it would feel like to have my fist crashing into her face.

Even when she stopped in front of us, she didn’t look at me. What cheesed me off most was that she actually reached out to cup Jared’s cheek. He didn’t back away. He did something even better. He growled so menacingly that everyone within hearing range froze. Just like that, most of the squad were gathered behind me.

She dropped her hand, but she didn’t drop her sultry smile. “It’s been so long, Jared. I’ve been so looking forward to seeing you again.” Her consort didn’t appear to like that, going by the scowl he was wearing and the jealousy shining from his eyes. It would seem that she had this one totally enamoured.

“I can’t say I feel the same.” Jared slipped his arm around me – a move that forced her to acknowledge my presence. She actually looked down her nose at me. That confirmed that she was, in fact, a silly little mare who was curious to know what it would feel like to have my fist crashing into her face.

I cocked my head. “Males who Turn people are referred to as ‘Sires’, so with you being a female, I guess that makes you…a ‘Bitch’.” Ignoring the muffled laughs coming from the squad, I gave her a winning smile.

Her answering one was thin and fake. “I have been looking forward to meeting you.”

I almost snorted at that.

“Wait…is she a Sventé?” her consort asked disbelievingly, bursting into laughter.

Before I knew what was happening, my whip was in my hand and I’d cracked it around his throat, cutting off his laugh. Yes, I should be used to this by now and be easily able to shrug it off, but, well, I preferred not to.

Jared kissed my temple, grinning. “I think he’s learned his lesson, baby.”

I sighed. He was no fun. “Fine.” I allowed the whip to fade away.

“A Sventé Feeder,” said Magda to her red-faced, coughing consort. “I wouldn’t have thought it possible, Brook. But, then, I wouldn’t have thought it possible for Jared to claim someone, considering his issues with women in general.”

There was an odd note to her voice that told me I was being baited. Obviously I wondered what she meant by that, especially since Jared was a mystery to me in some ways, and it got to me that I didn’t know him as well as I wished to. But she would know that, wouldn’t she? She was already using her gift against me.

Evan appeared then, wearing the mother of all scowls. He stopped at Jared’s side, glaring at the woman in a way that said he’d happily kill her and think nothing of it.

“Evan,” she crooned, “it is good to see you also.”

“She’s kidding, right?” he said to Jared, who tightened his arm around me.

“I heard about your mother. My condolences to both of you.” To Jared, she then said, “I imagine, what with everything that happened, that you’re not attending the funeral.”

He’d be attending hers if she tried to touch him again. Slut. And here she was baiting me a second time. “Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to be on fire, Magda?” I asked casually. Her brow wrinkled. “Use your gift on me, and I’ll use mine on you. That’s how it’s going to work. Don’t test me on that. Unless, of course, you do have a curiosity about burning – I’d be more than happy to help you out with that.”

“Someone seems a little jealous,” said Brook.

I arched a brow at him. “Should I take that as an indication that you’d like to become better acquainted with my whip?” He swallowed hard, losing his smirk. Arsewipe.

“I think you may be right, Brook.” Magda turned back to me, grinning. “I suppose it’s only to be expected, considering I have a blood-link with the man you love.”

I went nose to nose with her, smiling at the way it clearly unnerved her. So she wasn’t as confident as she appeared to be. “Let’s look at it this way: you need to use a gift to piss me off and make me jealous. All I have to do to have that effect on you is breathe.”

Turning on my heel, I headed for the balcony, hoping to get a little fresh air. There was no point in acting as though her words hadn’t had the desired effect. With her gift, she would know how they would make me feel. Annoying me even more, I knew she’d be enjoying it. However, what was pissing me off the most was that Jared had clearly opened up to her about his past when he had told me bugger all.

That was why I avoided his touch when he came up beside me. “I need a few minutes alone,” I snapped.

“Don’t give her what she wants, Sam.”

It was too late. I already had. But if the wanker next to me had simply opened up to me like he’d opened up to her, I wouldn’t be feeling like this at all. With that reasoning, all I wanted right then was for him to be far away from me. “I said, I need a few minutes alone.”

He reached for me. “Baby—”

I pulled away. “Don’t call me that.” That was my kneejerk reaction whenever he upset me – to deny him the right to call me anything even remotely possessive. What complicated things a little was that his kneejerk reaction to that was to fuck me senseless to prove that I was his. At least he wouldn’t be able to do that right now. Suddenly he caged my wrist with his hand and there was a queasy feeling in my stomach as he teleported us into one of the empty conference rooms in the mansion. Shit.

He shook his head at me as he removed his tie. “You said you wouldn’t do this. You said you wouldn’t let her come between us, but you are. You’re doing it.”

He was right. I was. And I hated myself for it, even as I couldn’t help it.

“You know that I don’t want her, Sam.”

I snickered. “If I thought you wanted her, I’d be juggling your eyeballs right now. This is not about that.”

He began to unbutton his shirt, but he didn’t move his eyes from mine. “I’m not going to say it’s unreasonable for you to be jealous and upset. If our positions were reversed, and I had to be around someone who had touched you and been inside you, it would be the hardest fucking thing I’ve ever dealt with. But I would never have let those feelings, or that person, fuck up what we have.”

Ignoring the element of guilt I was feeling, I threw the question at him that simply wouldn’t stop bugging me. “Why won’t you go to your mum’s funeral, Jared?”

He sighed and paused in his actions for a short moment. “Sam—”

Seeing what he was about to do, I pointed a finger at him. “No, don’t you do that again. Don’t you shut down again.”

He shrugged his shoulders, suddenly defensive. “I just don’t want to talk about her. Doesn’t everyone have things they don’t want to talk about?”

“Good point, yet irrelevant. I want to hear about her, I want to understand.”

“Why? What the fuck does it matter? I don’t want to go, and that’s that.”

“So Magda can know, but I can’t?”

He double-blinked, removing his shirt. “What does she have to do with it?”

“You let her in.”

“I didn’t let her in, and I never would have. She doesn’t know any details − only what emotions her gift allowed her to pick up.” Obviously seeing the doubt in my eyes, he held up his hands. “Baby, I swear, she’s the last person I’d let in.”

Mollified, I went to say something, but it was difficult to keep on topic when looking at his well-defined, solidly built chest. The sod was well aware of that, of course. And then he lowered his zipper. The sound seemed to echo in the room. I didn’t need to look to know that he was commando. “Don’t think you can use sex to distract me.”

“Would I do that?” he asked, all innocence.

“Yes, you would, and you are. Because you’re an inconsiderate, selfish, cocky little bastard.”

He pursed his lips as he considered that. “True…but I’m still going to fuck you, and you’re still going to love it.” And then he leaped at me.