Betrayal: The Unforgiven Read online

  Tristan turned her over and pinned her beneath him. She laughed in delight. His brows lowered against his eyes as he penetrated her hard and deep.

  "I fear nothing.” He bared his fangs. "Your touch may heal me temporarily, but I am still a vampire. I am your maker."

  "Then indulge in my human blood. I thrive on pain. I welcome it." She turned her head to expose her neck. God, what was she doing? What was she saying?

  Blue flames swirled in his eyes as he plunged his fangs into her neck. She cried out in pain and pleasure that sent her over the edge and into climax. He groaned as he drew in her blood, tightening his hold on her as his cock jolted against her throbbing walls.

  Pleasure turned to pain and the demon took full control of Anna’s mind. “I’m hungry!” She gave a loud shrill scream. “I need blood. Give me what I want or I’ll kill you.”

  Tristan pulled away from her body. He sat back on his ankles. His human traits faded fast as he wiped blood from his lips.

  Tears poured from Anna’s eyes. She was desperate to stop this insufferable torment, but the demon wouldn’t give her back control.

  She pulled her knees up and spread her legs. Her forefinger twisted through the short hairs between her thighs. "Give me more."

  "Do not cast a spell on me again."

  Pain hit her stomach like a swift, hard kick to the gut. She rolled to her side then hugged her knees. Her heart ached. Her hunger soared. She gave one agonizing scream after another—the demon’s tantrums. It was like watching from the backseat of a car as the driver purposely crashed into a brick wall.

  Tristan strode to the kitchen. He grabbed the black bottle from the refrigerator then brought it to her side. He popped the cork then gathered her head in his arms.

  “Drink.” He pressed the mouth of the bottle to her lips. “This will calm your craving.”

  The cool liquid, like the coldest water after days in a scorching desert, filled the aching void. The desire to kill melted away. The dark entity calmed. She let loose her tongue and mind and let Anna take over again.

  Realizing she’d inhaled an entire bottle of blood, Anna sat up. “Oh God, Tristan.” Tears fell from her cooled eyes as she gazed up at him. “I am so sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

  “There is a war within you.” He took the empty bottle from her hands then set it down on the floor. He pulled her cloak off the back of the couch. As he covered her naked body, he sighed. "You cannot ignore the demon's thirst or it will consume you."

  She lowered her head and cried. "Please, don’t be angry with me.”

  "I am not angry.” He spoke softly as he cupped her face. He stroked her hair behind her ears and gazed into her eyes. "Whatever has changed inside you, we will deal with it together. But, it has been a trying night. You need rest."

  A chill swept over her. The demon had mentioned the child, but Tristan hadn’t caught on. After all that happened tonight, maybe it was time to tell him about everything.

  ***

  Tristan didn’t want to give in to his fear. Right now, as he touched her, he was human. His heart beat like a drum. He breathed air into his lungs and warmth spread through him.

  After all the things she’d put him through tonight, he should be raging mad. But he wasn’t. This transformation calmed his anger. It was an addiction he could no longer fight. He longed to be near her. And right now, she needed him.

  What was happening inside her? She should be uniform with the demon, but the two entities were at war with each other. He despised the pain she endured. The confusion she was under. She was lost. He was desperate to help her, but he hadn’t a clue how.

  “I have changed more than you know.” She palmed his cheek. “Take me to bed. Make love to me.”

  He scooped her up in his arms and carried her down the hall to the bedroom. As she slid beneath the sheets, he took off his clothes. He slipped into bed, and then moved over her.

  She spread her legs and welcomed him in. As much as he wanted to ravage her with quick, hard thrusts, he kept his pace slow. He gazed down into her eyes and the thought of losing her pierced his heart.

  “You were almost taken from me tonight.” Afraid he’d give in to sorrow he closed his eyes. “I dare not think what would happen if I lost you.”

  “You would’ve been looked down on by the Elders.”

  “I do not care about my position.” He gave a sigh as he returned his gaze to hers. “But that may change soon."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Elric has made me his successor."

  “Successor?” A grin crept across her beautiful face. “If you become leader, would that make me your queen?”

  He slid his nose along her cheek. “You are already my queen.”

  She tightened her hold around his neck and lifted her hips. “Are you happy with his decision?”

  “Mm…I am unsure of how I feel.” He breathed into her mouth. "Our research will have to pause for a little while."

  "No matter what happens, I’m with you. I’m always with you."

  He loved being in her arms again. Touching her. Indulging in her flesh the way lovers should. All that mattered was the two of them, regardless if they were human or demon.

  But when they separate, everything would return to darkness again. With that dreadful thought, he slowed his pace to make this lovemaking session last as long as it could.

  Chapter Eight

  Tristan leaned back against the kitchen counter contemplating on how he was going to tell Anna about this mandatory two week trip Gerard had called him about. Elric had assigned him, Gerard, and Edith to investigate the eastern part of their territory for food camps. They were to shut them down as peaceful as possible until rules were posted throughout the community. If they were met by resistance, they were allowed to use whatever force necessary to stop them.

  They were to meet here in two hours, but Tristan was afraid to leave Anna. She’d been sick every night for the past two weeks. She’d awake drenched in sweat from the nightmares that haunted her. One second she was desperate for blood. The next, she craved human food. The demon inside her grew vicious. Sometimes she couldn’t control the tantrums, becoming angry by the simplest of things.

  Every day her skin tone changed. The rose in her cheeks gave her a beautiful glow. She’d dyed her hair often, but always woke to the softest shade of blonde.

  He’d drawn vials of her blood, but still couldn’t find the answer. Then this morning, all the dark cells healed faster than ever before. It was remarkable and gave him hope that this batch would be the cure, but it didn’t last. It never lasted.

  “My hair’s going to fall out from dyeing it so much.” Anna ambled into the room. Still dressed in her white nightgown, she looked like an angel. Her tired blue eyes shimmered in the light as she strode toward him. “You know, I recall seeing a few people at the gathering with colored hair. Maybe we could tell everyone that I’m dyeing mine blonde.”

  Tristan grinned. “I imagine you could get away with that.”

  She wrapped her arms around his torso and smiled up at him. “It would be so great to never have to dye it again.”

  He cupped her face. “But you may have to buy paint to cover the lovely shade of pink in your cheeks. You are beautiful.”

  “Charmer.”

  He kissed her lips. As much as her warm touch alarmed him, he swallowed his fear and let the change within him happen. It wasn’t so much the connection they made that bothered him, it was the separation. To feel his life drain every time she let go was like dying all over again. It was painful and disheartening.

  “Anna.” He leaned back. She slid her arms around his neck then pulled him down into another kiss. As much as he loved being close to her, he needed to let her know about the trip. She wasn’t going to be very happy to find out Edith was going too. “There is something I must tell you.”

  “And I have something to tell you,” she whispered against his lips. “After we make love.”


  He lifted her up onto the counter. She raised her gown to her waist and welcomed him into the space between her legs. Not only did she crave food every other minute, but she had an insatiable appetite for sex. As much as he loved the feel of her skin against his, as much as he wanted her now, he pried loose of her hold on him.

  With his gaze in hers, he leaned back against the counter. “I have to leave tonight.”

  Her face went pale and the blue in her eyes darkened. “Where are you going?”

  “Elric ordered Gerard and me to investigate the eastern border. These illegal food camps need to be dealt with.”

  “How long will you be gone?”

  He folded his arms over his chest. “Two weeks.”

  “Two weeks?” She shook her head then sighed. “Just you and Gerard are going, right?”

  “Edith is going as well.”

  Anna stared at him for a moment as if she were waiting on a punch line to a joke. She would be okay with this trip if it was just him and Gerard. But she despised Edith, and with good reason. The woman had offered him her body on several accounts. Though, he’d never tell Anna that.

  Anna hopped down off the counter. “Gerard and Edith can handle this without you.” She paced, the color in her cheeks becoming more prominent with each step. “This was her idea to get you away from me. Always rubbing my face in the fact that she gets to spend her nights with you. She laughs about it. Bitch!” Her eyes burned red. She gnashed her fangs as she angrily growled. Mesmerized by this transformation, Tristan couldn’t look away. “She wants you for herself, but she can’t have you. Do you hear me? If she lays one finger on you, I will rip out her throat with my bare hands!”

  “Anna.” Tristan caught her shoulders. She struggled to break free, but he held her firm against him. “You need to drink.”

  Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him. “No. Please. Anything but that.” She whimpered. “I hate that disgusting bottle of shit.” With a lick of her lips, her gaze went to his neck. “I want something fresh. Like you. One taste would calm me down.”

  The thought of her fangs deep in his veins sent a rush through his body. The last time, he’d suffered pain that filled him with lust and desire. He shouldn’t be aroused, but he couldn’t fight it. The spell she had him under was too strong.

  She sank her fangs into his neck. The pain was immense. He gasped in pleasure as she drew in his essence. There was no other sensation like this. It ignited a flame inside him—an animal he couldn’t control.

  He shoved her nightgown down until it hit the floor. He unbuckled his belt and freed his erection from his slacks. He lifted her up then pushed inside her. With a groan, he shoved her up against the wall and thrust hard and fast.

  She let go of her bite on his neck and breathed into his mouth. He tasted blood on her tongue—his blood, warm. Human.

  With her legs locked around him, he carried her to their room. When he laid her back on the bed, she looked to the side.

  “Make me yours.”

  He groaned. “You are already mine.”

  She took his head in her hands and pulled him into the crook of her neck. “Drink from me.”

  He bit at her, but didn’t break the skin. As desperate as he was to taste her blood again, something inside him told him not to. This was wrong. More so than the last time she’d cast a spell on him. The only difference now was that he wasn’t under an enchantment. This was all him.

  He looked into her eyes. “You are already weak.”

  “Please.” She brought him back to her neck. “Take my blood.”

  “This is not right.”

  “It’s okay.”

  He fought his thirst, but the desire was excruciating. With his tongue against her pulsating vein, he closed his eyes. He parted his lips and, as gentle as he could, bit into her flesh.

  He drank slowly so as not to take more than she could give. Although his heart raced, and the blood that coursed through him was red, he still had a taste for her. Anna was delectable. Better than any bottle or human he’d ever drunk from. Even as he came inside her, he wanted more. He had to stop or he’d drain her dry.

  He pulled from her veins. Her eyes closed. Her face puckered in orgasm. Her blood-stained lips parted as she panted her voice soft in his ears. Like her blood, nothing could ever compare. To be human with her was wonderful, addictive, and frustrating that they could not find a way to be like this forever.

  Gerard’s voice came from outside. Damn it. It was time to go.

  “They’re here early,” she whispered in a breath.

  He kissed her chest, her nipple, and then her lips. “They can wait.”

  She smiled. “Want me to tell them to go away?”

  “Yes.” He returned her grin, but it faded with thoughts of leaving her. “I am worried about you. If you lose yourself to the demon, I will not be here to help you through it.”

  “I promise I’ll eat as often as I need to.” She tucked a lock of hair behind his ear. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. And if I need you, I’ll call.”

  He drew in a deep breath. He let it out as he rose from the bed. As he strode to the shower, the warmth left his body. Bitterness took over the love he’d felt moments before. The human spell wore off. More than anything, he despised the sensation.

  ***

  Anna lay in bed, gaze on the canopy above her. It’d been too long since they’d made love like they were the only people left in the world. Like nothing else mattered but them. She hated that he had to leave, but it was his duty.

  She slid her hands across the slight bump on her abdomen. It was time to confide in him. After his shower, she would tell him that they had created a life, and that impossible child was made with their love. Then maybe he’d tell Edith and Gerard to go without him while they planned out their lives. They would run away where no one would find them. It’d just be the two of them with their baby together for eternity.

  The shower turned off. Anna rose from the bed. She put on her robe and paced the room. Nervousness swept through her as he opened the door.

  “I have something to tell you.”

  “It will have to wait.” Tristan strode passed her. He grabbed his boots off the floor then sat on the bed. As he put them on, he frowned. She hated that look. “Gerard is eager to get this trip over with. And frankly, so am I. The sooner we leave, the less time we will be gone.”

  “I understand.” She sat beside him and placed her hand on his back. “But I really want you to know before you leave.”

  “I do not have time, Anna.” He rose and looked down at her with hardened red eyes. “I promise we will talk when I return.”

  She reached out to take his hand. “That’s two weeks from now.”

  “I have to go.” He backed away. “I’ll see you soon.”

  “I love you.”

  “And I you.” He responded in a whisper that was barely audible. She was sure because of the company waiting outside. It tore into her heart.

  As he left the house, she sighed. Edith’s throaty laugh sent fire through Anna’s veins. The evil bitch cackled every time she had Tristan in her sights. It wasn’t fair that she got to spend the next two weeks with him.

  Anna sneered. “You may get to see him every night,” she said aloud knowing Edith would hear her. “But he is mine. Touch him, and I will kill you.”

  “Anna.” A deep voice whispered through the room.

  Chills crawled over Anna’s skin as she glanced around. “Who’s there?”

  “You must know the truth.” Whoever spoke was inside her mind. Was this her imagination? Had she fallen asleep and was dreaming again? She pinched her arm and yelped from the pain. Nope. Not dreaming.

  Her eyes burned as she rose from the bed. Encouraged by steady legs, she walked down the lit hallway, past the open rooms of the house, toward the living room. She loved her demon sight. It was the only time she could see everything, no matter how dark it was.

  The ocean view was incredible
. Breathtaking light mesmerized her, tantalized her into moving toward the balcony. She opened the sliding glass door. A gush of cold air and mist brushed her body, and brought her an instant chill. Too cold to go outside, she closed the door and tightened her robe around her.

  A faint crackling sound found her ears. She stepped down into the sunken living room and picked up the soft blue throw from the couch. Draping the cloth over her shoulders, she made her way toward the fireplace.

  As she stoked the fire with the iron poker, her stomach growled. It wasn’t a craving for blood. It was for eggs. Bacon. Toast with jam. Pancakes sounded good. If she could go out, she’d hit the waffle house she used to eat at with Mac and Betty. Tristan was gone. He couldn’t stop her.

  She went to the refrigerator. After a brief pause, she opened the door. Except for the large black wine bottle, the shelves were empty. She picked up the bottle and puckered her nose. Did she dare drink blood? Maybe she should take this opportunity and sneak off to the grocery store.

  As she grasped the cork, a soft growl whispered through the room. She glanced down the hall. The bedroom door was closed. The wind must have drummed up the sound that stopped seconds after it had begun.

  She pulled the cork on the bottle. It opened with a pop and a pungent scent waft into her nose. Ugh. This wasn’t eggs and bacon.

  She returned the bottle and closed the refrigerator door. As she lifted a glass from the dish rack beside the sink, the growling came again, but louder.

  She shuddered as she set the glass on the counter. Glancing around the room, she waited in quiet. Her ears rang as she listened.

  A groan came from behind the door beside the kitchen entryway. Too curious to stay away, she turned the knob. She sucked in a quick breath hoping that whatever was in there wouldn’t jump out.

  The door creaked as she opened it. She peered down into the darkness. Her fear subsided, but only for a brief second as the voice came again in a whisper.