Page 37 of Sergi (Of Blood & Dreams #7)

Chapter Thirty-Six

Sergi stared at the vision in his doorway. The beast stirred at the sight, and he was momentarily speechless as his heart rate climbed. “Alex. What are you doing here?”

She had such a beautiful smile, but she didn’t cross into the room. If she had been about to say something, she thought better of it. In fact, her smile faded, and he worried she’d leave.

He had the presence of mind to shut down the laptop, hiding the evidence that he’d been searching for her. Would she think he’d been stalking her? He stood, and as much as he wanted to race over to her, wrap her in his arms, and let her scent wash over him, he didn’t want to spook her.

She’d said they needed to talk. Perhaps that was all this was. A way to close a chapter.

“Come in.” He seemed at a loss to say anything else.

She took two steps in and fumbled with the handle as she shut the door behind her, but she didn’t look at him. Instead, her gaze roamed his office, and a light smile hit her lips before her eyes captured his.

“I should have known you’d be a tidy vampire.”

He grunted. “And what would I find if I walked into your office? Stacks of files sprawled across your desk, books stacked on every available chair, and bookshelves overstuffed with tchotchkes?”

She slid farther into the room, taking small steps until she reached the chairs in front of his desk. “If I had an office, that would be a strong possibility.”

“I’m surprised to see you.” When doubt flitted across her face, he added, “I didn’t think Remus would approve.”

A breath slipped out, and her shoulders dropped. “He wouldn’t. And for another few hours, he doesn’t know I’m here, but I had to come.”

“Why?”

Her shoulders tensed again. “I asked for a meeting with Devon.”

Devon? He didn’t understand and was disappointed she hadn’t come to see him.

She wrung her hands and looked around. “You have a rather small office for being cadre. I was expecting a sitting area and a grand fireplace.”

His lips twitched, and he stood, working his way in front of the desk to lean against it, his arms crossed over his chest as he considered her statement. She seemed to be dancing around the topic. “I don’t like encouraging visitors while I’m working.” When he realized how that sounded, he added, “But I make exceptions.”

With only the guest chairs separating them, he picked up her light scent. She looked good in jeans and boots. Her turquoise-colored blouse brought out the blue of her hazel eyes, and the beast took notice.

“I’m surprised to see you in a suit, but I guess I shouldn’t be. I mean, you look nice in it.” She turned her head away, her gaze moving over the bookshelves as she wrung her hands again.

“This shouldn’t be that difficult between us.”

A myriad of emotions crossed her face—panic, sadness, hope, and humor. “I’m not even sure why I’m here.”

“Let’s start with your meeting with Devon.” The words were automatic. The stoic Sergi, always staying on point, but he wanted to give her an out. A way to ease her into telling him the truth of why she was here.

A huge sigh escaped her, and she blurted it out. “I wanted to be considered for a spot on the counter-strike team.”

His brows shot up. “How did you hear about that? Did Remus mention it?”

She shook her head and took a step closer. “Braden. My uncle wants me to stay on the estate and work behind the scenes.” She locked eyes with him. “I want to do more.”

He dropped his arms to his side. Remus was trying to protect her by keeping her locked up. “You want to fight.”

She nodded.

“You want your freedom.”

She nodded again, but this time he noted the spark in her eyes that were filled with unspent tears. He shoved a chair aside as he stepped in front of her and stared down at her upturned face.

“You want revenge.”

The tears slipped, and he pulled her to him, crushing her to his chest as her arms wrapped around him. He couldn’t remember the last time someone gave him such comfort.

Then his lips were on hers. They were salty from tears, but they parted without question as his tongue slipped inside. His passion, pent up for so long, overruled all other proprieties. Her arms tightened, then her hand roamed up his back. He broke the kiss to stare down at her again.

“I didn’t know how to find you without contacting Remus.”

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to see me again, but I had to try. At least once.” She broke away from his arms and strolled around his desk, her fingers running over the smooth wood and dancing across the top of his laptop. “I don’t want special treatment because of what we’ve shared. I want to compete with the other candidates on my own merits.”

He grinned. “Is that the only reason you came?”

She pushed his laptop aside and turned her back to him as she perched on top of his desk. Her legs swung back and forth as he followed her path until he stood in front of her. She wore a mischievous grin, and her tears were long gone.

When he was directly in front of her, she grabbed his tie and tugged him closer until he stood between her legs. She reached up and grabbed his neck, pulling him down until their lips touched. Her tongue slid across his lips, and when his tongue met hers, he pushed his way past as the kiss deepened. He stroked a breast as her legs wrapped around his, locking him in place.

He did the only thing a male could do and devoured her with a heated kiss. Her immediate response was like a drug, and the beast roared with pleasure. Words weren’t enough for what their bodies could say.

Her fingers were on his buckle, then on the button of his pants, the zipper moving down with practiced hands. The soft touch of her hands stroking him made his legs tremble.

“The door,” he hissed as her fingers rolled over the tip of his cock.

“I locked it.” He felt her smile under his lips, and with one wide sweep of his arm, he cleared the desk. Everything toppled to the carpeted floor—laptop, tablet, coffee urn, the stack of files Cressa had left for him, and who knew what else. He didn’t care.

He pushed her arms away as he fumbled at her jeans, swearing as he tried to unbutton them. Her laughter only urged him on as she popped the button and let him slide the zipper down. Then she was holding on to the edge of the desk so she wouldn’t slide off as he pulled her boots off and stripped her jeans and panties down her legs.

She sat up, pulled her blouse over her head, and unsnapped her bra in a single heartbeat.

Preambles were swept aside as he slipped a finger inside her and found her more than ready. When he slid inside, her nails pressed into his back. His strokes increased, and she laid back, bearing her breasts to him, and he obliged her, taking a nipple into his mouth.

Was this really happening? He closed his eyes and savored the moment, terrified he’d wake and find himself once again strapped to the wall with Gheata waiting for him. All of this nothing more than a wonderous and torturous dream.

He lifted one of her legs to drive deeper. Her throaty pants guided him. She was a wild creature, just as a wolf should be—brave and daring, but most of all, fierce and kind. It seemed odd that his beast had immediately formed an attachment to her from the first moment she’d walked into his cell. Had her wolf known?

Their moment was heated but brief. When her body squeezed down as the orgasm hit her, he covered her mouth with a demanding kiss, though most of the walls were soundproofed to block a vampire’s exceptional hearing. He wanted her in his room, where the soundproofing was thicker. She could scream like a banshee, and most wouldn’t hear it.

She stayed in rhythm with him until his own release came. Rather than fall over the top of her, he pulled her up and caught her in his arms as they tumbled to the floor.

Alex lifted her head and glanced around. She pulled a file folder from underneath her head and tossed it aside. “I’ve messed up your office.” Her grin said she wasn’t sorry for it.

“I can make Cressa reorganize the files.”

“What’s up with her?”

He grinned, though inside, he groaned at what new hell Cressa would put him through with this new development in his life. “She’s bored with the lockdown and doesn’t have enough to do. As irritating as she can be, she has excellent skills, most of them honed during her time as a thief, and she’s deadly in a fight. She can be a general pain in the ass, and I’ll reprimand you harshly if you ever tell her I said this, but she’s good for this House.”

“Reprimand? Exactly how harshly?” She teased, her eyes glowing with a hint of her wolf.

His eyes flashed with the beast. “I wish I had time to demonstrate, but we have training this afternoon. Perhaps you’d like to join us, and you can see what it takes to be on the counter-strike team.”

She ran a finger down his cheek as her brows scrunched together, and her smile disappeared. “Is this the right thing to do?”

“What?”

“Us.”

He didn’t respond quickly, not wanting to blurt out platitudes. Not with her. “All I know is that this feels right. I don’t take chances often. I’ve been burned rather severely in the past. But I’d be a fool not to give us a try. If we can survive a war, I think we can survive anything.”

She kissed him hard and wrapped her arms around him. He felt her grin as she pressed her lips to his cheek and whispered, “Does this mean I’m on the team?”

“Is that what you were hoping to get out of this?” Sergi asked me as he settled on the floor, leaning on an elbow. His eyes were intense. Was he judging me?

I stared at him for a long moment, running a finger over his tattoo, following the curves down his arm and then back up to cross his chest. Goose bumps erupted over his skin.

If I’d met him during a business meeting or a social gathering, would this connection between us be this strong? There was a connection, wasn’t there? I’d had my share of boyfriends. Most didn’t last long. I’d either been too young to get tied down, or there was no substance to them. I was wolf, yet there were too many times I ignored that part of me when selecting a male.

One look in this vampire’s eyes and my wolf stirred. If I’d seen him standing in a grocery store, my wolf would have taken notice. But there was no doubt that the situation we’d found ourselves in—him pinned naked to a wall with blood dripping from dozens of wounds and me as much a captive as him—one would think it was a heat-of-the-moment thing.

I wanted to prove it wasn’t. Something I wasn’t sure my uncle would be willing to accept. Was it because this male next to me was vampire, that he was dangerous, or he simply thought I was being foolish? Perhaps he thought I liked this vampire for the simple fact that he saved my life.

Yet, my uncle would be the first to say the wolf doesn’t lie.

“You’re taking a long time to answer my question.” He took my hand and kissed it. “I want honesty, if nothing else, between us.”

I turned on my side and pushed up to lean my head in my hand. “I want the same. So, here it is. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I got home.” I chuckled and glanced at his tattoos. In a strange way, they’d become my own talisman. That first physical connection to him. “To be honest, I still haven’t gotten my head wrapped around the fact that I’m free. That I’m truly home. I knew my uncle would be overly protective. He thought I was dead.” I grinned. “He left my bedroom as it was before I left for the mission.”

I didn’t add that the housekeeper hadn’t bothered cleaning up the discarded clothes and books I’d left all over the place. He’d already guessed I might be messy.

“He never gave up hope.”

Sergi broke me out of my wandering. I gave a half-shrug before glancing around the office, taking in the few knickknacks but noting there wasn’t a single picture of him or anyone who might be dear to him. “When my uncle told me I was to stay at the estate and find a way to help the war that didn’t require my leaving—” I struggled with the right words.

“It was like being locked up all over again.”

I pushed hard to hold back the sting of tears. “I knew you wouldn’t try coming to the estate, especially with your lockdown. I had the same problem with not knowing how to reach out to you, at least not without going through my uncle for a number. It never occurred to me that Braden would take my side.” I shook my head, wanting Sergi to know everything. “That’s not right. Braden has always had my back, but he was never so open in working around my uncle’s wishes when it regarded me. I’d been orphaned young, and I think my uncle blamed himself for my parents’ deaths, though it wasn’t his fault.”

“He couldn’t protect them.”

I nodded. “He’s always so worried about everyone, even when he can’t control everything. So, when Braden noticed the extra guards following me around, he knew I’d chafe with pup sitters.” I blurted out a laugh. “And hell has no fury when Alex is on a bender. I think he was worried for his own self-preservation.” I blew out a breath and looked at Sergi, whose warm gaze never seemed to leave me. It was more comforting than I cared to admit.

I glanced down at a file folder that lay between us and picked at an edge. “When Braden told me about this counter-strike team, it solved both my problems.”

When too much silence followed, he lifted my chin. “Tell me.”

That little red glow that burned deep in his brown eyes was a signal for the passion, or most likely, any strong emotion he kept buried inside. It made my insides turn to jelly and hammered at my boundaries, urging me to share all my deep, dark secrets.

“It gave me the chance to be a part of this war that is no longer just between vampires, not after what I experienced at the lab. You mentioned revenge. I call it vengeance, but I suppose the result will be the same.”

I grasped his hand. “But that wasn’t all. I needed to see you again. Be with you. See if the emotions we shared were deeper than just that single moment.” I released his hand and rolled onto my back, rubbing my eyes before pushing my fingers through my hair. “This is so weird. I’ve never felt this strongly about anyone, and I can’t believe I’m admitting this out loud.”

Without warning, his lips were on mine, and I rolled into him, savoring every touch as his fingers trailed up and down my spine. The sensations sent small tremors through me as I breathed in the heady scent of male. When the kiss ended and he pulled back, he wrapped a long strand of my hair around his finger, rubbing a thumb over it before gently releasing it.

“I don’t know whether we’ll be the victor in our war with Venizi or what the outcome with the Council will be. All I know is that the beast wants you here, by my side, until you say otherwise.”

“My wolf wouldn’t have it any other way.”

This time, his kiss was tender, and when he leaned back, I asked. “How long before your training starts?”

“Thirty minutes.”

“Dressing will only take five. What should we do with the other twenty-five?”

He grinned as he claimed my lips and my body. There wasn’t time for anything more than teasing nips, heated kisses, and long strokes that did nothing more than get our dander up without any sense of fulfillment. It would make for an interesting training session.

He broke off his last kiss after fifteen minutes and stood, pulling me up beside him. He made a quick phone call before we dressed, and once we were presentable, he stuck his head out the door. “The hallway is clear.”

He took my hand, and we raced to the main hallway, where he stopped and quickly glanced around the corner. “Straight up the stairs. Stay close.”

As if I had any other choice with his strong hand clenching mine, but I held back the giggles as we raced up the stairs and down the second-floor hallway. He pushed me inside a bedroom that could only be his, and I didn’t come to that conclusion because he immediately stripped out of his suit.

There might not have been personal items in his office, but they were all over his bedroom. Ancient weapons that were polished to a shine, an old leather shield, and various trinkets that, at first glance, came from various parts of the world. This was the room of a warrior, and it turned me on.

I jumped when someone knocked, then was confused when no one entered or called out. Sergi stuck his head out of the walk-in closet.

“Can you check that? That should have been Greta leaving workout clothes for you. You seem close to Cressa’s size.”

I slowly pulled open the door, nervous that Devon might be on the other side, but there was nothing there but a stack of clothing and a pair of sneakers. I grabbed them and laid them on the bed.

“Hurry. We can’t be late.”

“Are these Cressa’s?”

“No. We keep spares for the security teams.”

I quickly changed, folding my jeans and blouse and leaving them on a chair. He grabbed my hand, and we were out the door, jogging back down to the first floor.

“It will be a full training session. Devon, Cressa, Lucas, and Ginger will be there. Are you prepared for that?”

“No. But I’ll be fine.”

“As the instructor, I won’t be able to give you any special treatment.”

“I wouldn’t expect any. Besides, aren’t the females human?”

He chuckled as he led me down the hall. “Two human females who are extremely dangerous. Don’t let their looks or words fool you. It’s their first line of defense against vampires who never take them seriously, to their own detriment. Although, I don’t think they’ve trained with shifters. This will be interesting.”

When we entered the room, I gave it a quick glance since there wasn’t much to see. It was an expansive, rectangular room and was probably used as a ballroom at one time. Now, it was sparse, with the exception of a climbing wall that stretched across one long side of the room, a few tall posts of various heights, ropes that dangled from the ceiling, multiple mats, and a single bench.

Four sets of eyes watched our entrance. Devon and Cressa grinned while the other two appeared surprised, though the male’s expression quickly became blank except for a hint of curiosity in his eyes. A vampire. The female next to him was the dark-haired female I’d seen earlier. Cressa’s human friend.

This was definitely an unusual vampire House.

The dark-haired woman glanced at the others and then sighed. “So typical.” She rushed over and held out her hand. “I’m Ginger. Welcome to House Trelane.”

I took her hand, and she pumped it vigorously.

“This is so exciting.” She winked at Sergi, and though we weren’t touching, and I didn’t dare glance his way, I sensed he was uncomfortable.

Now I understood him sneaking me through the manor. He was a male who protected his privacy. Unfortunately for him, I wasn’t someone who could be hidden.

“I’m Alex.”

She nodded. “A wolf. That’s so exciting. I’ve never trained with a shifter before.” She paused and glanced between Sergi and Devon. “Is she going to be allowed to train in wolf form? I mean, isn’t the training meant to develop our own personal skills?”

Her question caught me off guard. Did she actually want to fight a wolf? I glanced at Cressa, who was grinning and bouncing on her toes, eager to get started.

“I think for our purpose here,” Devon answered, “we need to ensure we have the skills to fight without the use of our fangs—shifter or vampire. Just like we don’t let Cressa use her dreamwalker skills.”

My gaze shot to Cressa. A dreamwalker? I just landed squarely in the middle of the Twilight Zone. My uncle had been busy while I was away.

“My wolf can handle herself, but my martial arts skills are a bit rusty. If you find yourself fighting against a wolf and you aren’t vampire, my best suggestion would be a gun unless you excel with daggers.”

The group glanced at each other, and the vampire called Lucas was the first to laugh out loud. “Well, I’d say Alex just set the tone for our training.”

Sergi’s grin was almost maniacal. “Agreed. Let’s begin.”

After an hour on the climbing wall and then martial arts bouts pitting two against each other, I was sweating like a leaky faucet, but my endorphins had me flying high. I was holding my own, but Cressa and Ginger had both taken me down several times. Sergi had been right. Their skills were impressive, and I had to admit, were better than mine.

On the last takedown, Cressa stood over me and held out her hand, which I took. Once I was back on my feet, she grinned. “You’ve got some good moves. After a couple weeks with Sergi, and you get your muscles and strength back, you’ll be unstoppable.”

“Thanks. I guess you surprised me.”

“For being a human?” She never lost her grin, and she put an arm around me. “It fools the vamps when they first meet us. Most never get a second chance.”

I laughed. “The human part would definitely surprise them, but seeing a female always makes them foolish.”

Ginger rushed over. “This has been so fun. I think we should hit the hot tub and then the patio for some margaritas.” She looked at me. “You are staying, right? You don’t want to drive back and forth from Remus’s estate to train every day.” She tilted her head. “I don’t actually know where his estate is, but still, if you’re going to be on the counter-strike team, you should stay here. Oh, and I should see if Lyra can join us. That’s Devon’s sister. She doesn’t train with us, but she’s always up for margaritas.”

“Enough, Ginger.” Sergi joined us. “We’re still working out the logistics.” He turned and gave me an evil grin I’d only seen him use when readying for battle. “I’m sure Alex will enjoy the benefits of a hot tub and margaritas once she survives her last session of training.”

Ginger and Cressa grinned at each other as they quietly backed up to join Devon and Lucas.

Sergi circled me, and I instinctively turned to keep him in my sights. His expression was downright menacing, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. This was so unfair. After watching his skills at taking down Gheata, I doubted there were many that could best him. On top of that, we’d been training for two hours, and he’d only joined a couple of bouts. Otherwise, he stood around and shouted orders.

While he was as fresh as a peach, I felt like an old mule after a hundred-mile hike through the desert. Every muscle in my body was waving for attention, and the thought of soaking them in the hot tub was nirvana. My legs were wobbly, and my arms felt like dead weights.

But the wolf paced—eager for mock battle. And while I had no chance of winning, I’d be damned if he’d take me down easy. I grinned, and I think he hesitated for a split second.

I crouched in my offensive stance, stuck out my arm, and wiggled my fingers in a come-hither gesture. Cressa and Ginger screeched and shouted out their support for me, and then Devon and Lucas joined in, leaving Sergi the odd male out. My grin grew wider.

His eyes glowed red with excitement at the coming bout. My thoughts moved beyond hot tubs and margaritas to an entire evening in Sergi’s immense bed. Other than the heated conversation I was sure to have with my uncle, this was turning out to be the best day I’d had in a long time.

I gave Sergi a wink. “Come on, vampire. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Thank You For Reading!

But don’t go! Keep reading for more of House Trelane.

This is a temporary cover.

The dreamwalker medallion.

Embossed on both sides are three objects that link both the vampire and dreamwalker species together: the Blood Poppy—The Ibis—The Dagger of Omar.

Simone, cadre to House Trelane, wasn’t comfortable around dreamwalkers. She trusted Cressa with her life, which was an unexpected admission. But Colantha was a different story. She was royalty among dreamwalkers, and Simone would bet her life the female was hiding something.

Simone had almost disregarded Colantha’s interpretation of the De f?rste dage until she mentioned the Dagger of Omar. Her skin had itched at the name, and the universe had dropped away, leaving Simone in a black void so deep there weren’t any stars.

She’d seen the Dagger of Omar. She’d thought it all a lie.

The same ancient blade Gaius took with him wherever he traveled.

Gaius.

Her lover. Her torturer.

Their last encounter…just months ago…had been a surprise. Gaius had seemed a different vampire. She had remembered the lover more than the torturer, and it had been centuries since that had been so.

Weeks had passed since she’d reached out to him. There had been no response. Dozens of reasons could explain why, but her gut told her something else.

Someone else might be searching for the Dagger of Omar.

And Gaius could be in trouble. Or dead.

And now a glimpse…