The scent of mortal blood drifted from the next room. The Immaculate lovers paused in their love play.

"They're leaving," Vincent whispered.

Together, they stood. Vincent tugged off his shirt. He flexed his bulging arm and chest muscles and said, "Come on, baby. Let's get some eats."

"You make it sound so romantic," she teased, leading the way to the door.

Outside, the hybrids stood by the elevator. Upon seeing Vincent and Trixie, they didn't bother stepping on as the door slid open.

"Do we know you?" asked the blond, a slightly taller and slimmer hybrid than his red-haired companion.

Vincent shook his head as he stepped closer. The redhead's eyes swept him from head to foot, and he nearly grinned. d.a.m.n. He was loaded with enough magnetism for just about everybody.

"Would you like to join us?" Trixie's hands slid over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and hips. She smiled, revealing her fangs.

"I don't recognize your scent," said the redhead as he and the blond followed Vincent and Trixie to their room.

"You are vampires?" the blond asked.

"Oh, we are." Laugher rumbled in Vincent's chest. "Right now, I feel I could empty a blood bank."

"We have a taste for our own kind." Trixie closed the door behind them and slid her palms over the blond's chest.

For a moment, Vincent almost felt jealous. d.a.m.n. He must have it for her bad to be jealous from simply watching her prepare to feed.

"Hey!" The blond snapped, sounding a bit frightened as Trixie pinned him against the door.

"Relax," she whispered and licked his neck.

The hybrids' heartbeats quickened, sounding almost mortal in their terror and desire.

"You can go if you want," Trixie murmured, releasing her hold on the blond and caressing his ribs. "But you'll be missing out."

"Josh?" The blond sounded breathless with arousal. "Yeah?" replied the redhead. "What should we do?"

"I don't know about you, but I'll try anything once." The redhead didn't resist when Vincent shoved him onto the bed and sank his fangs deep into the hybrid's throat.

The taste of strong hybrid blood filled Vincent's mouth, and he gulped, satisfying his hunger. He and Trixie could feed each other, but both had agreed they enjoyed the hunt and found the thought of watching each other feed erotic.

As he lapped his victim's throat, Vincent thought about making love with Trixie afterward, when they both felt high from the energy of the other vampires.

The redhead uttered a sound of pleasure just before Vincent withdrew his teeth. With a sigh of disappointment, the redhead reached for Vincent who slipped from his grasp. Moments later, the hybrid drifted to sleep.

Vincent's c.o.c.k swelled as he watched Trixie press the blond close to the wall and lap his blood. Her firm, smooth a.s.s looked gorgeous in the black thong as she rocked against her victim.

Unable to restrain himself, Vincent approached and grasped her b.u.t.tocks with both hands. She growled with pleasure. Vincent closed his eyes and felt her a.s.s, inhaling the scent of her arousal and the hybrid's blood. Tugging down her thong, he fondled her a.s.s with one hand and reached between her body and the hybrid's to gather moisture from her c.u.n.t and rub her c.l.i.t.

Trixie moaned with desire as Vincent entered her from behind. The hybrid also cried out, his pleasure intensified by Trixie's, as part of her emotions touched his through the blood drinking.

"Oh, baby," Vincent breathed against her ear, bracing his hands against the wall as he thrust into her, crushing both her and the hybrid until their hearts beat in unison.

The blond's shriek of pa.s.sion mingled with Trixie's cry and Vincent's growl as the three came long and hard. The hybrid slipped into unconsciousness against Trixie who barely managed to support him as she panted and shook with her ebbing climax. She eased the hybrid to the floor before Vincent swept her into his arms and kissed her, tasting the blood on her lips.

"I love you so much, Dilorenzo," she whispered.

"You too, baby." He nuzzled her throat. "What do you say we go back to our own hotel and spend the night f.u.c.king each other 'till we pa.s.s out?"

She grinned. "Like I said. You're so romantic."

It was close to dawn when Vincent awakened from the light sleep he'd fallen into after making love with Trixie all night. She slept, curled up beside him, a contented smile on her lips. He hoped she dreamed of him.

The breeze stirred the curtains of the open window across the room, and Vincent caught a familiar scent. He stood, careful not to disturb Trixie, and walked to the window to glance down at the street. Still as a statue, a figure draped in black sat on the roof of a car parked by the sidewalk. Seraphim .

Had the son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h been following them, or was his presence simply coincidence?

Vincent dragged on jeans and boots. Not bothering with a shirt, he headed for the door. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror on the back of the door. His wavy black hair stuck up in several directions, his lips were swollen from Trixie's kisses, and his chest was crisscrossed with quickly healing claw marks. With an indifferent shrug, he continued out the door and down the corridor. A deadly look silenced the desk clerks when they seemed ready to question Vincent as he strode through the lobby and out the gla.s.s doors.

Seraphim didn't turn around as Vincent approached, but he said, "I suppose I'm taking a risk by keeping my back to you."

"If I was out to get you, we wouldn't be talking this civilly right now. We'd be kickin' each other's a.s.ses on one of those rooftops."

"Perhaps. Or maybe you're just waiting for the Jury to inflict more damage than a physical fight ever could."

"You know about how they operate, then?" "Doesn't everyone?"

"You got a point there." Vincent placed a foot on the b.u.mper and leaned an elbow on his knee. "They're going to pick your brain for every bit of information. Why not level with me right now? Maybe I can convince them to go light on you."

Seraphim turned to Vincent and smiled, not even bothering to show his fangs. "You always were a f.u.c.king rotten liar. Sorry, Vincent, but you'll have to wait for the trial."

"You know what I don't get? You're a h.e.l.luva warlock, yet you didn't even try to use psychic power or magic on the guys we fought in the desert. Why?"

Seraphim turned away and continued staring up at the sky fading from dark to dawn.

"You know, if you care about Hannah, you'll get yourself some help because you really are a nutcase -"

Seraphim growled. This time when he glared at Vincent, his fangs shone against his lips.

Vincent's own fangs ached to unsheathe, but rather than engage in the fight Seraphim obviously wanted, he headed back to the hotel.

"You want to f.u.c.k up your life and hers, it's fine by me," Vincent muttered, blinking away fat raindrops falling from the cloudy sky.

Chapter Fifteen.

Hannah lay in bed staring at the ceiling for nearly an hour. Though she hadn't been asleep when Seraphim had left their hotel room, she'd let him believe she was. She'd sensed his need for time alone, and though part of her felt a bit hurt about it, she understood his desire for privacy. Everyone had moments so intimate even the presence of a soulmate could seem invasive. After sensing bits and pieces of his past during their blood sharing, she had so many questions and wanted to know everything about him. During those final moments of the change, when he could no longer block any portion of his thoughts or feelings from her, she'd caught glimpses of his life. Still, the memories had been so plentiful and fast that she couldn't make much sense out of them. They'd made her dizzy in their intensity, but his emotions were clear. She felt sadness from him, and love. Loneliness that was almost painful in its prominence, and much of it was caused by his own need for secrecy.

She hoped one day he would trust her enough to explain his feelings completely.

Her heartbeat quickened when she recalled the change. It should have been frightening, yet once the process had begun, she felt no fear. He'd wrapped her, both mentally and physically, in his love, and she'd felt completely secure. What haunted her a bit was feeling his age. She'd sensed more years than she could comprehend-and far too many spent alone. As much as she'd needed him at Sir Edward's, his need for her was apparently just as powerful.

She caught his scent before he reached the room. As he stepped inside, she sat up, the sheet just covering her waist, leaving her torso bare. His eyes riveted to her, staring from beneath thick tendrils of rain soaked hair. His clothes were drenched, the shirt and pants clinging to his lean frame.

"Are you all right?" she asked, slipping from bed and wrapping her arms around his waist as she rested her cheek against his chest. She listened to the rhythm of his heart.

Seraphim held her close for several long moments before she grew concerned and said, "Are you?"

"What?" he murmured.

"All right?"

She felt him nod against her shoulder, but she didn't quite believe him.

"Are you hungry?" she asked. "Or did you go out for blood?"

"No, I just went out to think." He took her hand and guided her back to the bed where he sat on the edge and tugged her onto his knee. "I ran into Vincent. By accident.

He thought I was following him. As if I could be bothered. The less I see of him the better."

"He's a lot different outside of Sir Edward's."

"Vincent doesn't like anyone to see what he feels. He likes everyone to think he's completely in control. I guess that's what happens to a person when he's enslaved for most of his life. Sometimes I wonder if he gave up his ethics to serve Luci or if he even had a code of ethics to begin with."

"Luci?"

"The Original First Father I told you about. That was his true name."

"Luci."

"That's the closest translation from the language of the Originals. Most of their names translate to short ones in English. Over the years very old vampires have often added extensions. My true name is Sera."

"Sera. It almost sounds like Sara. I think Seraphim is more masculine. What did Luci change his name to? Lucifer?" she teased.

Her smile faded at Seraphim's slow nod. "Many called him that."

Hannah resisted the urge to shiver. How many other creatures of legend were based in fact? It was a question she didn't want the answer to.

"I've heard Jules and Matthew talking about the Jury." Hannah stroked damp waves of hair from his forehead and brushed a droplet of rainwater from his eyelash. "They don't sound very nice."

"They make difficult decisions regarding our kind." "They're not always right." "No one's always right."

"They nearly destroyed Matthew's life when he tried rescuing an Original child. They did nothing to protect that boy, even though he was of the race that gave them their power and he was-to their knowledge-the last of his kind. What makes you think the Jury will do what you ask regarding Herm and Sheb?"

"All vampires fear Originals. It's mostly due to Luci. What most don't understand is that so few Originals were violent. There is a Jury member who knew the Originals. She took Matthew's side when he fought for the child, and she will take my side tonight. She will not allow harm to come to Herm and Sheb, and neither will I."

"Seraphim, you can't fight all the vampires in the world to protect them. Surely they don't expect you to give up your life for them."

"They don't expect anything of me, but along with you, they're my only family. I will do anything to keep the three of you safe."

Hannah felt both concerned and warmed by his words. No one had ever loved her so completely, yet she believed Seraphim when he said he would do anything to defend what he considered his own. She had no desire to see him hurt-or worse. If the Jury was as difficult to convince as Matthew said, he risked his life just by appearing before them.

"I have to," he said, and she knew he'd listened to her thoughts.

"Why?"

"Because others are getting closer to the Originals. And they're not simple grave robbers or power seekers. Several vampires I've recently fought in the cave had keen mind control and vast experience in the magical arts. The last group that injured me also carried the image of someone in their mind-someone I knew long ago."

"Who?"

"Someone with connections to Luci."

"Another Original?"

He shook his head. "An Immaculate. We haven't seen each other for literally ages, but now that I know he's involved, everything that's happened makes sense."

"Seraphim, will you stop being so cryptic. Tell me what's going on."

"I will. I just need to think." He gently pushed her onto the bed and stood, pacing the room. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. "How could it have turned out like this? G.o.d, this should be the easy part. It's almost over. It's so close, Hannah!" He dropped to his knees in front of her, his intense, glowing eyes staring into hers.

She loved him completely, but there were times when he unsettled her. Seraphim could be so weird. IV s his age, she told herself. Surely someone so old would have more idiosyncrasies than a normal person.

"You keep saying that. 'It's close.' What's close? What are you talking about?"

He moved so suddenly and fluidly that before she realized what was happening, he'd pinned her body to the bed.

"Hannah, please," he whispered against her lips. "I want you so badly." "You don't have to ask." She clung to his neck. "I'm yours forever." "I love you." He buried his face in her neck.

Hannah shivered as his beard tickled her throat, a rough but pleasant contrast to the feeling of his soft lips. "I know. I can feel it."

She could feel his emotions, and she knew he felt hers. Such intimacy should have been frightening, but instead she felt comforted and cared for. She also felt his need, more emotional than physical. His teeth pierced her throat, and Hannah's eyes slipped shut, her arms tightening around him. Sliding her hands beneath his shirt, she stroked his back and gripped the taut muscles of his shoulders. She almost wished hybrids gained claws after the change as the desire to rip off his shirt was almost overwhelming. Perhaps she didn't need claws. She grasped his shirt and tugged. If ripped easily beneath her newly acquired strength.

Seraphim raised his head, licking a trickle of blood from his lips, his expression pleasantly startled.

"Sorry," she whispered, not meaning it. "Couldn't help myself."

"Don't try," he purred, shrugging off what was left of his shirt and tossing it aside.

Hannah splayed her palms across his chest, loving the feel of its hardness and the dusting of hair over his skin. She grasped his shoulders and ran her fingertips over his neck before he moved from the bed to discard his boots, socks, and jeans. Hannah knelt and embraced him. He pushed her onto her back and pinned her body beneath his.

Seraphim's mouth covered hers. His lips felt so moist and soft. Hannah's tongue traced the smooth length of his incisors and the human flatness of his front teeth. She tasted blood when he p.r.i.c.ked his tongue on her own tiny, sharp incisors. As a hybrid, hers were much smaller than his, though not retractable. Seraphim had told her she had beautiful teeth.

Weaving her fingers through the hair at his nape, Hannah closed her eyes and lost herself to the smooth stroking of his tongue against hers. One of his hands caressed her hip and breast. She felt the tips of his claws dance across her skin, just tickling, never hurting. He kissed her throat, licking where he'd recently bitten, and paused at her right nipple. He licked it then took it between his lips and laved it with his tongue before sinking the very tip of one incisor into the straining peak.