BLOODl.u.s.t:.

MIDNIGHT SHADOWS.

Marilyn Lee.

Prologue.

Full-blood vampire fem Deoctra Diniti paced the length of the darkened living room of the house she had shared with her late lover, Leon de la Rocque. They had rented it with the understanding that it would be temporary, but now she found it difficult to leave the last place they had shared.

A dull ache echoed in her chest as she thought of all the half-formed hopes and dreams that had died with him. She gave an angry shake of her head, sending her long, dark hair flying around her shoulders. There would be time to grieve for him later- after he had been avenged.

The plan she had set in motion was dangerous-which was why she had to rely on the help of others. The thought that she could not do it on her own galled her. If she had only herself to consider, she might very well attempt to go solo. But with the lives of her two remaining sisters at stake, she didn't dare act without a.s.sistance.

She stopped pacing and turned to face the group sitting on the various sofas in the room. There were two women, both blonde and slim, and one man. The man was tall, heavily built, with green eyes and long, wavy hair. In the weeks since Leon's death, Tucker Falcone's chiseled features had become very familiar. Sometimes, when he took her with a ferocity only a non-human male could achieve, she almost forgot her grief and her need for revenge. Almost...but not quite.

He, with the two women, would ensure her plan had a better chance of succeeding. Although Falcone was far stronger and much older than the two fems, all three had reasons for helping her. Falcone's motivation was l.u.s.t-for her. The other two fems, like herself, were motivated by a thirst for revenge. Finally, the Dumont family of vampires would face four powerful beings determined to make them suffer for past wrongs.

She took a deep breath. "That's the plan."

Silence greeted her words.

"So?" She rested her gaze on each face. "Are you all with me?"

Tucker inclined his head slightly. For a price.

I know your price.

I'll be wanting a down payment-very soon.

She nodded, turning her attention to the two blonde fems. The older of the fems, who liked to be called different names at different times and with different people, would bear watching. There was something about her that Deoctra neither trusted nor liked.

Deoctra looked at her. "Lina?"

"I'm in, but remember, Andrei belongs to me and I do not share."

There was something unnatural about Lina's interest in Andrei Forester, especially considering her newly acquired interest in another, almost equally dangerous male. However, as long as Lina's interest didn't interfere with their plans, it was no concern of Deoctra's. She smiled as she met the gaze of the younger fem. Bella was very young, only having been brought across two years earlier. As one of her converts, Bella was fiercely loyal to her. Unlike some of the others, Deoctra felt certain her loyalty would never be in question.

"And you, my Bellamonte? Are you with me?"

The baby fem nodded. "'Til death."

Deoctra crossed the room and stroked her fingers down the younger female's cheek. "You are like another little sister to me. I will do my best to ensure it does not come to that. Now go, little one... I know the urge to take your rightful revenge is strong, but for now, continue to hide who you truly are."

Bella nodded and left the living room.

Deoctra turned her attention back to Lina. "It's time to put our plan in motion."

"I'm ready...if you're sure you want to do this."

On the point of nodding, she hesitated, buffeted by almost forgotten memories of an all-too-brief few years when she had imagined herself and Mikhel Dumont to be in bloodl.u.s.t with each other. The entire world had been hers for the taking...until Mikhel had betrayed her for the human b.i.t.c.h he later married. Nothing in her life had gone right since. Nothing would ever go right again-until she got a measure of justice... for herself, her dead sisters and for Leon.

She bristled at having her resolve questioned. "Have I done or said anything to make you think I might not be sure?"

Lina shrugged. "I sense a certain... hesitancy in you."

"You must be imagining things, Lina. Perhaps you'd better take some time to get laid. A fem in need is of very little use to anyone."

Lina's dark eyes narrowed. "My needs are being met."

"Are they? By whom? Forester or your other male of interest?"

"Andrei is...sweet...almost sweet enough to take my mind off my real goal. But I've waited and plotted too long to allow that to happen."

Deoctra gave a small shake of her head. She'd hate to be the other fem's real goal. Even as vampires went, Lina was downright unnatural. "Then let us hope we both get what we want."

"Oh, I intend to get everything I want." She gave Deoctra a cool look. "So it's a go, then?"

"Yes."

"Good, because I've been studying her and I have a firm handle on her. He won't know what hit him."

Deoctra frowned. "This is my show, Lina. Don't forget that. You have your goals and I have mine. See that you do not damage him."

Lina laughed. "What's the matter? Even after all he's put you through, you don't want him really hurt?"

Deoctra narrowed her gaze. "What I plan for him is no concern of yours. We do this my way and then we go after your objective. Is that clear?"

Lina gave her a long, cold look. "Very. If there's no other... instructions, I'm on it," she said and flashed from the room.

Tucker spoke. "I know you thirst for revenge, but do you really think it's wise to trust a nocturene? They aren't exactly the creatures you think of first when you require loyalty. Besides which, she's crazy as h.e.l.l and I don't trust her."

She grimaced. "Tell me something I don't already know. I have to work with what I have available. As long as she does what I need, what difference does her mental state make?"

"Just so you know who and what you're dealing with... Someone with whom it would not be wise to turn your back."

"Why should I worry about my back? Don't you have it?" she challenged, tossing her head so that her long, dark hair cascaded around her shoulders.

He smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. "You know it, baby."

Baby. She brushed a hand over her flat belly and gave a small, satisfied nod.

A pair of big hands descended on her shoulders. "And then there were two."

She felt Falcone's lips caress the back of her ear. A wave of warmth washed over her. She shook her head. "We don't have time for this."

He swung her around to face him. "If you want my help, you'll make time."

She stared up at him, her eyes glowing. "I have too much to do to have you rutting into me every five minutes!"

He responded by tearing off the one-piece cat suit she wore with little regard for the zipper, which he destroyed. When she stood, nude, glaring at him, he swung her around and bent her over the back of the sofa. "Then I'll have to be very quick."

She barely had time to brace herself before she heard his zipper slide down. Seconds later, his hard c.o.c.k slid between her nether cheeks and forced its way into her body.

She gasped and cried out as he thrust himself b.a.l.l.s-deep with one ruthless plunge that made no allowances for the size of his c.o.c.k or the tightness of her a.s.s.

Slipping one hand across her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, he slid the other between her legs and into her p.u.s.s.y. Then he bent over her back and sank his incisors into the side of her neck. He fed on her as he f.u.c.ked her a.s.s.

She closed her eyes and surrendered to the sensual fire that burned just under the surface in all fems. The c.o.c.k in possession of her a.s.s was nice, but soon, if all went well, she'd feel another one there, and when he slid into her p.u.s.s.y...it would be heaven. The c.o.c.k of the other male would go a long way toward helping her heal.

But for now, the hard length sliding in and out of her was more than sufficient. Her l.u.s.t for c.o.c.k consuming her, she ground her a.s.s against his groin, encouraging him to sink ever harder and ever faster into her a.s.s. As he did, she moved his hand down from her b.r.e.a.s.t.s to rest over her stomach.

Stroke me here, she instructed.

Big, calloused hands moved gently over her belly, sending tingles of desire all through her. She moaned softly, losing herself in the feral pa.s.sion blazing between them.

He nibbled at her ear as he thrust deep into her. Mine. You're all mine now. He pushed his hips forward, sinking deep inside her. Feels good, doesn't it?

Yes. It felt good. So good. She turned her head and his lips, warm and demanding, covered hers.

Thumbing her c.l.i.t, he shortened his strokes, sending his c.o.c.k sliding quickly and forcefully in and out of her a.s.s.

A wave of pleasure crashed over her, submerging her senses. She came, her entire body shuddering with her release.

That's it, my lovely one. Come for me. Come for your male.

While she exploded, he held her, raining soft kisses against her neck. When the last shudder danced down her spine, he eased out of her a.s.s and drew her down to the carpet with him. Turning her into his arms, he held her, whispering soft, insensible things to her.

Lying drowsy in his arms, she realized he hadn't come. He had pleased her without taking his own satisfaction. Maybe...just maybe, he really did care about her. The initial satisfaction that a.s.surance gave her was followed by a quick, painful realization. Every male she'd ever cared about had been taken from her. First Mikhel Dumont, her bloodl.u.s.t and the man around whom she'd built her world. Then, just as she had been prepared to move on and forget Mikhel, Leon had been killed. Did she dare allow herself to care about Falcone?

She shuddered, a soft sound of fear trembling on her lips.

His arms tightened around her. It's all right, Deoctra. It's all right. I have you and I'll rip the heart out of anyone who makes you unhappy or tries to hurt you-starting with Mikhel Dumont.

She thought of Falcone's incisors tearing into Mikhel's flesh. She swallowed hard and clenched her teeth but could not suppress a shudder.

Falcone slid a hand under her chin and lifted her head. He stared down into her eyes. "That is what you still want, isn't it? To make him suffer?"

"Yes," she whispered and buried her head against his chest. Yes. She had promised Leon she would somehow avenge him. Although his murderer, Acier Gautier, was out of her reach, he would feel pain when her plan was implemented. "Yes," she repeated. Although her voice was stronger this time, she was hard-pressed to suppress another shudder.

Chapter One.

"I knew you would come back to us."

Full-blood Vladimir Madison considered the tall vampire with the bronze skin and short salt-and-pepper hair in silence for several moments.

What the h.e.l.l had possessed him to come back here to the stronghold of the vampire protection league, known as The Defense League of the Brotherhood? The last time he had been here it had been in the company of his brothers and sister. He and his twin Aleksei had been intent on forcing Vitali Bourcaro, who headed the League, to call Deoctra and her shifter lackey Tucker Falcone off of their sons.

Although they had not quite come to blows, after a twenty-something-year a.s.sociation with the League, Vlad and Vitali had parted on bad terms. He wasn't quite sure what force had drawn him here now. But here he was.

He grinned. "Then you shouldn't sound so surprised to see me." He ran up the stairs and stood facing Vitali.

Vitali glanced over his shoulder. "I don't suppose you brought that delectable sister of yours with you."

Vlad frowned. "Which one? I have two, you know."

"Two? So you decided to embrace the Dumonts after all, and openly call Katie Dumont your sister?"

Vlad's smile vanished. After well over three hundred years of thinking his mother had deserted both he and his siblings, Vlad had learned that she had remarried and had another family, which included three baby vamps. Although the middle vamp, Serge, had a fiery spirit with which Vlad could identify, the youngest vamp, Katie, and the older one, Mikhel, annoyed the h.e.l.l out of him. Mikhel, who had taken his place in their mother's affection as favorite child, was a particular source of aggravation to Vlad. What he wouldn't give to rip out the supercilious, over-privileged vamp's throat and leave him lying dead in a gutter somewhere.

"I will never embrace those pampered pups."

Vitali tilted his head to one side. "Would you help them if they needed it?"

Serge? Probably. Maybe even the p.i.s.sant Katie who had, after all, been instrumental in helping him and Aleksei locate their sons. But Mikhel? Never! He spat on the step.

"Maybe after h.e.l.l freezes over. Maybe not even then."

"Ahhh." Vitali smiled, inclining his head. "Just as I thought."

"Why do you ask?"

Vitali shrugged. "Just making conversation. So your sister Tatiana is not with you?"

"No." He leveled a finger at the other vamp's chest. "Remember that she is my sister...my little sister, Vitali. You stay the h.e.l.l away from her."

Vitali's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "What brings you here, Vladimir?"

He shook his head. "I have no idea."

"It doesn't matter. As long as you remember where your allegiance lies this time, you are welcome back among us, Vladimir."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means the next time sides need to be taken, you come down on the right side- the side of The Brotherhood."

Vlad stared at the other vampire. There was an undercurrent to Vitali's voice that urged him to proceed with caution. h.e.l.l, humans had to concern themselves with such nonsense, not vampires. "As long as my siblings are not on the other side, there will be no problem."