The plum of his engorged rod popped inside. She moaned loud and long, encouraging him with a shower of emotions and images. She showed him their mating night, the first time he'd taken her blood, bonding them forever. The first time he'd f.u.c.ked her with a speed and depth possible only for a fully mature vampire prime.

And he hadn't done it since. Even after a.s.suring him she'd loved it, he'd expressed concern of taking too much of her blood, and s.e.xing her too roughly. After all, she had pa.s.sed out. But tonight she needed it. More important, he needed it-hard, hot, sweaty vampire s.e.x. Blurring, mind-numbing s.e.x. And she would make sure he got it.

Besides, what man could resist his mate begging for his c.o.c.k?

"Mmm, Bix, it feels so good. Take me like a vampire takes his mate."

"Carin, I-I don't think..."

"I need it. I'm begging for it. I'm so hot my p.u.s.s.y is on fire. Please, Bix. Oh G.o.d, harder. Please, please, please..." Each word was a little more frantic, each breath a little more harsh. Then she said something she'd never said before to any man, and meant every word with all her heart.

"I love you, Jon Bixler."

The dam burst and the shafting began. He plunged forward, one stroke, two strokes, going deeper each time until he was seated firmly. Pulling out until only the head of his wide c.o.c.k stretched her entrance, Bix pummeled forward, fast, then faster, until the movement of his hips was a blur.

Oh yes, that's what she wanted. What he, as a vamp, needed. To let go with his mate. And it felt so good, almost overwhelming. The solid expanse of his chest pressed hot against her back as he leaned over her, supporting his weight with one arm, and holding her tightly to him with the other.

His b.a.l.l.s slapped against her c.l.i.t as he took her hard and deep. It sent her careening towards o.r.g.a.s.mic bliss.

"Bix," she shouted as her womb spasmed and tightened. "Bite me. Send me out of this world."

Fuel powered fire flashed through her body the second his fangs pierced the sensitive skin on her neck. With a final thrust forward, he growled against her throat, taking the sustenance she freely offered as spurt after spurt of hot come splashed against her womb.

This time, they slipped into unconsciousness together.

Chapter Sixteen

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Bix rolled over, glanced at the bedside clock and groaned. Six o'clock. Who in their right mind would bother a newly mated couple this early in the morning? He untangled Carin's arms and legs from around his body, rose from the bed and stretched with a deep, satisfied groan. His whole body ached from the night of wild pa.s.sion he'd shared with his woman. His bondmate. In short, Carin had kept him up all night and laid it on him like no female, human or vampire, ever had. He couldn't recall ever being so feral and out of control with a woman. And she loved him.

He took a moment to examine the already healing scratches, bruises and bite marks marring his chest, neck and even the inside of his thigh. He'd brought the freak out of her, all right. The woman had been insatiable. He reached down and patted his d.i.c.k. d.a.m.n, even it was sore, and his lips quirked up in a satisfied grin.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Bix cursed all the way to the living room, yanking a pair of sweats up his legs on the way.

s.n.a.t.c.hing open the door, he managed to twist his face into a fierce, though exhausted, scowl.

"Hey, buddy, sorry to wake you." Alaan didn't sound the least bit remorseful. Bix wanted to both preen and smack him when his best friend grinned boldly at all the marks on his chest.

Instead, he moved aside and let him in. Alaan's smile disappeared as he said, "We've been summoned to the Council Chambers."

"Again? h.e.l.l, I've spent more time in that room with those f.u.c.king Elders than I have with my own woman."

"I think I have an idea of what's going on. Grab a shower. I'll wait for you." Alaan sunk down into what was now Carin's favorite cream suede recliner, then called over his shoulder, "By the way, you may want to dress in Seeking gear and pack a bag."

Bix looked at him inquiringly. When Alaan held his hands up and motioned towards the closed bedroom door, Bix didn't bother pressing. Even a Seeker's mate wasn't privy to all the details of their covert a.s.signments and the man wouldn't say another word until they were on their way to the Council Chambers.

In ten minutes Bix was showered, packed and dressed in black tactical pants, a black Under Armour formfitting tee, black silent-soled SWAT boots and the flowing black leather trench of a Seeker. Carin called it his Matrix coat. Underneath, a shoulder harness held his 9mm Glock with silver hollow point bullets filled with silver nitrate loaded in the cartridges. His two-edged katana blade rested in its scabbard hidden in a sheath down his back.

With his hair brushed back and covered with a black baseball cap, he approached the sleeping form of his wife and leaned over to caress the soft skin of Carin's cheek. Casting a final look at her beautiful face, relaxed and youthful in slumber, he dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead and left the room without a sound.

On the way to the Council Chambers, Tameth, their pilot, Randall, and three young Seekers met Bix and Alaan on the stairs. Slade from Clan Li, and Alex from Clan Akicit, they'd worked with on a case in Denver last year. The third was Kenoe, one of the b.a.l.l.sy Hatsepts who'd talked trash to Carin the night of their official joining.

To Bix's surprise, as they walked to the Council Chamber doors the white-haired Seeker held out his hand. "It's an honor to serve with you, sir. We Hatsepts talk a lot of s.h.i.t but your exploits are beyond legendary. You, your crew and your woman have our respect."

Bix shook the man's hand, nodded his acceptance and signaled Tameth to push open the Chamber door.

All ten Elders, minus their mates, were already seated. And every face was much too stern for this early in the morning.

"Well, looks like the gang's all here," Bix yawned grumpily, ignoring the buzzing undercurrent in the air.

Before Bix's team could even reach the foot of the dais, Alaan began the briefing.

"Natasha, present the information."

The Liaison gave each Seeker a sealed manila envelope and began the briefing without delay.

"We have movement on Sidheon. He was spotted in New York just last night. Here is the information you need along with secure vid-cell phones programmed especially for this mission." At their surprised expressions, she said, "No one, and I mean no one, will have the frequency to which these phones are coded. We believe there is a mole right here at headquarters."

The whole room went quiet as they all weighed the ramifications of a spy at V.C.O.E.

headquarters.

"I suggest you get a quick bite, a cup of coffee and prepare to head out." She curled her lip up in a snarl and glared at Bix. "Say goodbye to your mates." Sneering at Alaan, she snarled, "If you have one, that is. You depart in twenty minutes on Stealth One."

The Council filed out, except for Alaana and Ralen who'd slipped in to join them. Both descended the dais steps and made a beeline for their son and Bix. After hugs, kisses and slaps on the back for each of them, they too, departed.

Bix dragged himself up the stairs to deliver the news to Carin. They both knew the hunt would begin, but even he hadn't antic.i.p.ated having to leave already. Mated barely a week and he was off to who-knows-where for G.o.d-knows-when? The woman was not going to be happy.

Bix hadn't been able to resist calling out to Carin between destinations. He thought back to that first night, how with a gentle push against her mind they'd reached another level of intimacy.

After her initial surprise, she'd relaxed into the gifting with ease, as if it had always been a part of her. All because she trusted him.

"You're in New York? I can't believe we can speak from this distance," Carin crowed happily into his head. He'd smiled, glad he could make her happy with such a simple thing. Then the scientist came out and she'd pummeled him with questions.

"So how does this work? Why can't I talk to Alaana even though she's in the same building I am?"

"We're more than mated, we're bonded, remember? All vamps have some psychic skill, but it still takes a measure of concentration, is difficult when not in the person's presence, and almost impossible from long distances. Unless you're bonded to your mate."

"Ooooh, how cool. So I can call you whenever I want while you're away?"

Bix smiled, she'd sounded so pleased.

"You could, but I'm asking you not to. It wouldn't be a good idea to get a summons from you in the middle of a fight with a mean-a.s.sed rogue. Just the sound of your s.e.xy voice would distract me. I can't have a wimp like Sidheon kicking my a.s.s because I'm thinking about my woman." She'd giggled, said good night and promised to behave. He'd snorted at that one. Carin?

Behave? Riiight. She was always up to something in that d.a.m.ned lab of hers, and now with Alaana Serati as her close friend and confidante, the brat got away with murder. And he loved it. Loved her.

They'd spoken thought-to-thought every night at exactly midnight, Montana time. And after three weeks Bix was sick and tired of being away from his mate.

Bix made his way to the rear of the jet. At a glimpse of Alaan's face he stopped short and surveyed the crew. Tameth sat on an oversized bench seat talking and smiling with Kenoe Hatsept.

Alaan watched them with murder in his eyes. Shaking his head at his friend's strange behavior, Bix called the crew together.

"Okay, guys, it's been exactly twenty-one days and I'm fed up with running all over creation chasing this b.a.s.t.a.r.d. I want your opinion on what you think is really going on here."

Kenoe spoke, his words quiet and thoughtful as his fingers idly stroked the thick fall of Tameth's midnight hair. "His scent is in each place we go, but it doesn't smell quite right."

Alaan's blond brows knit together, eyes blazing and glued to Kenoe's hands. His jaw was set so tight it ticked and jerked. Bix tilted his head, wondering what was up with that. A single brow lifted inquiringly but Alaan simply looked away with narrowed eyes and avoided his gaze. The man was decidedly uncomfortable, almost fidgety, but Bix let it go. They had more pressing things to tackle.

"You know," Tameth spoke, "this Sidheon always seems to be one step ahead of us, as if someone is feeding him information. I agree with Kenoe about Sid's scent. It smells...old."

Alex asked, "Isn't Sidheon a scientist? If his scent is off perhaps he's found a way to counterfeit it? You said some of the vamps that worked at the biotech facility disappeared right along with him.

What if they're running ahead of us, spraying his scent all over the place and..."

"...And someone's feeding them info on our movements? Your Liaison did mention a mole, right?" Kenoe added speculatively, his expression thoughtful, troubled.

Bix and Alaan looked at each other, eyes wide as the implications of such a plot took root. As Carin would say, "Talk about a real a-ha moment."

Slade spoke up. "You think this whole undertaking was a set-up?"

"Yeah," Alex said, "perhaps the whole mission was a wild goose chase?"

"G.o.dd.a.m.n it. Who the h.e.l.l would have the nerve?" Bix bellowed.

Tameth's dark eyes searched Alaan's vivid blue ones. "Alaan, what do you think, handsome?"

She seemed to love teasing him, and rolled her eyes when the big blond giant wouldn't return her gaze. "Come on, Alaan, say something. You've got a good brain. Besides, you know I love your voice.

It reminds me of Barry White."

Kenoe chuckled when Alaan grumbled something about throwing cheeky women over his shoulder for a spanking before he headed to the c.o.c.kpit to keep Randall company. Bix called after him, "Have Randall turn off the transponder. I don't want to be tracked." Alaan nodded but didn't break stride.

Bix flipped open his phone and hit the speed dial. "Natasha, we're on the way back."

"What's going on? Have you got him?" she squealed with excitement.

"No, we don't have him. He's managed to elude us in every city we've tracked him to."

"Well, if you haven't managed to catch him why are you coming back early?"

"To see who set us up."

"What? No one would dare."

"Well, someone did. We're just outside of Tokyo. We've got at least eighteen hours in the air.

We'll be there by late tomorrow afternoon."

"All right. The clans have gone home but all the members of the Council are still here. It's only ten o'clock in the evening here. I can call a quick briefing to let them know..." "No. Don't tell anyone we're coming in early. If we're being shafted, I don't want anyone to know we're on to it."

"You've got it. I won't say a word. I'll double check the intel I've been receiving for clues. I should have something for you by the time you get here tomorrow afternoon. See you in eighteen hours."

"Fine. Bix out."

Sidheon s.n.a.t.c.hed his cell off the nightstand and flipped it open. He hated being disturbed in the middle of an experiment. He glanced at the phone number on the display and sighed. Not again, he thought wearily as he answered the call, not bothering with a h.e.l.lo.

"I am beginning to regret this arrangement. What is it now? And why are you calling me at this hour?" The b.i.t.c.h was either addicted or obsessed, he wasn't sure which. But either way, he was beginning to wish he'd never gifted her with a taste of his d.i.c.k.

"There's been a change of plans. If you're not ready, and I mean right now, we'll have to call the whole thing off." The tone was impatient, laced with anger, determination and a good dose of fear.

Sidheon didn't give a rat's a.s.s. Oh well, there was no help for it-hired help must occasionally be reminded of their status. And their expendability.

"Really," he drawled. "I don't recall you being in charge of this little escapade. I understand you're taking a risk with a very small window of time in which to retrieve my guest. My world won't end if things must be, shall we say, delayed. However, your situation is a bit different, don't you think?"

"Don't threaten me, lover. I've done everything you asked, and enjoyed the occasional tryst as much as you, but I won't be declared rogue or killed for anyone. Not even for a vamp with a c.o.c.k as nice as yours. So"-she blew a frustrated huff-"I need you to move your a.s.s or I'm bailing, Sidheon."

Females. They could be so dramatic. But he hadn't gotten this far by giving in to female hysterics, even if they were warranted. But he couldn't allow the woman's panic to get him caught in the same net. If his little traitor went down, it would be all by her lonesome and he would simply disappear. End of story.

She was understandably terrified at the possibility of landing in the hands of the Seekers. And if Iudex judges got involved...h.e.l.l, he didn't even want to think about what would happen with those ruthless b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. But as long as it didn't happen to him, Sidheon didn't care one way or the other. Besides, the mole was history the second he got his hands on Carin anyway.

"You're bailing? I think not, my dear." After a brief pause, he said, "Perhaps I should make a phone call to Alaana Serati? I'm sure she'd be interested in our special relationship, don't you?"

After a moment of silence, he continued. "I didn't think so. Now, you just get her here. I'll take care of the rest. If all goes according to plan, it will be days before the Seekers chasing my trail even figure it out. Actually, I'm a bit surprised they haven't figured it out yet."

"For your information, the Seekers will be back in less than twenty-four hours."

"No matter. I've already secured a nice little property where we can relax for awhile. Sending the coordinates now."